Golf cart batteries
- Thread starter TMooney
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DLTooley
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You’ll notice that two golf cart batteries = 134 lbs, 14 lbs more than the 12v. That weight difference is heavier plates and means more durability.
The Walmart deep cycle is a good choice for a small beginner system as it has a one year warranty. It weighs 50 lbs for a group 27. I checked the weight of the Trojan Golf Battery, not directly size comparable to the 27. It weighs 62 lbs.
The Walmart deep cycle is a good choice for a small beginner system as it has a one year warranty. It weighs 50 lbs for a group 27. I checked the weight of the Trojan Golf Battery, not directly size comparable to the 27. It weighs 62 lbs.
DLTooley
Well-known member
I just checked the group 29 Walmart Battery. It weighs 61.7 lbs and also adds an additional year to the warranty.
eDJ_
Well-known member
I was watching a Youtube video the other day where a young man was working with "pulled" (used) Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries from medical equipment. Typically Hospitals will maintain their equipment and replace such batteries
before they would fail. Salvage companies will purchase such equipment from these sources and resale it used online.
Video
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
before they would fail. Salvage companies will purchase such equipment from these sources and resale it used online.
Video
Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
highdesertranger
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6 volt golf cart batteries are true deep cycle batteries. they do make true deep cycle 12 volt batteries but they are hard to find and expensive. those marine starting/deep cycle combo batteries are not true deep cycle batteries. highdesertranger
The Walmart group 27 (at least in Pahrump, NV) is only available in the low cost line. They exist only to serve customers with older vehicles that have weird battery space. They won't last long in deep cycle use.
Vehicles such as a 1988 Dodge Ram 50. Space between the underside of the hood and the battery tray is too tight for any other group. The tray footprint could take a group 29.
Cut a hole in the hood, put in a dummy scoop. Street racer!
Vehicles such as a 1988 Dodge Ram 50. Space between the underside of the hood and the battery tray is too tight for any other group. The tray footprint could take a group 29.
Cut a hole in the hood, put in a dummy scoop. Street racer!
jimindenver
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The lead that makes up the plates in a 12 volt battery is divided between six cells instead of three cells in a 6 volt battery. When you discharge and recharge a battery you lose some of the lead on those cells. Since the cells in the 6 volt battery are twice as thick it will take twice as long before one of the cells loses enough lead to cause the battery to stop functioning from use.
Currently the most affordable 6 volts have a bit more capacity than the most popular 12 volt option.
6 volts are often the same foot print as a grp 24 marine battery but carry a higher capacity. While they will sit in the same footprint you will find that they are taller because the thick plates need to be able to create a bigger pile of lost lead beneath them or it will short out the cell. That means that they do not always fit where the 12 volts do.
Thick plates are good for longevity but they also have a stronger resistance to being charged and discharged. Putting a heavy load on two of them such as a microwave will cause the voltage to drop since they can not puke up the power fast enough to support the load. It doesn't take long before the inverter shuts down because the voltage is too low for it to run. The thinner plates of two grp 27 12 volt batteries can puke up the power fast enough to run the microwave where you will need four 6 volts to spread the load thinly enough across each battery.
Space is a consideration because you must have room for two 6 volts but can use just a single 12 volt if space is limited. Room for a third 6 volt is wasted because you must use pairs. In a 12 volt system that space means 50% more power.
You can run on one of a pair of 12 volts if one goes bad. Both 6 volts become useless if one goes bad. Something to consider because of how and where we camp.
12 volts come in larger sizes and can live a long life if taken care of and kept charged properly. Mine started life holding 225 Ah each and are 10 years old. My grp 27 marine battery was still good after 6 years.
The last thing is about the longevity of 6 volts. Most I have seen die premature deaths due to improper charging instead of old age. Abuse does not care if you have thick plates or not.
Currently the most affordable 6 volts have a bit more capacity than the most popular 12 volt option.
6 volts are often the same foot print as a grp 24 marine battery but carry a higher capacity. While they will sit in the same footprint you will find that they are taller because the thick plates need to be able to create a bigger pile of lost lead beneath them or it will short out the cell. That means that they do not always fit where the 12 volts do.
Thick plates are good for longevity but they also have a stronger resistance to being charged and discharged. Putting a heavy load on two of them such as a microwave will cause the voltage to drop since they can not puke up the power fast enough to support the load. It doesn't take long before the inverter shuts down because the voltage is too low for it to run. The thinner plates of two grp 27 12 volt batteries can puke up the power fast enough to run the microwave where you will need four 6 volts to spread the load thinly enough across each battery.
Space is a consideration because you must have room for two 6 volts but can use just a single 12 volt if space is limited. Room for a third 6 volt is wasted because you must use pairs. In a 12 volt system that space means 50% more power.
You can run on one of a pair of 12 volts if one goes bad. Both 6 volts become useless if one goes bad. Something to consider because of how and where we camp.
12 volts come in larger sizes and can live a long life if taken care of and kept charged properly. Mine started life holding 225 Ah each and are 10 years old. My grp 27 marine battery was still good after 6 years.
The last thing is about the longevity of 6 volts. Most I have seen die premature deaths due to improper charging instead of old age. Abuse does not care if you have thick plates or not.
jimindenver
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As a designer I would say that the one that fills your needs, fits in the box, fits your budget and is available is the best.
Personally I prefer Lifeline AGM 8-D's because they are the highest Amp Hour capacity 12 volt battery that I know of. Three of them gives me the largest capacity while charging and discharging in a balanced manner without having to have additional wiring between the batteries.
On the smaller FLA end I would say a grp 27 because it is easy to find and less expensive due to its popularity.
In inexpensive AGM the 100 Ah size such as the UB121000 gives the capacity of a Grp 31 in an affordable fashion.
Personally I prefer Lifeline AGM 8-D's because they are the highest Amp Hour capacity 12 volt battery that I know of. Three of them gives me the largest capacity while charging and discharging in a balanced manner without having to have additional wiring between the batteries.
On the smaller FLA end I would say a grp 27 because it is easy to find and less expensive due to its popularity.
In inexpensive AGM the 100 Ah size such as the UB121000 gives the capacity of a Grp 31 in an affordable fashion.
