A question of batteries

[capejt]

For electrically minded folks this may be rather basic, but here goes.
I've seen many posts from owners replacing the standard 12 volt batteries with 6 volt "golf cart" batteries. What is the advantage of this?

 

[anchorclanker]

Being purely electric vehicles, golf cars use a bank of 6, 6 volt batteries to produce 36 volts and require constant deep cycling. Golf courses are about making money, and require batteries that hold up to those demands. The pinnacle is the Trojan T-105 golf car battery. Taken care of they will last 7 years or more. Not many other lead acid batteries can match that kind of endurance, not many have the deep cycling capability a good golf car battery can tolerate.

2 golf car batteries in a 12 volt setup, have much greater capacity than any 12 volt battery. But man are they heavy.

 

[kloudie1]

ya get a 230 (or so) ampere hour 12V. battery for lower $$ than a big 12V.. The weight is separated into two, easier to move, parts.. The batteries are optimized for lots of deep cycles since they are used primarily in that service in golf carts..
Good stuff, all..

 

[Big Windy]

Two 6 volts are much better than one 12 volt.

Here's a link: http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm

 

[sailaway78]

Golf cart batteries

I have four Sam's club golf carts. 450ah. Been going strong now for four years, and can't tell any difference in them from new. Would never go back to standard 12 volt batts.

 

[monkeybars]

the problem being ,in small boats with only two 6volt battery's is if one goes bad while out on the water your whole electric system is useless. Not a problem though if you have 4 6volts on a 1-2-off switch.

 

[kloudie1]

Monkey, A 6 volt batt has 3 cells.. two have 6 cells to make 12 Volts.. A 12 volt battery has 6 cells (two 6 volt batteries) enclosed in one case.. If one cell goes bad in either scenario, your whole electrical system is kaput.. Two 6's or one 12 are not measurably different in terms of failure probability..

 

[anchorclanker]

I think what he meant was on a small boat you may only have enough room for two batteries. With two 12's on an A/B switch, when one falls off you can switch to the other.

With two 6 volts taking up that same space, you really only have one 12 volt battery, and when its gone, its gone.

Common sense will dictate your needs. If you have the space, and need that much capacity, a bank of golf car batteries can be a dream. If you dont have the space, or only use the boat as a day sailer, you wont need that kind of capacity. Two 12 volt marine batteries should easily be able to run nav lights and small intermittent loads for a weekend.

 

[Sumner]

I think what he meant was on a small boat you may only have enough room for two batteries. With two 12's on an A/B switch, when one falls off you can switch to the other.

With two 6 volts taking up that same space, you really only have one 12 volt battery, and when its gone, its gone.

Common sense will dictate your needs. If you have the space, and need that much capacity, a bank of golf car batteries can be a dream. If you dont have the space, or only use the boat as a day sailer, you wont need that kind of capacity. Two 12 volt marine batteries should easily be able to run nav lights and small intermittent loads for a weekend.

I can see his concern about dead batteries as he has a Mac M with a high HP outboard that has elect. start and probably can't be pull started.

On most small sailboats if the batteries went dead you can still pull start the outboard. We have elect. start on our 9.8 HP, but can pull start it.

When our 2 12 volt batteries die on our Mac we will change to 2 6 volt for the reasons given above,

Sum

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