Mixing different volatage batteries

[Padlin]

Have 2 new 6v Interstate batteries, if I have enough room for just 1 more, would this work for 12v? if so, where would you connect the load.

[Padlin]

Or this

[Padlin]

Any idea how this would effect total capacity?

[BFL13]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
5% antimony versus 2.75% antimony is not a good mix. Keep an eye on the six cell battery the three cell batteries are going to whip it's butt. When they are charging or discharging they are too busy to fight. It's at rest they get bored and pull the wings off the weakling.

Yes, after camping off-grid with them all linked like that, separate the two "12s" when on shore power, and put one "12" on the converter and the other "12" on its own maintenance charger.

Although there is some confusion here on that. Some say you can leave them all connected as long as they are on a float charger, while others say float them separately.

Everybody agrees to separate them if they are just sitting there with no float charger on them.

[BB_TX]

sch911 wrote:
This way would be better:

Much much better unless you want to destroy your batteries.

[sch911]

This way would be better:

[MEXICOWANDERER]

5% antimony versus 2.75% antimony is not a good mix. Keep an eye on the six cell battery the three cell batteries are going to whip it's butt. When they are charging or discharging they are too busy to fight. It's at rest they get bored and pull the wings off the weakling.

[lanerd]

The way I see it is that you need to remove the line between the neg of B3 to the pos of B2. Then for the overall 12v, connect a positive cable of the load to the pos of B1 and the negative cable of the load to the neg of B3.

Ron

[BFL13]

Ranger Smith wrote:
Connect the positive of 1 6 volt battery to the negative of the other. Connect the 2 remaining posts on the 6 volt battery to the corresponding posts on the 12 volt battery + to+ and - to - Load is on the + and - of the 12 volt battery

After you series the two 6s that is a 12v battery and then you parallel the two as stated. But the load should go across the whole bank, not just one of the 12s, to get proper "balance." (Although that only really shows when drawing from or charging the bank with high amps.)

[Ranger_Smith]

Or remove jumper from - of B2 to + of B3

+ of b1 to + of b3 load on B1

[Ranger_Smith]

Connect the positive of 1 6 volt battery to the negative of the other. Connect the 2 remaining posts on the 6 volt battery to the corresponding posts on the 12 volt battery + to+ and - to - Load is on the + and - of the 12 volt battery

[time2roll]

No that is a dead short.

Connect the 6v in series ( single wire from one Positive to one Negative) to create a 12 volt battery.
Then connect the additional 12v in parallel.