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1,000 AH 12v battery bank help

malomichael

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Mar 20, 2024
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9
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Lancaster,ca
I was able to purchase 10 12.8v 100ah lifepo4 batteries to swap out my old heavy power safe batteries. This is a 12v system for now will be switching to 48v later on but my question is what’s the most efficient way to wire this battery bank up in parallel. Also I am running 2 charge controllers so what would be the best way to hook them to the battery bank? I will attach a photo of how I have it wired up now. And last question is I have been fighting with the Renogy battery monitor, my charge controller reads about 14.2v but the monitor only reads about 13.2 so I am fighting to calibrate it, thank you D751D8F1-FB20-455E-8215-0E46BBEB3FF7.jpeg
 
I was able to purchase 10 12.8v 100ah lifepo4 batteries to swap out my old heavy power safe batteries. This is a 12v system for now will be switching to 48v later on but my question is what’s the most efficient way to wire this battery bank up in parallel. Also I am running 2 charge controllers so what would be the best way to hook them to the battery bank? I will attach a photo of how I have it wired up now. And last question is I have been fighting with the Renogy battery monitor, my charge controller reads about 14.2v but the monitor only reads about 13.2 so I am fighting to calibrate it, thank you

Paralleling 10 batteries is pretty much a nightmare. Check link #6 in my signature for parallel battery options. All in a line to bus bars would be preferred.

What you've proposed will work to get you 12V, but the batteries will not share current equally.

If the charge controller is charging, it's normal to show higher voltage due to wiring losses.

With the charge controller NOT supplying current, take and compare the following readings:

Charge controller reported voltage:
shunt reported voltage:
separate voltmeter measurement at battery terminals:
separate voltmeter measurement at charge controller battery connection terminals:
 
Paralleling 10 batteries is pretty much a nightmare. Check link #6 in my signature for parallel battery options. All in a line to bus bars would be preferred.

What you've proposed will work to get you 12V, but the batteries will not share current equally.

If the charge controller is charging, it's normal to show higher voltage due to wiring losses.

With the charge controller NOT supplying current, take and compare the following readings:

Charge controller reported voltage:
shunt reported voltage:
separate voltmeter measurement at battery terminals:
separate voltmeter measurement at charge controller battery connection terminals:
How do I check out that link?
 
Paralleling 10 batteries is pretty much a nightmare. Check link #6 in my signature for parallel battery options. All in a line to bus bars would be preferred.

What you've proposed will work to get you 12V, but the batteries will not share current equally.

If the charge controller is charging, it's normal to show higher voltage due to wiring losses.

With the charge controller NOT supplying current, take and compare the following readings:

Charge controller reported voltage:
shunt reported voltage:
separate voltmeter measurement at battery terminals:
separate voltmeter measurement at charge controller battery connection terminals:
You turn your phone sideways and/or enable signatures in your profile settings.
I found it thank you, one problem I have is my battery box is stopping me from running all the batteries in one line, what do you recommend? In your opinion what would be the most efficient way to run this system?
 
I found it thank you, one problem I have is my battery box is stopping me from running all the batteries in one line, what do you recommend? In your opinion what would be the most efficient way to run this system?

Do the best you can with the limitations you have and an understanding of how to do it right. Since going to 48V means you can only use 8 of those batteries, it might be cleaner to only use 8. You could parallel them like the Victron examples treating them as two separate banks in parallel:

1710991272030.png
 
Do the best you can with the limitations you have and an understanding of how to do it right. Since going to 48V means you can only use 8 of those batteries, it might be cleaner to only use 8. You could parallel them like the Victron examples treating them as two separate banks in parallel:

View attachment 203385
48v will be in near future will have to buy new inverter need to use current system for now
 
When switching to 48v, reconfigure them in series. Hook each charge controller to half of the battery bank for balanced charging. For the Renogy battery monitor, calibrate it to match your charge controller's reading. Adjust the monitor's settings until it shows the correct voltage.
 
