6v Battery - any feedback?

[MurphyIRE]

I will be upgrading my battery system on my Cougar x-lite 27 RDS. Currently it has one 12v Battery and I'll upgrade to two 6 volts for now. I'll look at the converter next week to make sure it's compatible. I do boondocking and I've have a generator for recharging.

Anyone have experience with these batteries:
VMAX XTR6-235 6 Volt 235Ah AGM Deep Cycle Group GC2 Battery for $350. A friend suggested staying with something that would be replaced a bit easier if there was a problem. (Wally World)

[ASCTLC]

No experience with those Murphy. My research over the years had me going to the Crown brand for their solid heavy plates and quality construction that I never had a reason to go looking for another.

With the cold weather boondocking of elk seasons I've come to relax a bit and never have thoughts of wondering if my Crowns (GC235) are going to take the beatings I force on them for 1 to 2 weeks. I've never had one go bad or wonky on me.

The charger on the other hand is something that I've changed from what I used to go with for past campers. With the little Honda 2000i generator a charger too big would stress the genny too much if anything like the furnace was running while the converter was trying to max charge the batteries first thing in the morning after a long cold night of non-stop furnace running or at the end of the day when I only had 2 hours of charging before hitting the bunk for the night.

With the Honda 2000 the Progressive Dynamics 45amp Smart Charger did ok. For 9 nights out the batteries still got the job done but it was a slow backslide of losing ground towards the end of the season...but I was still able to have a running furnace without the voltage alarm going off warning of low battery voltage...but just able to as sometimes the voltage alarm would set off late into the night if it was a super cold season. No way a larger converter would work with that little 2000i genny, just too much load at full converter output for 1600 running watts.

Now that I have a larger capacity genny (Westinghouse 4500 peak) I went with the IOTA 55 amp because the plug-n-play charge "wizards" are more favorable to the Crown charge voltage...not all batteries have the same voltage/charge specs...gotta look at the mfr specs to know what they say is the right voltage/profile for their batteries. I believe most people just say "Eh, 12v charging, close enough" but batteries can all be a little different by enough that it might actually matter in the care, reliability and longevity if you beat them the way an elk hunter does.

Wow, what a pleasant surprise in how it performed this year 11 nights out! The IOTA with Turbo module and 2 Crown GC235s this year were way beyond better performing than the Crown GC235 and Progressive Dynamic 45 I've had in the last 2 campers. After long cold nights of non-stop furnace the batteries never got below 11.95 volts while the furnace was running.

That never happened with the PD45 and same batteries with the same 4 hours/day charging. It was common enough to drop below 11.7V while the furnace was running first thing in the morning after a long night of furnace non-stop.

Voltage while the furnace or large load runs can drop the voltage to what you think is bad but running vs resting voltage are not the same thing or concern.

Anyway, that's my experience so far.

Andy

[GHen]

My family’s experience with AGM batteries in general is they take longer to charge compared to regular lead acids with same capacity. In fact after only one year my son just pulled his AGM’s and replaced them with 2 regular lead acid true deep cycles. I suggest also you stay away from RV/marine batteries even if they say deep cycle.

I have four 6 volt CG2 lead acid from Costco, they have been flawless for 3 years now.

As far as your converter, I’m not aware of any that will have any issues with 6 volt lead acid or AGM. But I’m sure some one with more experience will correct me.

[friz]

Your converter does not care where the 12v it converts to goes to. Lead acid golf cart batteries are the way to go. Costco and Sams both have golf cart batteries for about $89. A step up in lead acid are the Trojan batteries which can be had for $105+. I just purchased a couple of Costco 6v for my boat. My 5th wheel has no batteries presently. AGM offers some improvement on specs, you can store them on their side but I see them as an improvement on the steam engine. There is a new technology out there, Lithium. Hands down the best battery you can buy. The issue for me has been price. It is continually dropping and may soon be in range of my wallet.

[Canonman]

If it were my money, I'd go to the Sam's Club in Grand Junction and get the $89 6volt golf cart batteries. You could replace those 4 times for the price of the VMAX.
The multi-year life span and 200+ amp hour rating make them an excellent value.
I have these in my Cougar and the converter operates with no issues. Aslo use a solar kit for daily recharge while boondocking. I haven't needed to use the generator since buying these but I'm sure they'd charge just fine.
Just my .02 worth.

[ChuckS]

Currently running two Costco GC2s... They are on there sixth year.. I paid $89 a piece six years ago and checked the other day and they are now $98 a piece and are a great value IMO.... The more expensive AGMs arent gonna do much more if any.. your wallet will be much happier with Costco or Sams Club GC2

[MurphyIRE]

Thanks for the INFO. Having a Costco membership, I will check that out first. Need to go AGM and fabricate a rack to horizontally mount the batteries. The wallet isn't ready for lithium. Too many other upgrades and repairs needed.

