Adding second batteries to trailer

[Dkevdog]

I am going to add a second battery to the 5er to give me some extra amps for dry camping, and was wondering if I should but an islolator in or just wire them in series? Are the advantages to one or the other?? I've seen multiple battery setups in larger coaches that have some pretty impressive switching, but I doubt I need to go that far. Any Ideas??



Kev

 

[DRR-24V]

Series

All of mine in the past were wired together and worked great. Hardly any new trailers come with 2 batteries. I am going to add another to my rig soon.

 

[RGRAT1618]

I think you mean wire them in parallel. If you wire the batteries in series it will double your voltage. If in parallel you will double your amps. I think this is what you meant. I have don it on my parents trailer. I also put on a solar battery charger to help keep them charged when not plugged in.





Rob

 

[klenger]

Solar is the way to go. An extra battery will get you maybe one extra day of camping. Solar in good weather will provide power indefinetly.



See http://www.windsun.com

 

[Dkevdog]

Yep- I did mean parallel I've got to quit trying to think at 11:30 at night! Hey Ken, I plan on adding a solar unit eventually, along with an inverter. Money, Money... ...



Thanks!



Kev

 

[SnoKing]

If you have room for two 6V Golf Cart batteries in serials, they make a much better house battery. Trojan J250 or Dino 260 AMP/Hr. These batteries have much heavier plates and are make to cycle many more times than a standard battery. You really need an amp hour meter to know what your batteries are doing. E-Meter or Link-10 from Heart. SNOKING

 

[bbutler]

The best thing I installed on my RV is a 15 watt solar panel from CAMPING WORLD. It was the best $161. 00 I ever spent. Took about 20 min to install. Also, installed two 6 volt golf cart batteries. The little woman loves to watch that TV all day long While I'm out there waxing the rig.

 

[lizzyhermit]

I am in the process of replacing my two group 27 battreies with two 6v golf cart battreies for the extra amp-hours. A 300 watt inverter will be ordered today for the incidental 120v uses. Living in the Arizona desert makes 2 100w solar panels a no brainer as the next step to power independance.



I have to giggle everytime I read the charts on solar panels that rate the panels with 4 to 5 hours of full sunlight each day. We get that much before lunch.

 

[Forrest]

2 Golf Cart type 6V batteries

I swapped out 2 good 12V'ers for 2 of these BHBatteries. Simple matter to wire them up in series. Could have gone with even more AH, but wanted to get the ones that fit in the existing plastic boxes. These babies stick way out the top of the cases. Nada a problem anymore with low batteries.

 

[JMorrow]

The trouble with two 6 volt batteries is if one of them happens to go bad you only have 6 volts. But with two 12 volt batteries and one goes bad you still have 12 volts. Just info, not trying to tell you what to buy.