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12 to 6 v battery switchout
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EchoGale View Drop Down
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Posts: 461 		Post Options Post Options   Quote EchoGale Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 12 to 6 v battery switchout
    Posted: 05 Dec 2022 at 4:27pm
Greetings:

Three months ago I replaced my 12 volt batteries (I had 2) with 2 6 volt golf cart batteries. I checked and re-checked to be sure that they were connected properly in serial. They have been sitting for 2 months, water level checked, and battery disconnect switch off.

Today I checked them and found that they are dead. One is reading 0.0. and the other a little over 10. one has developed an small bulge in the top of the case. Costco can't check them or put a charge on them but the good news is that they said if I bring them in they'll just replace them!

Before I put the new ones in I want to make sure I didn't do something wrong that caused this. Did I need to make other changes for this switch from dual 12 to dual 6? Am I wrong that a couple of months sitting (while disconnected) shouldn't be a problem?

While I know they are dead because I tested them with my multimeter and because when I turned the disconnect switch on the lights weren't working, but is there anything different about using my multimeter on these batteries than there was on my 12 volt (also connected in series)?

Thanks for the help  :)
Julie
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1446 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Tars Tarkas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 2022 at 8:17pm
I'll be interested to hear how this sorts out.  That's great about Costco replacing them!  From what you've said, I don't see the problem.  Two sixes in series is the same as 2 12s in parallel, as far as voltage is concerned.  Were the batteries totally disconnected or were they connected with a disconnect switch in the circuit?  Could be a bad switch.

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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6288 		Post Options Post Options   Quote StephenH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 2022 at 8:25pm
Flooded batteries will self-discharge. Even so, two months is rather short unless there was some load on them that you did not know about. How about the pin for the towing disconnect cable? Is it perchance pulled? That would put a heavy load on the batteries.
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EchoGale View Drop Down
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Posts: 461 		Post Options Post Options   Quote EchoGale Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 2022 at 8:38pm
Thanks to you both. 

The batteries were connected and only "disconnected" via the disconnect switch, so if it is bad that would explain.  I expect I can test that by hooking the new batteries up, setting the disconnect switch to "off" and then checking to see if my interior lights work.  Right? If the switch is bad can it drain enough power to deplete the batteries while not enough for my lights to work?

I'll check that pin. These are good ideas but I can't check them out until at least Thursday.  I'll keep checking here to add to my list of things to check and I'll report back. Thanks so much for the help.

Great about Costco though, right? I bet they won't do it more than once though  ;)
Julie
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2022 at 4:42am
It's quite possible that your batteries did self discharge in 3 months. You live in a hot climate which accelerates self discharge rates and golf cart deep cycle batteries self discharge faster than the typical dual use 12v ones. That's the price you pay for the deep cycle capability of the cart batteries. You need to keep them on charge every few weeks if not continously, and check the water level every couple of weeks as well, they consume more water when left on charge. 

But first  just to be sure you have the batteries connected up correctly. 

Starting from the negative connection to the Rpod you should  have that going to one battery's negative terminal. Then you should have a single  jumper going from that battery positive to the other battery negative. Then from the second battery positive to the disconnect switch and then to the Rpod positive cable. And no other wires connected.  

If that's the case and the disconnect switch was off then either the batteries were defective to begin with or they self discharged. You can eliminate  the disconnect switch from consideration  by first removing it's connection from the battery plus terminal. Put your multimeter on the ohms scale and connect it across  the switch terminals. You should get an open circuit (or very high ohms) reading with the switch open. Then with the switch still disconnected from the battery  close the switch and measure the ohms again. You should get a reading in the 0 to 1 or so ohms range. 
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Posts: 144 		Post Options Post Options   Quote SC for Huskers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2022 at 9:07pm
My old shut off switch had  "1"  or "2"  or "Both" .  Thus both 12v batteries went to the switch.  I replaced the switch when I converted to the 6v batteries.  Leave this tid bit up to the electricians.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Dec 2022 at 1:48am
Let's not overcomplicate things, you really don't need to be an electrical engineer to set up an rpod battery system.

The dual battery 1-2-both-off switches are generally intended to switch between house and start batteries on a motorized RV or boat. You don't need that for a trailer with two paralleled 12v batteries, it's fine to just leave those connected to each other. If you want, you can get a simple isolator switch to disconnect the batteries from the house loads when the trailer is not in use, but then you need to consider that lead acid batteries cannot be left uncharged for long periods, which is likely what happened to the OP here.

 Alternatives (depending on your storage situation):
leave the trailer connected to shore power or connect to shore power for a day or so every few weeks and let the converter maintain battery charge.
install a small solar module and charge controller
remove the house batteries in the off season and maintain them at home on a small charger.
o
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hogone View Drop Down
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Posts: 1042 		Post Options Post Options   Quote hogone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Dec 2022 at 5:38am
Probably a goofy battery question but will ask anyway!!  When Im home, I leave the old pod plugged in 24/7.  Should I disconnect occassionally (maybe for a week or two) just to let the batterys drain a little?  jon
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3220 		Post Options Post Options   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Dec 2022 at 7:03am
Originally posted by hogone

Probably a goofy battery question but will ask anyway!!  When Im home, I leave the old pod plugged in 24/7.  Should I disconnect occassionally (maybe for a week or two) just to let the batterys drain a little?  jon


Though I remove batteries during winter I read of many who keep their pods plugged in 24/7 for long periods of time without any ill effects.  The only word of caution that could be added here would be to keep an eye on electrolyte levels (once/month) and fill with distilled water when needed.
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2587 		Post Options Post Options   Quote lostagain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Dec 2022 at 7:17am
We keep our trailer plugged in all year and have been doing so since we first bought ourPod.  The batteries have been fine and when I've periodically checked the water level, it was always where it should be except in the NV summer heat, when it dropped a tad.
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