Is a 12 volt 26 AH battery good enough to run accessories with

[Linguolizzard]

Hi all,

I have access to a supply of 12 volt batteries for free and I’m thinking of putting one in my cart to run accessories. Currently just have headlights and tail lights but want to add a phone charger and possibly some rope lights and or a flood/spot light bar.
I have two different types the bigger one is 26 amp hour at 20 hours. Picture attached.
The other ones I left at my office so not sure their rating. They are 2 smaller 12 volts connected together but I can separate them.
The batteries are used but only about 2 years old. They come off medical devices that have strict regulations on battery schedules. My friend has been taking them home and using them to power his telescope and a few other things in his shop.
Company doesn’t care if we take them because they have to pay to send them out to recycle by weight.
Not at all familiar with how the math works on battery ratings. Don’t want to hook up my accessories to the battery if it’s going to be dead in 20 minutes.

[scottyb]

We used to get similarly replaced SLA batts from an alarm company. MOst of them were quite usable. 26AH should be fine for accessories unless you run some big amp hogs.

[55BigBlock]

I'm using a 35 AH sealed battery with no issues. You can always parallel 2 together.

[Linguolizzard]

Wiring batteries in parallel keeps the voltage at 12? What size wire would I use to connect them? How would charging work? Would I have to charge each battery individually still? Sine these batteries don’t have ring connectors would soldering be best option?

[kgsc]

Wiring in parallel will keep the voltage at 12. You didn’t show the terminals but I would guess 1/4” spades. Get some yellow 10ga connectors and run with it.

[scottyb]

To wire in parallel connect (+) to (+) and (-) to (-).

[cartdoc1969]

How long they will hold a charge depends on the amp draw of what's attached to them. LED lights draw less power than halogen lamps. As the others said, adding batteries in parallel will increase the run time.

[GolfNfool]

It will depend on your lights. If all of them are LEDs that thing will work fine. If you have traditional headlights they will wipe that battery out quickly.