The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Two 6 volts or two 12 volts...

This is not necessarily for my stovebolt, but it is for the rig that gets me to my stovebolt. My travel trailer needs new batteries. It currently has two 12V deep cycle batteries in parallel. I was wondering what you guys think is better, two 12 volt deep cycles in parallel or two 6 volt deep cycles in series?

major RV's mostly use the 6V golf cart batteries, higher amp hours and true deep cycle, the 12V "deep cycle" batteries, aren't .... look for batteries rated in 'AH', not CA or CCA ... 4 in series/parallel is what I'm starting with in daBus, eventually prolly have 8, with solar charging

Bill

glamis4X4,

The 6 six volt batteries in series would give you twelve volts. I have read that in this application, both batteries must be matched in amp/hour capacity. Although not scarce, if one were to fail, finding a duplicate might take some legwork.

Two 12 volt batteries in parallel would give you twice the current capacity of a single battery. Wouldn't this be the most desirable for a travel trailer situation...especially if you have a bunch of hungry accessories on board.

I don't fully understand these theories, so this could be bum info. My thought would be to go with whatever the manufacturer put in the trailer originally.

Stuart

Definetely go with the 2 12V deep cycle batteries in parallel. That way your AH (ampere/hours) capacity is additive (the total of the two batteries). Two 6V batteries in series would get you to 12V but your lights would go dim and your TV would quit working before halftime of MNF!

Thanks guys. I think I will stick with the two 12 volts in paralell. Even though the two 6Volts in series might last longer, my Pop in law had an interesting point...If one of the 6 volt batteries takes a sh!t, you are dead in the water. If one of the 12Volts takes a sh!t, you at least have one 12Volt battery to get you by.