Just picked up Trojan batteries..questions

Hey guys, a good friend of mine hooked me up with 2 Trojan batteries for a good price. They have about 3 hours of use on them, and I paid 200 for both of them, and they're still under warranty.

I didn't know much about 6v batteries other than I remember reading they work pretty good for boat stereos. The battery model number is J305G-AC. Is anyone familiar with these batteries? I tried to do some research, but didn't find much info other than specs.

I just looked them up. They are 315AH golf cart batteries. Those things must be huge. They should be awesome as stereo batteries. For 6v batteries you basically use them as one 12v battery by wiring them in series. You run a cable from the positive from one to the negative of the other. That gives you one 315AH 12v battery. Go buy a battery water filler and make sure that they are topped off with water. You may have to do this a couple times a year. Those 2 batteries together basically give you the equivalent of 3 group 31 deep cycles or about 6 D34M optimas. Good score if they aren't damaged for whatever reason.

I was hoping you'd chime in Brett. I was thinking about going with 2 Deka's as you usually recommend, but I couldn't pass up on this deal. I have a few questions hopefully you or others can answer.

What type of charger should I use for these? They will be independent, and not connected to the alternator.

How many hours of play time should I expect playing loud fist pumping music for? My amps are 1200 RMS 1ohm and 800 RMS at 2ohm.

Will these batteries do ok for powering LED lights?

This one may end up being long. My boat is not a wakeboard boat...I really only use it to go out to the cove and cruise around on sometimes, but not a whole lot of cruising since it gets .9 MPG. Anyway, I got the boat at the end of last summer and installed a stereo right away without any consideration to the stereo killing the batteries. First time out with the stereo, killed the batteries, lesson learned. So the next weekend I bought a everstart battery from walmart for the amps. I connected the amps directly to the everstart battery. The everstart battery was not connected to the other batteries, perko, etc, completely independent. When I went to turn the stereo on, that amps wouldn't turn on, but the head unit did. Then I decided to ground the negative of the everstart to the negative of one of the original batteries and the amps came on. Why do the amps turn on only when the independent battery is grounded? Does this have something to do with the unit running off the other battery?

First of all wire anything associated with the stereo or LEDs over to the new stereo bank. If you do this you shouldn't ever really have have to charge the starting battery. Then you could probably get by with just a single bank charger. You need something better then a tender as your GC batteries are going to be really discharged. Maybe a smart charger around 20 amps should do. Find the setting on it recommended for lead acid batteries or that best matches the batteries specs.

I have no idea how many hours of play time you should get. There are too many factors involved. I figure it should be about the equivalent of 3 31's or 6 blue tops if the batteries are fully charged and in good shape.

LEDs don't draw hardly anything. They should work.

That doesn't make any sense to me. Move all the stereo positives and negatives over to the stereo bank.

Thanks Brett. So do you think a ProMariner ProSport 20 amp Gen 2 would get the job done?

I guess I should start looking for some distribution blocks for the accessory wiring.

If anyone is interested the guy has 2, possibly 4 of these batteries left as of today. He said to ask if I knew anyone, he's having trouble getting rid of them. $100 a piece. Good guy, he's in the Air Force part time (like me) he told me if I had any issues he'd give me my money back...my only issue is how damn heavy they are! Anyway PM if interested and I'll send you his number

Originally Posted by bendow

Thanks Brett. So do you think a ProMariner ProSport 20 amp Gen 2 would get the job done?

I guess I should start looking for some distribution blocks for the accessory wiring.

If anyone is interested the guy has 2, possibly 4 of these batteries left as of today. He said to ask if I knew anyone, he's having trouble getting rid of them. $100 a piece. Good guy, he's in the Air Force part time (like me) he told me if I had any issues he'd give me my money back...my only issue is how damn heavy they are! Anyway PM if interested and I'll send you his number

That charger has served me well with my golf cart batteries. It's distribution on demand so it can give your golf cart batteries the majority of the available amperage if they need them.

Cool. I'll order that one then.

How have you liked your golf cart batteries?

Originally Posted by bendow

Cool. I'll order that one then.

How have you liked your golf cart batteries?

They have been great, installing 2 more this winter.

I ordered that charger last night.

NuBu, do you have a picture of your batteries are hooked up? I need to figure out how I'm going to connect the amps and all the accessories off 2 terminals. Should I get some type of distribution block for the accesories, i.e. LED's, amp fan, head unit, etc...

Originally Posted by bendow

I ordered that charger last night.

NuBu, do you have a picture of your batteries are hooked up? I need to figure out how I'm going to connect the amps and all the accessories off 2 terminals. Should I get some type of distribution block for the accesories, i.e. LED's, amp fan, head unit, etc...

