6 or 12 volt?

[Denny and Angie Miller]

This question is to anyone who has the electric (not hydraulic) auto leveling system and has switched from 12 volt to 6 volt batteries:
Are you happy with your switch to 6 volt?
Do your leveling motors operate better?
Did you get (2) or (4) 6 volt batteries?

The details:
Its time to replace my batteries. I bought the trailer new, with interstate deep cycle 12v batteries (2) and the leveling motors have always sounded as if they are overloaded when lifting the trailer. Lately the breaker often trips before the trailer is level...in the past that would only happen when I tried to lift the tires off the ground using the leveling system (I only did this a few times). I suspect the batteries are weak and as the voltage droops during operation the motors pull more amps causing the breaker to trip (as designed).
The trailer is always plugged in to 50A shore power, we have residential fridge, no solar or plan to add it, and never boondock (no desire to either).
The battery charger is the 3 stage type from WFCO (WF-9865).

I'm also going to look at *possibly* replacing the circuit breaker with an additional 10A beyond what is currently installed, but no more than that. (I don't know what is installed yet)...NO I'm not going to install the 80A...that "fix" is for some hydraulic systems.
Battery maintenance is not an issue so I can get wet or agm batteries, but I'm not dropping the $ for lithium. If I had solar and wanted to boondock, maybe. Yes I've seen the videos on lithium cost over lifetime.

I would appreciate any replies from those who have my similar set up and have switched to 6 volt

[432bartman]

I think the main issue is the trailer using a 50amp breaker, which are known to cut out when doing the slides. I had fresh 12V batteries in mine and this was occurring. A simple swap to an 80 amp breaker solved this problem. I've been using two AGM 12volts with no issues at all. I don't dry camp either though.

[ChuckS]

Personally I prefer six volt GC2 golf cart batteries.. two wired in series for 12 volts

I have my current set of Costco Interstate branded batteries now on their 8th year.

Specific gravity test on all cells is perfect.. they will outperform any other flooded cell battery.. IMO

And for $89 each they were a great buy.l not at $98 a piece and I will replace mine next year after 8 years of use

[Jay Merritt]

2 Six volt golfcart batteries in series are what we have. Six volt batteries have thicker lead plates and can handle more abuse.

Tip: leave the truck running with the umbilical cord connected to get bit more power. And/or plug the power cord in to get an extra push from the stock battery charger. If you have one, turn off the inverter for the fridge. Don't forget to turn it back on

[rohrmann]

You really should not increase the size of the 12 volt breaker on the electric leveling system. Keep using a 50 amp breaker but maybe upgrade it to a better breaker like a Bussmann. The 80 amp breaker is only recommended for the hydraulic systems that use #4 strand copper wire to power the electric motor on the hydraulic pump. If the 50 amp breaker has been tripping frequently, the contacts are probably burnt which causes higher resistance and will lower voltage going to the motors.

[RMcNeal]

If I understood your question correctly, you have ELECTRIC jacks and not the hydraulic ones. If this is the case, you really should not be lifting the trailer with them. Hydraulic jacks can withstand the weight, however the electric jacks cannot. I don't think the battery is your problem here. The jacks are not strong enough to lift the trailer no matter what/how many batteries you apply. They will eventually fail catastrophically.

[brooks340]

As others have posted already, I would not increase the size of the breaker. If the 50a breaker is tripping regularly then you have something wrong, either breaker of something else in the levelling system. Increasing the breaker size could be dangerous in that case. I swapped out our single 12v battery for 4 6v batteries and have been using them for the last 2 years. Only drawback is they are very heavy which makes winterizing the trailer a chore. I have a 2020 MHC 294RL.

[Denny and Angie Miller]

Originally Posted by brooks340

I swapped out our single 12v battery for 4 6v batteries and have been using them for the last 2 years. Only drawback is they are very heavy which makes winterizing the trailer a chore. I have a 2020 MHC 294RL.

Could you tell a difference in how hard your leveling motors had to work in order to level the trailer when you switched to 6 volt?

[bcrvman]

Originally Posted by Denny and Angie Miller

This question is to anyone who has the electric (not hydraulic) auto leveling system and has switched from 12 volt to 6 volt batteries:
Are you happy with your switch to 6 volt?
Do your leveling motors operate better?
Did you get (2) or (4) 6 volt batteries?

The details:
Its time to replace my batteries. I bought the trailer new, with interstate deep cycle 12v batteries (2) and the leveling motors have always sounded as if they are overloaded when lifting the trailer. Lately the breaker often trips before the trailer is level...in the past that would only happen when I tried to lift the tires off the ground using the leveling system (I only did this a few times). I suspect the batteries are weak and as the voltage droops during operation the motors pull more amps causing the breaker to trip (as designed).
The trailer is always plugged in to 50A shore power, we have residential fridge, no solar or plan to add it, and never boondock (no desire to either).
The battery charger is the 3 stage type from WFCO (WF-9865).

I'm also going to look at *possibly* replacing the circuit breaker with an additional 10A beyond what is currently installed, but no more than that. (I don't know what is installed yet)...NO I'm not going to install the 80A...that "fix" is for some hydraulic systems.
Battery maintenance is not an issue so I can get wet or agm batteries, but I'm not dropping the $ for lithium. If I had solar and wanted to boondock, maybe. Yes I've seen the videos on lithium cost over lifetime.

