Univolt FACTS

[Inland RV Center, In]

Gig.

Golf cart six volt batteries should not be used, "ever" in any Airstream trailer.

There are previous posts about that.

Secondly, your asking for rear end separation, by adding that much more weight, in the back.

Additional batteries should only be installed on the A-frame, or, underneath the front lounge.

A univolt can make a humming noise, but that does not impair it's performance. Newer style Univolts are solid state, therefore they cannot make any noise.

You can, install a shut off switch for the univolt, if you wish, so that it's off when your trying to sleep.

Replacing it because of the hum, is not worth the expense.

Lastly, the story of two six volt batteries in series being better than two twelve volt batteries in parallel, is nothing more than a "MYTH".

The wattage is the same, the weight is the same.

BUT, if one of the six volt batteries becomes weak, your in trouble. If one of the twelve volt batteries becomes weak, simply disconnect it, and go one your way, as you still will have battery power.

Andy

[AYRSTRM2]

Andy,

while we're on the topic, I want to install a shutoff switch for my Univolt. Do you recommend just putting a 110V household switch on the AC input to the univolt? I don't want to destroy anything by putting it in the wrong spot in the system.

John

[Inland RV Center, In]

AYRSTRM2

John.

A simple on off switch in the city power cable to the univolt, works great.

Andy

[AYRSTRM2]

Thanks!

John

[Gigawatt]

Gig.

Golf cart six volt batteries should not be used, "ever" in any Airstream trailer.

There are previous posts about that.

Secondly, your asking for rear end separation, by adding that much more weight, in the back.

Additional batteries should only be installed on the A-frame, or, underneath the front lounge.

A univolt can make a humming noise, but that does not impair it's performance. Newer style Univolts are solid state, therefore they cannot make any noise.

You can, install a shut off switch for the univolt, if you wish, so that it's off when your trying to sleep.

Replacing it because of the hum, is not worth the expense.

Lastly, the story of two six volt batteries in series being better than two twelve volt batteries in parallel, is nothing more than a "MYTH".

The wattage is the same, the weight is the same.

BUT, if one of the six volt batteries becomes weak, your in trouble. If one of the twelve volt batteries becomes weak, simply disconnect it, and go one your way, as you still will have battery power.

Andy
************
Andy;

I have eight GC batteries, and what I had in mind doing, was to install two of them inside the battery box at the rear... then I wanted to wire these two to to 90 watt PV panels that I would like to mount on top of the trailer...

The other Six GC batteries are now installed inside the trailer at the base where the fridge should be (there was no fridge in my trailer) so the weight of the batteries is distributed over the two axels.... I thought that would be OK... and these six batteries over the axels are not to be used for the main DC trailer power, but for the inverters that will power all the AC things in the trailer...

I wanted to rewire the trailer so that when I plugged in an external AC source, this would give me power for the Air Conditioner and with the turn of a switch, I could recharge all the batteries if that was ever necessary... As a rule, I have not used Air Conditioning in years, so using AC current for an Air conditioner would be rare... and I have enough PV panels to keep all 8 of the batteries charged from the sun most of the time... I used the same setup at home, and rarely ran low on 120 volt power from the sun powered inverters.... I could even run my AC powered submersible water pump for house water from my rain water tanks without straining the batteries... so I am trying to have a similer setup in my trailer, only with the trailer the PV and rainwater systems will be portable...

Gig

[Inland RV Center, In]

Gig.


"Why" golf cart batteries?

Andy

[Gigawatt]

Gig.


"Why" golf cart batteries?

Andy

------------------

Because I have 8 of them already, which are the ones I used at the house for the past 5 years when I took my house mostly off the grid... I didn't want to waste them, and thought to hook two of them into the battery box at the rear of my Airstream... and have already put the remaining 6 GC batteries in the area for the fridge... this area is in front of the trailer's front axil and should balance OK... the front 6 batteries would only be used through my 1000 watt iverter to produce 120 volts ac for my AC powered devices, like my microwave oven, TV, VCR, DVD player, Computer, On Demand rain water pump, and a few other things...

Gig

[FrenchBern]

where can i find the reasoning against 6 volts batteries and GC batteries for use in AS?

[bryanl]

see
http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/ow...ry-config.html
for the pros and cons on serial vs parallel.

[FrenchBern]

Thank you Leipper for link. After reading the article which i agree mostly with, I don't see how anyone came out with the conclusion to never use series batteries in an As?? Now can someone tell me why not to use GC batteries?