Full Answer
Can you use a golf cart battery in an RV?
Golf cart batteries are a really tough, sturdy type of deep cycle battery that tolerate deep discharges, fast discharges, and jostling and bouncing around a golf course. Marine batteries are not as tough, and they wear out quicker. You can use golf cart batteries in an RV to great effect, but not the other way around.
How many RV batteries can be connected together?
You can join as many batteries as you want to each other, though you may need an RV battery box to keep your separate cells safe and secure. Two sets of batteries connected in parallel can be joined together to form a series power bank. 3. RV Battery Maintenance
What do you need to know about RV batteries?
7 Things You Need To Know About Your RV Battery. Deep cycle batteries can last up to 5 years if maintained properly. Remember that it takes less time to drain your batteries than it does to recharge them so do not be impatient when recharging. Disconnect the ground wire so that it does not drain while in storage.
Can I Run my RV battery on solar power?
In order to operate this battery, you either need to be hooked up to shore power (as you usually are at a developed campground) or running an electricity generator that can charge such a capacious battery. (It’s hard to generate that kind of power through solar, which is why running your AC unit on solar is nigh impossible!)
Are golf cart batteries good for RV?
6-Volt Deep Cycle Batteries aka Golf Cart Batteries Don't try that with RV/Marine hybrid batteries! 6-Volt Deep Cycle Batteries are designed for golf cart use. These batteries are workhorses that can take a lot of abuse and last a long time.
Can I run 2 batteries in my RV?
To connect your two 12V batteries that are now wired together in parallel to your RV, you simply connect the RV positive cable to the positive terminal of one 12V battery and connect the RV negative cable to the negative terminal of the other 12V battery.
How long will 2 batteries last in RV?
Properly maintained deep-cycle batteries should last for 6 or more years. Unfortunately some RV owners replace RV batteries every year or two. Extending battery life is not difficult; it just requires some basic care & maintenance.
How long will 2 12 volt batteries last in an RV?
Under normal use conditions – lights, propane refrigerator, charging phones etc and water pump, a 12v battery will last 2-3 days. This time can be extended by adjusting power usage, conserving water (not running the pump), shutting off lights as much as possible, or simply by upgrading or adding extra batteries.
How do you hook up two 12 volt batteries in an RV?
4:074:4612 VOLT DUAL BATTERY SETUP | Pete's RV Quick Tips (CC) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere's a simple parallel hookup positive to positive negative to negative make sure you put yourMoreThere's a simple parallel hookup positive to positive negative to negative make sure you put your positive from the trailer on one battery.
Are 2 batteries better than 1?
There is no difference between 2 x 3 cells (2 x 6 volt) or 1 x 6 cells (12 volt). The physicall size of these cells is quite often an issue for different installations so sometimes one form factor is better than another.
What can I run off my RV battery?
The amount of power the batteries can provide on their own is fairly low — they can run the lights, water pump, and small appliances for the better part of the day, but that is about it. They can't drive the air conditioning or heating systems either.
How do I increase the capacity of my RV battery?
Adding a second deep-cycle 12-volt 100 amp-hour battery connected in parallel, for example, will keep the voltage the same at 12 volts but will increase the capacity to 200 amp-hours. This can double the discharge rate (10 amps for 20 hours) or simply run the system for a longer time between recharges.
Should you leave your RV plugged in all the time?
For RV rentals, when you're out on the road, or for any short term battery usage, you should have no problem leaving your RV plugged in 24/7. If you're renting an RV from a company like Cruise America, you won't have to worry about overcharging your battery.
How long will 2 RV battery last Boondocking?
Depending upon what you power and how much, you can generally boondock for 2-7 days. But a lot depends on what type of batteries you use. If your batteries aren't efficient, and don't hold much charge, your trip will be shortened substantially. So it's critical to choose the best battery for your needs.
Can you run an RV refrigerator while driving?
Yes, you can certainly run your RV refrigerator while driving. But you will need to decide on the level of RV travel safety risk you are willing to take.
How long will a deep cycle battery power an inverter?
