Two Battery Bank Question
I recently installed a 2nd battery bank that is connected through a transfer switch that switches between shore power and Inverter Power. This new addition has a battery charger that is powered throug...
Forum Discussion
TempleinCanada wrote:
So to answer a few questions clarifying my situation. I previously entered the specs on my trailer in my profile and thought they would be accessible, regardless, it is a 21 ft Keystone Bullet bumper haul trailer.
The battery banks are at opposite ends of the trailer. When I added the new battery bank it was much easier to add it near the back near the electrical panel and shore power connection. If I had just added more batteries to the existing bank I would have had to add the inverter etc near the front which would have complicated the install significantly. (Running wires the length of the trailer)
After researching for a solution I believe if I just put a manual switch that connects the 2 battery banks and disconnects the charging wires from the solar controller to the second battery bank then the solar controller will just see 1 battery bank (which will comprise of the all the batteries).
BUT that still leaves the issue that I will have 2 battery chargers when I am connected to shore power, 1 charging each battery bank. I guess I could turn the breaker that powers 1 of them off. Seems to get more and more complicated.....
Actually after more thought the battery charger issue is really not really an issue, as once I am plugged into shore power I will not have a dead battery. Sometime talking to yourself helps :)
A bank refers to a set of batteries connected together. The batteries can be physically separated as long as they are wired together properly and they are still a single bank.
Given that the RV loads are likely to be relatively low for the most part no reason not to just connect the negative ground to the frame and run a single positive line to connect them the same as if they were in the same compartment (you presumably did that anyway if you have a means to combine them).
Even with an inverter pulling a significant load, as long as the half of the bank close to the inverter is decent size, it shouldn't be a problem. The closer bank may drop a little lower momentarily while under inverter load but will quickly balance out once the load drops. (splitting into separate banks does nothing to address the separation anyway).
