Did I kill my batteries/6v golf cart battery source?

[bryan.a.white]

David:

I agree. We have been running the GC's for a couple of seasons without solar and they take us through most every weekend with the furnace blasting. I recently installed a catalytic heater (other topic in this Boondocking forum) to reduce the furnace time.

I'm looking at the 4 6v + solar as a way to increase our ability to have more amp hours available and to allow use of an inverter. As much boondocking as we do, it isn't always an outdoor excursion where we conserve our power. Sometimes it is going to be traveling to kids sport events and remote construction sites. Using the stereo and the microwave and other "luxuries" without firing up a generator is really the point.

[FastEddieB]

charliem - I haven't forgotten your questions. Patience, grasshopper.

bryan.a.white - that's one nice battery box!

I went cheaper. Also, my tongue weight was already a lot higher than I wanted, so I did not want any more weight on the tongue.

Got to work this afternoon...

Comparison of the Group 24 box and the GC2 box:



New 6v GC2's in place:



I had planned for this eventuality, so I had plenty of wire available:



(Intentionally left the circuit open until I have a chance to tighten and tidy things up a bit.)

All buttoned up:



I plan a single long strap around both batteries to secure them.

I'm also considering a couple more brackets to help support the bumper - those suckers are HEAVY!

[DavidM]

"I'm also considering a couple more brackets to help support the bumper - those suckers are HEAVY!"

Yep, those two batteries probably weigh 140 lbs. That is a bunch for the standard bumper. Definitely reinforce that bumper.

David

[FastEddieB]

I have a friend who built his own plane and still has all the metalworking jigs and tools and stuff. He may come over later and see what we can come up with re: reinforcement.

Anyway, final details sorted out and job is done:





I used 10A fuses for my 2-conductor plugs. Is that appropriate? I use them mainly for a voltmeter, USB charging and my solar panels.

[DavidM]

A ten amp fuse will work as long as your solar panel is no more than 100 watts.

David

[FastEddieB]

A ten amp fuse will work as long as your solar panel is no more than 100 watts.

David

Thanks.

I did end up with the Renogy 100W foldable model.

Interestingly, when I click on my past Amazon order it now links to a 60W model, with a newer 100W model linked:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HR8YNK6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[bryan.a.white]

FastEddieB- Nice work, I like how that is turning out!

[Merlin]

A ten amp fuse will work as long as your solar panel is no more than 100 watts.

David

Thanks.

I did end up with the Renogy 100W foldable model.

Interestingly, when I click on my past Amazon order it now links to a 60W model, with a newer 100W model linked:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HR8YNK6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nice work! Lots of electrons available now. What did that set up do to the tongue weight? And, I'd sleep better if you used 2 straps, one on each box at right angles to the one you have. 

[FastEddieB]

Merlin,

I have not weighed the tongue recently, certainly not post-mod. The same plane-building friend that has the metal-working skills has the scales I used last time. It's on my list of things to do.

Yes, front-to-back straps would be more elegant. The molding of the battery boxes clearly favors that. However, in my quest to keep the weight of the batteries as close to the trailer as possible, the aluminum plate is right up against the diamondplate on the rear of the trailer, so straps running that way present a problem. Hardly insoluble, but not high on my (long) list of projects at the moment.

As an aside, each box is secured to the platform with machine screws and fender washers with rubber washers sandwiched between them and the cases. So the straps are for backup, albeit very wise backup in my view.

[FastEddieB]

Prior to actual weighing...

As background, I used to teach weight and balance for pilots, both private and commercial. Though it's been a long time, the concepts are fairly simple.

I took some measurements. The batteries sit 6'9" behind the rear axle. I used the rear axle since that should be the fulcrum on which weight on the rear bumper acts.

The batteries spec at 64 lbs each, for 128 lbs total. I rounded up to 135 lbs for all the associated hardware.

That means the batteries are exerting a downward torque on the rear axle of 911.25 ft-lbs. (135lbs x 6.75 ft)

I measured 18' from the rear axle to the ball. Take 911.25 and divide by 18, which equals 50.625. That means the added weight on the rear bumper should have lightened the tongue by just over 50 lbs. I recall it was around 628 before, so predicting if nothing else changed the new weight should be about 578 lbs. Which should still be fine - not too light - for a 4,500 lb trailer (loaded).

