Correct wiring for parallel batteries

2Guido

Hi Guys,
Looking for that famous link that correctly shows how to properly wire multiple battery banks. i think your link went to a UK site on proper wiring to maximize correct current draw and proper charging of all battery banks...Thanks

BB.

Re: Correct wiring for parallel batteries

This one?

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

-Bill

mike95490

Re: Correct wiring for parallel batteries

BB. wrote: »

This one?

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

-Bill

you beat me to it.

System2

Re: Correct wiring for parallel batteries

BB posted a very simple and accurate link to the website showing the correct way to connect batteries but there are some precautions as well. All the batteries in a battery bank must be at the same charge level or they won't work when you draw more charge than that stored in the least charged battery. If the voltage levels of batteries are considerably different they will start charging or discharging each other. Secondly if you need to connect multiple battery banks, just use a high rated diode so that it acts as a valve and battery banks don't charge or discharge each other.

Cariboocoot

Re: Correct wiring for parallel batteries

kararsiz wrote: »

BB posted a very simple and accurate link to the website showing the correct way to connect batteries but there are some precautions as well. All the batteries in a battery bank must be at the same charge level or they won't work when you draw more charge than that stored in the least charged battery. If the voltage levels of batteries are considerably different they will start charging or discharging each other. Secondly if you need to connect multiple battery banks, just use a high rated diode so that it acts as a valve and battery banks don't charge or discharge each other.

Welcome to the forum.

I'm going to have to start out on a negative note here and say your advice to use diodes on battery strings is wrong. If you place a diode on a battery it will only allow current to flow one way: out of the battery or into it but not both.

The Voltage difference between batteries should never be great enough to be of any concern regarding one flowing in to another. Yes, this is what will happen and is part of the current-sharing problem we so often discuss. But in reality the Voltage would have to be off by a large amount to cause any short-term functional concerns.

When assembling multiple batteries into one bank the idea is to get it to perform as one large battery. The most important difference to consider here is the capacity and type: you do not want to parallel two 6 Volt 200 Amp hour deep cycle batteries with one 12 Volt 100 Amp hour automotive battery, for example. The greater the difference the bigger the problem.

If there is a small specific gravity difference between one battery and another in the bank an equalization charge may smooth it out, just as it would between two unequal cells in the same battery.

SolarPowered

Re: Correct wiring for parallel batteries

kararsiz wrote: »

BB posted a very simple and accurate link to the website showing the correct way to connect batteries but there are some precautions as well. All the batteries in a battery bank must be at the same charge level or they won't work when you draw more charge than that stored in the least charged battery. If the voltage levels of batteries are considerably different they will start charging or discharging each other. Secondly if you need to connect multiple battery banks, just use a high rated diode so that it acts as a valve and battery banks don't charge or discharge each other.

Never, ever use a diode on a battery! Batteries already have a high resistance to charge, and discharge. "Capacitors" not batteries in some cases may require a "ZENER" diode, along with a resistor circuit in place if you happen to tinker with voltage conversion boards or mppt circuits. Zener diode inevitably once a voltage peak has been met can flow the opposite direction where as standard diodes do not. This is because capacitors tend to have a low resistance to charge and a much wider spectrum of voltage I.E a capacitor rated for 12V may not reach maximum resistance until reaching 16V or surging at 20V, so zener diodes and resistors control a capacitor from reaching surges, unlike batteries in the AGM or GEL which require the low 13V to high 14.7V charge, the discharge of a deep cycle battery is also a high resistance which means that the batteries get hot the greater the current demand within a short duration duty cycle. The only regulation batteries need is a charge controller, which regulates voltage via switches and resistors, or mppt which is step up/step down converting.