[MurphyIRE]

Andy,
I have the Champion 4375/3500 generator. So the The IOTA DLSX 55A? Anything else?
I need to go AGM on the batteries (Horizontal mount). I'll be measuring this week to confirm that. The battery compartment is really small!

[ASCTLC]

I don't have the experience or research to answer that Murphy because I have not researched AGM batteries and the charging profiles specific to them. If I recall correctly, what works for my FLA batteries may not be the direction you need for the AGM, or it might...I just can't remember if you can hit AGM harder than FLA or not. I'm quite sure many here have that experience and can advise.

I should qualify my Progressive Dynamics (PD) vs IOTA experience. Many people use the PD converters just fine and the PD55amp might have done me well this time due to the extra amperage. But this time I thought to go a little further to pursue the slightly higher bulk charge voltage because the Crown GC235 specs call for it (where Interstate, Duracell, etc didn't from what I recall) for best longevity and performance. Also I was always having to make sure the furnace was running to draw the battery voltage down enough to get the PD to Bulk charge. Too manual for my needs because I'm way too busy trying to get out the door to hunt to spend any effort anything other than coffee and breakfast.

The other I pursued the IOTA this time are the various Charge Modules that have more specific charge profiles that I believe worked better for extended freezing temps with minimal charging times elk season forces on me. The Turbo module is fast but I wouldn't use that profile all the time because I don't need that bulk/charge profile if I'm not elk hunting. And I believe the Smart module is not as harsh (lack of any other word right now) and stressful for the Crowns when there's no need to be but still has a profile better fit per Crown's literature.

I'm probably in the single digit upper percentile range of such specific needs because of the extreme low temp conditions, minimal charge times, and just not going to get solar set up just for a couple weeks a year need when this very well matched converter/battery setup actually works for that condition once a year. But to go after AGM vs the FLA that have always worked great for me I'd be almost starting over to find that perfect Conv/Batt combination that doesn't leave me wanting during elk season or risking frozen pipes if it falls short.

eta: I can tell you, when everyone suggests getting the converter as close as possible to the batteries they are so correct. I have mine within 3' with huge cables to minimize any voltage drop because the Crowns want a slightly higher peak voltage for best maintenance. And even then I'm still .01v below what Crown specifies for peak charge during bulk charge. I have 1/0 welding cable with a round trip of about 5' to/from batteries to converter. Just not realistic for me to get them closer but not really room to be dissatisfied with what it is.

I mounted my converter in the Pass Thru just on the wall on the opposite side of the batteries in the front storage compartment. I simply drilled holes in the bulkhead, ran my cables through then sealed the the cable holes air tight.

[Ken / Claudia]

This may not be the best but it has been working. Elk hunting 6 to 9 days normal nights in teens but has dropped more on occasion. Using the factory charger and watching Volts with a plug into 12v socket near TV. The dealers 2 12v batteries were shot by the three year. I paid about 500 for 2 12v AGM with 55 ah's each. 1st elk trip, the batteries were not keeping up. I was running the 2000 Yamaha nearly all the time while in camp and shutting down at bedtime. Than started running the genny just at night and all night. Its noise level does not affect sleep, the furnace in the RV does since it's much louder. It worked keeping the batteries charged and lasting through the day.
Next year I got the GC 6v's at Costco at under 100 each with much higher amp hour rated. Made an extra support across the battery rack due to the added 50 lbs.
I started charging all the gadgets we use every night since some would fail during the day. Cell phones, GPS units and portable radios. So I ran the genny all night the last 3 trips. It works to keep from loosing 12volt power under those conditions.
Next RV will have a Onan 3.6 under the bed and I won't be running that all night for sure. So, I plan on starting with 2 or 4 6v GC batteries from Costco, use the 170w solar system on the rv and watch how that genny and solar can keep up. If that does not work out, I could bring 1 of the Yamahas and run it all night. Although I think that is not a good fix. But before spending more money and upgrading systems further I am going to see how the Onan, 6v batteries and 170w solar work out. The elk hunting is camping in timber when days are short and mostly cloudy, not sure more solar will help then.

[GHen]

Just be cautious with AGM’s, they are slower to charge than lead acid. Some of our family had them and replaced with lead acid.

They are fine if you’re plugged it most of the time but we had found they not good for extended Boondocking. We just don’t like running the generator all day to keep them up to full.

But that’s just our experience, I hope they work better for you.

