I have a Big Horn 5er and want two put 2-6V batteries in but need to find a battery box for them. I can't find a box that is vented like the 12V box that is in the couch (12V Battery box is two short for 6V Battery). I'm looking at a dual box from Battery Mart.com #6V-GC-X2. Does anyone have any suggestions or know of any other battery box. Thanks Don
Duel 6V Battery Venting
- Thread starter dona
- Start date
szewczyk_john
Well-known member
I got a second battery box from Heartland which already had the vent hole in it. I ran swimming pool hose from it to a T and cut the stock exhaust line and inserted the t between those pieces. I got the box while at the 2011 Goshen rally and so not recall if it was given to me or if I purchased it. I had the swimming pool hose and T in my shed of along with other spare pool parts.
Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
Simplicity at its best. No reason for crazy expensive battery boxes....
scottyb
Well-known member
I love it. I wish I had thought of that. Looks like 4 6V batteries, right? I added two 6V batteries in a box made for them, then later added two more in a duplicate box. I spliced two vent hoses together similar to what John did. Your setup is simple, cheap, and effective.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
You can get more amp hours out of 2 12v renewable energy batts. 6v are obsolete for house batteries. If you use AGM then you don't need battery boxes, I have FLA and no battery boxes. But AGM do not need batt boxes at all.
scottyb
Well-known member
How so? Trojav 6V's have the highest min@25A per lb. of any battery they sell. Plus, due to supply and demand, they are much cheaper per Ah.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
So scotty how many amp hours will 2 6v Trojan batteries provide when hooked in series to attain 12v? Us the best amp hour rating that trojan has for 6v.
Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
Are you saying this is true for the new "renewable energy" type batteries? I am not familiar with those, so I can't comment on them. However, for all others, the Trojan 2x6v solution is by far (IMHO) the best solution you can configure for your trailer.
scottyb
Well-known member
225 @ 122 lbs, which yields a slightly higher Ah/lb rating than any of their 12V batteries. However, Ah ratings are a marketting tool. The better rating for deep cycle batteries is minutes @ 25A per weight per dollar. Here the 6V shine supreme.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
http://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/ProdSpecGuide.pdf
Show me the math about how I'm wrong. Show me how it is that "by far" 6v batts are the best. I have included a link to Trojan battery specs for your use.
I guarantee there is no gimmick on this sheet. The people that buy these kind of batts are not subject to gimmicks from their battery suppliers.
As far as sizing for the 25 amp rate that would be great except the 12v config still outperforms the 2 6v config. Additionally, my rig never uses 25 amps unless I'm using the microwave. Most of my usage is near the 20 hour rate or less, most of the time I'm operating at 5 amps or less, maybe 10 amps for about 4 hours then 2 all night.
When I'm operating on the generator and the demand for electricity increases, my inverter will fill in until my generator spools up I might get a brief demand for 30 amps. but most is 5 amps or less.
If I had it to do over again I would design a AGM system, Since they don't vent, no battery boxes are required, I use flooded lead acid and I don't use battery boxes for that.
BTW the AH per LB on my 12v system and the system you propose is .5 lb of batt per amp hour.
Show me the math about how I'm wrong. Show me how it is that "by far" 6v batts are the best. I have included a link to Trojan battery specs for your use.
I guarantee there is no gimmick on this sheet. The people that buy these kind of batts are not subject to gimmicks from their battery suppliers.
As far as sizing for the 25 amp rate that would be great except the 12v config still outperforms the 2 6v config. Additionally, my rig never uses 25 amps unless I'm using the microwave. Most of my usage is near the 20 hour rate or less, most of the time I'm operating at 5 amps or less, maybe 10 amps for about 4 hours then 2 all night.
When I'm operating on the generator and the demand for electricity increases, my inverter will fill in until my generator spools up I might get a brief demand for 30 amps. but most is 5 amps or less.
If I had it to do over again I would design a AGM system, Since they don't vent, no battery boxes are required, I use flooded lead acid and I don't use battery boxes for that.
BTW the AH per LB on my 12v system and the system you propose is .5 lb of batt per amp hour.
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Bohemian
Well-known member
Given 2-6V batteries vs 1 12V battery of the same total capacity the 12V batteries, in general, have the efficiency advantages The 6V batteries have 2 advantages. 1) It's easier to move 2 6V batteries than 1 12V battery.2) 6V batteries come in larger sized total capacities. Since battery efficiency is related to the size of the 2V cells. The larger the cells the more efficient the battery/
branson4020
Icantre Member
Yeah,
I was just going to get some popcorn when I realized I'd seen this movie before
Bohemian
Well-known member
LOL
LOL, That is real easy. Neither is better. They are exactly the same except for a few factors.
