Charging 6v golf cart batteries?

[engineer40]

Hello all! I'm new to campers but have been enjoying learning about my new (used) Viking 10ft popup truck bed camper. It did not come with any house batteries. After some research and looking at my budget for now, I purchased 2 6v golf cart batteries. I have them wired in series for 12v output. They are working as expected.

As far as I can tell, my camper does not automatically recharged the batteries when I'm plugged into shore power. I have a decent work around. There is a house plug in in the same cabinet as I have the batteries. I have a spare smart charger that I plan to wire directly to the battery terminals so it automatically charges them when I plug into shore power. I've been using this battery charger for a few years and it's never overcharged anything.

Since I have 2 6v batteries wired in series I'll need to connect the charger to the positive battery terminal on 1 battery, and to the negative battery terminal on the 2nd battery. I believe that way both batteries are being charged equally at the same time. If I do this, do I have the charger set to 12v/2amp? I'm assuming I do... But my charger also has a setting for 6v/4amp and since the batteries are technically 6v, it has me questioning my thinking here. I appreciate any clarify you all can provide. Thanks!

[valhalla360]

wa8yxm wrote:
YOu know I get this every time I say there are not 6 volt batteries in RV's
But I know what a battery is.. You clearly do not

I think those responding to the OP know fully well what a battery is.

You are right on technicality but you are only adding confusion in terms of practicality.

[Grit_dog]

Maybe you guys could quit arguing the semantics of 6V vs 12V?
Just a thought? We get it, you're all self appointed electrical engineers because you own a RV and understand them a bit. Good on ya. You get a gold star. Now, stop it! LOL

[Boon_Docker]

So someone split my 12 volt battery in half. :E
Must have been the previous owner.

[wa8yxm]

Boon Docker wrote:
My trailer must be an oddball, because I have (2) 6 volt batteries. Taking into account that there are not supposed to be any 6 volt batteries in trailers, very strange indeed.

What you have is a 12 volt battery split into two 6 volt parts for easy of installation and handling. (And lower cost but that's another thread)

Together they make a 12 volt battery
As I said I have seen many questions about six volt batteries.
Can I have two different brands
Can one be bigger than the other
Can one be newer than the other
Can I replace just one.

If you think of them Combined as a single 12 volt battery then the answer to all those questions is very clear.. not confusing at all.

(The answers by the way are all NO)

But people insist on confusing others by thinking of them as 6 volt batteries instead of two halves of a single 12 volt battery.

Which is what they are. Two halves of a single 12 volt collection of cells. (Battery).

[pianotuna]

Hi engineer40,

Cheaper and better to replace the Magnetek. The output relies on the battery to "smooth" the ripple.

Here is a link to a firm lots of us have used:

https://www.bestconverter.com/

There is a wealth of information there, too.

engineer40 wrote:
This is a picture of my electrical center. I just noticed that is does say "Converter Output: 12.6 VDC Current 15 AMPS" So maybe it is supposed to charge the batteries and I need to troubleshoot this further.

One thing I thought was odd is when the switch in the lower right is in the OFF position, the house outlets in the camper will work if I'm plugged into shore power. Seems like OFF would mean, it truly breaks the circuit.

[Boon_Docker]

My trailer must be an oddball, because I have (2) 6 volt batteries. Taking into account that there are not supposed to be any 6 volt batteries in trailers, very strange indeed.

[wa8yxm]

YOu know I get this every time I say there are not 6 volt batteries in RV's
But I know what a battery is.. You clearly do not
"A battery is a collection of cells to produce a voltage"
One lead acid cell is about 2.1 volts
Thus 3 cells in series = 6.3 volts and 6 cells in series = 12.6 Volts.

The fact it's split into two packages.. That simply makes it easier to handle.

If you like it's a 12 volt battery system.

You could use half a dozen stand alone cells (And yes I've seen that done. though h not in RV service)

[2112]

Did you check the 2 fuses at the upper right of the panel?

