Deep cycle batteries for starting Generator?

[NotyetMHCowner]

Quick question, I am wanting to replace my 1 marine/rv battery for 2 or maybe 4 Costco 6 volt golf cart batteries. I have an Onan 5500 LP gen set. Does it hurt the deep cycle batteries to start the generator, or do I need a separate battery for it? If so, how do I go about keeping things separate yet still charge all the batteries? Thanks

[chuckster57]

You will be okay with just replacing the single 12V with the 2 or 4 6 volt batteries. Just make sure you hook the batteries up to get 12V.

[NotyetMHCowner]

Thanks. I finally found some information of Trojans website that said it was fine. I just need to decide between 2 or 4 batteries now.

[chuckster57]

IIRC golf cart batteries are not light. Depending on where you put them it may affect your tongue/pin weight enough to put you over the rated max.

[notanlines]

^^^^^what was said is on the money. Do a quick search and you'll find the diagram for the proper connections. And keep in mind that the four batteries will exceed 300 pounds. Quite a bit more than one 12 volt battery at about 40 pounds.

[NotyetMHCowner]

I pull it with a dually so not worried about weight. We have a 5500 gen set on the curb side with a washer right above it. My battery bank will be on the street side, so it may help to even out the weight a little. We are still over a 1000 pounds light from GVW.

Our ultimate goal is Lithium, but that will be a few years out when we are hopefully full timing. That's why I would rather stay with inexpensive Costco golf cart batteries for now. Thanks for the help

[chuckster57]

Even duallies have a weight limit. 400 MORE pounds of pin weight may push the limit of your rear axle rating.

As the state troopers start weighing us with fivers, the first thing weighed is the rear axle, then they look at that sticker on the drivers door. If your over....it does happen out here and I'm betting it's coming to your state sometime in the near future.

[NotyetMHCowner]

IIRC, from the last CAT scale we went to, I still have around 1300 pounds of rear axle weight left. This is exactly why I decided to buy a dually. I could tow my particular fiver with a F250, but then I would have to worry about every little thing I added to the camper. My next truck will be a F450. I believe that you can not have too much truck. By the way, the Costco batteries weigh 61 lbs I believe, so I would be at 244 lbs added, plus extra cables and battery box.

[chuckster57]

Good deal. It's nice to see someone step up to a bigger TV because they might be close to the limit.