switching to two 6 volt batteries?

[gitpicker2009]

I'm about to replace my two AF1150 batteries. They're currently Interstate Deep Cycle 12 volts wired in parallel.
I'm thinking of going with two 6Volt golf cart batteries. Sam's sells the Duracell EGC2 for 150 bucks. Specs:
20 amp hour rate: 230
5 amp hour rate:174
Battery electrolyte composition: acid
Battery end type: top post
Battery purpose: deep cycle
BCI group size: GC2
Freight class: 65
Minutes at 25 amps: 448
Minutes at 75 amps: 120
Terminal type: DIN
Volts: six

I was thinking that with the 2 two wired in series, I'd be better off on the Amp Hour rating. Any opinions?

Thanks as always

[Grit_dog]

Latner wrote:

gitpicker2009 wrote:
I'm about to replace my two AF1150 batteries. They're currently Interstate Deep Cycle 12 volts wired in parallel.
I'm thinking of going with two 6Volt golf cart batteries. Sam's sells the Duracell EGC2 for 150 bucks. Specs:
20 amp hour rate: 230
5 amp hour rate:174
Battery electrolyte composition: acid
Battery end type: top post
Battery purpose: deep cycle
BCI group size: GC2
Freight class: 65
Minutes at 25 amps: 448
Minutes at 75 amps: 120
Terminal type: DIN
Volts: six

I was thinking that with the 2 two wired in series, I'd be better off on the Amp Hour rating. Any opinions?

Thanks as always

Good choice. Mine are going on 7 years now and seem to be as good as when I bought them.

It’s not a good choice because they won’t fit in his camper….doesn’t matter if they last 20 years….if they’re sitting at home.

[pianotuna]

Consider recondtioned telecom batteries. Mine are 139 amp-hours each @ 12 volts. Measure to make sure they would fit.

[valhalla360]

#1Flyboy wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

#1Flyboy wrote:
….. I’d recommend 2 - 6 Volt AGM ( No adding water, No acid fumes, Maintenance free, can mount in ANY position, Lasts Longer, proven technology, etc., etc. ) batteries

Unless you plan to roll the trailer, not much advantage with AGM and a lot of extra cost. Boil an AGM and there is no putting more water in, they are simply trash. Standard 6v batteries that are not abused should be good for 6-10yrs.

As to the OPs suggested batteries, they should be a nice upgrade over the current starting batteries (which are simply re-labled as marine or dual purpose). 6V batteries are true deep cycle designs.

Side note: It does seem odd that the 20amp rating is 230amp-hr but the 5amp rating is 174amp-hr. Typically, the slower you pull the amps the more amp-hr you get out of a battery.

…. I would think that NO maintenance & NO acid spilling in the battery compartment & NO acid fumes would be a BIG advantage over regular FLA batteries!…………

10min to add water a couple times per year...ehhh. Should be checking on connections etc anyway.
Never spilled acid or had fumes do any damage, so...ehhh.

AGM were designed for planes (and to a lesser degree boats) where the batteries might wind up at extreme angles resulting in flooded batteries dumping the acid. If your RV batteries are rolling that far, you have much bigger problems than a little spilled acid.

[_1Flyboy]

valhalla360 wrote:

#1Flyboy wrote:
….. I’d recommend 2 - 6 Volt AGM ( No adding water, No acid fumes, Maintenance free, can mount in ANY position, Lasts Longer, proven technology, etc., etc. ) batteries

Unless you plan to roll the trailer, not much advantage with AGM and a lot of extra cost. Boil an AGM and there is no putting more water in, they are simply trash. Standard 6v batteries that are not abused should be good for 6-10yrs.

As to the OPs suggested batteries, they should be a nice upgrade over the current starting batteries (which are simply re-labled as marine or dual purpose). 6V batteries are true deep cycle designs.

Side note: It does seem odd that the 20amp rating is 230amp-hr but the 5amp rating is 174amp-hr. Typically, the slower you pull the amps the more amp-hr you get out of a battery.

…. I would think that NO maintenance & NO acid spilling in the battery compartment & NO acid fumes would be a BIG advantage over regular FLA batteries!…………

[valhalla360]

#1Flyboy wrote:
….. I’d recommend 2 - 6 Volt AGM ( No adding water, No acid fumes, Maintenance free, can mount in ANY position, Lasts Longer, proven technology, etc., etc. ) batteries

Unless you plan to roll the trailer, not much advantage with AGM and a lot of extra cost. Boil an AGM and there is no putting more water in, they are simply trash. Standard 6v batteries that are not abused should be good for 6-10yrs.

As to the OPs suggested batteries, they should be a nice upgrade over the current starting batteries (which are simply re-labled as marine or dual purpose). 6V batteries are true deep cycle designs.

Side note: It does seem odd that the 20amp rating is 230amp-hr but the 5amp rating is 174amp-hr. Typically, the slower you pull the amps the more amp-hr you get out of a battery.

[Latner]

gitpicker2009 wrote:
I'm about to replace my two AF1150 batteries. They're currently Interstate Deep Cycle 12 volts wired in parallel.
I'm thinking of going with two 6Volt golf cart batteries. Sam's sells the Duracell EGC2 for 150 bucks. Specs:
20 amp hour rate: 230
5 amp hour rate:174
Battery electrolyte composition: acid
Battery end type: top post
Battery purpose: deep cycle
BCI group size: GC2
Freight class: 65
Minutes at 25 amps: 448
Minutes at 75 amps: 120
Terminal type: DIN
Volts: six

I was thinking that with the 2 two wired in series, I'd be better off on the Amp Hour rating. Any opinions?

Thanks as always

Good choice. Mine are going on 7 years now and seem to be as good as when I bought them.

[Grit_dog]

Yes you’ll get more useable capacity out of the 2 6v. Yes it’s that easy to just hook them up in series. Not other mods needed.
No, 99% sure they won’t fit in your battery compartment, at least not without removing the sliding tray.
For our old AF TC I got Mighty Max SLA, good ole Amazon specials. They are 200 or more ah but are shorter and fit with the tray installed.

[3_tons]

As a cost performance quotient definitely go with the GC’s because they are more robust, meaning routinely capable of a somewhat greater DOD (depth of discharge) without adversely affecting longevity as used in golf carts, versus a 50% DOD with your present battery …They are about 3/4” taller to top of battery post than your present battery…

3 tons

[_1Flyboy]

….. I’d recommend 2 - 6 Volt AGM ( No adding water, No acid fumes, Maintenance free, can mount in ANY position, Lasts Longer, proven technology, etc., etc. ) batteries … I also removed the battery tray from my AF to get rid of some weight & make more room in the battery compartment……

[CA_Traveler]

If your 12V are Marine type then they are a modified starter battery and not nearly as good as GC2s. Do your 12V batteries have a 20 amp hour rate? Likely 180AH+ vs 230AH. Be aware that GC2s are taller.