6 volt batteries

Started by chappy133, March 26, 2017, 11:49:47 AM

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chappy133

We do a lot of camping at locations without power. We upgraded our power supply with two 6 volt golf cart batteries in series. We used Trojan batteries bought through the closest Trojan dealer who is a golf cart shop. The battery box is a Quick Cable box. Since the box is wider than the original it meant moving the LP bracket forward but not too much to get in the way off the lift jack handle when you crank. I also had to manufacture support brackets using bar stock. Mounted the battery kill switch externally too. The extra wire with a fuse is our 80 watt solar panel connection.
Chuck
2016 21 RBS
2022 F 150 Lariat
Easton, PA

DavidM

As I have said so many times thatI sound like a broken record, golf cart batteries are built specifically to be discharged multiple times (about 1000) to 50% discharged and hold up unlike almost all others which do not hold up well if deeply discharged. And Trojan makes some of the best.

Great installation. Can you tell us about your solar panels?

David

chappy133

#2
Well David I got the idea for this from your posts.  :) Our 80 watt panel, has a controller, is made or better said assembled my a company that is no longer in business.  We bought it for our 6.0'camper a few years back.  If I were to buy now I would get a panel in the 100 -120 watt range as a minimum. The 80w panel has kept our 12v battery charged on trips lasting a week but I wanted a better battery bank for the shoulder seasons when using the furnace. Lots RV solar solutions are out there. I liked ours because it was a complete package.

You will be able to se the complete set up in Maine this summer at the get together.

I do not have a good pictures of the panel.  I make a point of getting some in the future.
Chuck
2016 21 RBS
2022 F 150 Lariat
Easton, PA

tbrady

What kind of battery box is that Chappy?  One of the first mods I want to do is convert from a single 12v to 2 6v batteries due to the amount of dry camping we do...

chappy133

Chuck
2016 21 RBS
2022 F 150 Lariat
Easton, PA

chappy133

Amazon has a 120 watt solar with controller going for $239 right now which is less than I paid for our 80 watt years ago.

ECO-WORTHY 12 Volts 120 Watts Portable Folding Monocrystalline Solar Suitcase with Charge Controller https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4NH9ES/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_lFI8ybNC1SJD5

Chuck
2016 21 RBS
2022 F 150 Lariat
Easton, PA

7thunders

With the new LL travel trailers that are pre-wired for ZAMP Solar is the plug in pretty much universal? Do these other brands of solar panels plug in to the same "plug"? I would think there is an adapter to use the Zamp wired receptacle.  I know the panels can be attached to the battery directly but ...........

Rob & Judi
Northeastern Pennsylvania
16 DBS
Toyota FJ Cruiser

DavidM

AFAIK, the Zamp connector is a generic two conductor connector. You get a pair of these connectors with a Battery Tender for example. You can buy a pigtail set for a few bucks and splice any brand of solar panel to it and plug it into the Zamp port. Here is a set from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/CES-Gauge-Quick-Disconnect-Harness/dp/B0057ZQJ12/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1492292108&sr=8-20&keywords=dc+connector

But I wouldn't stop there. I would trace the wiring inside the trailer from the Zamp port and put my solar controller inside, somewhere accessible and out of the weather. I am sure that the existing Zamp port wires directly to the 12V converter and from there to the battery. And check the wire size of the Zamp port wiring. You may want to upgrade a size if you have more than 100 watts of solar panels.

David

Biewers on the go

Hi, I have a 2017 Camplite TC, the 8.4S, and I am sort of a newbie as I mentioned earlier, but know a little bit about a lot of the stuff involved as I camped in trailers and TC's and even tents all my life with my parents and then while raising our children with my husband.  Unfortunately, he passed last year and we had planned on buying this camper to downsize from our big motorhome, so I went ahead and bought it for my use since it is nice and small and fits our truck nice.  So, I have been making a lot of calls, asking a lot of questions etc. since I am not an electronics tech/ maintenance whiz as my hubby was.  So below are links and info on what I have been learning as I have been trying to figure out how to dry camp a week at a time and be able to use my toys, electronics like sewing machine and stereo or TV if the grandkids are along too, and of course everyone's laptops. 

I see one of you mentioned the Zamp solar, I have talked with the folks at LL and they confirmed what I thought after my own research and that is that all that connector if used does is recharge your battery.  You cannot use that system to "run" things in a dry camp situation as I plan to be at.  In the process of my research I did find a Youtube video on exactly how to modify your own solar plugin to the Zamp one so you don't have to buy a zamp if you already have another one or something like that.  It was an excellent video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LShSQeddlgk

I also found one on installing a Go solar system in a truck camper in truck camper magazine. after they had tested this same system on a camper that already had it installed.  This is a 150 watt system. I wish they made ones that were affordable and light weight enough to run an AC unit too.

http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-tech/systems/installing-a-solar-panel 

I hate using a generator due to the noise and dealing with the gasoline etc.  Besides, I  can't even lift one of the darn things!  I also noticed that since I will need to park in partial shade at minimum when dry camping since I won't be able to run my AC, I will therefore need a solar system that is not the portable, foldable monocrystalline type.  I need an amorphous one like I unfortunately sold alone with our motorhome.  But, that was only enough to recharge the battery anyhow.  So then we run into the weight issue with the TC's because everything is always about weight added to your truck and making yourself too top heavy too.   So, my info is a piggy back to what DavidM posted in April, but maybe some more helpful stuff too.  Good to learn about the golf cart batteries too, and why to use two 6 volt batteries versus the single 12 Volt.  Thanks for that info folks.  Now, to figure out where to fit the two 6 volt ones if they won't fit in my TC battery box compartment.  If anyone wants to shoot me the dimensions on these 6 volt babies I'd appreciate it much. 
Rayne B.

Jefe

#9
What 6 volt Trojan batteries are you using?

I have the Renogy suitcase and I really like it. The controller is top notch.

https://www.renogy.com/renogy-100-watt-12-volt-monocrystalline-foldable-solar-suitcase/

They have an 'RV' version. Not entirely sure what the difference is but I believe it lacks the padded cover but gets longer leads.

https://www.renogy.com/renogy-100-watt-portable-rv-kit-back-order/