That's one of the downfalls to these, the small terminals. I had to get a couple external Blue Sea lugs to use for some of the accessories. Check out the Blue Sea Systems site, they have alot of options.

Do they have the combo terminals where there is a post style terminal with a stud sticking out of the top? If so you can get a set of larger gauge lugs. Get the crimp style and crimp them with shrink tubing. Like you said get distribution blocks. Try and keep the minimul amount of lugs/terminals hooked directly to the battery terminals.

Can someone recommed or point me in the direction of a distribution block for smaller wire for the accesories. I've been searching and all I see is distribution blocks that are 0>4/8 gauge.

Here you go, I get goose bumps everytime I walk into this store. It's a boaters mecca. Click on this link and scroll through, if you can't find what you need it probably doesn't exist LOL..

http://www.fisheriessupply.com/depar...ts.aspx?page=2

nub is that the place in ballard?

Yeah sure is.

I can get stuff really cheap there

Good to know, I'll be hitting you up soon before I go stock up.

Ok, I finally got the charger in the mail. The damn USPS guy didn't leave a note on my door or in my mailbox. The company I bought it from sent an additional one since I didn't receive the first one. Anyway, I went to the post office and there were 2 Prosport 20's there. Guess I'll have to see what the company wants me to do with the other one.

So my question is, I only want to charge the 2 trojan 6v's at the moment (due to location). Can you charge one battery bank with this? I couldn't find any info. Also, if I decided to charge 2 battery banks do they have to be the same type of battery? e.g., the 2 trojan 6v's (wired as 1 12v) on one connection from the charger and a standard flooded deep cycle battery on the other connection?

I think so. Since the 2 trojans are wired in series, you have one 12v battery. My suggestion would be to take the positive lead on the charger and hook it to the positive lead on trojan battery 1 and take the negative lead on the charger and hook it to the negative lead on trojan battery two.

The batteries do not have to be the same. It sounds like you want to charge the Trojans with one charging bank and then charge the starter battery(different type of battery) with the other charging bank - you should be fine

Thanks for the reply Murphy. I assumed that's the way it should be connected to the Trojans, but I didn't know if it'd be an issue having only one battery connected and no battery on the other leads from the charger for the 2nd bank?

Yeah, eventually I would like to have both battery banks on the charger, but the 2 Trojan 6v's are under the console (for stereo), and the starting battery, that's under the engine hatch. The wire leads from the charger are not long enough to reach back to the starting battery. Is there a way you can extend the charging lead length?

I extended mine by about 4 feet each and put alligator clips on the ends for easy removal. I did not want to mount the charger in the boat.

I would not make them to long but I think 4 or 5 feet is totally fine. Just use quality wire of the same gauge and crimp or solder in the extra length.

On the lead that is not being used....just put some tape over the ends and you will be fine. Worst thing that could happen is that the pos touches the neg and you get a spark....but I don't even think that will happen.

Originally Posted by bendow

Thanks for the reply Murphy. I assumed that's the way it should be connected to the Trojans, but I didn't know if it'd be an issue having only one battery connected and no battery on the other leads from the charger for the 2nd bank?

Yeah, eventually I would like to have both battery banks on the charger, but the 2 Trojan 6v's are under the console (for stereo), and the starting battery, that's under the engine hatch. The wire leads from the charger are not long enough to reach back to the starting battery. Is there a way you can extend the charging lead length?

You have to have the other lead connected to a battery (according to pro mariner) and I don't think you can combine them on the 6v bank either although they don't specifically say you can't do that. You may want to call them, they will tell you they don't recommend that charger for 6v batteries but many folks use it for them without issue.

You can buy extensions for the leads on that charger made by Pro mariner, that's what I would do in your situation.

Originally Posted by murphy_smith

I extended mine by about 4 feet each and put alligator clips on the ends for easy removal. I did not want to mount the charger in the boat.

I would not make them to long but I think 4 or 5 feet is totally fine. Just use quality wire of the same gauge and crimp or solder in the extra length.

On the lead that is not being used....just put some tape over the ends and you will be fine. Worst thing that could happen is that the pos touches the neg and you get a spark....but I don't even think that will happen.

Hahahaha great advice murphy.

Promariner said just double up the leads and attach them both to the battery and the charger will recognize it as one battery. I didn't see that in the manual anywhere.

Great info thanks for sharing. That's what I was talking about in my post above when I said "combine them on the 6v bank. You're right it isn't in the manual as I scoured that thing when I installed mine. Sounds like you're all set.

Originally Posted by 05mobiuslsv

Hahahaha great advice murphy.

I thought so myself!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by murphy_smith

I thought so myself!!!!!!!

Great advice like that leads to those Darwin awards you see. Don't let me stop you you've been on quite a roll lately.

hahahahahah - you are the man!!!!!!!