6 and 12 volts batteries

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camliberty

New member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
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Hi everybody. I am new here, I am just starting my new project. First qst: Can I hook-up a 12 volts deep cycle battery with 2 6 volts golf cart batteries? I already have one 12 volts deep cycle battery and I would like to add 2 6 volts batteries to my system. Tks.
 
In theory yes, the 2-6 in series, and the pair of 6 and the 12 in parallel. However, it's never good to mix match batteries as the pack will only be as good as the worse battery.
 
So 2 new 6 volts with an old (2 yrs) together is not a good idea.  I just wanted to save some $$ with the old one...
 
I believe it is recommended that you charge the same type battery together. I doubt that the characteristics of the 6 and 12 volt batteries will that similar.

It would be wise to find out things like plate thickness on the six and 12 volt batteries before going ahead. Many 12 volt RV batteries are designed for marine use and are for starting as well as deep cycle.

There are installations that separate the two systems with relays or manual switches for charging and use.
 
I do it that way, no problems.

One thing I encourage people to do is not t hink of those six volt bateries as six volt

But rather to think of them as one, big, 12 volt  Kind of like this....

{Bat}t{ery}

Because when they are installed that is exactly what they are.

Yes, there are some potential problems. and it is doubtufl that your 12 volt battery is a deep cycle (Marine/Deep cycle and Deep Cycle are not even close to each other,  Starting and Marine/Deep cycle. those are close, interchangable in fact in most cases)

But it can be done.  If that marine deep cycle is a group 24 not much advantage to doing it.

The major danger is this: If the smaller 12 volt shorts a cell, it may tend to .. Explode (mild explosion but it blows acid all over everywhere in the battery compartment) .
 
So it's not a good idea. I guess I'll go with new 6 volt batteries then.  I'll talk about my project soon, I'm a bit busy now... My project is not a bus but a Freighliner FL106 2001 with a 26'' dry box on it. I had it and didn't get enough if selling it. So I changed my mind about a bus and decided to use it for my new RV instead. Do you think it's a good idea?  A lot of work though...
 
Marc L is right.  They will work together just fine, but a bad battery can quickly kill a new battery.  Perhaps you can break them down into two banks with a switch to allow you to select their usage and charging.  By 6-volt, I presume you mean a 6-volt golf cart battery.  These are great for powering the goodies on your rig or boat.  They're designed to be discharged (to a very low state) and recharged many, many times.  I once paid almost $700 for two Rolls 4-D batteries (top of the line at the time) and they didn't make it five years.  I went to Sam's Club and bought four 6-volt golf cart batteries ($240 at that time) and they were still working fine when I sold the boat after ten years with those batteries.
 
cntryboy95608 said:
i went with 10 gel cell and they seem to be great! all 6 volt ! but im powering a prevost!

Well If you can afford a prevost.. I won't comment on cost beyond this line.

What is the make and model of those batteries?  And why Gel? I mean Gel is a bad choice. (Unless of course you are confused and it's really AGM, which beat GEL in so many ways I lost count)
 
i was lucky to get them from work and that was a win fall! yes they do cost more but everything i have read it is the way to go!
 
Gel Cells are the worst option for RVers from what I have found, they are very "Fussy" in terms of charging requirements,  Very sensitive to both over voltage and over current (Too fast or overcharge).

AGM's on the other hand, are just about as far from GEL as you can get in this regard, Some brands can suck easily 10 times the charging current that a comparable capacity GEL can take,  (heck, 12 times) and they tend to shrug off a minor over charge.

Since both are sealed valve regulated lead acid batteries that can be mounted on end, on side, upside down or in other odd positions..... They often get confused.

OPTIMA, which I have heard called GEL, is really AGM.
 
Now there is a Lithium Battery option, but a bit expensive.  They could save you money in the long run in life expectency and fuel savings (weight)

http://www.lithionicsbattery.com/rv.html
 
cntryboy95608 said:
YES THEY ARE OPTIMA !

Optima batteries, as I said are AGM, which is way better than GEL.

That said, OPtima are only about 2'/3 there, the rest is air and of no use to you.. By that I mean for the same size battery.... If a Lifeline or MK/Deka AGM would be 100 amp hour, the Optima, only about sixty. 

Normally I would not recommend them for this reason, but... If you get 'em from the "Trash" pile at work (That is free, or nearly so)  More power to you.
 
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