Country Coach Owners Forum

Country Coach Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums => Country Coach Archive => Topic started by: Izeeze on May 28, 2006, 01:24:00 pm

Title: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Izeeze on May 28, 2006, 01:24:00 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23042 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23042)
I just discovered this web group today! Zounds, what a find! I heard that there was a CC group somewhere - This must be IT! Coincidentally, as an Intrigue owner, I have been pondering replacement of house batts with a 6-volt set to gain the charge retention advantage, etc. I see that a couple of you have already dealt with this! Eureka! I read all the posted info, but was unable to access the associated photo album - "Six T105 Batteries in 200 Intrigue" - and don't know why. Sure would like to see how mr colby did it....

D. Westley

2000 CC Intrigue
Title: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Allan Colby on May 29, 2006, 10:57:10 am
Yahoo Message Number: 23059 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23059)
Click on "Photos" on the left. Then scroll down and click on "next".
You will see the album in the second row.

Al Colby

2000 Intrigue 10979

Quote from: izeeze

> I just discovered this web group today! Zounds, what a find! I heard > that there was a CC group somewhere - This must be IT!
Coincidentally,

Quote
as an Intrigue owner, I have been pondering replacement of house

batts

Quote
with a 6-volt set to gain the charge retention advantage, etc. I see > that a couple of you have already dealt with this! Eureka! I read all > the posted info, but was unable to access the associated photo

album -
Title: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Izeeze on May 29, 2006, 01:19:52 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23062 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23062)
Quote from: allan_colby

> Click on "Photos" on the left. Then scroll down and click on "next".
You will see the album in the second row.

Al Colby

2000 Intrigue 10979

[quote author=izeeze"

>

> I just discovered this web group today! Zounds, what a find! I heard > > that there was a CC group somewhere - This must be IT! > Coincidentally,

> as an Intrigue owner, I have been pondering replacement of house > batts

> with a 6-volt set to gain the charge retention advantage, etc. I see > > that a couple of you have already dealt with this! Eureka! I read all > > the posted info, but was unable to access the associated photo > album -

> "Six T105 Batteries in 200 Intrigue" - and don't know why. Sure would > > like to see how mr colby did it....
>

> D. Westley

> 2000 CC Intrigue
>
Tried to see the photo album, but it states "Unable to retrieve album." Was able to see the album by kc4fws that had a couple of pix...
Title: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Travman100_4 on May 29, 2006, 02:58:05 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23063 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23063)
You should have no problem at all putting 6 6volt batteries in your mh. I did that several years ago without any modification to the battery compartment other than installing a bracket to hold the batteries in place. I also added a couple of solar panels to assist in keeping batteries charged up. I don't do a lot of dry camping but thought it would be nice to keep batteries up whenever it is stored.

Ray

2000 Intrigue

Quote from: izeeze
[quote author=allan_colby"

>

> Click on "Photos" on the left. Then scroll down and click

on "next".

Quote
You will see the album in the second row.
>

> Al Colby

> 2000 Intrigue 10979
>
>

[quote author=izeeze"
>]
> >

> > I just discovered this web group today! Zounds, what a find!

I heard

Quote
> that there was a CC group somewhere - This must be IT! > > Coincidentally,

> > as an Intrigue owner, I have been pondering replacement of

house

Quote
batts

> > with a 6-volt set to gain the charge retention advantage, etc.

I see

Quote
> that a couple of you have already dealt with this! Eureka! I

read all

Quote
> the posted info, but was unable to access the associated photo > > album -

> > "Six T105 Batteries in 200 Intrigue" - and don't know why.

Sure would

Quote
> like to see how mr colby did it....
> >

> > D. Westley

> > 2000 CC Intrigue
> >
>

Tried to see the photo album, but it states "Unable to retrieve > album." Was able to see the album by kc4fws that had a couple of

pix...
Title: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Izeeze on May 29, 2006, 06:54:31 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23073 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23073)
Quote from: izeeze"
[quote author=allan_colby"

>

> Click on "Photos" on the left. Then scroll down and click on "next".
> You will see the album in the second row.
>

> Al Colby

> 2000 Intrigue 10979
>
>

[quote author=izeeze"
>]
> >

> > I just discovered this web group today! Zounds, what a find! I

heard

Quote
> that there was a CC group somewhere - This must be IT! > > Coincidentally,

