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Since the topic is now about charging and maintaining batteries, I thought I would share this. I hope it's not too out of place!

I designed and built some little devices that will maintain a 6v battery from a standard 12v solar panel. They are not for charging a weak battery but only for maintaining one at full charge although I don't know how they would work on gel batteries as I don't use them.

I did this because normally when I am not at my Oregon shop there is no power so I use a 100 watt solar panel on the roof to maintain all the batteries (some of them also keep the security system powered) but a charger for a 6v battery from a 12v panel didn't seem to exist! Of course, a smaller panel with wires out the door to the outside would do just as well. I built 5 of them and they seem to work but it will be a while before all the testing is done.

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Nice idea. A 6 volt battery tender.

I have an AC powered tender designed for motorcycle batteries and it can switch between 6v and 12. However, as my shop is off the grid, I needed something that would work from the existing 12v solar panel.

I agree with Leeedy, don't use a conventional battery charger to maintain a charge. I was referring to a battery tender or trickle charger. The ones I use provide a low current, 1.5 amps, and one is a 12V and the other is a switchable 6V-12V type. They have sensors to determine battery needs. They are great for seldom driven or stored vehicles.