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Old 11-03-2018, 08:23 AM   #1
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Four 6v batteries with inverter hookup

Purchased a new Cedar Creek 5'er this year and unlike my previous trailers it has four 6 volt batteries with an inverter to run the fridge as well as solar prep. (Solar not hooked up). I researched and understand running the two banks of 6 volt batteries parallel and in sequence to create one big 12 volt. I get that and my four batteries were hooked up according to the research I've conducted.

My question or concern is, from the dealership, the trailer battery cables, positive and negative were hooked up to one set or bank of two batteries and the cable for the inverter, positive and negative, were hooked up to the other set or bank of two batteries.

1. Shouldn't the negative cables of both the inverter and battery be hooked up to the negative post of the first bank of two batteries and the positive cables of both be hooked up to the furthest positive post of the second set? 2. Or is there a reason to have the inverter hooked on one bank of two batteries and the battery cables hooked on the other bank?
3. Or does it really matter?

Hope this all makes sense.
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Old 11-03-2018, 08:50 AM   #2
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In all honesty, for your application, it really doesn't matter. Your fridge isn't going to draw enough power that it's really going matter.

I'm sure others will have a different opinion, and that's fine. But if it were me, I wouldn't worry about it much.
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Old 11-03-2018, 08:55 AM   #3
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My dealer had the four batteries hooked up as having two 12 volt batteries but one set of batteries was not getting charged up. I hooked up the batteries so I would have one large 12 volt battery. Then I hooked the inverter and the converter up so all the batteries would get charged. A good article to read is the 12 volt side of life, just google it. It has a lot of good information. I replaced the cheap 6 volt batteries with Trojans. I kinda wish I had installed AGM batteries
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Old 11-03-2018, 09:02 AM   #4
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I don't think it matters assuming that you have the batteries wired correctly. I have the same bank of 4 batteries... two sets of 6 volts in series and then those two pairs in parallel to create a 12v bank.

In my case, the main factor in how to wire to the trailer was keeping the heavy duty cables that run to the inverter as short as possible to minimize amperage loss when using high amp appliances like the microwave.
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Old 11-03-2018, 04:33 PM   #5
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Doesn't matter.
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Old 11-04-2018, 05:38 AM   #6
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OK thanks, my biggest worries were if the trailer or converter cables was only hooked up to one set or bank of two, was it charging up all four while plugged into shore power.

Tks again
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Old 11-04-2018, 09:51 AM   #7
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Just some info for folks. We have a Rockwood 8332BS that we bought in May. When I was doing the walkthrough at dealership, the tech informed me that they wire the 2 12 volt batteries so that all 12 volt systems draw off both. What he said is from factory they are wired separate. 1 for res. refrigerator. and other 1 for the rest of 12 volt systems. We were delayed in leaving the house and refrigerator/inverter etc. drew off batteries for 8 hours and battery level only lost 2 bars on indicator.
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Old 11-04-2018, 09:56 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roddiemacdonald View Post
Purchased a new Cedar Creek 5'er this year and unlike my previous trailers it has four 6 volt batteries with an inverter to run the fridge as well as solar prep. (Solar not hooked up). I researched and understand running the two banks of 6 volt batteries parallel and in sequence to create one big 12 volt. I get that and my four batteries were hooked up according to the research I've conducted.

My question or concern is, from the dealership, the trailer battery cables, positive and negative were hooked up to one set or bank of two batteries and the cable for the inverter, positive and negative, were hooked up to the other set or bank of two batteries.

1. Shouldn't the negative cables of both the inverter and battery be hooked up to the negative post of the first bank of two batteries and the positive cables of both be hooked up to the furthest positive post of the second set? 2. Or is there a reason to have the inverter hooked on one bank of two batteries and the battery cables hooked on the other bank?
3. Or does it really matter?

Hope this all makes sense.
Same trailer, same setup. Works fine. Mine is 6v battery 1 and 3 are hooked together in series to make 12v #1. Then 6v battery 2 and 4 are hooked together in series to make 12v #2.

Then 12v #1 and 12v #2 are hooked together in parallel to make one 12v system. The coach neg goes to 12v #1 and the pos goes to 12v #2.

That's not the only way to do it. But it sounds like it's what you have also. And it works.
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Old 11-04-2018, 09:59 AM   #9
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If I had done it myself upon original install, I'd have done it like this diagram.
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Old 11-04-2018, 03:13 PM   #10
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So would you hook up the converter pos & neg cables and the inverter pos and neg cables to the same out going battery posts?
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Old 11-04-2018, 03:14 PM   #11
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So would you hook up the converter pos & neg cables and the inverter pos and neg cables to the same out going battery posts?
Sure. Shouldn't matter.
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