[A/S] Re: Optima vs golf cart batteries

["Maurice Riggins" <maurice.riggins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

No.  Two T-105 6V golf cart batteries in series will provide 50% more 
capacity than two of the largest Optimas at about 1/3 of the cost.

And you can get at least as much or more capacity as two T-105 
batteries with two of the properly selected 12V flooded cell (not 
Optima) batteries, at nearly the same cost.
 
> 2) Will my 65 amp alternator have enough power to charge up the 
Optima's 
> when I drive down the highway and/or run the car engine for a while 
out in 
> the woods to charge the batteries when they are getting low?

Even though it charges a little, the general answer to this is no.  
Even those of us with 130A alternators and factory towing setups 
don't have enough voltage out of the the alternator's output to 
overcome the voltage drop on the typical smaller gauge automotive and 
trailer prewire.  Those who rewire everything with larger gauge wire 
and isolation relays in parallel, get a bit more charging voltage to 
the battery under load, and thus a little higher current.

Automotive alternators have low output at idle.  If you were trying 
to charge from the parked vehicle and get significant current, you'd 
have to put a brick on the gas pedal to get the rpms up.  And this is 
really hard on your engine.

Some, with larger alternators, are even mounting large inverters up 
near the tow vehicle's battery, and running 120VAC back to the 
trailer so its converter can charge the battery when underway.  But 
this also assumes the converter is a better one that can supply much 
more than the usual 13.8 volts.

The cheapest route to recharging for boondocking is a small, quiet 
generator.
--
Maurice
WBCCI 5446