# 12 Volt Or 6 Volt Batteries



## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Well I dropped into the local Sam's Club and checked out their batteries. They has a bunch of 6 volt golf cart batteries t105 rated at 220 amp hour I was about to buy them but checked out the other batteries and they had a bunch of 12 volt deep cycle 29 series rated at 125 amp hours. The 12 volt batteries are physically bigger. Now 2 12 volt batteries come to 250 amp hours were the 2 6 volt batteries come to 220 amp hours 30 amp hours less. I did find other golf cart batteries but this was the largest one Ah wise there were also some 8 volt golf cart batteries I did not know they made a 8 volt battery.

Is there larger 6 volt batteries out there or would I be better off with the 12 volt batteries? the difference in price is onlt a few bucks. $64 for the 12 volt and $61 for the 6 volt golf cart batteries?


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## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

Go with the 6 volt and you'll never look back.
The 6 volters are a true deep cycle battery.
The amp hours you describe on the 12 volt units prolly mean that they're too big to fit in the battery tray anyways.


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

Read some of the debate from rv.net and then try to make up your mind !!

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseacti...ng/1/page/1.cfm

And there's a whole lot more where that came from.....


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## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

It is most certainly in the design of the batteries. AMP Hour is a rating but doesn't tell you how that drain is accomplished and what makes one better then the other.

The 12Volt is likely a cranking plus reserve battery thus it performs better for a high current drain (cranking the motor). The 6 volt are designed for small drain over a longer period of time. It is real hard to find a true deep cycle 12V these days.

Therefore answer is the 6 volts will likely work better for you even with a smaller rating since they are designed to have a small long term drain on them.

My first hand experience is that Interstate sells really crappy 12V RV type batteries because my electric boat motor chews those up long before it chews up a Delco Deep Cycle. So booo! to Interstate!


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## Scrib (Jun 28, 2005)

Verstelle said:


> Well I dropped into the local Sam's Club and checked out their batteries. They has a bunch of 6 volt golf cart batteries t105 rated at 220 amp hour I was about to buy them but checked out the other batteries and they had a bunch of 12 volt deep cycle 29 series rated at 125 amp hours. The 12 volt batteries are physically bigger. Now 2 12 volt batteries come to 250 amp hours were the 2 6 volt batteries come to 220 amp hours 30 amp hours less. I did find other golf cart batteries but this was the largest one Ah wise there were also some 8 volt golf cart batteries I did not know they made a 8 volt battery.
> 
> Is there larger 6 volt batteries out there or would I be better off with the 12 volt batteries? the difference in price is onlt a few bucks. $64 for the 12 volt and $61 for the 6 volt golf cart batteries?


Their respective amp-hour ratings are computed using different current draws:

125Ah / 20 hours = 6.25A discharge rate
220Ah / 20 hours = 11.00A discharge rate

If you throw the T-105's back into Peukert's formula at a 6.25A discharge rate, you get 260Ah for the T-105's. Of course, a pair of Group 29's would be better than 250Ah also - since they are splitting the 6.25A load!


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

I just got back from a 5 day trip and my dual 6v system had 1/4 power remaining. I had my generator, but didn't need it.

My buddy was there for the last 3 days and need a charge on the 3rd day.

More reading pleasure on batteries...








http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/12volt/12volt.htm


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Man, these 6V types are getting as bad as the Equal-i-zer and Titan guys... Oh.... never mind! shy

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

PDX_Doug said:


> Man, these 6V types are getting as bad as the Equal-i-zer and Titan guys... Oh.... never mind! shy
> 
> Happy Trails,
> Doug


I was going to comment that this debate is getting almost as heated as a "What's the best TV", or a "Gasser vs Diesel" debate.









Bob


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

Oregon_Camper said:


> I just got back from a 5 day trip and my dual 6v system had 1/4 power remaining. I had my generator, but didn't need it.
> 
> My buddy was there for the last 3 days and need a charge on the 3rd day.
> 
> ...


How did you determine you had 1/4 power left? The LED thingy on the pump/battery/water heater panel?The only way to know for sure would be to measure the voltage. If it's less than 12 volts, it's time for a recharge, whether 6 volt or 12 volt battery. Going much lower will shorten the life of either.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

W4DRR said:


> I just got back from a 5 day trip and my dual 6v system had 1/4 power remaining. I had my generator, but didn't need it.
> 
> My buddy was there for the last 3 days and need a charge on the 3rd day.
> 
> ...


How did you determine you had 1/4 power left? The LED thingy on the pump/battery/water heater panel?The only way to know for sure would be to measure the voltage. If it's less than 12 volts, it's time for a recharge, whether 6 volt or 12 volt battery. Going much lower will shorten the life of either.
[/quote]

Yeah I really hate that pump/battery/water heater panel thingy. It has 4 LED's but is gradued in 1/3's. Way didn't they use 1/4th and just use no LED lit for empty. When I had one LED left the battery died within a few minutes.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Insomniak said:


> I just got back from a 5 day trip and my dual 6v system had 1/4 power remaining. I had my generator, but didn't need it.
> 
> My buddy was there for the last 3 days and need a charge on the 3rd day.
> 
> ...


How did you determine you had 1/4 power left? The LED thingy on the pump/battery/water heater panel?The only way to know for sure would be to measure the voltage. If it's less than 12 volts, it's time for a recharge, whether 6 volt or 12 volt battery. Going much lower will shorten the life of either.
[/quote]

My bad...must have be 1/3, cause all I remember was it was on the last bar the entire last day. Didn't see a need to charge up the battery (via the generator) for the last day.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

PDX_Doug said:


> Man, these 6V types are getting as bad as the Equal-i-zer and Titan guys... Oh.... never mind! shy
> 
> Happy Trails,
> Doug


What's so bad about Equal-i-zer and Titan Guys??







I have a Equal-i-zer and wish I had a Titan


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Verstelle said:


> Man, these 6V types are getting as bad as the Equal-i-zer and Titan guys... Oh.... never mind! shy
> 
> Happy Trails,
> Doug


What's so bad about Equal-i-zer and Titan Guys??







I have a Equal-i-zer and wish I had a Titan








[/quote]

Check my signature, Bill...









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

PDX_Doug said:


> Man, these 6V types are getting as bad as the Equal-i-zer and Titan guys... Oh.... never mind! shy
> 
> Happy Trails,
> Doug


What's so bad about Equal-i-zer and Titan Guys??







I have a Equal-i-zer and wish I had a Titan








[/quote]

Check my signature, Bill...









Happy Trails,
Doug
[/quote]

Oh Yeah,







cool


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