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Old 01-07-2009, 08:56 PM   #1
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6 volt question

I have a battery question, why do the Escapes have 6 volt batteries?
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Old 01-07-2009, 09:16 PM   #2
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Re: 6 volt question

They come with either one 12 volt battery or two 6 volt batteries wired in series that still gives you 12 volts
but it also gives you more capacity (amps), that means you have a lot move power to use before you
run out.
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Old 04-28-2009, 12:26 PM   #3
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Re: 6 volt question

Hi all

I have asked it on another topic but why not two 12 volt in parallel still 12 volts but twice the amp hours just asking.

Walt & Linda
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Old 04-28-2009, 04:19 PM   #4
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Re: 6 volt question

It all comes down to weight. 12v batteries aren't light, or you could just keep on adding batteries.

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Old 04-28-2009, 05:37 PM   #5
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Re: 6 volt question

You don't generally wire batteries in parallel unless they have a high internal resistance. Flashlight batteries have high internal resistance, but lead-acid batteries have low internal resistance. If you wire two of them in parallel, and one has an actual voltage of 13.1 V and the other has an actual voltage of 13.0 V, you have a low resistance path with a 0.1 V potential difference. This will result in a high current charging the low voltage battery which will last until either the voltages equalise or the wire melts. Very hard on the batteries. This is why jumper cables are so thick - to handle the high current.

Putting two 6 V batteries in series gives you about twice the storage capacity of a single 12V battery, given each battery has the same weight. So you can run that 12 V light bulb for twice as long. It won't burn any brighter than with a single 12 V battery.
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Old 04-28-2009, 06:01 PM   #6
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Re: 6 volt question

I knew I should have let somebody who knows what they are talking about answer the question.

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Old 04-28-2009, 06:29 PM   #7
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Re: 6 volt question

Hi Ron

I thought jumper cables were heavy gauge because of the high cranking amps on the initial draw maby i was wrong.How many amp hours are the two 6 volt batteries combined thanks in advance. Walt
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Old 04-28-2009, 09:10 PM   #8
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Re: 6 volt question

Quote:
Originally Posted by wpski
I thought jumper cables were heavy gauge because of the high cranking amps on the initial draw.
You are right, Walt. That is a more important reason. Still, when jumping a dead battery, there is a lot of current even before you start cranking.
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Old 04-29-2009, 08:13 AM   #9
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Re: 6 volt question

Hi Ron

I have been wondering about this because on my Boat I have a battery selector switch which partialy isolates the batteries for charging and other than the weight consideration was thinking of having reace shoot me a price for this upgrade if there is the room and the capability of the mount to support the weight of the two 12 volt batteries and the selector switch. Thanks for the info I really appreciate it. I think the 19 will be perfect for us can't wait to get it.

Walt & Linda
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Old 04-29-2009, 07:15 PM   #10
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Re: 6 volt question

I am familiar with the selector switches - I have seen and used them - but I don't know how they work. If you drain battery A down to 12 V, and battery B is at 13.6 V (these are typical numbers) suddenly putting them in parallel will be bad. But it seems to be a common practise.

I am more of a low-power guy. When you consider that car batteries are rated to provide more than 600 cranking amps, perhaps I am unnecessarily worried.
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