Fortunately, I did not have a pair of 6v batteries

[Bobbo]

Well, the fact I had a pair of 12v batteries in parallel rather than a pair of 6v batteries in series kept me from having a serious problem on the road.

When I exercised the generator in June, all was well. When I tried to exercise the generator in July, there wasn't enough power to start it. The batteries were 7 years old, and I had abused them before getting rid of the MagnaJunk 7345 converter, so I figured they had died.

When I went to take them out to carry to Batteries+, I discovered that sometime in that month, while were were on a 3 week trip most likely, one end of the hot cable that bridged the 2 batteries had corroded and broken off. The ground was still bridged, so I was only getting juice from one battery. It was enough to get me through the trip without even knowing I had a problem, but the battery was too weak to start the genny.

I bought a clamp-on terminal and put it on the wire where the other end corroded off, and now I can start my genny again.

I know I am going to have to replace them soon, but it wasn't today.

[NinerBikes]

I am lazy on maintenance and service... my battery cable corroded... good thing I didn't have 6 volt batteries. :rollseyes

Readers Digest Condensed version. Move along, nothing to see here.

[Bobbo]

Almot wrote:
One thing I don't understand: how does dead coach battery affect your 12V system on the road. Was your MH alternator also dead?

There wasn't a dead battery, just a battery taken out of the system due to a corroded cable. There would have been a dead 12v system if it had been a pair of 6v batteries and the cable bridging them had corroded and broken. Also, by "on the road" I am referring to camping, not just driving.

smkettner wrote:
Did you determine the cause of the corrosion issue or just clean it up?

Old batteries, nearing the end of their life cycle, abused by a MagnaJunk 7345 converter for the first 3 or 4 years of their life. They will have to be replaced before too long.

I agree with all who say my maintainance was lax, but if you feel this thread is pointless, feel free go on to the next thread. It won't hurt my feelings in the least.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Hydrogen sulfide is incredibly corrosive. The hydrogen atom is the smallest of the bunch. They can penetrate GREASE (!) if the grease layer is too thin. A sacrificial anode is worthwhile. I melt pennies, skim off the copper and place the zinc blob right against the battery post.

[NinerBikes]

smkettner wrote:
Did you determine the cause of the corrosion issue or just clean it up?

The cause of corrosion is a chemical reaction, between the fumes being put out by the battery, and the elements the battery connector is made out of. The same things that make copper a great electrical conductor, a +3 ionic state element, also make it very reactive with other elements to react to, oxidize and corrode. Old batteries off gas more, release more Hydrogen, Oxygen and Sulfur out of the vents. That free oxygen "oxidizes" or burns, or reacts with everything and anything near it, including exposed battery terminals with poor ventilation.

If you are getting corrosion on your terminals, you have a ventilation problem, or a battery that is getting old and on it's way out... it also probably is consuming water at a higher than original or normal state, due to all the off gassing.

[time2roll]

Did you determine the cause of the corrosion issue or just clean it up?

[MEXICOWANDERER]

This discussion reminds me of "Sure glad I walked! just look at that accident!"

It seems to be missing having a point. Other than of course allowing someone to paint themselves green and then go hide under a bridge...

[Almot]

Bobbo wrote:

Well, the fact I had a pair of 12v batteries in parallel rather than a pair of 6v batteries in series kept me from having a serious problem on the road.

I agree with people that your maintenance was lax, to say the least.

I also agree that with 2*6 you would've noticed and fixed the corroded cable long time ago, though without a parts store in the mountains this would be quite a nuisance.

One thing I don't understand: how does dead coach battery affect your 12V system on the road. Was your MH alternator also dead? 🙂

[NinerBikes]

Bobbo wrote:

opnspaces wrote:
If I have two 6 volt batteries I have one 12 volt battery split into two halves. If one of the halves gets damaged my 12v battery stops functioning properly.

Most RV's have one 12 volt battery. If my one 12 volt battery and got damaged I'd be in the same boat.

Yeah I'm nit picking a bit, but come on, how often do we really get stranded by a failed battery?

Yes Bobbo had a failed terminal on one 12 volt battery. But if it was a 6 volt failed terminal and it was really important at the time I bet it would have been McGyvered until it could be repaired correctly.

OP here. That is EXACTLY my point. I didn't have to "McGyver" it while on the road. It waited until it was parked at home. Thank you for making my point for me.

You miss the point, you were negligent in maintaining your batteries and cables. Every thing else about failure is moot. The onus is on you for failing to maintain and check your batteries and terminals. Had you done so, none of this would even matter. No excuse for neglect. Had you taken care of it, you'd have nothing to post about.

[Bobbo]

opnspaces wrote:
If I have two 6 volt batteries I have one 12 volt battery split into two halves. If one of the halves gets damaged my 12v battery stops functioning properly.

Most RV's have one 12 volt battery. If my one 12 volt battery and got damaged I'd be in the same boat.

Yeah I'm nit picking a bit, but come on, how often do we really get stranded by a failed battery?

Yes Bobbo had a failed terminal on one 12 volt battery. But if it was a 6 volt failed terminal and it was really important at the time I bet it would have been McGyvered until it could be repaired correctly.

OP here. That is EXACTLY my point. I didn't have to "McGyver" it while on the road. It waited until it was parked at home. Thank you for making my point for me.

[Wayne_Dohnal]

The OP documented a specific valid situation that possibly presents an advantage of dual 12s. I say possibly because there are twice as many interconnects with the parallel setup, doubling the probability of an interconnect failure. So while on one hand the consequences were less when the failure did occur, there's just as much chance it never would have occurred at all with dual 6s. For me the advantages of the dual 6s clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

[NinerBikes]

6V or 12V jars, schmars... If you had a sunny day and solar panels on the roof, you'd have 12V available.

No excuse for neglected maintenance of something as silly and simple as a battery cable. Perhaps it's like a spare tire, keep an extra on hand.

[2oldman]

...or calls a converter an inverter. If they don't know it's a converter, how the heck do they come up with inverter??

[landyacht318]

So your pet peeve is when somebody calls a battery a Jar?

Mine is when people call any sealed battery a Gel cell, or any deep cycle battery a Deep Cell battery.

Pointless infuriation. Might as well start a new 6v vs 12v thread for all the good it will do, or perhaps a AGm vs flooded thread. Those are always fun, and pointless.

My opinions are facts!!!!
Deal with it!!!!!!!!!!!

Off to the looney Bin.

[pdogg]

Wow, an entire battery discussion without someone calling them "jars"... shocking..