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Old 11-17-2014, 08:30 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by Ray,IN View Post
$152 ea. X 3 = $456
What would 6 6V batteries + the battery cable and clamps/terminals and tools to make up the finished cables + labor to make up the cables and modify the compartment, cost? We all know that work and materials would have to be accomplished in order to switch.
Of course the initial changeover to 6v would be a one time cost. In my case the cost was only the cables. I modified the tray in my own shop and my labor rate is pretty cheap. I remember my cost to change batteries from 12v to four 6v was about $75 which was for cables. A golf cart shop can make excellent cables using welding cable. And they do it very reasonably.
And in my case 220 usable (to 50%) amp hrs runs our residential reefer, TV, Sat receiver and some lights for 24 hours.
The 6v batteries are less $$ but with a 6 - 8 year life that cost difference is negligible assuming you get about the same life.
Had I been able to find a 12v battery with 200AH at the cost you quoted when I converted I probably wouldn't have converted to 6v.
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Old 11-18-2014, 08:11 AM   #22
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KIX

How did you get the Trojan 105 into your compartment what about the height as I don't see how you can that is going to work or maybe my compartment is lower in a 2000 UA40J.
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Old 11-18-2014, 05:27 PM   #23
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Today I decided that the house batteries have finally given up. When I pulled out the tray and cleaned up the old batteries I was surprised to see they were Group 24 Interstate Deep Cycle.
I then looked at the Engine batteries and saw 3 Group 31.
Since I purchased the unit used I really did not know how the batteries were set up. I could only go by what was installed.
Checking Winnie's specification I see they call for 3 house batteries and 2 engine batteries.
Can any body tell me what the proper battery size is for the Coach
Thanks
There is a huge myth about the advantage of 6V x 2 and a single equivalently rated 12 V battery. Go with the 12 V. Less connections = less places for trouble.

With that said, measure your tray and put the largest capacity deep cycle battery arrangement you can fit. Interstate has lost some popularity over the years so you might look into other brands. AGM's are a great way to go but you MUST have a charger that will support the manufactures requirements. If you go with wet cells consider using mineral oil in them to cut down maintenance.

This coach has 6 NAPA AGM's and I am very pleased with them. That is what Winnebago put in it. I also have a 2800 W Magnum pure sine wave inverter that supports my residential refrigerator.

Your coach diagram http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/...ire_138936.pdf shows that you originally had 6 6V batteries. As I said earlier, go for the 12V as big as will fit in the space. Deep cycle or AGM with a good reliability record is what counts.

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Old 11-18-2014, 08:07 PM   #24
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...
Your coach diagram http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/...ire_138936.pdf shows that you originally had 6 6V batteries. ...
Looking at page 2 of that pdf it certainly looks like 3 12V batteries, not 6 6V ones.
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Old 11-18-2014, 09:35 PM   #25
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Looking at page 2 of that pdf it certainly looks like 3 12V batteries, not 6 6V ones.
I agree, I blew it up to 600% and it shows 3 batteries wired in parallel. The caps over the cells make it appear to be 6 batteries, but the wiring tells different.
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Old 11-19-2014, 06:48 AM   #26
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I agree, I blew it up to 600% and it shows 3 batteries wired in parallel. The caps over the cells make it appear to be 6 batteries, but the wiring tells different.
The way the drawing is, the tied down bar make it look like 2 6v side by each. Yes, this coach originally had 3 house and 2 start batteries. Good catch on your part. I didn't follow the wires and that lead me to error.
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Old 11-19-2014, 07:05 AM   #27
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There is a huge myth about the advantage of 6V x 2 and a single equivalently rated 12 V battery. Go with the 12 V. Less connections = less places for trouble.
Rick Y
What myth do you speak of?
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Old 11-20-2014, 08:08 AM   #28
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What myth do you speak of?
This is a great explanation of the 6V/12V battery argument: Which is better? Two 6v or Two 12v Marine Batteries
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Old 11-20-2014, 08:26 AM   #29
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Thanks Rick. In reading, They are comparing 2-6v against 2-12v. Obviously the capacities will be different. 2-6v ( in series to make 12v) are meant to replace 1-12v if you have the room. True Deep Cycle batteries are also better than Marine Deep Cycle. 6v Batteries in series are a better choice over 12v batteries in parallel.
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Old 11-20-2014, 12:50 PM   #30
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Not an apples to apples comparison. Four 6v batteries are replacing three 12v batteries, and don't forget that the 6v are true golf-cart deep cycle batteries, unlike the 12v, so are much more appropriate as house batteries that get discharged and charged often unlike the two starter batteries.
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Old 11-20-2014, 06:58 PM   #31
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I grabbed this off the Net:

