Battery String Combiners

verdigo

Battery String Combiners. Is there such a commercially produced product to combine battery strings that accommodates correct breakers /fuses? What I have right now is not as safe as I would like.

Dennis

Cariboocoot

Re: Battery String Combiners

verdigo wrote: »

Battery String Combiners. Is there such a commercially produced product to combine battery strings that accommodates correct breakers /fuses? What I have right now is not as safe as I would like.

Dennis

Not that I know of.
One reason for which would be the oft-repeated advice about avoiding multiple battery strings.
With two in parallel it's pretty easy to connect them with just the wires. If you are at the 3 or more strings state you generally have to fabricate your own connection method.
It's a good idea to have the circuit protection as close to the battery as possible, btw. But this is not always easy to achieve especially with 48 Volt systems where the post terminal fuses aren't really suitable.

verdigo

Re: Battery String Combiners

I am running two strings. Do you think it is reasonably safe to only rely on the e-panel breaker?

Cariboocoot

Re: Battery String Combiners

verdigo wrote: »

I am running two strings. Do you think it is reasonably safe to only rely on the e-panel breaker?

Yes I do.
Others won't, but the odds of something going wrong are pretty small on two parallel strings.

I wish MidNite would make a battery combiner box as some people would find it useful. It may be possible to adapt one of their existing boxes: large enough bus bars for 400 Amps of current, positive one fed by up to four breakers. Something like that. Even so there would inevitably be wiring from the battery to the breaker that remains 'live' all the time - hard to get around that.

verdigo

Re: Battery String Combiners

Cariboocoot wrote: »

I wish MidNite would make a battery combiner box as some people would find it useful. It may be possible to adapt one of their existing boxes: large enough bus bars for 400 Amps of current, positive one fed by up to four breakers. Something like that. Even so there would inevitably be wiring from the battery to the breaker that remains 'live' all the time - hard to get around that.

I would buy one in a jiffy. I don't mind fabricating. I just don't like all the time I spend looking for materials.

vtmaps

Re: Battery String Combiners

Cariboocoot wrote: »

I wish MidNite would make a battery combiner box as some people would find it useful.

with a 1000 amp bus:
http://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=481
http://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=439

--vtMaps

Cariboocoot

Re: Battery String Combiners

vtmaps wrote: »

with a 1000 amp bus:
http://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=481
http://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=439

--vtMaps

Okay can we amend that to "make one at a reasonable price"? :roll:

12 breaker 1000 Amp unit for $700 is a bit more than what most people would need.

zoneblue

Re: Battery String Combiners

Big baby box/quadbox and blue seas terminal posts?

http://www.bluesea.com/products/category/PowerPost_Connectors/Dual_PowerPost

verdigo

Re: Battery String Combiners

vtmaps wrote: »

with a 1000 amp bus:
http://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=481
http://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=439

--vtMaps

Yikes!! Maybe just twist the wires together and use a little black tape.

Cariboocoot

Re: Battery String Combiners

zoneblue wrote: »

Big baby box/quadbox and blue seas terminal posts?

http://www.bluesea.com/products/category/PowerPost_Connectors/Dual_PowerPost

Not for a 48 Volt system; the post fuses are not rated to safely interrupt the Voltage.

Cariboocoot

Re: Battery String Combiners

verdigo wrote: »

Yikes!! Maybe just twist the wires together and use a little black tape.

I know you're joking, but we have to warn against doing things like that.

You can actually make your own combiner box with a bit of thought and planning. Far less than $700 too.

But for only two battery strings it isn't worth it. They can be paralleled at the batteries and the breaker in the e-box will be sufficient.

ILFE

Re: Battery String Combiners

zoneblue wrote: »

Big baby box/quadbox and blue seas terminal posts?

http://www.bluesea.com/products/category/PowerPost_Connectors/Dual_PowerPost

I agree with the marine battery posts.


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