Again, I'll weigh it when I can and see how the calculations jibe with reality!

And, of course let me know if I made any obvious errors above.

[Merlin]

Merlin,

I have not weighed the tongue recently, certainly not post-mod. The same plane-building friend that has the metal-working skills has the scales I used last time. It's on my list of things to do.

Yes, front-to-back straps would be more elegant. The molding of the battery boxes clearly favors that. However, in my quest to keep the weight of the batteries as close to the trailer as possible, the aluminum plate is right up against the diamondplate on the rear of the trailer, so straps running that way present a problem. Hardly insoluble, but not high on my (long) list of projects at the moment.

As an aside, each box is secured to the platform with machine screws and fender washers with rubber washers sandwiched between them and the cases. So the straps are for backup, albeit very wise backup in my view.

Sounds great. I can sleep again!

Also as an aside, all the posts and discussions about batteries have brought me over to the light side. I'm converting all my solar stuff to series 6VDC GC2 batteries and will also so do with the camper when the current paralleled 12VDC marine batteries go belly up.

[FastEddieB]

A couple of questions if your cellphone permits. When charging from your gennie were you using the Camplite onboard converter/charger or some other connection method? How big is your solar panel? Were the 12.4V readings taken while the charger was running or after a rest period? It takes a lot of charging and a long time to recharge two batteries from dead. Given the way the trailer is wired the fastest way to charge a deeply discharged battery is by heavy duty jumper cables from your TV. You may just not have given them enough time.
[/size]

Sorry for the delay responding.

I was using the onboard charger via the 30A receptacle.

Yesterday, after extended charging - the installed 12v via onboard charger and the spare on a charger in my garage - both 12v batteries test OK on my load tester.

So you may be onto something.

It seems like on a prior 5-day boondock, the batteries would start out showing about 13.3v fresh off a charge, then drift down to about 12.6v to 12.7v. Overnight with lights, some TV, water pump, some phone charging and moderate furnace use, they'd be down to about 12.2v - and a couple hours with the solar panels in full sun would top them back off. Later, rinse, repeat - indefinitely as long as the sun peeked out for at least a couple hours.

Post full discharge, they still showed 12.6v or so after charging, but could drop as low as 11.35v after roughly the same overnight usage. This was measured under light load right at the batteries. All-day solar charging only brought them up to 12.4v or so - it sure seemed something fundamental had changed. But since they load test OK, it may be they had simply never taken a full, "deep" charge and have now bounced back.

Regardless, I should now have at least 33% more capacity, and a spare 12v battery for emergencies. I'm considering a few nights just on the 6v batteries to see how they do, keeping the 12v "tongue" battery as emergency backup. But still switch to "1+2" for charging, both onboard and while driving.

For those new here, this is the marine battery selector someone here recommended and I installed:



With two 12v in parallel, it stayed in that position virtually all the time, treating the two batteries as one large one.

[tek610]

You will like the 6V Duracells, I got the same ones and I have had them for a couple of years. In fact, I just moved them from a Pop-Up trailer to my recently purchased Livin-Lite. Install is shown in the photos. (Ignore my charger lead that is wired in, I had it reversed in the photo.)

I have been maintaining the charge with a Pulse Tech charger that has "desulfation" technology. Keeps them in prime condition and ready to go. I have heard tons of stories from my family and friends who use them on their old batteries and they are brought back to life.

http://www.pulsetech.net/XCPARALLEL-Xtreme-Charge-Parallel-Multi-12V-Battery-Charger-7276.aspx

Bryan-

I just bought the same Noco box you have. On your install- is it really as simple as it looks? It looks like two pieces of angle aluminum screwed to the tongue frame, then the box mounted to the angle aluminum. My trailer is in a storage lot, so I can't go out and look at it until tomorrow, but was the stock battery box holder difficult to remove? And did you have to move your propane tanks at all? If so, was that difficult?

Thanks for your help and advice. Sorry to pepper you with questions like I'm giving you the 3rd degree!

John

[FastEddieB]

I'm not Bryan, but I moved my propane tanks early on, swapping positions with the battery. The purpose was to allow the chains on my w/d hitch to be more nearly vertical.

Easy-peasey. They are just held on with self-tapping aluminum screws. In my case I added some aluminum stock to make them a bit more secure.

Here's the "after":

[tek610]

Thanks for the response Eddie! Looking forward to my next mod...


John