6 Volt Battery

[Sailpilot]

Hey guys,

I just bought 4 Superlex Premium 6 volt batteries (XG6-30).

I have two questions:

1. How many amps are these things going to give me? I can't find ratings in Amps? I was going with 2 4Ds @ 200amps each and looking at 400 amps total. My friend, told me these things wired in 12volt (2+2) would give me 400+amps?

2. Anyone want to offer the wiring series? I made 2 wires to put the 2 batteries in series. Now I'm just asking before I wire in each 2x6volt as if it were a solid 12 volt.

Thanks in advance.

[camaraderie]

Since superior battery does not maintain spec sheets on line for this battery....your only option is to call them and ask about the 20 hour amp rating for these batteries. This will be the 12V amp hour rating when you put two of them together.
Product Information: (270) 866-6056

These look to be about the same size as the Popular Trojan T-105's and THOSE batteries give you 225amp/hours at 12V per pair...but this is for your comparison purposes only...as the same size batteries can provide very different amp hours, construction and life cycles.

Here's how you hook them up:

[Sailpilot]

Cam,

Man are you quick!

Thanks for your help once again.

[billyruffn]

Sailpilot,

When you wrote, "My friend, told me these things wired in 12volt (2+2) would give me 400+amps?", I dected a possible point of confusion --
If the manufacturer rates a single battery at X amp hours that's X amp hours at the voltage of that battery. E.g. individual Trojan 105's Cam mentions are 225 amp hours at 6V. You wire two of them in series to increase the voltage to 12V but you don't double the amp hours -- the two T 105 batteries series are still 225 amp hours, but now the output is at 12V. You've doubled the potential output in watts (Watts = volts x amps), but not the amp hours.

[camaraderie]

Billy...the key in his post is
"these things wired in 12volt (2+2) would give me 400+"

The "2+2" indicates that he knew there would be 4 batteries necessary to achieve 400+ amps at 12V.

[billyruffn]

Thanks, Cam... 2 + 2 does = 4. Electrons was never my forte. I guess arithmetic wasn't either.

[SimonV]

So why is using 2 x 6v bats @ 100A = 200A, more desirable than 1 x 12v @200A . Is it a charging thing.

[peikenberry]

No, it's not a charging thing, it's a battery construction thing. 6V golf cart batteries are "true" deep cycle batteries with very thick all lead plates and can be drawn deeper and supposedly last longer than the typical RV/Marine deep cycle 12V battery. RV/Marine batteries are not "True" deep cycle batteries. They are a combo battery good for house and starting. There are 12V true deep cycel batteries available but they are more expensive and much larger than the 6V batteries. So some folks want the 6V batteries and then wire them in parallel to get 12V.

Me, I've always used the standard 12V RV/Marine batteries as house batteries and never had a problem. My last set lasted 4 years in constant use. There is no secret to this. Keep them charged, check the electrolyte level once a month, check the output voltage and check with a hygrometer occasionally. Keep them clean (dirt can actually drain your batteries). Use a good quality 3 or 4 stage charger and they should last for 4-5 years, maybe longer.

[xort]

Simon
It's a weight thing. Easier to lift a 6v into a battery tray.

[camaraderie]

I think I would amend that to "typical inexpensive" marine 12V wet cell batteries are less well constructed than the GOOD golf cart batteries like the Trojan T105's. There are many very well constructed marine deep cycle batteries in 12V form factors available today. As always...you pay a price for the word "marine" and golf carts may be more economical...but tha is also offset by the need to make up additional cables of marine grade wire. The chief advantage imho of selecting 2 golf carts rather than one 8D battery of slightly larger capacity (225 vs. 255AH), is that the weight is easier to deal with when broken up into two batteries. Having schlepped four 164 pound 8d's of and onto my boat and paid the price the next morning...that argument has merit!!