Paralleling Battery Banks [RE-wrenches]

[Hugh Piggott]

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At 8:50 am -0800 30/12/06, Kurt Albershardt wrote:

>If possible, put a suitably rated fuse on each battery bank (ideally 
>as close to the battery as possible) to protect the battery cables. 
>This will prevent a short in one battery pack from taking down they 
>system and/or damaging the other battery bank.  If you use pull out 
>fuse holders, it will also facilitate battery maintenance.
>
>

Take care that pulling a fuse will not leave the charging sources 
connected to the inverter and controls without any battery.  I would 
use a separate fuse(s) for any charging sources, so that this is not 
possible.  A wind or hydro turbine that shares a fuse with the 
inverter can be a source of dangerously high voltage if the fuse is 
pulled.  Charge controllers may or may not be able to deal with the 
turbine output in the absence of batteries.  I am not sure about PV 
but I would imagine that the same problem would arise to a lesser 
extent (lower open circuit voltage).

I guess if you put a separate inverter fuse on each battery string, 
then you need multiple fuses for the charging sources as well.  Or 
else place a conspicuous sign indicating the dangers of pulling out 
all the battery fuses.
-- 
Hugh

Scoraig Wind Electric
http://www.scoraigwind.co.uk/


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