Battery
- Thread starter OhioSnow
- Start date
Bighurt
Well-known member
Now that doesn't seam logically possible. However when wiring in another 12 volt battery you need to wire them in parallel to keep the 12 volts. By this you simply wire positive to positive and negative to negative. You can wire the teminals of the second to the terminals of the first.
My suggestion would be to wire a disconnect or a disconnect/switch between the terminal lugs and the battery. That way you can disconnect all or isolate one or the other battery bank.
As Bighurt mentions, there are wires that connect to your current battery. But you will need 2 additional jumper wires to connect a second battery.
Carefully review the terminal type on your current battery. Buy another matching battery. Then buy jumpers with the connectors already attached, in the length that you need. 12" will likely do you well.
Matching battery groups and capacities is somewhat important. If possible, just get the exact same battery. Your dealer can likely sell you one as well - or any auto-parts store and evens Sams/Costco.
Best of luck.
Moving this thread to Bighorn Electrical
Jim
Carefully review the terminal type on your current battery. Buy another matching battery. Then buy jumpers with the connectors already attached, in the length that you need. 12" will likely do you well.
Matching battery groups and capacities is somewhat important. If possible, just get the exact same battery. Your dealer can likely sell you one as well - or any auto-parts store and evens Sams/Costco.
Best of luck.
Moving this thread to Bighorn Electrical
Jim
rick_debbie_gallant
Well-known member
Hi Jim, how important is it to make sure all the batterys are of the same type. wont they just equalize as they discharge. Think of different sizes of liquid vessals with a common pipe running between each vessel at the bottom. Now one of the vessels has two pipes. one that goes to the other two vessels and one that is the main discharge pipe onto the ground. When you open the one that drains on the ground wont all of the others self equalize at the same time?
rick_debbie_gallant
Well-known member
make that the same size instead of type. the different types will need different chargers.
Sorry Rick - can't answer your question other than experience based on "what I've been told". When one has a large battery bank, you can even get to the level of grading batteries by performance based on testing and match those to go into the same bank. This is from my experience with standby power systems.
This all said, I am no expert - just a Parrot, repeating that which I have been told. Hope it's close to right
Jim
This all said, I am no expert - just a Parrot, repeating that which I have been told. Hope it's close to right
Jim
rick_debbie_gallant
Well-known member
Just trying to apply one theory on water to another on electrical stuff. I know that the bigger the pipe the more water that will flow. Just as in electrical the bigger the wire the more juice will flow.
ChopperBill
Well-known member
The "11" 3610RE we looked at was all set up and wired for 2 batteries.
The "11" 3610RE we looked at was all set up and wired for 2 batteries.
Bill, it could be that the dealer at that show sends his out with 2 batteries and hence, already had the jumpers in place. No batteries in the coaches for the show though. That said, are you sure you weren't seeing an extra set of wires that go to the converter and break-away brake switch?
Jim
ChopperBill
Well-known member
There were no batteries installed but there was a battery box in the side under the hydraulic pump and cables were going to the front compartment and there was another batter box was in there. I have two batteries on sales order so I guess it is a dealer deal.
Bighurt
Well-known member
The analogy with the water is good and I use it a lot however when it comes to this case it doesn't work.
Every battery has a different discharge and charge rate. To use your water anology they have differnt flow rates. Unless your flow rates are equal the volume of water in each tank will never be the same.
There are internet pages that explain this better.
Every battery has a different discharge and charge rate. To use your water anology they have differnt flow rates. Unless your flow rates are equal the volume of water in each tank will never be the same.
There are internet pages that explain this better.
Keep the types of batteries you use the same to minimize issues. You probably aren't going to change the charger since it is built in unless you use a trickle charger for storage. The size of the battery (storage amps) don't matter except that the physical size must/should fit in the box. I personally like sealed batteries as I don't like adding water. The smaller / weaker batter will discharge after the stronger and they will equalize all the way to the discharge state. Batteries can be dangerous so be careful when hooking them up and handling them. Good idea to wear gloves and eye protection.
ChopperBill
Well-known member
I just figured out why I thought the 2 batteries were factory. There are two battery box vents going out the front of the trailer.
DXprowler
Well-known member
During PDI I asked for a set but was told they didn't have any crimp on connectors (on order) and would make up a set for the next time I was in. When it came to "moving in" I made up and added wires for the second battery myself. The dealer is too far away to make a special trip so I guess they owe me a set!
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rick_debbie_gallant
Well-known member
All of my batteries are of the same type, Wet cell. Two are the type that you can check and add water to and the other is an optima. The wires connecting them are all the same size. I have all of the positives connected to each other in a line and I have all of the negatives connected together in a line. I will have to check the sizes, however they may be different. BTW they are all deep cycle batteries.
