How do I charge 6V batteries?

[Frank ZX]

I'm going to buy 2 six volt batteries for my trailer and wire them in series.
I have a 12 volt charger.Can I charge the 2 batteries with the 12 V charger?

[bobhenry]

Put it back in where ya take it out !

[jss06]

Yup connect the charger to the same place your feed lines are for the trailer. It will charge both batteries at the same time.

[Dale M.]

Charge the two batteries in series just like you have them wired to get the 12 volts for your lights and accessories...

Dale

[eamarquardt]

Yup, charge the two 6 volts just as you would a 12 volt. Remember that to get optimum performance and life from the two batteries they should be the same age, brand, model, etc.

Cheers,

Gus

[deceiver]

A 12 volt battery is just four 1 1/2 volt cells connected together in series internally. So a 6 volt is three 1 1/2 volt cells connected together.

If you put your two 6 volt batteries together in series you have a 12 volt battery in two parts. So charging them in this configuration is just like charging a 12 volt battery.

When I was a kid (we did stupid things back then) I would take and punch a nail in the top of an old car battery between the cells. If you hit the plates right you'd get various voltages. Connecting wires to one post and each of the nails you could get 1.5, 3, 6, 7.5, 9, 10.5, and 12 volts for projects that required various voltages.
I wouldn't recommend this though. Danger of explosion.

[bobhenry]

You are such a deciever you .........

Automotive batteries (usually of lead-acid type) provide a nominal 12-volt potential difference by connecting six galvanic cells in series. Each cell provides 2.1 volts for a total of 12.6 volt at full charge.

[deceiver]

I stand corrected.. Like I said.. I used to do this when I was a kid. I just remember pounding nails with goggles on and making electromagnets with with nails and wires with the results. I stand corrected. 6 cells, 6 water fill holes. Duh.


About the name "deceiver". In the mid 80's the internet was BBS's for the gov't. no net like we know it today. I had to use a handle to log on so I chose the name of a dimension hopping computer in a scifi book by Robert Heinlien. Deceiver was the name. I've held the name ever since and it's my email name too. Over 30 yrs. I can't tell you the comments I've gotten about that name over the years on the net. Everything from "what the heck?" to "The fires of Hell await you".

[len19070]

Simple language.

If the Batteries are not in the trailer and sitting on the bench.

Get your battery charger, set on 12 volt

Connect the +Positive from the charger to the +Positive on one of the battery's,

Then connect the -Negative from the battery charger to the -Negative on the other battery.

Connect the 2 other posts, one will be a Positive, the other will be a Negative together with a wire...a single wire from a set of jumper cables works great.

Happy Trails

Len

[Frank ZX]

That's what I thought.I just wanted to make sure.Thanks to everyone fast responce.
What a great web site!