Battery Connections – How Shocking!
Howdy !!
I had a reader ask how to connect two 6-volt golf cart batteries to replace an RV marine 12-volt unit. Tell the truth I thought about just sending him a private letter but then got to thinking that if one person had the question then likely more folks had the same question so here is the answer.
The little diagram here shows the connections for serial and parallel connections.
Parallel connections increase the amperage, for example, two 100-amp batteries connected in parallel will have a potential of 200-amps. Batteries connected in series increase the voltage so two 6-volt batteries in series will deliver 12-volts.
You can also hook two 6-volt batteries in series then the set into a parallel connection to double the voltage and the amperage. Thanks for the question John !
Hope this helps !
Later – -
The Old Ranger
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So if I want to hook up 2 battery and have a 12 volt sy.
I do it the parallel way. And from the TT I hook up the hot to one of the hot
and the neg. to one of the neg. Right?
Through out the years, I’ve always heard (including some RV publications) that switching to 6v from 12v batteries is the better way to go. But, according to your diagram, I woud loose half the Amphours. So why would it be better?
Howdy !
Let’s see iffen I can hit both questions here -
You don’t lose anything – including amperage – when you switch from one 12-volt to two 6-volt batteries.
The average group-24 12-battery has about 105-amp hours of power. A 6-volt golf cart battery has about 220-amp hours.
When you connect two of the 6-volt batteries together in series you have a large 12-volt battery with 220-amp hours, so you double the voltage and keep the same amperage.
If you put two 12-volt batteries together in parallel you keep the same voltage and double the amperage.
The biggest reason to use the 6-volt units is they are normally built with MUCH bigger lead plates and so can with stand larger power loads and come back quicker and last through more deep cycle discharges then non-AGM 12-volt batteries.
Hope this helps – -
Later -
The Old Ranger
Howdy y’all, this is good info, even if I didn’t ask the question.
TNX
Have a fantastic day
PC
I have a relatively new 12 volt battery and just purchase a new one of the same size. My plan is to wire then in parallel. my question is should i charge them both up full seperatly before i wire them together?
I am thinking the charging system should only put out 12 volts so i don’t think i would overcharge the new battery if it was already fully charged…right?
I have had another brainstorm, and could use some help. I understand it may depend upon cloud cover, and what location i am travelling. But what size of solar panel would i require to charge up a 12 volt battery in say 1 week?
Also, does the charge from the solar panel come through the power 120 vt converter to prevent over charging the battery, or does the solar panel only put out 12 volts?
Howdy Harry -
Lets take the question of battery charging first. Imagine that electrical power is like water, it wants to seek it’s own level. If you have one battery with a full charge and another battery connected to it with a half charge the full one will “pour” power into the half charged one until they are equal – at 3/4 full or so. This is the reason you never mix old batteries with new ones, the newer batteries will have, (in most cases) a higher potential for power than the old ones.
If your charging system is in good shape and the batteries have about the same potential for accepting a charge it makes no difference what their state of charge is when you put the power to them.
Now for the next question on solar chargers. First a bit of info-
1. “12-volt” solar panels actually produce anywhere from 10-volts to over 20-volts of direct current power. This is why larger panels require the use of a regulator in the system to control the voltage going into the batteries.
2. Solar panels never connect directly to the 120-volt AC systems, unless you REALLY like to see things fizzle and spark. Remember the first rule of electronics, the possibility of damage to any component is in direct relation to the cost of the component ! Because good solar panels cost quite a bit more that the average RV power converter the panels will blow first.
I think that if you read through the BLOGS from Mark Polk and myself we put out quite a bit of information on solar power systems that will help you understand and design a solar power system for yourself. Way more info that I can squeeze in here.
Hope this helps !!
Later – -
The Old Ranger
Thanks for the info
It does help.
Hi all…. I am new to the site and very interested in the Solar info that may be here and don’t see a catagory for it….. on the page… where can I find that located….BOB
Howdy Bob !
If you do a search on Old Ranger, Bob Diffley or Mark Polk you should find all our articles on solar.
Hope this helps !
The Old Ranger
most people/persons desiring to use/install solar charge systems, will not have the technical/ electrical knowledge to understand and install the system themselves… sorry—but it is usually true. i happen to be in the electronics profession and also a rc airplane flyer, and ham radio operator. some of the ratings on solar panels are NOT real world actual values, but very optimistic numbers. some suppliers and mfg’s will tell you the correct info if you contact them and get past sales, many have very good products, and info on all the system installation requirements. Long winded with no specific data or suggestions… b.w.
How do you refurbish a dead battery back to new
Great information for an often misunderstood topic! Check out this article on replacing the typical 12-volt deep cycle marine battery with a pair of 6-volt golf cart batteries:
http://www.modmyrv.com/2008/06/05/mod-1-6-volt-batteries/
what is better for a array of batteries for a solar power system to make the conection in paralell or in series as far as performance .
thank you
ralph
Just wondering, what type of cable would I need to connect 2 6Vers together in series and where can I get one?
I have a 150 watts 110 output inverter, a 20 amp 12/24 volt charger and a 45 amps wet cell battery. MY question is, is it possible to recycle the charging in that power from the inverter connects to the charger in turn charges the battery?