12 Volt Golf Cart Batteries ?

[Wandering Winds]

Short story long (at least longer than need be)-

Ten years ago as we approached retirement, we traded in our Jamboree MH for larger Gulfstream. As we concluded the terms of the trade, the salesman suggested we upgrade the coach battery to two 6 volt golf cart batteries, which he would be happy to do for a modest amount.

Best $90 ( or whatever) I ever spent. These enabled us to roam and do things off the grid that much of these discussion on this forum would tell me was impossible, or at least not advisable. Three November nights at Chaco Canyon, four nights at Bridge Bay. Fortunately (or maybe not- I am thinking of starting another thread to discuss this matter) I had not heard of the rule that you should only discharge FLA batteries to 50%, so my batteries were fully exercised and I loved them.

By 2016 we decided climbing up to the cab over bed of our Gulfstream was not something we wanted to do anymore, so we traded for a new Sunseeker. This came with two group 27 12 volt batteries of uncertain provenance under the step. They have been serviceable but not robust. It is now time to replace them and I have been trying to figure out how to get back to running with golf cart batteries.

I knew I could not fit four 6 volt GC batteries into the Sunseeker battery compartment, so I thought that if I really wanted to go with golf cart batteries I would have to give up some of the amp hours that two group 27s would provide.

Then today shopping on the Batteries Plus web site I found they advertise what they call 12 volt golf cart batteries from Duracell. They appear as if they would fit in our Sunseeker battery compartment, so I could get two of these connected in parallel and have the same or greater capacity as I do now with true deep cycle batteries and sturdy golf cart design.

So these may be dumb, but here are my questions:

Are 12 volt golf cart batteries commonly available and I have simply not noticed until now?

Do 12 volt golf cart batteries have the same thick plates and sturdy features as 6 volt? Is there any reason to be wary of them?

Is there anything wrong with my plan to simply replace my old group 27’s with 12 volt golf cart batteries?

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Wandering Winds

Are 12 volt golf cart batteries commonly available and I have simply not noticed until now?

Do 12 volt golf cart batteries have the same thick plates and sturdy features as 6 volt? Is there any reason to be wary of them?

Is there anything wrong with my plan to simply replace my old group 27’s with 12 volt golf cart batteries?

12 Volt "Golf Cart" batteries are commonly available from a variety of sources. Probably not at Sam's or Costco but at most battery specialty stores.

They are used in some golf carts as well as floor scrubbers and other "cordless" machinery.

As for capacity, a 6 Volt golf cart battery usually runs around 225 amp hours and since they're wired in series, that's it, 255 amp hours.

There are 12 volt golf cart batteries with 155 amp hour capacity and when wired in parallel you now have a max capacity of 310 amp hours.

As for heavier plates etc, they are true deep cycle batteries and have internal structure that supports this use.

That said, the reason 6v golf cart batteries are the primary choice is price. Cheap wins every time in many cases.

[Jay2504]

Chech the height of the 12volt golf batteries before you buy them. Make sure that you have the room for them. Jay

[Wandering Winds]

Ok, thanks.

I will double check the height of my compartment and the profile of the batteries I look at.

And now I understand why some of my Google searches for these batteries took me to building maintenance supply companies.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by Wandering Winds

Short story long (at least longer than need be)-

Ten years ago as we approached retirement, we traded in our Jamboree MH for larger Gulfstream. As we concluded the terms of the trade, the salesman suggested we upgrade the coach battery to two 6 volt golf cart batteries, which he would be happy to do for a modest amount.

Best $90 ( or whatever) I ever spent. These enabled us to roam and do things off the grid that much of these discussion on this forum would tell me was impossible, or at least not advisable. Three November nights at Chaco Canyon, four nights at Bridge Bay. Fortunately (or maybe not- I am thinking of starting another thread to discuss this matter) I had not heard of the rule that you should only discharge FLA batteries to 50%, so my batteries were fully exercised and I loved them.