Technology: Conventional, Gel, AGM. All lead acid batteries with exactly the same chemistry. Difference in surface areas and mechanical stabilities. Oh, and price per capacity. Differences in maintenance, and sometimes chargers.
2V cell size. The larger the single 2V cell the greater the capacity per lb and the capacity per cubic inch. In other words; within any one manufactures model line, larger batteries have more capacity per lb and per cubic inch.
2-6V vs 1-12V for same capacity: difference in amount of casing and therefor total weight, difference in external wiring, and difference in individual battery weight (each six volt will weigh less, total weight will be more)
Now for the big differences: Manufacturer, Model Line, Quality of construction
Yeah,
I was just going to get some popcorn when I realized I'd seen this movie before
LOL, That is real easy. Neither is better. They are exactly the same except for a few factors.
Technology: Conventional, Gel, AGM. All lead acid batteries with exactly the same chemistry. Difference in surface areas and mechanical stabilities. Oh, and price per capacity. Differences in maintenance, and sometimes chargers.
2V cell size. The larger the single 2V cell the greater the capacity per lb and the capacity per cubic inch. In other words; within any one manufactures model line, larger batteries have more capacity per lb and per cubic inch.
2-6V vs 1-12V for same capacity: difference in amount of casing and therefor total weight, difference in external wiring, and difference in individual battery weight (each six volt will weigh less, total weight will be more)
Now for the big differences: Manufacturer, Model Line, Quality of construction
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
EXACTLY
AND the fact that if you lose a 12v, you can take it offline and still have a system. If you loose 1 6v, you you have to remove a pair.
AGM's don't vent as much if at all. Gel are sealed but not good in solar applications, or house batt applications, lithium would be best but money can't buy them .
Give me the 12v FLA to begin with. ah/lb/$, "same same."
I chose the two T1275 12v because I could squeeze 300 ah in the battery cabinet with only 2 batts.
And funny that you mentioned square feet, I once took the dimensions of the 6v GC and the T1275s and arrived at the same amp hours per cubic inch of battery space. Funny how that works.
AND the fact that if you lose a 12v, you can take it offline and still have a system. If you loose 1 6v, you you have to remove a pair.
AGM's don't vent as much if at all. Gel are sealed but not good in solar applications, or house batt applications, lithium would be best but money can't buy them .
Give me the 12v FLA to begin with. ah/lb/$, "same same."
I chose the two T1275 12v because I could squeeze 300 ah in the battery cabinet with only 2 batts.
And funny that you mentioned square feet, I once took the dimensions of the 6v GC and the T1275s and arrived at the same amp hours per cubic inch of battery space. Funny how that works.
Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
Appears you are taking this personally. I said "IMHO"...which by definition mean it is an opinion and not fact.
Having read through all your replies on this thread, clearly you have some knowledge that others don't...and sharing that is why we are here, however the tone seems a bit abrupt.
So..off on a research search I went.... After all my research, it is now clear to me that certain 12v batteries do provide a better solution than the 6v batteries I was talking about. However, it should be noted that not all 12v batteries are the same. In order to get 12v batteries to compare to the T-125's (6V) they must be thick plated 12v batteries (like the T-1275 GC). Standard 12v's would not provide a better solution than T-125's.
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
porthole
Retired
scottyb
Well-known member
There is no "by far" unless you are comparing GC-2's with group 27 hybrid marine batteries. The disclaimer of "if one of them goes out" doesn't really seem to happen and if you have 4 or more, then it's a mute point.
Here's the math
Using the min@25A rating;
2 6V T-105's; 447 min / 122 lbs = 3.66 min/lb
1 12V T-1275: 280 mi / 82 lbs = 3.41 min/lb
Using the 20 hour Ah rating
2 6V T-105's; 225 Ah / 122 lbs - 1.84 Ah/lb
1 12V T-105; 150 Ah / 82 lbs = 1.82 Ah/lb
I will agree that if you are only using 2 batteries, it's more of a personal choice between 225 Ah @ 124 lbs or 300 Ah @ 164 lbs. If you are using 4 or more, the advantages of 6V become more prevalent. If you go to the Lifeline website and look at their min@8A rate, there is even more separation between the advantage of 6V over 12V. Trojan does not give this rating in their chart.
