Connecting 5 12v batteries in parallel

[paticus]

I’m looking at installing 4-5 BigBattery 12v 170ah batteries in parallel on a houseboat. The data sheet states you can connect up to 8, but to ensure they stay within 1 volt of each other.

I hear a lot of conflicting things about connecting more than 2-3 batteries in parallel. Any advice? Is there something I should use to manage this many batteries in parallel?

BTW these batteries seem well reviewed, and are a great price right now, so I get a lot of Ah for my $. Which is why I am considering this config.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Link #6 in my signature. Around page 18.

4-5 should be fine.

The 1V is to prevent surges between them when connecting in parallel. You can trigger short circuit protection if the voltages are too far off.

 

[Rocketman]

The best way to connect is:
You want to connect each battery up to a bus bar with equal length & size battery cables. (For example - all cables are 36” and 2 awg copper - - 5 red & 5 black).

Use a very high quality bus bar. Look at the Victron PowerIn / BlueSea, etc. (make sure it is covered).

Charge each battery to full - let them all rest for a while - then connect them together.

Once every _____ - get a DDM (digital multimeter) out and verify your voltages on each battery are the same. I would want Bluetooth so I could easily see how each battery was performing.

Good Luck