Proper Care of New Deep Cycle Batteries?

[One Awesome Inch]

Okay I'm about to buy 2 new Trojan t105 6v batteries but I want to make sure these ones last. I have a few questions...

1. When grounding off the negative terminal of one of the 6v to my vans chassis does the wire have to be 4 gage / heavy cable or can I use 10 gage? That wire will be less than 3ft long.

2. Do I have to worry about overcharging my batteries and if so how do I prevent overcharging? 

3. I got the following comment on my YouTube channel... 

"OK, I hate to see you waste your money so I'll give you my opinion and you can take it for what it's worth. Rolling Earth-Ship already said it below about the alternator charging your house battery. The alternator will charge deep cycle house batteries but it isn't even close to a smart charger. It was designed to charge a starting battery and bring it back up to voltage for the next start. There are huge differences in 6V deep cycle house batteries and 12V starter batteries and huge differences in the charging requirements they both demand. Yes, the alternator will charge your 6V house batteries if you have them wired in series to make a 12V battery but their life will be greatly diminished if they are only being charged with a vehicle's alternator. My guess is you would probably be buying new batteries within a year or so. 
I know, I know, lots of RV's have a wire going back to charge the house batteries off the alternator and they build them that way from the factory and most people think it's a great way to keep your batteries charged up but it's a poor and short term fix. Solar is a MUCH better way to charge your house batteries and if you have a descent charge controller you can expect many years of power from 6V house batteries wired in series for a 12V system. 
Not trying to brag but my house batteries are going on the third year and they are performing like they did the day I purchased them. 
I also know that funds are always an issue but here is something to think about. What is more expensive? Getting a descent small solar set up and not buying batteries every year? Or buying new batteries every year and always having battery issues and problems without the peace of mind and reliability."

Thoughts? I will have a 100w of solar... I just have to install it.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

If the ground wire is not the same size as the hot wire, then the ground wire will be the limiting factor as to how much current flows through the circuit.

Sternwake has said on numerous occasions that a combination of engine alternator PLUS solar is a far better way to keep batteries charged than either alone.

Maximum life on deep cycle flooded lead acid batteries?  Keep the cells topped up with distilled water and run an equalization charge regularly.  Own a battery hydrometer and use it frequently.  Lots of solar controllers are capable of doing an EQ charge, if yours won't, you will need a separate battery charger of converter that can.

 

[Trebor English]

I agree with Sternwake. Chances are very good that this is going to be learning battery and it will die a premature death. No problem with that, I think most of us did the exact same thing. But don't spend a lot of money on a learning battery! I'd suggest a Walmart group 27 Marine and plan on replacing it in a year or two. The last Walmart battery I had came with a great warranty and when it died early they just gave me a new one. KEEP THE RECIEPT!
Bob

It seems that you have had multiple electrical issues.  This advice is old but still valid.  The T105 pair is quite a bit more money to pay in tuition at the school of experience.  Make sure the battery you get has removable caps so you can add water after overcharging and can test with a hydrometer.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

6 Volts like more solar than cheaper 12V marine deep cycle.
Rule of thumb is one watt of solar to one Ah of battery...more is better, especially during bad weather such as the monsoon rains we are having in Az.
300 Watts has kept our batteries up, but we still have to budget our usage.

 

[29chico]

Please consider the T105 RE option.  Should be harder to kill and double the warranty time.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Trojan has some nice short training videos available on Youtube . . .

 

[highdesertranger]

there is nothing wrong with using your alternator to supplement your solar. the problem lies if that is your only source. 100 watts is a little light for 2 T-105's. your main battery cables should all be the same gauge. highdesertranger

 

[SternWake]

The alternator can be very effective, in getting a battery to 80% charged quickly If the cables between alternator and house battery are thick copper properly terminated for minimal resistance and maximum longevity.

Much depends on the vehicles voltage regulator controlling the alternator.  Often vehicles VR's will allow only a short time at 14.4v and then drop to 13.7. Some VRs are external to alternator, some internal to engine computer, some internal to alternator.  MANY variables in the VR and no absolutes as to what it will allow and when and for how long in different loads.

While 50 amps might be required to hold 14.4, only 13 amps might be required to hold 13.7v.

If one wants to ground house bank to frame, then use 4awg or thicker.  One should also upgrade the ground from alternator to frame or from engine battery to engine for better charging.

Voltage drop is the enemy.

HOwever, 100% recharging is important for achieving a good amount of cycles.

Achieving 100% from 80% takes 3 to 5 hours no matter how powerful the charging source might be, and this timespan also is at ~14.4v.  Getting to 100% from 80% at 13.7v can take 20 hours or more, or possible even never.

100 watts is about 5 amps worth at Noon.  It is not enough to hold 230Ah of GC battery at 14.4v until the batteries are 95% or higher.

If all you plan on is 100 watts, then you really require thicker copper and more time driving to allow the alternator to do as much as possible when engine is running.

Any and all charging sources should be used whenever possible to get and keep the lead acid batteries at as high as state of charge as possible, whenever possible.

Anything less, is just that, and will correspondingly shorten battery life.

HOw long one can ring the 'just fine' bell is highly variable.  Battery capacity is always declining.  Those claiming 5 years of use and just like new performance, are smoking crack.  What they should instead claim is that they have no idea, and are willfully ignorant of capacity loss, and there has been no consequence yet, as the capacity remaining is more than they require.

Adequate charging sources applied often enough can allow light users of battery power to ring that bell day after day, but one day they will freak out when the capacity declines to the point it can no longer meet their needs.

One day 'just fine',  next day freak out.  Hopefully they have more crack to smoke.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Thanks so much for the assistance guys. I ended up with a pair of Northern Energy 6volts. They were $48 cheaper per battery. So $260cdn. Trojans were $178 each. Mine are Similar to the T105s but probably not quite as good. If they last 5 years instead of 6 etc I'm fine that. All my wiring is 4 gage. I guess I should buy another 100w of solar but we get clouds and rain  8 months of the year so it's not as effective here in Vancouver BC. 

New battery setup. . . 
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