[RE-wrenches] Strings and series of batteries

[Hugh]

Tom,

Sorry, I failed to write clearly. I was not talking about bus bars in 
this sentence.  I meant to say that I 'daisy chain' links from one 
string to the next.  I parallel them by connecting A to B, B to C, C 
to D.  Then I connect positive of A to the inverter, and negative of 
D to the inverter.  In this way the connections are all balanced 
without the use of a bus bar.  You can connect the positive of D to 
the wind turbine (and the negative of A) to reduce the danger of a 
direct connection without batteries.

If a battery is well charged I see no problem with parallel strings. 
As it gets older then you do need to monitor the individual 
cells/units for failures and take action.  Standard smaller sized 
units are easier to re-group, and if desired to replace.

Tom wrote:

>"If you connect links  between all of the positives, and links 
>between all of the negatives,
>to parallel the battery, then the only issue is where you connect 
>the charge source and/or inverter."
>
>Hugh,
>
>The connection is very easy, if you look at the photos on the page I 
>linked to the connections to the inverter breaker (which is where I 
>also connected the charge source) come off the bus bars.  It's 
>actually a very simple installation and I found it much easier and 
>safer to work on that a large series/parallel bank of L-16s, which 
>was what my first bank in that system consisted off and it turned 
>out to be a mess (designed and the components built by Jade 
>Mountain...)
>
>Tom
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------
>From: "Hugh" <hugh at scoraigwind.co.uk>
>Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 8:30 AM
>To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Strings and series of batteries
>
>>Just for a contrasting opinion:
>>
>>I rarely use grease or vaseline unless it proves necessary.  I have
>>changed out battery banks after seven years and the connectors are
>>still pristine whilst dry.  I agree that sometimes there will be
>>localised corrosion on battery terminals.  I find it rarely, and I
>>deal with it as and when.  I might use vaseline then.  Or spray on
>>some oil.  Not a big deal to be honest.  The contact resistance is
>>not affected by corrosion on the outside.  Probably due to some
>>moisture arriving on the terminal?  But vaseline/grease attracts
>>dust, makes a big mess and mess is not nice around batteries.
>>
>>Bus bars sound great, but what a hassle.  If you connect links
>>between all of the positives, and links between all of the negatives,
>>to parallel the battery, then the only issue is where you connect the
>>charge source and/or inverter.  I have learned to connect them at
>>opposite ends of the parallel links.  'Diagonally opposite' you could
>>call it.  In this way the resistance is identical to each string.
>>One string has a direct connection to plus.  One has a direct
>>connection to minus.  All have equal number of links between them and
>>the inverter.  If there is a wind turbine then I will often connect
>>this to two corners and the inverter to the opposite two corners,
>>making it very difficult to (both) disconnect the battery and (also)
>>leave the wind turbine connected to the inverter.  This probably has
>>saved a few inverters from instant death due to carelessness.
>>--
>>Hugh Piggott
>>
>>Scoraig Wind Electric
>>Scotland
>>http://www.scoraigwind.co.uk
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-- 
Hugh Piggott

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