By 2016 we decided climbing up to the cab over bed of our Gulfstream was not something we wanted to do anymore, so we traded for a new Sunseeker. This came with two group 27 12 volt batteries of uncertain provenance under the step. They have been serviceable but not robust. It is now time to replace them and I have been trying to figure out how to get back to running with golf cart batteries.

I knew I could not fit four 6 volt GC batteries into the Sunseeker battery compartment, so I thought that if I really wanted to go with golf cart batteries I would have to give up some of the amp hours that two group 27s would provide.

Then today shopping on the Batteries Plus web site I found they advertise what they call 12 volt golf cart batteries from Duracell. They appear as if they would fit in our Sunseeker battery compartment, so I could get two of these connected in parallel and have the same or greater capacity as I do now with true deep cycle batteries and sturdy golf cart design.

So these may be dumb, but here are my questions:

Are 12 volt golf cart batteries commonly available and I have simply not noticed until now?

Do 12 volt golf cart batteries have the same thick plates and sturdy features as 6 volt? Is there any reason to be wary of them?

Is there anything wrong with my plan to simply replace my old group 27’s with 12 volt golf cart batteries?

Do you have a model number of the Duracell 12v Golf cart batteries? All I seem to be able to find on Battery +'s website are 12v Marine and Deep Cycle batteries, not just plain Deep Cycle as is the case with 6v GC2 batteries.

[mikeyk101]

Originally Posted by eric1514

Do you have a model number of the Duracell 12v Golf cart batteries? All I seem to be able to find on Battery +'s website are 12v Marine and Deep Cycle batteries, not just plain Deep Cycle as is the case with 6v GC2 batteries.

Is this it?

https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli26g

[TSman]

Originally Posted by mikeyk101

Is this it?

https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli26g

This battery States that it is a starting type, not deep cycle.

[eric1514]

Yeah, the model #SLI26G denotes a Starting, Lighting, Ignition Battery. Duracell does that a lot and then calls them Deep Cycle. Very confusing. And this battery is only 32Ah.

[Adrian Gordon]

20 hour capacity is 32 AH

[Trawlerphil]

Check out Crown golf cart batteries. Made in the USA. Trojans are now made overseas.

[Wandering Winds]

So retracing my steps, although I looked at some Duracell batteries, it was actually the SLIGC12VT by Magna Power that caught my eye. But Batteries+ does also list the SLI12V215S and the SLI12V170S from Duracell. FWIW, all these batteries’ specs claim they are of deep cycle design.

As was noted in the responses to my initial post, these batteries are expensive (+$250) and of a different form factor than our usual group 27 or 31 batteries, being 13” or 14” tall. They are also quite heavy, 90 to 127 lbs.

The weight alone might be a deal breaker for me. There was a thread on this forum a while back concerning winter battery maintenance where I learned I have unnecessarily been lugging my 45 lb coach batteries down to my basement every fall. But even without that chore, a 90 lb battery is probably too much for me.

[Tundra 2014]

If the 12v golf cart batteries are too high, check if you have space for 2 group 31 deep cycles. You pick up about 30% capacity over the group 27 batteries. I have been running group 31's for over 10 years. They just seem to last longer for us. average 3 1/2 years.

[kcmusa]

Typically if you see cca ( cold cranking amps) is not a deep cycle battery.

[tomkatb]

$$$$$$$. Costco has 2 lithium batteries for $1400.

You would also need a new converter and switch.

But, 200 amps come hell or high water.

Two Costco six’s are $90 each. 110 amps. But, tall.

[Adrian Gordon]

Originally Posted by Wandering Winds

So retracing my steps, although I looked at some Duracell batteries, it was actually the SLIGC12VT by Magna Power that caught my eye. But Batteries+ does also list the SLI12V215S and the SLI12V170S from Duracell. FWIW, all these batteries’ specs claim they are of deep cycle design.

