Napa Specialty Deep Cycle Golf Cart 6 Volt Batteries, BCI No. GC2 Questions

[MrHypnoMadic]

I am just setting up a 98 Express 2500 extended cargo van to use as a "digital nomad" office.

A new WEN GN400i  4000 Watt open framed inverter generator will be arriving in a couple days, but I'm sure nobody, including me, wants to hear that thing run all the time I need to have access to electricity.  lol 

So, that leads me to the battery / inverter / charge controller / ????  setup. 

I know very little about these things, and yet, today while searching for other van related goodies, I came across someone locally who bought (6) [font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Napa Specialty Deep Cycle Golf Cart 6 Volt Batteries, BCI No. GC2 in April 2019, ran them for a couple of hours and found out they need 8 volts in their golf cart, apparently. 

They're offering 6 of them for $ 500 total.  

(battery specs below)

So, finally, to my questions:   

Are these things any good in terms of quality over time?   

Will they serve well as a foundational power storage for my system...
or should I avoid them?

What venting (or other) concerns should I be aware of while setting this up?  

Unfortunately, I don't really know my power needs, but I have a few generalities.

I need enough power (for at least 24 hours) to be able to run a full desktop computer with 3 large monitors, webcam, Blue Yeti mic, LED studio lighting on a green screen, fans, likely an a/c or heater... and probably half a dozen things I haven't even thought of yet.  

(Basic research has shown around 500 - 1000 watts to run the computer system, plus whatever else I end up putting in there.  A laptop rather than a desktop might cut that in half, but I don't want to cut the power bank short.)

Much of what I do is live online over Skype, Zoom or other video conferencing, and it's critical to my clients that we don't have to be delayed for lack of power. 

The main reason I bought the generator over solar panels to start is so I will ALWAYS have clean, abundant electricity available, but I'd really rather run on batteries and use the generator as an emergency band-aid if or when needed. 

So, for those much more well-versed and seasoned than I am, what are your thoughts on starting off my adventures with 6 of these 235 AH batteries?

While I'll continue to read posts & blogs and devour YouTube videos in my quest for an education in this, I want to sincerely thank you for any wisdom you're willing to share!  

~  MrHypnoMadic


SPECS:  (from the NAPA website)

[size=small][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Amp Hour    [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]235 AH[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Battery Terminal Type   [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]DIN[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Battery Type   [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Deep Cycle[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]BCI Group Size  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]BCI No. GC2[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Contents  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif](1) Battery Assembly[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Height  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]10.875 in[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Length  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]10.25 in
[/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Width  [/font][/font][/size][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif][size=small][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]7.125 in[/font][/font][/size]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Manufacturer  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]East Penn Mfg., Co.[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Manufacturer Part Number   [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]GC25[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Negative Terminal Location  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Side Left[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Positive Terminal Location  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Right[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Reserve Capacity  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]488[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]UNSPSC  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]26111710[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]VMRS Code  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]32001001[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Voltage  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]6 V[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Weight  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]68 lbs[/font]
[font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Wet or Dry  [/font][font=Aileron, Arial, sans-serif]Wet[/font][/font][/size][/font][/size]

 

[highdesertranger]

big question what have the batteries been doing since April?

How do you plan on charging these batteries?

relying on a generator is going to get expensive and if it's an open frame nobody is going to want you around them.

but more importantly you need to get a firm grip of what you are trying to do. you need to do this,

1. figure out your true daily power needs. you need to do whatever it takes to do this, once you do you will have come a long way to understand being your own power company.

2. then you size your battery bank according to your needs. not what you can get a deal on. BTW this goes for the generator too.

3. then you size your charging system to your batteries usually your solar panels.

we will help you but we need to start at number one first not number 2 or 3 or else you might not have enough power.

one thing you will learn quick is, it's always cheaper and easier to conserve energy then it is to make it.

highdesertranger

 

[MrHypnoMadic]

Thanks for the reply, highdesertranger.

Since I've already said more than I actually know about this topic, it seems I'll need to continue my education & planning before I can answer your points and process considerations.

Perhaps a more appropriate and focused topic for my post would have been along these lines:

"Does anyone who has had experience with Napa Specialty Deep Cycle Golf Cart 6 Volt Batteries, BCI No. GC2 have any opinion, recommendation or warning as to their quality and longevity?"

It doesn't change the need for me to address what you've brought up, of course.
It just gives me an idea as to whether to even consider these particular batteries IF they turn out to be within the specs of my needs.

If the batteries are great, I wouldn't race out tomorrow to buy them just because they were cheap if they didn't fit the build requirements.
If they are junk, however, I can summarily dismiss them from consideration and focus on more fundamental issues, such as those you've brought up.

Thanks again.

 

[B and C]

Anything you can run native 12V will be the best bet.  They make micro-computers that can run off a laptop car charger.  I use HP Micro computer.
12V car charger

If you are going to use electric heat and A/C, you will need to run your generator.

Get a Kill-o-watt meter.  Your library may have one to loan if you don't want to buy one.  These will let you know how much 120VAC you are using.  Inverters are not 100% efficient, usually around 80%.

 

[Almost There]

big question what have the batteries been doing since April?

It just gives me an idea as to whether to even consider these particular batteries IF they turn out to be within the specs of my needs.

HDR hit the big question for you 'what have the batteries been doing since April.

If they've been sitting around not being used and more importantly Not being charged since April, they're longevity has most likely been compromised which means that they'd be a bad deal for you even if they were the right amount of amp hours you need.

Deals come along regularly. I know that it seems wonderful to pick up batteries at a good discount because of someone elses' mistake but it's better to take it slow and start from the beginning in building an electrical system.

IMO, skip the wonderful? deal and start with the basics....get yourself a kilowatt meter(buy or borrow - my library had one for loan) and start getting a grip on how much power you're actually going to be needing over a 24 hour period. Then we can work with those numbers to help you figure out how much battery/solar/generator/inverter etc you're going to need.

Building a system starts with 1. how much power is  needed, then progresses to how to achieve it.

 

[MrHypnoMadic]

Thank you, Brian.
I'll look into those micro computers.
During my research, the desktop CPU was by far the biggest energy consumer. (400-800 watts)
The monitors were about 25 watts each x 3, and I don't think the camera, microphone, etc. used much at all.
Even the LED light panels for the studio didn't add up to much.

Carving the CPU power would be a big deal, so I hope these are the answer.

 

[MrHypnoMadic]

Thanks, Almost There.
From what I've heard back, they've been in the golf cart all summer, but no idea what type of care they've gotten. (if any)

I'll focus on the power needs as suggested, and push these to the back burner until I have a better handle on what I need... and what I can re-tool to achieve the same results with less usage.

I appreciate the insights.

 

[Lowdesertpatrol]

Buy lifepo4.