View attachment 203393

You would attach the batteries to a small bus bar and then attach your chargers/loads to the bus bars. Something like:

View attachment 203395
View attachment 203393

You would attach the batteries to a small bus bar and then attach your chargers/loads to the bus bars. Something like:

View attachment 203393

You would attach the batteries to a small bus bar and then attach your chargers/loads to the bus bars. Something like:

Would adding the chargers like this be acceptable or just wire them to the bud bars like you mentioned
View attachment 203393

You would attach the batteries to a small bus bar and then attach your chargers/loads to the bus bars. Something like:

would wiring the chargers like this be acceptable or just wire them to bud bars like you mentioned
 

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Just a quick suggestion here, you have 10 batteries in parallel. That means you can draw around 1000amps from them like that (100amps each). when you switch to 48v you will be able to draw 200amps (100 from each parallel bank) 8 in parallel means 800amps.

Assumption is that your batteries have 100amp BMS in them.,

You will need beefy bus bars that can carry the current.

For the 1000amp configuration you are looking at pure copper bars 1.5in x 1/4in = 1200amps (20% safety margin)
For 1000amps in brass you need something like 1in x 7/8in ... or 1.5in x 5/8in.... = 1200amps

Those bus bars will be pretty expensive if you buy them pre-built, but you can order the copper and make your own without to much trouble for a lot less money.


Math behind that - width * height in millimeters * 4.97amps for copper or 2.1amps for brass --

NOTE - poor quality brass has less copper and costs less but the factor I've been using for it is only 1.2amps -- most vendors sell nickle plated brass because it is cheaper but if I were making my own I would stick to copper.


Switch to the 48v configuration now and you can reduce those sizes way down and save some $$.

Now for the suggestion - I woud put 125amp MRBF fuses and holders on the positive post of each of those batteries then a class T between the bus bar and the inverter. Size the class T to your expected load + 25%. And that connecting wire will also be sized the same way.

The MRBF fuses protect the batteries from each other if one goes nuts and dumps current. They also protect you from a short between bus bars as they would each blow in "short" order. pun intended. But seriously a dropped screwdriver at those currents could mean molten metal everywhere.

Beyond that rubber boots on all connections would be good unless the setup is in a sealed enclosed space. I think they are good everywhere but opinions vary.
 
Last edited:
I’ll
Just a quick suggestion here, you have 10 batteries in parallel. That means you can draw around 1000amps from them like that (100amps each). when you switch to 48v you will be able to draw 200amps (100 from each parallel bank) 8 in parallel means 800amps.

Assumption is that your batteries have 100amp BMS in them.,

You will need beefy bus bars that can carry the current.

For the 1000amp configuration you are looking at pure copper bars 1.5in x 1/4in = 1200amps (20% safety margin)
For 1000amps in brass you need something like 1in x 7/8in ... or 1.5in x 5/8in.... = 1200amps

Those bus bars will be pretty expensive if you buy them pre-built, but you can order the copper and make your own without to much trouble for a lot less money.


Math behind that - width * height in millimeters * 4.97amps for copper or 2.1amps for brass --

NOTE - poor quality brass has less copper and costs less but the factor I've been using for it is only 1.2amps -- most vendors sell nickle plated brass because it is cheaper but if I were making my own I would stick to copper.


Switch to the 48v configuration now and you can reduce those sizes way down and save some $$.

Now for the suggestion - I woud put 125amp MRBF fuses and holders on the positive post of each of those batteries then a class T between the bus bar and the inverter. Size the class T to your expected load + 25%. And that connecting wire will also be sized the same way.

The MRBF fuses protect the batteries from each other if one goes nuts and dumps current. They also protect you from a short between bus bars as they would each blow in "short" order. pun intended. But seriously a dropped screwdriver at those currents could mean molten metal everywhere.

Beyond that rubber boots on all connections would be good unless the setup is in a sealed enclosed space. I think they are good everywhere but opinions vary.
thank you for the info, I need to save up money to buy a 48v inverter and new 100a charge controller that will be about 2k so I am stuck with this set up for now
 
I’ll

thank you for the info, I need to save up money to buy a 48v inverter and new 100a charge controller that will be about 2k so I am stuck with this set up for now

Stuck with what you got is fine. We all wish we had infinite money to buy everything. Just make sure you are as safe as you can make it with what you got.

It is worth spending the bucks on the fuses for the battery posts to make them safe and you can keep them once you convert over. They will save your bacon from frying pretty much no matter what you do or what happens.

While you are saving - you need to also include 2 - 4 lead active balancers to keep the 12v batteries in each 48v string balanced. Otherwise they will drift apart and then you have to take them apart and fully charge each from time to time.
 
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