> > as an Intrigue owner, I have been pondering replacement of house > > batts

> > with a 6-volt set to gain the charge retention advantage, etc. I see > > > that a couple of you have already dealt with this! Eureka! I

read all

Quote
> the posted info, but was unable to access the associated photo > > album -

> > "Six T105 Batteries in 200 Intrigue" - and don't know why. Sure

would

Quote
> like to see how mr colby did it....
> >

> > D. Westley

> > 2000 CC Intrigue
> >
>

Tried to see the photo album, but it states "Unable to retrieve > album." Was able to see the album by kc4fws that had a couple of pix...
Got the pix, Allan. Gracias!!! Don
Title: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Travman100_4 on May 29, 2006, 07:58:36 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23074 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23074)
Al,

I've just uploaded photos of my installation of 6 T105 Batteries in my 2000 Intrigue. I was able to put the 6 in same space occupied by the 2 8D batteries and then putting a aluminum bar in the front to hold them in place.
Ray

2000 Intrigue 11040

Quote from: allan_colby
Click on "Photos" on the left. Then scroll down and click

on "next".

Quote
You will see the album in the second row.

Al Colby

2000 Intrigue 10979

[quote author=izeeze"

>

> I just discovered this web group today! Zounds, what a find! I

heard

Quote
that there was a CC group somewhere - This must be IT! > Coincidentally,

> as an Intrigue owner, I have been pondering replacement of house > batts

> with a 6-volt set to gain the charge retention advantage, etc. I

see

Quote
that a couple of you have already dealt with this! Eureka! I

read all

Quote
the posted info, but was unable to access the associated photo > album -

> "Six T105 Batteries in 200 Intrigue" - and don't know why. Sure

would
Title: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Allan Colby on May 29, 2006, 10:11:42 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23079 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23079)
Different way of skinning the cat!

Your way results in a simplier and balanced wiring setup. The only concern I would have is you no longer have the batteries in the plastic tray. If any acid overflows it could get on the steel supports. That is why I used the battery tray as it currently exists and built a new tray for the sixth battery. But, I must say, your way is more aesthetically pleasing!

Quote from: travman100
Al,

I've just uploaded photos of my installation of 6 T105 Batteries

in

Quote
my 2000 Intrigue. I was able to put the 6 in same space occupied

by
Title: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Bc_mtnaire on May 30, 2006, 10:47:46 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23109 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23109)
Out of curiosity, what are the "charge retention advantage, etc." that the lead-acid (i.e. T-105) batteries have over 8D's? I am considering consolidating the house and chassis batteries in my rig (currently 2 x 12V chassis/engine batteries and 4 x 6V Interstate U2200 house batteries) with AGM 8D's (to provide both starting and house power).
I thought the 8D's would provide more power and, by switching to AGM's, require less maintenance.

What am I missing? Why are CC owners switching in the other direction?

Thanks.

- John

2005 Newmar Mountain Aire 43' (CC lurker) 2003 Honda CR-V toad
Title: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Steve_bufty@compuserve Com on May 31, 2006, 04:50:54 am
Yahoo Message Number: 23115 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23115)
Regarding the six T-105 batteries that D. Wesley wrote about ... if your 2000 Intrigue

battery bay is the same as my 2002 36-foot battery bay, you can go beyond 6 batteries. I removed the 2 original large house batteries and left the engine battery

in place, built a raised plywood platform that goes from the back of the battery bay

to just inside the bay door to create a flat level floor where the house batteries were,

built solid legs to conform with the shape of the compartment bottom and battery

tray, covered the new platform with an acryllic sheet to protect the wood, built a

small lip around the edge to hold the batteries in place, re-routed a few cables and

made up a bunch of new custom cables, and installed eight Trojan T-105s on a single level. That's 900 amp-hours based on Trojan's spec of 225 amp-hours per

12-volt pair. There's plenty of room above all the batteries to reach in with an

automatic battery filler to check and fill the batteries. They've been in place for 2

years and work great in conjunction with 500-watts of solar on the roof and of course an e-meter to keep an eye on our status of battery charge and usage.

