how to connect two 6v batteries

[MOS]

Going to switch the two 12v bats to two 6v bats
My 2016 AS has two sets of red/black cables coming from the trailer.
So how is this wired
Thanks

[alano]

Here's a schematic:

[MOS]

Originally Posted by alano

Here's a schematic:

Attachment 288708

Not sure I understand this but

two reds to + one battery , two blacks to - other battery
And then ?

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by MOS

Not sure I understand this but

two reds to + one battery , two blacks to - other battery
And then ?

And then the positive on the one with the black connections to the negative on the one with the red connections.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

*Everything* (no matter what it is) that now goes to the + side now will go to the "RED" line in the drawing above.

*Everything* that now goes to the - side will go to the "BLACK" line in the drawing.

The only thing that will go between the two batteries is a jumper wire. Nothing else will connect to this mid point.

Bob

[Mollysdad]

Not sure why your two 12v volt batteries are not paralleled.
However, I'd recommend marking the cables with e-tape before removing. I put one red marking on battery 1 +, one white marking on battery 1 -, two red markings on battery 2 +, etc.

Your 6v batteries will need to be connected in series to obtain 12v.
that's why the - from one will go to the + of the other and then you'll be left with a single + and - to connect the load to.

[cliffcharb]

Connect + bat 1 to - bat 2 with jumper. That will create 12 volts across both batteries.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Not sure why your two 12v volt batteries are not paralleled.
However, I'd recommend marking the cables with e-tape before removing. I put one red marking on battery 1 +, one white marking on battery 1 -, two red markings on battery 2 +, etc.

Your 6v batteries will need to be connected in series to obtain 12v.
that's why the - from one will go to the + of the other and then you'll be left with a single + and - to connect the load to.

It's probably not that his 12V batteries are not paralleled. It's that there's a red & a black cable for the lines to the fuse block, and a red & a black cable to the inverter. On mine, there's an additional skinny pair running from the "Zamp" inlet to the batteries as well. It's a bit of a snake nest!

[MOS]

Originally Posted by cliffcharb

Connect + bat 1 to - bat 2 with jumper. That will create 12 volts across both batteries.

I just don't get running a jumper cable from the + on one battery to the - on the other battery .
Sounds like trouble !

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by MOS

I just don't get running a jumper cable from the + on one battery to the - on the other battery .
Sounds like trouble !

Think of that as an internal connection. Now you have two 6 volt cells added together to give you 12 volts, and two external connections - one '+' and one '-.' If you turned one of the batteries around, both external connections would be the same.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by SeaLevel

Think of that as an internal connection. Now you have two 6 volt cells added together to give you 12 volts, and two external connections - one '+' and one '-.' If you turned one of the batteries around, both external connections would be the same.

That's helpful to think of it that way. It leads me to 2 questions though:

1) with the two 12 volts, I know taking the negative off first is the safe way to remove them at the end of the season and connecting the positive first is the safe way to put them back in at the start of the season. What would be the correct sequence for removing and reinstalling the two 6 volts wired as you suggest?

2) would any changes be required to the converter/charger or any other electronics?

Thanks!

[xrvr]

Simplified....six volts are connected in series, 12 volt are connected in parallel. Six volt......pos to neg. 12 volt.....pos to pos, neg to neg.

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

That's helpful to think of it that way. It leads me to 2 questions though:

1) with the two 12 volts, I know taking the negative off first is the safe way to remove them at the end of the season and connecting the positive first is the safe way to put them back in at the start of the season. What would be the correct sequence for removing and reinstalling the two 6 volts wired as you suggest?

2) would any changes be required to the converter/charger or any other electronics?

Thanks!

1) I don't see why you couldn't follow the same sequence.
2) No. It's still 12 volts across both batteries.

I'm still using 2 12 volt batteries connected in parallel, but a lot of people have moved to using 2 6 volt batteries, which they then need to connect in series to measure 12 volts.

Parallel: Capacity (amp hours) is additive and the volts stay the same.

Series: Voltage is additive and the capacity (amp hours) stays the same.

http://www.zbattery.com/Connecting-B...es-or-Parallel

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by SeaLevel

1) I don't see why you couldn't follow the same sequence.

I'm just thinking about the "internal" connection from - to + between the 2 batteries. I guess you'd remove the negative side of the jumper and then the negative terminal, then the positive side of the jumper and then the positive terminal...?

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

I'm just thinking about the "internal" connection from - to + between the 2 batteries. I guess you'd remove the negative side of the jumper and then the negative terminal, then the positive side of the jumper and then the positive terminal...?

I would just leave that one connected. It's the "external" connections that would remove the load.

Or you could put a battery switch on the positive side of the "external" connections, and just use that to disconnect for storage.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The "easy" place to put the disconnect switch on a pair of 6V batteries is in the jumper between the batteries.

Bob

[Mollysdad]

The reason to disconnect the - first and connect last is so if you hit the frame (or metal) accidentally with your wrench it won't throw a big spark.

I'm going to install one of these to kill all power from the batteries when stored.

[Rockhound100]

Here is a picture of my 6 volt battery setup. One point of note is that your current battery box may not be deep enough to hold the 6 volt batteries. We swapped out the 12v batteries to 6v when we bought our trailer and the dealer modified the battery box by cutting out the bottom of the box and welding 1 1/2in angle iron to the bottom of the box.

[AirRiggie]

If it help you to understand battery voltage a little better...Look at your maglite flashlight or any multi battery flaslight for that matter. The batteries are loaded up with all the + facing into the the tube...so the - end of the first battery is in contact with the + end of the second battery and so on....the jumper cable is JUST to connect the 2 batteries BECAUSE you can not physically attach the terminals of the batteries as you do with the flashlight. This is called a SERIES connection and thus the total voltage across the terminal is 6+6= 12VOLTS.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

The reason to disconnect the - first and connect last is so if you hit the frame (or metal) accidentally with your wrench it won't throw a big spark.
...

Hi

Or burn a big chunk out of the frame where the wrench hits ....

Bob