2 - 12 volt batteries in parallel

[Big Dave2]

I want to hook up 2 12 volt batteries in parallel this weekend to make sure I have enough duration. Can I just set the 2nd battery next to the rv battery and run a wire from the red to the red and one from the black to the black?

[leech~~]

17 minutes ago, Big Dave2 said:

I want to hook up 2 12 volt batteries in parallel this weekend to make sure I have enough duration. Can I just set the 2nd battery next to the rv battery and run a wire from the red to the red and one from the black to the black?

That's more or less what I did on my last Motorhome. Went all the way to Yellow stone in the spring using the heater, frig, and VCR and never lost power.

[delcecchi]

That will do it Dave.  I would use fairly thick wire, since it will be carrying half of the load current.

[Big Dave2]

I bought 2 battery lead cables and I'll hook the second battery up when I get where I'm going tonight. Thanks!

[smurfy]

I charge my batteries hooked together that way!!!!!!!!!!!

[Big Dave2]

I ended up having plenty of power with one battery and never needed to hook up the second one but now I have the cables and know how to do it if I need to.

[upnorth]

I know the is a little late in the game, but I have to series 29 batteries in a box that I cobbled together from 2 battery boxes and leave them that way all season.  The few exra $$ is little compared to not have to worry about running out of juice over a weekend, especially a rainy weekend where you spend more time in the RV.

 

[Powerstroke]

Just wire them up now so they share the load instead of having one battery that does all the work and one that sits there. They will charge and discharge together. If you want to keep them seperate, you can buy a marine battery switch that lets you disconnect one or both of the batteries as needed.