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Correctly connecting your deep cycle battery system

Correctly Connecting up your Deep Cycle Battery System

Ever wondered if you are correctly connecting up your deep cycle battery system? In this blog, the expert team at Valen will walk you through the correct way to connect your battery system to make every installation and maintenance project a success!

Series and Parallel Connections

In order to get the maximum service life and efficiency from your battery system, it is often recommended to connect multiple batteries in series, parallel, or on rare occasions both, rather than having a variety of individual banks.

So what are the differences between series and parallel connections?

Series Connection

Batteries are wired together in series by connecting the negative terminal on battery 1 with the positive terminal on battery 2. See the below diagram.

Series Connection

For larger voltage systems, this trend is continued by connecting all the batteries in the system – positive terminal to negative terminal.

With a series connection, you will increase the total system Voltage, however the Amp Hour (Ah) capacity will remain the same.

For example:

  • 2 x 12V50Ah batteries wired in series will give you 24V, but only 50Ah capacity
  • 2x 6V225Ah batteries wired in series will give you 12V, but only 225Ah capacity
  • 12x 2V500Ah batteries wired in series will give you 24V, but only 500Ah capacity

Parallel Connection

Batteries are wired together in parallel by connecting the negative terminal on battery 1 with the negative terminal on battery 2, likewise the positive terminal on battery 1 with the positive terminal on battery 2. See the below diagram.

Parallel Connection

With a parallel connection, you will increase the total Amp Hour (Ah) Capacity, however, the Voltage will remain the same.

For example:

  • 2x 12V50Ah batteries wired in parallel will give you 100Ah capacity, but only 12V
  • 2x 6V225Ah batteries wired in parallel will give you 450Ah capacity, but only 6V
  • 12x 2V500Ah batteries wired in parallel will give you 6000Ah capacity, but only 2V

Series & Parallel Connection

This is a combination of the series and parallel connections. See the below diagram.

Series Parallel Connection

Series and parallel connections are typically used for 2V, 6V and 12V batteries to achieve both a higher system voltage and increased capacity

For example:

  • 4x 12V50Ah batteries wired in parallel and series will give you 24V and 100Ah capacity.
  • 4x 6V225Ah batteries wired in parallel and series will give you 12V and 450Ah capacity.
  • 24x 2V500Ah batteries wired in parallel and series will give you 24V and 1000Ah capacity.

Please note: This system wiring is not recommended as there’s no control over the voltage of the individual cells. This can lead to cell imbalance, leading to reduced service life.

What else should I know about wiring a battery system?

A few other quick pointers to note are;

  • For system longevity and maximum benefits, it is only recommended that identical batteries are wired together of the same batch coding where possible.
  • Make sure the battery terminals are tightened with a torque wrench in accordance with the batteries I&O manual
  • Insulated terminal connectors should be used, terminal protection covers should be installed and flexible cables used where available to prevent battery terminal post ruptures.
  • Use Battery Terminal Lubricant where possible to minimise corrosion of the battery terminals
  • Refer to the relevant Australian Standards to ensure your systems are installed and maintained correctly
  • Regular maintenance should be undertaken on all battery systems. Including tasks such as physical checks, terminal torque readings, voltage, and capacity checks

Need some extra advice on connecting your batteries? Just ask us!

 The VRLA battery experts at Valen are proud to offer our clients the highest level of technical support.

To talk to one of our knowledgeable team members about your particular system, simply click here to get in touch. We look forward to supporting you with your battery wiring challenges

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