12 volt Deep Cycle Batteries vs 6 volt Golf Cart Batteries – Which is Better for Dry Camping?

The reason to replace 12 volt deep cycle batteries with 6v golf cart batteries for dry camping is for increased amp hours to power your RV or Trailer.

6 volt Golf Cart Batteries:

  • have thicker battery plates than 12 volt deep cycle batteries
  • have more amp hours than 12 volt cycle batteries
  • can be discharged deeper than 12 volt deep cycle batteries without plate damage
  • have more battery cycle life than 12 volt deep cycle batteries* (One cycle of a battery is a discharge from full charge to full discharge and a return to full charge again. The total number of cycles a battery can perform before failure is called its Cycle Life)
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(Diagram 1) 6 volt batteries connected in series to equal 12 volts

Step 1 Connect two 6 volt deep cycle batteries together in series (see diagram 1)
*Note battery system voltage doubles and battery capacity remains same.

Q. What Size Cable Do I Use to Connect 6 volt Batteries?

A. Battery Cable Size to Use:

  • for two 6 volt golf cart batteries use 2/0 size cable
  • for four or more 6 volt golf cart batteries use 4/0 size cable

Battery Cable Guide for Connecting

 

Step 2 Connect the cable leads from the RV or Trailer to the two 6 volt batteries

  • connect positive cable first to the positive terminal of one of the two 6 volt batteries that is NOT in the series connection
  • connect negative or ground cable to the negative terminal of one of the two 6 volt batteries that is NOT in the series connection

Look at diagram again, notice the battery terminals used for connecting the two 6 volt batteries together in series, are not used to connect to the trailer or RV

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