6 volt battery change question

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wclogger1

Member
Joined
May 23, 2013
Posts
17
Location
Chase, BC, Canada
We have moved to a 2005 Journey 36G, which has 3 X 12 volt sealed batteries. They are original but at 8 years I am thinking it might be time to change. I had 4 X T105 in my fiver for 7 years and they served me well.
Has anyone changed their Journey up to the 6 volt GC batteries and if so how did you fit 4 in the battery slide out space or did you frame mount one?
I would like to have the extra amp hours out of the GC's (400 vs 300) plus I can save a buck, I think.
Thanks, Bob
 
I had a 2006 Meridian witch is the sister unit to yours. I researched the same thing at the time. I was never able to find any 6 volts that would fit in my rack. I considered changing out the rack, but it was too expensive for me to justify it.  I wound up staying with 3 12's. 
 
I changed the 3 12v bafteries out for 4 6v batteries on my Horizon.  You have to put them in sixe bside lengthwise.  I used the high capacity batteries from Sams Club (440 ah)
 
I put 4 golf cart batteries in the space for 3 12V 31 batteries on our 2004 Winnebago Vectra.  The golf cart batteries are a little taller and I had to watch when pulling our the battery slide.  They worked great.  A lot more amp-hours in the same battery space.
 
I replaced my 12 volt batteries with golf cart 6 volts.  It was very close (to being too tall), so I was careful pushing the tray back in, but it works great.  Got my batteries at Costco.
 
yolo said:
I put 4 golf cart batteries in the space for 3 12V 31 batteries on our 2004 Winnebago Vectra.  The golf cart batteries are a little taller and I had to watch when pulling our the battery slide.  They worked great.  A lot more amp-hours in the same battery space.
Click to expand...

x2 in my Itasca Horizon. 4 6-volt batteries from Sams, turning them sideways.  I needed to have made two 11" cables, was able to re-use the rest of the cables.
 
I modified my 02 Journey battery tray by adding approx. 1" to the width. After cutting the tray in half I added 1/4X1'x 14" width iron strip. I bolted it under the lip front and the lip in the back used to pull the tray out. After bolting the tray together I slotted the square holes used to bolt to frame so the additional 1/2" per side will line up with original holes in chassis.  I cut approx. 1/2" of top angle iron of chassis over the tray to allow for the additional height of 6 volt batteries. Needless to say measuring first to see if enough space is available for the additional width of the tray is advised. I now have 4 each 6 volt batteries.

Charlie Tuit
02 Journey, XL-7 toad
 
Like the rest, I also changed from the 12V to 4ea GC-2 batteries, If you look at the opening at the top I think you will find it's a non-structural piece of steel and easily cut up about 3/8" with a Dremel and a steady hand. Makes for less lightening bolts when pulling the tray out.
 
Not much to see other than my fancy cables. I took all the other junk and moved it to a common buss elsewhere.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r192/SCVJeff/DSCN8738.jpg
 
SCVJeff said:
Not much to see other than my fancy cables. I took all the other junk and moved it to a common buss elsewhere.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r192/SCVJeff/DSCN8738.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow, those are nice cables!  8)
 
Sure..
lemme xplain'
This is mounted under the rear bed in the utility raceway where the AC breaker panel is located. There is also a Surge Guard in here with a remoted panel. It's completely out of the weather, and surrounded by fire resistant (Ive tried to burn it with no success) engine firewall material. That was originally installed just in case the SurgeGuard contactor ever started humming, I gave it some acoustical isolation.

On the left side are the only two cables going to the battery bank. The bottom left is the shunt feeding the Magnum MS2000, and the top is a 300A line fuse. The two studs on the right are common tie points for the Magnum, Solar, house distribution. The solar also has remote sense, and those are on the left. They are the small wires on the shunt and the fuse. Somewhere there is a wide shot, but you get the idea..

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r192/SCVJeff/DSCN8540.jpg

MS2000 Install:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r192/SCVJeff/DSCN8549.jpg

I bought a 12Ton Hydraulic crimper for this project. Smushes connectors really good too: :)
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r192/SCVJeff/Crimp-1.jpg

Everything is 4/0 Super Excelene welding cable covered by high temp slit wrap. This doesn't add any extra length to the batteries from the charger since its literally on the way from point A to point B

(edit: fixed iPad spelling and grammar)
 
Thanks for posting the pics, nice neat install. Now that I am in the land of cheap rv parts & tools I'd best get my butt in gear. Is that a Harbor Freight crimper?
Bob
 
No. The HF one is somewhere around 8 ton, and didn't have the die set to do 4/0. This one came from eBay for about $135
 
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