Can I use my YUASA 12 volt 1.5 amp charger on two 6 volt batteries in series?

[Raypc800]

Okay I have a 1989 Winnebago Chieftain that currently has two group 27 12 volt batteries in it. If I switch to two 6 volt batteries, what are the complications or changes that I will need to do? Any and ALL information on this will be greatly appreciated from all of you. Thanks

Raypc800

 

[Just Lou]

You will need to wire the two six volt batteries in series to present twelve volts to the positive DC bus in your RV.  Everything else stays the same and functions exactly as it does currently.

 

[tennsmith]

To answer your question, yes you can use the Yuasa charger on 2 six volt batteries in series, but it isn't gonna do much other than "maintain" the batteries once they are charged via a different method.  Those Yuasa and Battery Tender chargers are intended to maintain a fully charged battery and not charge depleted ones.  You'll never get enough voltage out of it to fully charge the battery.  "Smart Chargers" in RVs use a high voltage like 14+ to do the bulk of the charging, then when the battery gets close to fully charged, they drop off in voltage and eventually go into what is called the "float" mode.  The Yuasa is a float charger.

 

[John From Detroit]

Switching from Two G-27 to two GC-2 (Six volt) will mean thorwing away one jumper wire (Well actually Id' double up on it

Your current hook up

+=+  To rig
B B
A A
T T
E E
R R
YY
-=-  To Chassis Ground

Your new hook up

Chassis Ground ==== -Bat+=-try+ === to rig

The equals sign is a wire

You will pick up abut only about 10% more amp hours so no need to worry about any changes in converter, fuses or wires.

One footnote here:

I am fond of saying "There are no six volt batteries in RV's"

The reason for this is when you get them to the RV, and wire them in series (As diagrammed above) they become, effectively and electrically, one 12 volt battery.

Think of them this way and most all your questions will be answered.

That one question has to do with the text following "About 10%" above. and I answered that already.

 

[Raypc800]

I thank all of you for the information. I appreciate the time you spent answer this post. Again thank you all very much and have a great day! Ray... OPPS One more thing any suggestions on an the maximum amps I should get for a 12volt 3 stage charger? I have read that overcharging or overheating the batteries is very bad.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The RV Forum Library has a brief but excellent article on wiring RV batteries - see http://www.rvforum.net/miscfiles/batterycon-1.pdf. It includes drawings to show the connections for 6v batteries.

In fact, the entire section on Battery and 12v is probably worth your while to read.

http://www.rvforum.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=39:batteries-and-dc-12v-stuff&Itemid=45&layout=default

 

[John From Detroit]

Xantrex suggests charging flooded wet cell type batteries (The common golf car type six volt fall into this class) at no more than 30% of their 20 hour rate amp hour capacity

220 amp hours.. 66 amps max charge.

The converter in my Motor home is an 80, but it's a long way from the batteries which slows things down.

I'd go with a Progressive dynamics 9260 or another top line 60 amp myself.