Most of us have at least a nodding acquaintance with the battery that start our cars, but what about the batteries used in our Recreational Vehicles? Are they the same? All RV’s have a set of “house” batteries that power the lighting, water pump, and other 12 volt needs. Multiple RV batteries may be wired together to make a single power source. These house batteries have different characteristics than the batteries used to start an engine. Motorhomes, of course, have an engine and require an engine starting (chassis) RV battery, but this is always separate from the house battery system. The starting (chassis) battery in a motorhome is the same type as used in a car, though often with a larger CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) rating because the engine is larger. Choosing the right RV battery is simply a matter of getting enough CCA to do the job and generally that means replacing the battery with another of the same or larger CCA rating, the same as you would do for your car.

House RV Battery

The best house RV batteries are a different breed altogether. Starting batteries are designed to provide a huge amount of power (amps) in a short burst (a few seconds) to get an engine going, but house RV batteries are designed to provide a much smaller amount of amps but over a long period of time, hours instead of seconds. Furthermore, the house RV battery is often heavily discharged before being fully recharged again, what is known a “deep cycling”.
An RV battery designed for lower power and deep cycling will last longer and perform better than an engine starting battery. The best deep cycle batteries will last three to four times longer than a starting RV battery under the same conditions. Deep cycle battery capacity is measured in AH (Amp-Hours), meaning the total number of amps of power it can deliver over a 20 hour period. An alternative measurement is called RC (Reserve Capacity), which is the number of minutes the battery can sustain a 25 amp load. You don’t have to understand the method of measuring to know that “more is better”, so a battery with a larger AH or RC rating is better (more capacity) than a smaller one. Unfortunately, there is no meaningful way to compare AH and RC values, so make sure you compare apples to apples.

Marine Batteries

So-called “marine” batteries are an attempt to make a compromise design that combines the characteristics of starting and deep cycling. As with most compromises, they aren’t great for either need, but they may be suitable for some RV battery situations. A marine battery trades a lower CCA rating for somewhat better deep cycle performance. It’s main advantage is that it is a variation of a starting battery and can be produced by the same manufacturing process, making it a less expensive battery than a true deep cycle.

Here is the full link.
Choosing the Best RV Battery: Which is Right for You?
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Old 11-20-2014, 07:19 PM   #32
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UA40J Thank you for the information. Do the 6 volt batteries fit on the roll out tray? .
The Footprint of a GC-2 (six volt) is the same as a Group 24, so they will fit on the tray,, The GC-2 is taller however. so make sure you have the headroom.

THREE Group 24= about 225 amp hours of Marine/Deep cycle

TWO GC-2 = 220-230 (About the same amp hours) of true DEEP CYCLE battery (much better) this means you can safely use up to half the capacity and the odds of recovery from an OH &&&P!!! level discharge (like to 10%) much higher.
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Old 11-21-2014, 07:24 AM   #33
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Thanks Rick. In reading, They are comparing 2-6v against 2-12v. Obviously the capacities will be different. 2-6v ( in series to make 12v) are meant to replace 1-12v if you have the room. True Deep Cycle batteries are also better than Marine Deep Cycle. 6v Batteries in series are a better choice over 12v batteries in parallel.
I didn't get that out of the article. The only understanding I have is that a 12V battery of the capacity of two 6V batteries in series will be one physically heavy chunk of lead!