Steve Bufty
2002 Intrigue

mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ (http://mail2web.com/) .
Title: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Post by: Jim Hughes on May 31, 2006, 07:39:24 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23127 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23127)
How do you vent the compartment? Sounds like an explosion ready to happen if not vented. I replaced my two house batteries with four T- 145's using only the same space as the original battery tray was designed for.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511

Quote from: steve_bufty@\.\.\.
Regarding the six T-105 batteries that D. Wesley wrote about ...

if your

Quote
2000 Intrigue

battery bay is the same as my 2002 36-foot battery bay, you can go

beyond 6

Quote
batteries. I removed the 2 original large house batteries and left

the

Quote
engine battery

in place, built a raised plywood platform that goes from the back

of the

Quote
battery bay

to just inside the bay door to create a flat level floor where the

house

Quote
batteries were,

built solid legs to conform with the shape of the compartment

bottom and

Quote
battery

tray, covered the new platform with an acryllic sheet to protect

the wood,

Quote
built a

small lip around the edge to hold the batteries in place, re-

routed a few

Quote
cables and

made up a bunch of new custom cables, and installed eight Trojan T-

105s on

Quote
a

single level. That's 900 amp-hours based on Trojan's spec of 225

amp-hours

Quote
per

12-volt pair. There's plenty of room above all the batteries to

reach in

Quote
with an

automatic battery filler to check and fill the batteries. They've

been in

Quote
place for 2

years and work great in conjunction with 500-watts of solar on the

roof and

Quote
of

course an e-meter to keep an eye on our status of battery charge

and usage.

Quote
Steve Bufty
2002 Intrigue

-
Title: 6 volt battery issue
Post by: Allan Colby on May 30, 2006, 11:35:54 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23113 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23113)
John: There are no "charge retention advantage" to lead-acid batteries. AGMS have the advantage in charge retention. 6-volt batteries, like the T105 from Trojan, have the advantage in amp-hours per dollar. If you want to maximize amp hours for dry camping, wet cell batteries like the Trojan T-105 give the maximum amp hours for the dollars spent. If you do not need a lot of amp hours, AGMs are the best bet.

Message 25

From: "bc_mtnaire" bcbounders@... (bcbounders@...) Date: Tue May 30, 2006 7:47pm(PDT) Subject: Re: 6 volt house batt install
Out of curiosity, what are the "charge retention advantage, etc." that the lead-acid (i.e. T-105) batteries have over 8D's? I am considering consolidating the house and chassis batteries in my rig (currently 2 x 12V chassis/engine batteries and 4 x 6V Interstate U2200 house batteries) with AGM 8D's (to provide both starting and house power).
I thought the 8D's would provide more power and, by switching to AGM's, require less maintenance.

What am I missing? Why are CC owners switching in the other direction?

Thanks.

- John

2005 Newmar Mountain Aire 43' (CC lurker) 2003 Honda CR-V toad
Title: Re: 6 volt battery issue
Post by: Fred Kovol_01 on May 31, 2006, 10:58:49 am
Yahoo Message Number: 23120 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23120)
Hi Folks,

Some added comment as this issue gets attention at least every 6 mos: As an example, the Interstate MHD-8D is advertized at 1400 CCA which is about 225 AH (divide by 6 as a rule of thumb, some use 5.8, others
6.2 to get from CCA to AH) and sell for about $175. The T105 sells for
about $90 each so the cost is close. And so are the weights indicating the lead content and therefore stored energy is about the same.
Conclusion - use is preferential. Look at the AGM weight for comparison.
Fred Kovol

...Trojan, have the advantage in amp-hours per dollar. If you want to maximize

Quote
amp hours for dry camping, wet cell batteries like the Trojan T-105

give the

Quote
maximum amp hours for the dollars spent. If you do not need a lot of

amp

Quote
hours, AGMs are the best bet.

Message 25

From: "bc_mtnaire" bcbounders@...
 Date: Tue May 30, 2006 7:47pm(PDT) > Subject: Re: 6 volt house batt install >

Out of curiosity, what are the "charge retention advantage, etc."

that

Quote
the lead-acid (i.e. T-105) batteries have over 8D's? I am

considering

Quote
consolidating the house and chassis batteries in my rig (currently 2

x

Quote
12V chassis/engine batteries and 4 x 6V Interstate U2200 house > batteries) with AGM 8D's (to provide both starting and house power).
I thought the 8D's would provide more power and, by switching to > AGM's, require less maintenance.

What am I missing? Why are CC owners switching in the other

direction?
Title: Re: 6 volt battery issue
Post by: Richard Aquino on June 01, 2006, 01:18:24 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 23142 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23142)
Fred,

Let me pitch my $.02 on this one.

In April I decided to replace all 3 of my batteries and talked to Interstate Tech support at length and here is my understanding.

