6v 220ah battery bank

[Fabiana0915]

I accidentally bought 2 6v 220ah batteries thinking that it would double the amperage when i created the 12v series. The seller will not take them back so i am stuck with them. Now that I know that is not possible I am left with just 220ah. I plan on hiking or being out of the bus most of the time. I had originally calculated around 70ah consumption a day. I have a 12v alpicool fridge, 12v shurflo water pump, 12v maxx air fann, 12v led lights, 12v phone charger. The only 120v consumption i have is from my computer charger which i wont use often and a projector that i will use once in a while for a movie night. Theoretically since i will be out of the van most of the day the only thing that will be running during that time is the fridge. Should I stick with the batteries I have? Will it be enough power. I know that they can only be depleted 50% so will 110 ah be enough? I also have 400 watts of solar

[Danjo]

It depends on how much sun you have but based on my setup, 600W/400Ah SLA AGMs, if the meter on the controller is to be believed, I rarely draw down past 75% which would be 100Ah. Only time I drew lower was when I used a crock pot in the fog.

I think you’re good.

Edit: we have A similar energy budget and for the most part it’s 100% all day and gets down to 85% at night most nights.

[rossvtaylor]

I agree with Danjo...and look at the bright side of this! Most 6V batteries are probably golf cart or true deep cycle batteries, so they have thicker plates and will most likely last longer than most of the 12V batteries people use. Those 12V "marine deep cycle" batteries have thinner plates than your 6V batteries probably do...so I'm guessing your 6V batteries are true deep cycle.

[bus-bro]

At 6 volts and 220 amp/hours almost certainly in the golf cart class of batteries. If you are worried about capacity I would add a couple of more batteries. The sooner the better, and of the same batteries.

I have 4 flooded lead acid golf cart batteries under my bus. If I were doing batteries now, I would not use flooded batteries.

My choice would be either AGM's or Lithium-ion, with a strong preference for store bought 12 volt Li-ion batteries. Like I have that kind of money.

Probably best to start with the 2 FLA golf cart batteries. The saying goes that you always destroy your first house battery bank anyway.

[rossvtaylor]

Originally Posted by bus-bro

The saying goes that you always destroy your first house battery bank anyway.

I'm not sure what you're talking about. My first battery bank is just...poof! Oh yeah...

BTW, what a beautiful place you live in! We bought 2 buses on Whidbey Island and picked them up in Coupeville. Retired Island Transit buses. The folks there were super nice, too.

[john61ct]

If you want double the amperage just buy another pair.

[joeblack5]

I think you are plenty fine... Depending on where you are with the sunshine. Instead of batteries find a decent ah meter with shunt so that you know what is happening.

Johan