When shopping for a house battery just know that, because of the inherent nature of the components in the package, a AGM battery of the same deep cycle rating as a flooded cell battery, the AGM will out perform the flooded one by a bunch.

We are in the topic of RV DC house power and not commercial DC power. $/Ah are to be considered. This is where the discharge charts come in handy. Comparing discharge charts of the batteries that will physically fit your space requirements is a good place to start. There are many AGM battery manufactures. Get the spec sheets and choose the one you want. Then look for the best price. If you can afford it, go to the next best...

And don't forget the charger. You MUST have a charging program that will fit the needs of the battery you choose. Many chargers will be AGM rated but some don't always match all the battery manufactures ratings. I killed 3 Lifeline AGM's in my last coach because the Xantrex inverter provided the wrong charging voltage when the temperature probe failed. Then Xantrex declared my 1 1/2 to 2 year old inverter junk... through-away.

Choose wisely in this process. If you do you will be a very happy camper for a very long time.

And then there is always Lithium Ion batteries...

Rick Y
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Old 11-22-2014, 07:20 PM   #34
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After giving much thought to which batteries to install I have decided to install 3 group 27 deep cycle. Since we do not do much dry camping I feel 27's will give us ample power for an occasional overnight stay.
Why the original owner installed 3 group 31 starting batteries will be the mystery
Thank you all for your very valuable information
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Old 11-23-2014, 08:25 AM   #35
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After giving much thought to which batteries to install I have decided to install 3 group 27 deep cycle. Since we do not do much dry camping I feel 27's will give us ample power for an occasional overnight stay.
Why the original owner installed 3 group 31 starting batteries will be the mystery
Thank you all for your very valuable information
I would suspect ignorance + cash difference, or complacency. What you have done is all around. Your wisdom rules here!

If you have an electric/propane water heater be certain not to use the electric dry camping. Battery killer. And, run the generator when using the microwave or hair dryer or toaster. They could leave you in the dark unexpectedly.

I suggest that you use mineral oil in the batteries. This is a cheap preventative to much of the corrosion we often suffer. You can find it at any pharmacy with the laxatives. I did my start batteries and my car battery with it. Just a small amount in each cell is all that is needed.

Happy trails,

Rick Y
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Old 11-23-2014, 12:29 PM   #36
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Today I decided that the house batteries have finally given up. When I pulled out the tray and cleaned up the old batteries I was surprised to see they were Group 24 Interstate Deep Cycle.
I then looked at the Engine batteries and saw 3 Group 31.
Since I purchased the unit used I really did not know how the batteries were set up. I could only go by what was installed.
Checking Winnie's specification I see they call for 3 house batteries and 2 engine batteries.
Can any body tell me what the proper battery size is for the Coach
Thanks
Has anyone noticed how much this thread has drifted away from the OP's original question? How 'bout we just help him out and simply answer his question?
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Old 11-24-2014, 07:08 AM   #37
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Has anyone noticed how much this thread has drifted away from the OP's original question? How 'bout we just help him out and simply answer his question?
Some simple questions are not always simple to answer. Surgically speaking You are correct. But in the eyes of the beholder this question made for a beautiful topic.
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Old 11-24-2014, 11:03 AM   #38
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Has anyone noticed how much this thread has drifted away from the OP's original question? How 'bout we just help him out and simply answer his question?

Falcon 190
I realize the topic was far reaching but it helped me to make a choice. I had 6 volt in mind, but ruled that out after measuring the battery tray. Did not want to get involved with changing or removing it. I also did not want to get new cables etc.
AGM's were really at the top of the list, again I found out that the inverter/charger has to be set for flooded cell or AGM it cannot do both.
So I opted for 3 group 27 deep cycle which I feel will handle our needs at this time.

Jerichorick

I suggest that you use mineral oil in the batteries. This is a cheap preventative to much of the corrosion we often suffer. You can find it at any pharmacy with the laxatives. I did my start batteries and my car battery with it. Just a small amount in each cell is all that is needed.

I have heard about this in the past and have never done it, but I think I will look over the batteries and try it. Thanks for the tip.

Again thanks to everybody who participated in the discussion.
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