I can't remember (if I ever knew) why you are supposed to have the loads and the chargers all on the same battery posts in a bank.Say you have three 12s in parallel. What's wrong with having an inverter wired to one of the 12s, the converter to another of the 12s, and a second inverter on the third 12? Also you might have one solar controller on any one of those three 12s and another controller on a different 12.Ideally everything should be balanced and you put all your goodies "across" the whole bank. But what if you have short wires and that is just not possible or convenient? What terrible things happen if you "tap" in or from any place you can get at?Thanks.

If you can avoid a wire nightmare there is nothing wrong with your idea

The available amp hours from a battery is dependent on how fast you withdraw them. You will get more total amp hours from the three batteries if they are connected and sharing the load.

jauguston wrote:The available amp hours from a battery is dependent on how fast you withdraw them. You will get more total amp hours from the three batteries if they are connected and sharing the load.Right, but the question is does it matter if they share from different locations? Obviously there is the usual argument for balanced banking, but even with unbalanced, eventually the 'downstream' batteries catch up. Over time one gets worked harder etc etc. What I am asking in particular is whether, when unbalanced and accepting that, does even matter if you draw and discharge from the same set of battery posts as long as you get 12v from wherever you hook up to with whichever thing you are connecting? Why do they all have to go on the same set of battery posts (or do they have to?)

With a series setup of 4 6v it's a real bad idea. Not sure if parallel handles unbalanced charging better.

I'm no engineer, and math has never been my strong point but is seems to me that balanced load/charging is more important when high current is involved, such a 160 Amps running the microwave then recharging at 100 Amps, vs running all your led lights and recharging with a 45 watt panel. :B :h

Drawing or Charging From Different Batteries in a Bank?

15 Replies

Canadian_Rainbi
Explorer
Dec 18, 2013
I'm no engineer, and math has never been my strong point but is seems to me that balanced load/charging is more important when high current is involved, such a 160 Amps running the microwave then recharging at 100 Amps, vs running all your led lights and recharging with a 45 watt panel. :B :h
2oldman
Explorer II
Dec 18, 2013
With a series setup of 4 6v it's a real bad idea. Not sure if parallel handles unbalanced charging better.
BFL13
Explorer II
Dec 18, 2013
jauguston wrote:
The available amp hours from a battery is dependent on how fast you withdraw them. You will get more total amp hours from the three batteries if they are connected and sharing the load.

Right, but the question is does it matter if they share from different locations? Obviously there is the usual argument for balanced banking, but even with unbalanced, eventually the 'downstream' batteries catch up. Over time one gets worked harder etc etc.

What I am asking in particular is whether, when unbalanced and accepting that, does even matter if you draw and discharge from the same set of battery posts as long as you get 12v from wherever you hook up to with whichever thing you are connecting? Why do they all have to go on the same set of battery posts (or do they have to?)
jauguston
Explorer
Dec 18, 2013
The available amp hours from a battery is dependent on how fast you withdraw them. You will get more total amp hours from the three batteries if they are connected and sharing the load.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Dec 17, 2013
If you can avoid a wire nightmare there is nothing wrong with your idea

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Drawing or Charging From Different Batteries in a Bank?

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