Which Comes First? Series or Parallel When Wiring Batteries

[@michaelclarke9225]

Hi Jeff, I do know my way around batteries wiring but still watched your video in case there was anything new to learn. You were either an Army Instructor or very good teacher (smile), your presentation was simple, direct, to the point and well informed, no unnecessary chatter and waffle. Your video was one of the best I have seen on UTube. Well done.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks. lol i was a training for a company i worked for many years ago. glad it was helpful.

[@erskinecutting4645]

q

[@boscodog4358]

Amen to that Good instructions

[@critterscropscuisine2886]

From a former naval electronics technician, I can say with most certainty that your method of series first will shorten the life of your batteries. When you connect the batteries in parallel first, up to your desired amperage, the batteries will equalize much better than when they are connected in series. This alone will extend the life of the array. In addition, the charge rates are better when the batteries are connected in parallel first, which also will extend the battery life.

[@benkanobe7500]

And the science behind what you say is?????

[@critterscropscuisine2886]

@@benkanobe7500 , Not sure why the 5 question marks, but I will assume that means that you don't believe this. Just try it. Connect some batteries both ways. See which ones balance quicker (quicker balance = less stress on the array). They also charge faster, meaning they spend less time in a low state of charge (charge cycles are the definition of battery life). An ounce of experience is worth volumes of science. Keep in mind that electricity flows through batteries connected in parallel the same as it would through a single battery. It really can't tell the difference. However, it has to travel further through batteries connected in series. It can tell the difference there.

[@haus_of_wisdom]

You seem to know more.....can we talk?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

interesting this was info i got from a solar company.

[@critterscropscuisine2886]

​@@gjertson1 While this doesn't explain the science behind it, it does show the importance of using a BMS system with LiFePo4 batteries. Although it is vitally important to use a BMS no matter your battery connection scheme. Also, this manual tries to steer people away from parallel strings. Exactly my point - parallel connect only up to the desired Amps, then series up to the desired voltage. You can't have anything but the smallest system without connecting batteries in parallel.

[@koogmo]

I was never quite clear on how to wire batteries in series or in parallel. Your video makes it much easier to understand now. Thanks!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

awesome. I was couldn't remember how so I thought if I needed a little help maybe someone else does too. cool. thanks for watching

[@abdulhadikurd3513]

@@ArizonaHotHomestead can I connect two 12v 180 ah in parallel with one 12v 180 ah in series?

[@cndbrn7975]

Hey thanks, the clearest explanation i've seen ..

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

sweet. thanks for watching. have a great day

[@winstonsmiths2449]

Been looking for this type of video for days, and it shows up in recommendations! I saw a video where they connected the load/charging terminals from other than the opposite end terminals. He mentioned something about batteries being discharged and charged equally.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

the way it was explained to me was once you connect the batteries it becomes one. inside a battery is many batteries (cells) . a battery only has 1 pos and 1 neg so once connected you have 1 of each and go with it.. that should help keep the batteries equally charged however you will always have some cells over time that go bad. keep the water level up on all cells.

[@SeaScoutDan]

10:30 I did not have a fuse or breaker between battery and inveter. Inverter failed and pulled a bunch of current. So much current the battery terminals melted, so when pulled up on battery cable, broke the circuit ( and the battery ). Close call. We now have a 100 amp fuse now between the 1,000 watt inveterter and the 12 battery.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

you really should have a fuse or breaker between each component. .

[@missingMBR]

every conductor (wire) should have a fuse, and that fuse should be rated at between 125% times the appliance current rating (minimum fuse rating), and the maximum ampacity of the wire (maximum fuse rating).

[@ChrisDIYerOklahoma]

I use heavy duty marine grade Blue Sea Systems buss bars in my 24v series-series-parallel battery configuration (15 kWh battery bank). No issues.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

those are awesome. i use a blue sea battery switch. to control power near the rv.