A 12 volt 100Ah deep-cycle battery with regular depth of discharge 50% would run a fully-loaded 1000 watt inverter for 34 minutes. This calculation takes into account average pure sine wave inverter efficiency of 95%.
What is the best battery for an RV?
AGM Batteries are the best option for most RVers. I say this largely because most RVers part time, and most people don’t need another maintenance item (gotta fill/charge the RV batteries) in their brain space.
How much voltage does it take to charge an RV battery?
Charging the batteries from 50% discharge at a consistent 13.7 Volts takes much longer without the higher voltage bulk (14.8V) and absorption (14.2V) stages that a smart converter provides.
How to get the right smart charger?
The easiest way to get the ‘right’ smart charger is to match the amperage of your current battery charger converter. Some people get confused and try to match the line amperage (30amp or 50amp) of their RV. These are measuring two different things. Your RV plug is 110V, the charger converter is 12V. That’s why our 30-amp RV has a 45-amp charger converter.
What is a 12 volt charger?
Most RVs include a converter / charger – a device that turns 120-volt A/C power into 12-volt DC power. Typically this unit also charges the RV house batteries. The converter powers your 12-volt appliances when you’re plugged into shore power. This includes lights, vent fans, your TV antenna, water pump, electric awnings, etc..
What is a 6 volt deep cycle battery?
6-Volt Deep Cycle Batteries are designed for golf cart use. These batteries are workhorses that can take a lot of abuse and last a long time.
How long does it take to fill a RV battery with water?
Adding water to your RV’s house batteries is very easy. You’ll need distilled water and battery syringe filler and about 5 minutes. House batteries have either 3 (6V) or 6 (12V) cells to fill each. To fill battery cells simply unscrew the vent cap.
What is the difference between a deep cycle battery and a hybrid battery?
The difference may sound like marketing, but in real world use true ‘deep cycle’ batteries can be more deeply discharged and then recharged than a hybrid starter/deep cycle battery. Deep cycle batteries also last longer, and usually have higher capacity too.
What is the battery system for RV?
It’s important to understand that your RV coach battery is actually made up of two distinct systems: a 120-volt AC system and a 12-volt DC system. If you’re driving a motorhome, you also have a regular car battery which is used to start the engine, just as in your regular passenger vehicle. The 120 volt system is the more powerful battery, which is ...
How many volts can you get from parallel RV batteries?
A parallel RV battery bank increases the current but allows the voltage to stay the same. If you join two 6-volt RV batteries in parallel, you will get 6 volts, but the amps will now be increased. Parallel connections are done by connecting two positive terminals to two negative terminals.
What is the best battery for a camper?
Lithium batteries are an alternative to traditional lead-acid batteries, including the deep-cycle batteries offered with most modern RVs. Many campers who rig their RVs for solar power generation upgrade to lithium batteries, which, though expensive, offer a variety of benefits over other types: they’re lighter in weight, smaller, and don’t require the same kind of tedious maintenance other types of batteries do. (For example, wet cell batteries require you to check and replenish electrolyte levels, whereas lithium batteries are set-it-and-forget-it.) Lithium batteries also have a much longer lifespan than other battery types, and are typically rated for 5,000 cycles — as opposed to the 400 or so cycles most lead-acid batteries get. That said, they cost approximately three times more up front, which keep them out of the reach of some campers.
How to maintain RV batteries?
3. RV Battery Maintenance 1 Maintain electrolyte levels in flooded-cell batteries. Over time, flooded-cell batteries lose water with each charge cycle, and this water needs to be replenished. You must use distilled water to help reduce the chance of sulfation, or the formation of sulfate crystals that can occur when the battery plates are exposed to air. Check the batteries at least once per month, and ensure that they’re fully charged before performing the necessary maintenance. 2 Clean battery terminals to remove any corrosion that has built up. You can use a mixture of one cup of baking soda to a gallon of water or a commercial battery contact cleaning product, and utilize a toothbrush for scrubbing. 3 Allowing your batteries to get too low in charge can also increase sulfation. When your batteries fall below 80%, or 12.4 volts, sulfation can begin. Thus, always recharge your batteries in a timely manner after using them. 4 Try to recharge your batteries often. For example, if you discharge your battery to 50% every day, it’ll last twice as long as if you’d discharged it to 20% each day. However, also keep in mind that overcharging and hot temperatures also have negative effects on batteries over time.
