Golf cart batteries?

[sirlandsalot]

Sorry for another battery topic,

My house 12v battery is done. I called BWY and they are recommending dual golf cart batteries in parallel. I don't understand battery's at all. Does anybody have a recommend in simple terms for my simple mind? I only run led lights ect...nothing extra going. My boat was a BWY boat and has a combiner and charger already installed, With to me, a bunch of complicated wires!

Thanks in advance

Dave

[Tomfoolery]

Are you sure you mean 'parallel'? Golf cart batteries are normally 6V, so you'd wire them in series for 12V. Positive of one to negative of the other, and the other two (one +, one -) are your working terminals. Connect the charger to those two posts. You don't then need a charge relay or combiner. Or are you calling the 1/2/both/off the 'combiner'?

[sirlandsalot]

She said parallel, but it may be mistaken. I currently have a combiner and charger factory installed for the start battery and the house battery. I am wondering if I should stick with the single deep cycle battery configure or change to the dual golf cart batteries.

Thanks

[Russ]

If you don't have a lot of 12v need, then I would replace your deep cycle with another. Much easier.
She must have meant 6v golf cart in series which make 12v.

[Divecoz]

I am with Russ on this.. UNLESS you have NEED for that much power dont bother.. They are heavy and expensive and cumbersome and did I mention Cumbersome and HEAVY....

If you don't have a lot of 12v need, then I would replace your deep cycle with another. Much easier.
She must have meant 6v golf cart in series which make 12v.

[Tomfoolery]

While there are such things as 12V golf cart batteries, if that's what you wanted, I'd just use Group 24 deep cycle marine batteries from Walmart. I use two of them, but only one at a time, with the other as a backup, and I alternate between them.

In my last boat, I had a pair of Group 24 deep cycles wired in parallel for house batts, and a start battery as a backup for the diesel. I could go 12 hours with a cold-plate system in the ice box, nav system with autohelm, VHF, FM radio, and a few other light loads, and still start the engine as if the batteries were just charged. Never needed the spare battery, but it was nice knowing it was there.

If you don't want to use a single Group 24, you could always bump that up to a Group 27 (or higher) for more capacity, but with minimal loads, you can get a lot of use out of a single G24 battery. I'd keep one of those little booster battery jumper units onboard for backup, though.

[kevinnem]

I keep hearing about how these things have so much power, but in my experiance running a stereo for like 45 mins will kill a batery, so can someone please help me with this paradox?

[sirlandsalot]

I second that!

[Highlander]

Yep especialy with an amp & subwhooper

J

[DaveB]

Dave, if you are already running twin house batteries and want to convert with twin 6 volt Golf batteries in series. Highly recommend them.
Best Trojan 6volt at $75 each with heavy withdraw.
Had them in last boat and will use twin 6volt again. Golfcart batteries are made for deep draw and can go below the 50% discharge of deep cycle 12 volt batteries.
You can drain the Trojan 6 volt down to 70% without harm.
They are best for deep drain if running refig.
Dave

Sorry for another battery topic,

My house 12v battery is done. I called BWY and they are recommending dual golf cart batteries in parallel. I don't understand battery's at all. Does anybody have a recommend in simple terms for my simple mind? I only run led lights ect...nothing extra going. My boat was a BWY boat and has a combiner and charger already installed, With to me, a bunch of complicated wires!

Thanks in advance

Dave

[Russ]

I keep hearing about how these things have so much power, but in my experience running a stereo for like 45 mins will kill a battery, so can someone please help me with this paradox?

What kind of stereo do you have. Big bass sub woofer?
If a stereo is killing your battery, you may have a heavy draw stereo or really bad battery.

I have a Sony marine stereo and run it all day. We sometimes run an XM radio into it also. Still all day. Also, if we're onboard the VHF is powered on.
When we installed the 12v fridge I added an 80w solar panel.

I also installed an ammeter to monitor what uses the most power. Stereo uses about .5 - .8 amps. Not very much.

[Divecoz]

OK try this: Go down to the store and see and feel and LIFT that 6V Gulf Cart Battery and imagine if you will man handling that up into the boat and then down into the cabin and then into position in a storage area .. If That works for you? Go for it

[sirlandsalot]

OK try this: Go down to the store and see and feel and LIFT that 6V Gulf Cart Battery and imagine if you will man handling that up into the boat and then down into the cabin and then into position in a storage area .. If That works for you? Go for it

LOL....can't be worse than dragging out my rv cat battery last week!

Dave, if you are already running twin house batteries and want to convert with twin 6 volt Golf batteries in series. Highly recommend them.
Best Trojan 6volt at $75 each with heavy withdraw.
Had them in last boat and will use twin 6volt again. Golfcart batteries are made for deep draw and can go below the 50% discharge of deep cycle 12 volt batteries.
You can drain the Trojan 6 volt down to 70% without harm.
They are best for deep drain if running refig.
Dave

Sorry for another battery topic,

My house 12v battery is done. I called BWY and they are recommending dual golf cart batteries in parallel. I don't understand battery's at all. Does anybody have a recommend in simple terms for my simple mind? I only run led lights ect...nothing extra going. My boat was a BWY boat and has a combiner and charger already installed, With to me, a bunch of complicated wires!

Thanks in advance

Dave

I currently have a designated start battery in good condition, a combiner, and a 12volt house battery that is sick. I am wondering if I should take this opritunity to change to the twin 6volt set up. You are a fan of this? Where did you buy the Trojans?

Thanks everyone,

Dave

[Boblee]

Any battery setup needs to match your needs and there are many different configurations to match any need, any battery will suffer if repeatedly taken down too low just some more than others.
If you don't have heavy loads the standard battery will suffice with maybe a spare if worried about getting caught out but be sure to charge both fully as that will damage them as much or more than deep cycling.
From there it is the old adage "how long is a piece of string" it will depend on your needs, you can have the biggest and best battery in the world but if not needed why? just extra cost, weight and maintenance for nothing.
Our original 2006 battery will be replaced this year and it will be replaced with a heavy battery because we have big loads.

[DaveB]

Dave,
Go to your local Golf Cart dealer and ask for the Trojan .
Many dealers hear in SW Florida.
Buy the wires for hookup at same time,
Hooking up twin 6 volt in series is great, the combiner is great to keep house to starter battery separate and alows engine to charge both house and starter battery separate.
Look at my past posts in how to do. ( DaveB)
Dave

I currently have a designated start battery in good condition, a combiner, and a 12volt house battery that is sick. I am wondering if I should take this opritunity to change to the twin 6volt set up. You are a fan of this? Where did you buy the Trojans?

Thanks everyone,

Dave