I was looking at multiple battery connection information and ran across the statement that the charger should "always" be connected at the same point as the load connection for balancing.
In my case, I have four 6 volts, two pairs, each member of a pair being connected plus to minus and each pair being connected plus to plus and minus to minus to the adjacent pair.
In effect I have two 12 volts sitting side by side. The load is connected plus to pair #1 and minus to pair #2. At the moment, it's convenient to connect the charger plus to pair #2, and minus to pair #1. Is there anything "unbalanced" about this?
The article I was reading seemed to be pointed at 3 or more 12 volt batteries (or 6V pairs) connected together, but I'm interested.
Later, I will be changing to load and charge connected together, but for a while I'll be running as above.
In effect I have two 12 volts sitting side by side. The load is connected plus to pair #1 and minus to pair #2. At the moment, it's convenient to connect the charger plus to pair #2, and minus to pair #1. Is there anything "unbalanced" about this?
Not at all. My 6's are wired like THIS and I connect my charger(s) plus to the left pairs "bottom" + and the negative to right pairs "upper" - which is exactly how my load is connected.
It is hard (for me at least) to tell exactly how you are connected by that description.
The idea behind balancing the load/charger to the batteries has to do with keeping the amount of resistance the same between each battery and the load/charger.
This diagram shows one way of doing that in your situation.
The numbers represent fictitious resistance values of each of the wires. It just demonstrates how each battery has the same resistance value (12 fictitious ohms) in it's path back to the battery.
There is some debate whether balancing the battereis to the load is even important. I'm sure you will not harm anything by connecting you charger to different points than your load, especially short term, and especially if you don't charge/discharge at very heavy rates.
I had also heard that you should do as you mentioned, i.e. feed the power back in the way it came out. That's the way I have mine wired. It's hard for me to believe that this could really be all that important, but I don't know. My bank was not difficult to wire up "correctly," but if it were, I would probably just do what is most convenient and go camping.
BFL13 connects multiple, portable chargers to individual batteries. He doesn't seem to suffer any catastrophic failures by doing so.
Cheers,
Kendall
1986 Winnebago Chieftain 22RC
Our Camper (with no payments)
mena661 wrote: My 6's are wired like THIS and I connect my charger(s) plus to the left pairs "bottom" + and the negative to right pairs "upper" - which is exactly how my load is connected.
Mine are connected the same, except I connect my charger(s) plus to the right pairs "bottom" plus and the negative to the left pairs "upper" minus. My batteries have both stud/bolt connection and automotive post. I use the stud/bolt for the interconnections and the AP for connecting the charger on one side and the load on the other.
My batteries also sit slightly different. They're all turned 90 degrees and I connect to the long ends for load and charger, but electrically it's the same.
Bit Bucket wrote: It is hard (for me at least) to tell exactly how you are connected by that description.
Your picture matches my (poor) description. You show the load connected to the inner two batteries in your drawing. In my case, the charger would be connected to the outer two. (My batteries sit slightly differently - not side by side, but electrically it's the same.) My question is if anyone sees anything wrong with that. I don't, but it conflicted with that rule I mentioned (connect charger to load connection point) which the website seemed to think was so blindingly obvious a rule that no one should ever need to ask it.
But I needed to
I'm new here, so while I"m sure it doesn't hurt to do it my way for a while, I'd like to grab some of the expertise on this issue that seems to be floating around.
DryCamper11 wrote: I don't, but it conflicted with that rule I mentioned (connect charger to load connection point) which the website seemed to think was so blindingly obvious a rule that no one should ever need to ask it.
But I needed to
I'm new here, so while I"m sure it doesn't hurt to do it my way for a while, I'd like to grab some of the expertise on this issue that seems to be floating around.
I am familiar with that web site. I have serious doubts that it matters if the load and charger are connected like you have referenced, assuming all wiring is the same and properly sized.
It is interesting to note that they did not give any sort of reason for the charger being connected to the exact same point as the load, I suspect they were just trying to make the case for using the same points so it was easier to manage and for the inexperienced not to get confused.
Either way, I always have doubts about the advice we sometimes get that falls along the lines of "I did it that way for years without any problems" or "just because I say so" or "my buddies an engineer, and he says do it that way". Usually if there is a compelling reason to do soemthing a certain way it can be reasonbly explained, so I understand where you are coming from.
First: your comment "In effect I have two 12 volts sitting side by side. " Takes away all my fun in saying how there are no six volt batteries in RV's. only 12 volt that are split in 2 for ease in handling.. Good thinking there sir, Treat each pair EXACTLY like a single 12 volt (Save you get to take them out one at a time when necesary).
2: Balancing is overrated. epically on the charger side.
Think about this. .Now if you have a big, and I MEAN BIG inverter, then it MIGHT suck enough current, fast enough, at max load, for balancing to be important.
But for the charger.. The wires linking the two 12 volt batteries are bigger than the wire linking them to the converter... Thus. don't worry about it.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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