How does a deep cycle battery compare to a car battery?
It’s a lot like a car battery and uses the same chemistry to create and retain power, but a deep-cycle battery produces a steady amount of current over a longer period of time, whereas car batteries create a lot of current over a short period of time (since they then charge while you’re driving anyway).
How long do lithium batteries last?
Lithium batteries also have a much longer lifespan than other battery types, and are typically rated for 5,000 cycles — as opposed to the 400 or so cycles most lead-acid batteries get. That said, they cost approximately three times more up front, which keep them out of the reach of some campers. 2.
Why do batteries need distilled water?
You must use distilled water to help reduce the chance of sulfation, or the formation of sulfate crystals that can occur when the battery plates are exposed to air.
How does a lead acid battery bank work?
Charge will flow from one battery to the other two until they’re balanced. With a lead acid battery bank, the internal resistances are limiting to a point that you don’t have to worry about arcing or your battery cables overheating when you connect them (not the case with lithium-ion banks…).
How to test battery capacity?
One of the easiest ways to test individual battery capacity is with a portable analyzer. If you only have 12V batteries, they’re pretty inexpensive, like for .
What happens if a battery is shorted?
Ok, now we’re talking about something a little different. In the case of a battery shorted cell, you’ll be overcharging the other 5 cells in the same battery. They’ll continue to draw power from the others in the bank, and that’s a battery that should be taken out–it’s basically not going to contribute any energy until you’re discharged below where the other batteries should be operating.
What does it mean when a battery discharges?
What this means is that as the batteries discharge, voltage on the one with lower capacity will fall faster. You’ll take it out of a safe (for longevity) state of charge range, without the voltage across the series batteries indicating that.
What happens when you start charging a battery?
So when we start charging, all of the battery banks are very close to the same point as far as state of charge. Each battery acts like a resistive load, and current will flow to the battery with the lowest resistance, or highest capacity, more than the rest. All of them will reach the end of bulk charging together, when they’ve all reached the same voltage (remember, they’re connected together–they have no choice!).
Can you use an old battery as a battery?
There’s absolutely no reason for an aged battery to be excluded from a battery for electrical reasons–only for space and weight would that make sense. Would a new battery have greater capacity than an old one? Sure. But the one you have is free while a new one isn’t. If you need or want the extra capacity, go for it–either for longer runtime with house loads, or more cranking power. But your old battery isn’t going to ruin the new ones.
Does battery capacity degrade faster?
You can probably see where this is going–the battery with lower capacity degrades faster, lowering its capacity, which accelerates the process.
How to connect two batteries to a RV?
You can start by connecting two pairs of batteries using a short wire. Then take the two pairs and connect them using one long wire. This combines the two groups. You connect your load RV Power wires to the center terminal that has both the short and long wire on it.
How many volts do you need for a 6 volt RV battery?
If you are going to use 6 volt RV batteries then you have to have at least two of them to reach 12 volts of power.
What happens when you wire a battery in series?
When wiring batteries in series you are increasing the voltage they will put out. For example, two 12V batteries wired in series will become a large 24V battery, which is too large for RV use.
What wire should I use for battery storage?
Because every set-up is going to be a little different depending on the sizes of batteries used and the storage area they go in I suggest getting a long length of red and black 4 AWG copper wire with the right kind of battery terminal connectors.
Why do you wire 12V batteries in parallel?
12V RV batteries should always be wired in parallel because you want to keep the voltage the same but increase the amp hours.
How old should batteries be to wire together?
That being said it’s important to try and not mix different ages of batteries. I wouldn’t wire anything together that is older than 6 months apart.
What happens when you connect batteries through parallel?
When you connect batteries through parallel you are combining the positive terminals to the positive ones and the negative to negative. This combines the batteries to create one large one that still has the same voltage.