[@jameshuynh5436]

Can you help me how to wire parallel 10 batteries for even charge and discharge?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

line them up pos to pos and neg to neg. the first battery in your line is the positive term for loads and charging the last battery in your line is the negative term for loads and charging

[@azgridfree186]

Excellent description Jeff! I gotta tell ya. every time I see a description on wiring up batteries, I soak it up like a sponge. Thanks so much for going into detail on this process. I definitely plan on installing solar up on the property and your help is invaluable! Nice job!!!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks sir. are you going to checkout alternative energy on your way to the property? they are on the 61 as you head towards concho across the street from the 'rain gutter and water tank' place. tell Larry i referred you . it wont help you with saving money but larry is an awesome guy.

[@azgridfree186]

Most definitely. I'll get them on my 'to-do' list. Solar is definitely in my future but until then, I'll be using a combination of SunJack portable solar, a 2200 watt Ryobi generator and good old, tried and true Dietz Lanterns. One thing I'm definitely interested in rolling out soon is the cinders you had delivered. Did you pick them up from that quarry right on the 61?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

yea the pit there his name is Corky.

[@simplyblessedrvlife9067]

Would this be the same diagram using (12) lithium 100ah 12 volt batteries for a 24 volt system ?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

yes. some lithium batteries can not be put in parallel so make sure yours are ok for parallel.

[@hemiandreassend3848]

Hi what are the pro’s and con’s to wiring in series/parallel?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

no pros and cons it more about what you want the batteries to be. SIV. series increase volts.... PIA Parallel increase amps.... to get the total volts you wire in series and based on your number of batteries you wire the rest in parallel.

[@RovanRCTube]

I highly recommend using battery balancer between each battery. addition to your main wiring. Usually they will support batteries each. Also you can use optional voltages from your battery series. For instance I have 48 volt series and run 24v devices by connecting to start and stop on 4 out of the 6 volt batteries out of 8. The battery balances will balance them back out. You need to make sure you use diodes between batteries and equipment to stop any back-feed damage or drainage of batteries.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

some battery charges can equalize the batteries. which should be done monthly. i do that with mine.

[@Broxine]

if i have 4 x 12V batteries and want to do a 24V system, is it better to hook them up into: 2 in series + 2 in series and those in paralel or 2 parallel + 2 parallel and those in series ? as allways there are folks that say the first is better and other say the latter is better ...

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

connect 2 in series giving you 2 sets 24v each new battery bank set. look at it now as you no longer have 4 batteries but now have 2 batteries 24v each. connect them in parallel giving you now 1 big battery 24v and you doubled the amps. hope that helps.

[@Broxine]

ArizonaHotHomestead yes, but is there NO pros and cons of the two kinds of connection like i described them? Its a totally different connection of batterys

[@zachstroupe7393]

Great video! How would you connect a bms to this 4s3p setup?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

dont know . i have never used a bms .

[@missingMBR]

You'd need a BMS per string, which is why we wire batteries in parallel first when dealing with lithium cells.

[@cedrickmichaelinganji4822]

U r awesome Just got what I wanted without someone fighting with his camera Thanks

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

lol . i dont know about the awesome things but thanks. lol

[@marktheunitedstatescitezen185]

If each bank is 12.8v’s linked like this for a total of 48v can I use a 12v charger per 12.8v series to charge ? Or is it once all linked together it’s 48v ? Or can I use a Gm High Amp alternator 12v to charge 4 PCs 3.2v batteries in series = 12.8v & 10.4v is the 1.6v not to drop below I’m sure the alternator will start charging some where around 11v ‘s can I do this you think or once I connect all the batteries they all will be at 48v ?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

i dont know anything about lithiums but i heard you never want to wire them up in series. they have a battery management system built in (bms) so if you put to many volts in it they may explode or catch on fire. better get with someone who knows lithiums.

[@sohailjanjua123]

Hi, I like your lecture. Thanks

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks. have a great day

[@WoodmanFFM]

How do you deal with drift of the individual batteries when wiring series first? You would need an individual BMS (with balancer) for each string of batteries, right?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

dont know about drift. the charge controller should have the ability to equilize the batteries. the key is to not have a load drawing anything while equalizing and you should equalize for at least 5 hours. using a balancer does the same .