While the Interstate Workaholic 8D-MHD and 8D-XHD make great Starting batteries they are not "Deep Cycle Batteries" and not recommended to be used as house batteries. In their words they will not last long as house batteries if you do a lot of dry camping.
They suggested the SRM-4D to be used for the house batteries due to being true "Deep Cycle" batteries; it has to do with how the batteries are used. They also indicated that if you do not do much dry camping, thus not discharging much/often, then the Workaholic's would work but still suggested SRM-4D for the house batteries.
Although the weights are about the same it has something to do with the design of the lead plates.

I think thier bottom line was make sure your house batteries are true "Deep Cycle" reguardless of how they are used. Made since to me so that is the way I went. BTW, I never dry camp unless it's under a Wall Mart sign.

Richard Aquino
2001 Intrigue

Quote from: fredkovol
Hi Folks,

Some added comment as this issue gets attention at least every 6

mos:

Quote
As an example, the Interstate MHD-8D is advertized at 1400 CCA

which

Quote
is about 225 AH (divide by 6 as a rule of thumb, some use 5.8,

others

Quote
6.2 to get from CCA to AH) and sell for about $175. The T105 sells

for

Quote
about $90 each so the cost is close. And so are the weights

indicating
Title: 6 volt battery install
Post by: Allan Colby on May 31, 2006, 10:57:45 am
Yahoo Message Number: 23119 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23119)
Steve: All I can say is wow! Can you post a photo of this? It sounds like the ultimate for the dedicated boondocker! And you have, by essentially building a new tray, contained the batteries to protect the steel supports in the compartment. Sounds great!

Al Colby

2000 Intrigue 10979

Date: Wed May 31, 2006 1:50 am (PDT) From: "steve_bufty@... (steve_bufty@...)" Steve_Bufty@... (Steve_Bufty@...) Subject: 6 volt house batt install

Regarding the six T-105 batteries that D. Wesley wrote about ... if your 2000 Intrigue battery bay is the same as my 2002 36-foot battery bay, you can go beyond 6 batteries. I removed the 2 original large house batteries and left the engine battery in place, built a raised plywood platform that goes from the back of the battery bay to just inside the bay door to create a flat level floor where the house batteries were, built solid legs to conform with the shape of the compartment bottom and battery tray, covered the new platform with an acryllic sheet to protect the wood, built a small lip around the edge to hold the batteries in place, re-routed a few cables and made up a bunch of new custom cables, and installed eight Trojan T-105s on a single level. That's 900 amp-hours based on Trojan's spec of 225 amp-hours per 12-volt pair. There's plenty of room above all the batteries to reach in with an automatic battery filler to check and fill the batteries. They've been in place for 2 years and work great in conjunction with 500-watts of solar on the roof and of course an e-meter to keep an eye on our status of battery charge and usage.

Steve Bufty
2002 Intrigue
Title: 6-volt battery install
Post by: Steve_bufty@compuserve Com on June 02, 2006, 04:15:07 am
Yahoo Message Number: 23147 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23147)
country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com (country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com) Subject: 6-volt battery install

Al ? remind me where and how to post a photo of the 8-battery installation and I will

see what I can do.

Jim Hughes ? The compartment is still well vented. The rear portion of the battery

compartment still is fully open to the mesh screen along the inboard side of the

engine battery, there is a large opening at the aft end of the compartment, plus

there is some air flow around the forward end of the compartment since the modified platform does not butt up against the forward bulkhead.
And to whoever brought up the price issue, I bought the 8 Trojan batteries as a

single purchase from the Battery X-Change just south of Junction City on Route 99

and got a ?fleet price? of $69 each. Of course that was 2 years ago. And in Oregon

there was no sales tax.

Steve Bufty

2006 Intrigue 11382

mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ (http://mail2web.com/) .
Title: Re: 6-volt battery install
Post by: Allan Colby on June 02, 2006, 11:06:40 am
Yahoo Message Number: 23149 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/23149)
Steve: First, make sure you know where your photo(s) located in your computer. Then, click on "Photos" on the left. You will be taken to a screen where you should click on "Add to a new album". Give the album a name. Then click "Browse", go to the folder on your computer where the photo is located, and select it. Give the photo a name.
You can select multiple photos, just make sure you stay under the 5MB limit. When done, click "Add Now".

Quote from: steve_bufty@\.\.\.
> >country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com (country-coach-owners@yahoogroups.com) > Subject: 6-volt battery install

Al ? remind me where and how to post a photo of the 8-battery

installation