Best Battery Wiring Diagram

[wagwar]

I need some help digramming the best way to wire my new batteries.

I'm installing six new DEKA AGM 8D deep cycles in my bus. They're going in the old evaporator location in front of the front bay behind the fuel tank (MC 9). I have to 'stack' them 2 high and 3 across. I'm willing to buy new cables if needed, but I want to be sure I've connected this set the best way for keeping the bank balanced and charged. Here's what I need to include:
24 vdc + out to Trace 4024; 24vdc + in from solenoid to bridge the house bank and the coach bank; a 12 volt center tap; a common ground for Trimetric shunt.

The Trace inverter, Sure Power Equalizer (12 volt center tap), coach bank are all within 6' - 8' of each other so cable runs are not too long.

[chrome dome]

Go to Seans website /blog. he has a great diagram there of how he did his that might work for you.
OurOdyssey.com
Dave5Cs

[Sean]

Dave might be talking about this diagram:



which is the latest battery layout on our coach (the one on the photo site is slightly different but still works).  This is from one of my battery blog posts:
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com/2011/07/assault-by-battery.html

For your application, just remove one battery from each half, say numbers 2 and 6.  Ignore the weird cable routing, which has to do with my bay layout.

In an earlier post, I talked about the economics of battery banks:
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com/2011/07/about-those-batteries.html

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[buswarrior]

That's a diagram!

Note the principle applied to where on the set to connect the feeds out to the equipment.

There are no shortcuts for the electrons, the power has to pass through/past all 8 batteries.

Big mistake people make is unwittingly leaving some part of the bank orphaned by creating shorter paths for the electrons to follow. And orphans die an early death, then kill the rest of the bank.

You just need to try in your mind to ignore the two mentioned by Sean, and try to draw it up with the batteries arranged on paper like they will be in your new trays, and post it back for us to see!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[belfert]

What I did with my house batteries is to use identical length cables for all batteries.  I ran all of the negatives to a bus bar and all of the positives to another bus bar.  By doing it this way I should charge and discharge each battery the same.

[Oonrahnjay]

  What I did with my house batteries is to use identical length cables for all batteries.  I ran all of the negatives to a bus bar and all of the positives to another bus bar.  By doing it this way I should charge and discharge each battery the same. 

     That's good, but I think you should still do the "one end with the positive lead and the other end with the negative".   Like BW said about the orphans ... all it takes is a little more resistance (or, probably more correctly, a little more *unbalanced* resistance) and you're there.

[wagwar]

Thanks!  I'll see what I can come up with based on Sean's diagram. I'll post it later.

[chrome dome]

If anyone needs a good converter table, site for NEWTON METERS to FOOT LBS. Click below

Dave5Cs

http://www.aqua-calc.com/convert/torque/pound-force-foot-to-newton-meter

[Sean]

If anyone needs a good converter table, site for NEWTON METERS to FOOT LBS. ...

For anyone wondering, this seeming non-sequitur actually refers to a part of the post I linked above, wherein the Trojan pamphlet had the tightening torque for the battery studs printed incorrectly.

That said, Google will actually convert any unit to any other compatible unit, so if you are OK using Google, there is never a need for these kinds of conversion web sites.  Just go to Google and type, for example, "60 mph in furlongs per fortnight" or "1500 watts in btu per hour" to have your units converted.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[chrome dome]

And that is what I did and that site was one that came up. Some people like to do the math mayhaps and there are a lot of sites that are not necessary but some choose to view them. Just saying and trying to be helpful.

Dave

[Sean]

.. Just saying and trying to be helpful.

Sorry, Dave, was not trying to say you weren't or to minimize that site, which is a fine way to do it.  Just adding another tool... since Google will convert any units, not just the dozen or so that most of these purpose-built sites do.  Also, many will find Google easier to remember.

Some folks prefer to avoid Google and its all-encompassing tracking of everything you do, so it is good there are still other tools out there.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[chrome dome]

No Worries Sean, I know what you mean. Lots of times I tell people with Google just put in what you want to know. Write a sentence and it will give you an answer. As far as being tracked even when they check don't track me they still do. It is the way of the world today!...

Sean we were in your neighborhood this last Friday. The wife was having her foot reattached at the Sutter surgery center on Roland Blvd in Novato, it went well. Stayed at the north Bay Oaks great Western in Marin(nice place) After and went home the next day.

Dave5Cs

[wagwar]

Thanks for all of your responses. Here's what I have come up with. Your comments are appreciated. I apologize for the 'rough' diagramming.

[chrome dome]

Jim I may be wrong but I don't think you need 500 Amp fuse and shunt. You could probably get by with 300 to 350Amp. You want it to blow if needed before you burn up all your wiring and or equipment. other's can confirm or disagree.

Dave5Cs

[wagwar]

Dave,

Thanks for your help! Those two items are already installed in the system. They were recommended by folks on this forum. The inverter could, at times, pull a lot of amps running two rooftop A/C units and other items. Although I'm sure you're right it won't ever pull 500 A. The shunt is for the Trimetric Battery Monitor and it was the one recommended by Bogart Eng.

I'm picking up the big 8D's this week and I wanted to be sure I had a good plan for making all of the connections.