I would appreciate any replies from those who have my similar set up and have switched to 6 volt

My new unit came with 2 x 12V 75AH(75 usable). I replaced them with Trojan T105's, 2 x 6V 225AH (112.5 usable) they worked much better. Lippert the manufacturer of our hydrulic system sent our a techical flyer advising to upgrade the 50A to an 80 amp breaker. I used a non auto-rest marine grade breaker. It has never tripped since. I now have Lithium and 600AH (480AH usable)

[RMcNeal]

Please be aware that the 80 Amp breaker ONLY applies to hydraulic jacks, not the electric jacks.

[Mikelff]

You might need a better 50 amp breaker. Also, load test your battery. DO NOT install a 80 amp breaker on an electric leveling system. If these two things don't work, call Lippert for additional help.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Denny and Angie Miller

Could you tell a difference in how hard your leveling motors had to work in order to level the trailer when you switched to 6 volt?

The levelers will work just as hard regardless of the battery configuration. As long as the batteries are charged and in good shape. The motors draw what they draw. The more weight you take off the axels the more they have to work.

[J.Fish]

I had similar issues on my HC384BR with electric leveling. I ran 2 6v batteries since it was new. I also redid all the front wiring in the camper and got rid of that mess. The leveling on mine was actually on a 30amp auto reset with other loads stacked on it. I contacted Lippert and the confirmed electric spec is 50amp WIRED DIRECTLY to the battery not stacked on various loads like Keystone does. I added a 50amp marine breaker wired directly to the battery for leveling. Not one problem since with blown breaker. I also seperated all the other loads and installed a blue sea marine breaker panel with labeled and resettable breakers. Like others stated no 80amp but it sounds like you know that already.

[Denny and Angie Miller]

Originally Posted by J.Fish

I had similar issues on my HC384BR with electric leveling. I ran 2 6v batteries since it was new. I also redid all the front wiring in the camper and got rid of that mess. The leveling on mine was actually on a 30amp auto reset with other loads stacked on it. I contacted Lippert and the confirmed electric spec is 50amp WIRED DIRECTLY to the battery not stacked on various loads like Keystone does. I added a 50amp marine breaker wired directly to the battery for leveling. Not one problem since with blown breaker. I also seperated all the other loads and installed a blue sea marine breaker panel with labeled and resettable breakers. Like others stated no 80amp but it sounds like you know that already.

Thanks for the reply, and being one of few to actually read all of my original post. I should have known to consider Keystone hadn't bothered to connect the system correctly. Sure enough, the circuit breaker was a 30A with numerous other loads stacked on it... I reviewed the manual and verified it should have had a 50A. I swapped in a 50A and 2 Trojan T-105's. I still have to finish modifying the new battery box vent line, and plan on building my own breaker panel complete with volt/amp meters so I can see what is actually happening.

[J.Fish]

Awesome.....let us know if it does the trick. I'll post a pick later of my wiring mod.

[ledsky]

Does any of the wiring need to be changed when replacing the 12v batteries with 6v?

[RMcNeal]

No, however you will need an additional jumper from the positive of one battery to the negative of the second to run them in series. Make sure it is ofbthe same guage or larger than your current wires.

[ledsky]

OK, so it is wired in series with the cable from pos to neg posts and as long as shore power is connected everything works great, as soon as I disconnect shore power and turn on a light all goes dead.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Denny and Angie Miller

Thanks for the reply, and being one of few to actually read all of my original post.

Sorry I have to call you out on this. I could ignore it but IMO a rude comment to people who are trying to help you out. Many read and answered your question. Others such as myself pointed out other relevant comments related to your situation.



We're all just trying to help each other here. I will admit I've been guilty of missing the primary point of a long thread before but still trying to help never the less. Peace.

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by ledsky

OK, so it is wired in series with the cable from pos to neg posts and as long as shore power is connected everything works great, as soon as I disconnect shore power and turn on a light all goes dead.

Here is some info from a previous discussion of a similar problem for models prior to 2022. Later models have changed the disconnect switch.

The 12V flow from the converter to the batteries is pretty straight forward. As others have pointed out, here are the places to look. All connections should have 13.5 +/- Volts if the converter is working.

• The converter is part of the power distribution panel -Ensure the CB for it is On
• There are Reverse Polarity Fuses on the converter which protect against connecting a battery backwards. - Ensure they are not blown.
• Check the output voltage at the converter. - it should be in the 13.5V DC range.
• The power then runs to the Disconnect Switch in the Convenience Center. - Ensure the Red Key is in the position where it can *NOT* be removed. If removed, this interrupts the power charging the battery. The Disconnect Switch is not know to fail, but you can remove it to check there is power in and out of it just to be sure.
• The power next flows to the group of 50 amp self-resetting CBs behind the battery. We all know about the one that hiccups and interrupts the hydraulic system. That one also passes power to/from the converter and batteries. You want to check it and it's brother (it is in the current flow to the battery) to ensure there is 13.5V on *EACH* side of the CB.
• The last connection is the one from the 50 amp CBs to the batteries. Ensure you have clean connections and the cables are not corroded (watch out for internal corrosion under the shrink wrap).

Somewhere along this path there will be the problem. A simple VOM should find it. I hope this helps.