12v Mercedes AMG 6x6 by Voltz Toys

[HVACTeacher]

We purchased this unit back in 2023 (Voltz Toys 6x6), it's powered by one 12v battery running 6 brushed motors using a 2.4 GHz remote as a controller or as a ride on (child, adult, child+adult).

First summer was great, second summer the pack was sagging.

My wife and I used to be able to walk around most of our development in the first summer, I started to have to push it home a bit in the second. This year it was basically unusable.

I've stored it properly inside, so I think it's just age and current draw that killed it over time.

Here's what I found inside the battery case:

https://imgur.com/a/KRF9jZV

Hey! I recognize that connector!

Locally, the retail store that I pulled the listing from had these batteries in their automotive section. I thought about replacing one, but hey, there is room for two!

All I had to do was solder up a couple of cables with some connectors on the end and I doubled the capacity of the rig!

I made up some battery hold downs with galvanized strap and put a few wraps of tape on them so there is less of a chance for something to short or wear through.

https://imgur.com/a/QjafQLT

What you can't see is the nose battery has the connector on the one side down low. It used to be in the bottom of the factory battery that just dropped in. It was honestly pretty slick and user friendly.

 

[HVACTeacher]

First run after installation was awesome!
We did are whole usual walk and it still had lots of jam left!

I decided to keep it to "mainly" smooth surfaces to try and break the batteries in a bit before we start offroading with it. We have lots of dirt clods or piles of gravel around that the little guys loves been driven over

https://imgur.com/a/ZgbpNoP

 

[Gula]

What you running Ah wise now? Those look like 13Ah pb batteries !? Get a small solar tender charger, for real it'll help prolong the life. Otherwise, Scamazon had a really couple good deals on lifepo4 12v batteries to be had if you "price hunt"

 

[HVACTeacher]

What you running Ah wise now? Those look like 13Ah pb batteries !? Get a small solar tender charger, for real it'll help prolong the life. Otherwise, Scamazon had a really couple good deals on lifepo4 12v batteries to be had if you "price hunt"

They're 12 Ah, so 24 Ah now. I considered a different chemistry but wanted to stick with pb so we could use either a standard 12v charger or the factory wall adapter. Cost me $175 CDN.

I have a 3amp tender I will use on them during the off season. I want to squeeze at least two years out of those packs. At that point he'll probably have out grown it.