[MurphyIRE]

Thanks for all the input! This is why I love good forums!!!
It sounds like the IOTA DLSX 55A is the way to go with the Output Voltage at 13.4 - 14.8 VDC, plus the IQ4-X controller. I'll have to measure and see if I can fabricate a vertical stack for the flooded cell batteries.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by MurphyIRE

Thanks for all the input! This is why I love good forums!!!
It sounds like the IOTA DLSX 55A is the way to go with the Output Voltage at 13.4 - 14.8 VDC, plus the IQ4-X controller. I'll have to measure and see if I can fabricate a vertical stack for the flooded cell batteries.

If the battery compartment in your Cougar is similar to the battery compartment in my Cougar, you should be able to fit two GC2 FLA batteries in the compartment, side by side.

GC2's have the same footprint as a GP24 12 VDC battery. The length and width are the same as a GP24. The difference is the height, weight and, of course, the increased performance.

[ASCTLC]

Originally Posted by MurphyIRE

Thanks for all the input! This is why I love good forums!!!
It sounds like the IOTA DLSX 55A is the way to go with the Output Voltage at 13.4 - 14.8 VDC, plus the IQ4-X controller. I'll have to measure and see if I can fabricate a vertical stack for the flooded cell batteries.

Be aware there are 2 different converters Murphy. The DLS-55A and the DLSX55.

The DSLX has the Smart module built in, no flexibility to change charge profiles as you may find you want/need. It'll get you a great 4 stage charger but you will only ever have that one charge profile. Not saying that won't satisfy you at all, it just might. But if you think you might want to chase a little different charge profile for the harsh conditions of elk season using a different charge profile like the TURBO module then you need a slightly different model converter.

The DSL models are set up to use the individual plug in modules. I bought the DSL 55A and the 2 modules that work for my use: IQ4 Smart for 95% of the time and the IQ4 TURBO specifically for the elk hunting season due to the limitation of genny run time each day. If you are looking for that same kind of flexibility, whether you just get the converter and the IQ4 Smart now and purchase the IQ4 TURBO later or at the same time you still need to make sure you get the DSL (NOT the DSLX).

I just mounted my 2 modules right there on the bulkhead next to the converter and simply plug the little 'phone jack' cable into whichever module I need at the time.

Been there and done that by ordering the wrong model but got lucky to cancel the order immediately when I realized why the IQ4 modules weren't offered on that site popular with people buying RV stuff. The comment by the person saying "The DSLX works for the vast majority of people" may be right but elk hunting requirements exclude some of us from that majority.

Hope that cleared some things up for you.

Andy

[{tpc}]

This seems like the right thread to ask this in.

Can two 6v golf cart battery's fit in one regular 12v battery tray (holder)?

Pulled my two 12v battery's the other day and despite no issues during the season, there was a bit of corrosion on a terminal on each battery, one severe enough that I have not been able to remove the nut. So I may replace them both and move up to 4 golf cart battery's.

[ljdriscoll]

Since this discussion is about replacing batteries here is my question. I have always had 12v batteries on my trailers. I am now in need of replacing my battery. I always go to campgrounds with electric power. Is there a good reason to switch to multiple 6v batteries versus staying with 12v deep cycle

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by ljdriscoll

Since this discussion is about replacing batteries here is my question. I have always had 12v batteries on my trailers. I am now in need of replacing my battery. I always go to campgrounds with electric power. Is there a good reason to switch to multiple 6v batteries versus staying with 12v deep cycle

Not if you always are connected to shore power. I replaced our battery the second season of ownership. Just didn’t like the puney "dual purpose " group 24 dealer installed battery. So I replaced it with a group 31, 105 Ah deep cycle. That battery lasted until last year and I replaced it with the same battery.

That battery will easily operate the fridge on gas for a day or two while in storage to pre cool the fridge before a trip. Ait will also operate the 2 slides several times while loading the camper before a trip, use the water pump and the interior lights (converted to LED) as well. In my opinion if you have a gas/electric fridge and never boondock then one flooded cell lead acid battery is sufficiant.

[Canonman]

Originally Posted by {tpc}

This seems like the right thread to ask this in.

Can two 6v golf cart battery's fit in one regular 12v battery tray (holder)?

Pulled my two 12v battery's the other day and despite no issues during the season, there was a bit of corrosion on a terminal on each battery, one severe enough that I have not been able to remove the nut. So I may replace them both and move up to 4 golf cart battery's.

The dimensions of the 6 volt GC battery is essentially the same as a group 24 12 volt battery with the exception that they are a bit taller.

[MurphyIRE]

Here is my Mickey Mouse battery compartment. Of Course the manual gear crank is located at the top! I may have to go through the wall and put the 2nd battery in the storage hold.

[ASCTLC]

Wow...looks like they used one of your propane compartments to house the batteries. Now that doesn't make any sense to me but what do I know...