The switch on the lower right does not control your outlets. That switch controls where you get your DC for the lights. Either battery or directly from the convertor

[CA_Traveler]

I suspect the camper is designed for very low power usage and hence the wiring size is OK per the mfg intended usage.

[engineer40]

Sincerely appreciate everyone's help so far. Thank you!

The black & white wire that come into the picture from the upper right seem awfully small to me for the entire camper to use? I took off some panels and traced the wire and it appears to be original to the camper. 20 years ago I melted some wires that were too small of gauge for a car amp I was using. So seeing these small wires in a camper make me sort of nervous as well. The fuse should blow before the wires melt. I think... For testing I've had appliances running, lights on, and a lamp plugged into house outlet and no fuses blew. So maybe those wires are fine. I guess I won't know for sure until I get out and use this camper some. Hopefully this weekend!


Click For Full-Size Image.

[engineer40]

This is a picture of my electrical center. I just noticed that is does say "Converter Output: 12.6 VDC Current 15 AMPS" So maybe it is supposed to charge the batteries and I need to troubleshoot this further.

One thing I thought was odd is when the switch in the lower right is in the OFF position, the house outlets in the camper will work if I'm plugged into shore power. Seems like OFF would mean, it truly breaks the circuit.


Click For Full-Size Image.

[Gdetrailer]

wa8yxm wrote:


THERE ARE NO SIX VOLT BATTERIES IN RVs.. they are all 12 volt (once installed)

You do realize that your statement is highly flawed?

Your arguing over the case of the battery.

FLA batteries are made up of 2V "cells" wired in series, doesn't matter if it a "6" or "12" case. There is no such thing as a native 6V or 12V battery, they are made up of a series string of 2V cells to get the final desired voltage.

To get a specific voltage above 2V the 2V cells are "grouped" in a case and wired in series.

6V case contains three 2V cells prewired in series and a 12V case contains six cells prewired in series.

You can use two 6V cases in a 12V electrical system as long as the two 6V cases have been wired in series (pos of one to negative of the other)..

Once the 6V cases have been wired in series you can treat them the same as a 12V case..

The same holds true for any "battery" above the nominal cell voltage whether it is FLA, Gel, Nicad, NiMH, Lithium, they all have specific single cell voltages which is not 6V or 12V and to get 12V the individual cells are wired in series..

[valhalla360]

wa8yxm wrote:
Here is a simple way to answer all your 6V v/s 12 battery questions.

THERE ARE NO SIX VOLT BATTERIES IN RVs.. they are all 12 volt (once installed)

This is just trying to confuse the OP on technicalities.

The label will still say 6v once you hook them up in series to produce 12v power.

It will also confuse discussion if he asks about wiring and says he has 12v batteries as people will assume he went to the store and bought 2 - 12v batteries as opposed to 2 - 6v batteries. The resulting recommendations would be wrong.

[wa8yxm]

Here is a simple way to answer all your 6V v/s 12 battery questions.

THERE ARE NO SIX VOLT BATTERIES IN RVs.. they are all 12 volt (once installed)

Some are one piece Say a group 27 MARINE/deep cycle (not a good choice)
Some are in two pices {GC2}--{GC2} (Very good choice) but all are 12 volt.

You have the good choice

Chassis ground -{GC2}==={GC2}++12 volt.

Treat the pair as you would a single 12 volt say a 4D. And all you 6/12 questions go poof.. Examples

Can i have one of one make and one of another (Can you have half a 12 volt Excide and half Interstate?) no keep them the same.

Can I replace just one? Can you replace just half a 12 volt?

How do I charge them? You charge it.

In short you are doing the right thing.

[KD4UPL]

It's incredibly rare, nearly unheard of. That a camper doesn't have a built in charger.
Most items in the camper run from 12 volt battery power. The shore power is converted to 12 volts by the converter/charger. If you relly only on 2 amps it isn't anywhere near enough. Your batteries will die.