6v Batteries in Series but 4 wires?

esyers · 09-08-2013, 06:34 PM

Okay, I goofed. I disconnected the two 6v coach batteries to clean the ground block without taking a picture first.

I understand connecting negative of one 6v to negative of the other with the remaining terminals going to the electrical system and the ground block respectively. My question is, I have a short black terminal to terminal wire and a short red terminal to terminal wire. I know where one goes, but what is the other one? Any suggestions? Thanks

btw 2006 Voyager

mahon1993 · 09-08-2013, 06:41 PM

The neg of one of the batteries need to go to the pos of the other to give you 12 volts. What you should end up with is batt #1 neg to MH ground, the pos of batt #1 to the neg of batt #2, the pos of batt #2 to supply 12 volts to MH.

Dr4Film · 09-08-2013, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esyers

Okay, I goofed. I disconnected the two 6v coach batteries to clean the ground block without taking a picture first.

I understand connecting negative of one 6v to negative of the other with the remaining terminals going to the electrical system and the ground block respectively. My question is, I have a short black terminal to terminal wire and a short red terminal to terminal wire. I know where one goes, but what is the other one? Any suggestions? Thanks

btw 2006 Voyager

WRONG!!!

With 6 VDC House Batteries, they are wired in Series/Parallel is you have 4 OR they are wired in series if you only have two which it sounds like that's all you have.

That means you would connect the negative of first one to the positive of the second one. Then you are left with a positive terminal and a negative terminal on the batteries which your coach cables are hooked up to.

This makes two 6 VDC batteries into ONE 12 VDC battery which is what your coach is wired for when using 12 VDC.

Once you get it hooked up correctly I would suggest taking a photo and storing it in your file box for future reference.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

esyers · 09-08-2013, 06:52 PM

Yes, what both of you are saying is my understanding also. (It is 2-6v batteries). My confusion is in reconnecting as you have said, I have a short wire left over. So, I have the positive from the coach to battery 1 pos terminal, battery 1 neg terminal connected to battery 2 pos terminal and battery 2 neg terminal connected to the coach ground. And one 5 inch cable left over. It's the left over that troubles me.

Dr4Film · 09-08-2013, 06:59 PM

Well then that tells me that the batteries that you had taken out were 12 VDC batteries and not 6 VDC batteries.

They would have been wired in Parallel requiring a short connector cable from each terminal to the other.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

jesilvas · 09-08-2013, 07:05 PM

Good diagram of differences in 12V and 6V batteries.

mahon1993 · 09-08-2013, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esyers

Yes, what both of you are saying is my understanding also. (It is 2-6v batteries). My confusion is in reconnecting as you have said, I have a short wire left over. So, I have the positive from the coach to battery 1 pos terminal, battery 1 neg terminal connected to battery 2 pos terminal and battery 2 neg terminal connected to the coach ground. And one 5 inch cable left over. It's the left over that troubles me.

How many filler caps/holes are there on each battery? Six volt batteries will have three and 12 volt batteries will have six fillers. DO NOT hook up 12 volt batteries in series! This will give you 24 volts to the MH and fry a bunch of stuff.

Dr4Film · 09-08-2013, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esyers

Yes, what both of you are saying is my understanding also. (It is 2-6v batteries). My confusion is in reconnecting as you have said, I have a short wire left over. So, I have the positive from the coach to battery 1 pos terminal, battery 1 neg terminal connected to battery 2 pos terminal and battery 2 neg terminal connected to the coach ground. And one 5 inch cable left over. It's the left over that troubles me.

Here is a simple diagram I put together for a bank of four 6 VDC House Batteries. Just remove the two in the middle from the diagram and that should match the house battery system you are attempting to install.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

buck454 · 09-08-2013, 07:45 PM

esyers,
Are you saying you have a total of THREE short cables?

esyers · 09-09-2013, 07:24 AM

Thank you to everyone who replied. The problem is solved. It seems I took an extra "stupid pill". For some reason I had it in my head the batteries were 6v when in fact they are 12v. Problem solved, everything is up and working. Thank you again and I apologize for my "duhh" moment.

wa8yxm · 09-09-2013, 11:29 AM

Are you saying you have TWO battery to battery jumpers (The other end is not yet connected.

This is how you wire six volt

Chassis ground==== -{Bat}={ery}+===other stuff (Jacks, Steps, Fuse block, Lights, Disconnect not necessarly in that order).

In this diagram the equals sign (===) is wire.

Now,,, if you have two short jumpers

Then use 'em both, one atop the other to connect the two batteries together

ODDS are (however) that one of 'em went to the disconnect switch or to a fuse.

IF you are not the original owner, but the batteries you are replacing are the ones in it when you bought it I'd guess the spare (likely red) cable once went to an inverter. (or rather the inverter's fuse)

Dr4Film · 09-09-2013, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Are you saying you have TWO battery to battery jumpers (The other end is not yet connected.

Read post #10.

Dr4Film ----- Richard