The 20 hour capacity of all three of these batteries seems to support this. Please note, however, that the SLI12V215S and the SLI12V170S from Duracell are both 14.25 inches tall which will make them a really tight fit for many RV battery compartments.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by tomkatb

$$$$$$$. Costco has 2 lithium batteries for $1400.

You would also need a new converter and switch.

But, 200 amps come hell or high water.

Two Costco six’s are $90 each. 110 amps. But, tall.

Two 6v GC2 from Costco will be 210Ah.

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by Adrian Gordon

The 20 hour capacity of all three of these batteries seems to support this. Please note, however, that the SLI12V215S and the SLI12V170S from Duracell are both 14.25 inches tall which will make them a really tight fit for many RV battery compartments.

Note that cheap dual purpose batteries have the same amp hours (at the 20 hour rate) as the same size battery in a true deep cycle.
Thicker plates (1/4 inch vs, 1/8 inch or so) in a true deep cycle don't give you more amp hours ....they give you hundreds more CYCLES to 50% so amp hour comparisons are pretty meaningless since many of them are simply reflections of a marketing department looking to have a "competitive edge". OFTEN the better made, longer lasting battery will claim fewer amp hours than the competition.

In answer to the OP...yes...12V golfcart batteries are pretty reliably and universally thick plate deep cycle batteries using the same plates as the same companies 6V batteries. There's been great growth in the 12V GC market as more electronics and road worthy accessories have been added to the traditional golf cart.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by kcmusa

Typically if you see cca ( cold cranking amps) is not a deep cycle battery.

Not true. Deep cycle batteries can have a cca rating. It just won't be as much as a starting battery.

Just because the manufacturer added it doesn't disqualify it as a deep cycle battery.

As for "heavier plates", modern manufacturing pretty much levels the field in that area. Better separator materials snd internal supports minimize the issues of old.

Some manufacturers make very good deep cycle batteries and merely display cca and rc on them with NO ah capacity.

[camaraderie]

As to the GC12 volt availability ...Trojan makes two different sized models in their signature line. Both are bigger than any conventional size 12V battery, weigh in at over 80 lbs and each deliver 150 amp hours. They also are spec rated at 1200 CYCLES to 50% vs, 600 for a standard deep cycle in their Signature line using their same standard lab test (which is NOT comparable between brands!)

[Wandering Winds]

Originally Posted by kcmusa

Typically if you see cca ( cold cranking amps) is not a deep cycle battery.

Well yes, this is something that I have always believed also. I always skip any battery description that mentions CCA. Likewise any mention of the word “Marine”.

However tonight I looked closer at my batteries, which as I mentioned were original equipment in our 2016 Sunseeker. These batteries are unlabeled and I have wondered exactly what
Forest River had seen fit to provide us with. Tonight I noticed a sticker on them which was obscured when they sat in their compartment under the step in the Sunseeker. (The batteries are in our garage for the winter.). The sticker said “27MDP”. Another sticker said they were shipped from the factory in 2015.

A Google search took me to the Exide 27MDP, as sold by Home Depot. It looks totally like our batteries, except with some pretty logos and labels. And sure enough, the first advertised feature was its ability to provide 575 Cold Cranking Amps. Turns out MDP means Marine Dual Purpose.

So I have been running six years on batteries to which I would have turned up my nose, had I known. And actually, running quite happily. As I mentioned in my original post, we tend to exercise our batteries fully, and these have got us through everything we have asked them to. Including four nights in 2019 dry camped in a Montana cow pasture. (Red Ants Pants Music Festival, check it out!)

I guess I am overthinking all of this. I do need to replace these six year old batteries. Maybe with a couple of 6 volt GC2s or maybe two group 31’s. I will look for a true deep cycle, but not fret about it. My experience shows that if I miss that mark I will still probably be ok.

I tell you all this to share my experience, and also because I find it a bit ironical and humorous. This year I turned 70, and somehow that makes it more enjoyable to me when life pulls little tricks and shows me I don’t know as much as I thought I did.