[@jameshuynh5436]

Instead one long string 10 batteries in parallel 1 end POS. other end NEG Can I do combine 2 sets of 5 batteries in parallel so it can be less resistant

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

and wire those 2 sets of 5 batteries in series ? if so thats fine series increase volts. parallel increase amps.

[@jameshuynh5436]

@@ArizonaHotHomestead What is the good choice with less restrictions and well balances ( connect 2 set off 5 batteries in parallel ) ( connect 1 long set off 10 batteries in parallel)

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

@@jameshuynh5436 what volts are you going to run? a 24v system is more efficient then a 12v. but if you have small loads running off of it maybe a 12v works better. i like the idea of higher volts (series)

[@harrychadwickchadwick9742]

hi just one question what size charge controller and can you run a 12V inverter on your battery bank ... thankyou

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

12v inverter can only be run on a 12v battery bank. size of charge controller depends on your solar panels. how many amps coming in? if you have total of 10 amps from solar panels you want 20 amps controller. this prevents any slight increase from panels from burning up the controller.

[@RedArrowTinker]

Great video, Jeff. This is good information, and something more and more folks need to know as solar power becomes more common. Thanks for sharing!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

you betcha. thanks for watching.

[@fourzerofour7860]

Which comes first? It really depends on the type of battery cells, use case, and materials, as well as 'what's easier?'. Generally, we wire series first when using lead acid batteries (like golf cart batteries), and then put those 'higher voltage batteries' we made in parallel. This is to make sure that we don't have to deal with multiples of the 'parallel problem' as I call it, where your resistance is higher / lower for some of your batteries than others, over the wiring. (This is a good read: www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html ) If you only have one 'set' of paralleled batteries, you'll only have to deal with this 'problem' once. If you had 2 sets of parallel in a series, essentially you'd then need to deal with the issue twice. Not the biggest deal but, it's definitely worth considering. Just to add a contrary example, if you've seen jehugarcia's channel, where he makes some batteries for his EV (electric vehicle) out of old laptop battery cells (18650 batteries), essentially he's wiring them in parallel first, and those packs go into a series then. (Which I think are paralleled with other series of packs... I forget how his EV is wired exactly.)

[@AJ-ds9xq]

Four ZeroFour web address you provided not working buddy.

[@fourzerofour7860]

Seems that KZbin decided the ')' was part of the URL. -_- Should be fixed now.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

..

[@thefirewooddoctor]

A few quick questions: Why wire up in parallel to get 24V i stead of 12V? And for a person just starting out with very low electrical needs, start with a few 12V batteries wired in parallel, then switch over to a bigger 6V in series to get a 24V battery bank when the 12V batteries die? Is there a cost difference between a 12V inverter and the 24V inverter in price?

[@thefirewooddoctor]

By the way, saved this video to a playlist to make it easy to find.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

great question. most of the time if you can go with a 24v system its a little more efficient. for smaller systems 12v is perfectly fine. to get started doing 12v batteries wired in parallel is fine with a 12v inverter. once you decide to increase the capacity size of your system it might be good to go with 24v. price in inverter difference not sure. when I bought mine I looked at the same brand samlex and looked at the specifics (stats sheet) for each one found the 24v was more efficient so that's what I went with. also to consider if you are going to have 12v lines running for over 60 feet or so you might have loss in power and not enough to power run your 12v devices. I ran 24v 70feet used a step down to 12v so my 12v line is running no more than 30 ft using 6 gauge to run the 24v, and 6 for the 12v line then drop the line down to 10 gauge to run the lights and other stuff. does that help?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

nice

[@thefirewooddoctor]

ArizonaHotHomestead My plan is to have the battery box and inverter as close to each other as I can get. What are your thoughts on a closed in and weather-proofed battery box on my cabin porch that also serves as a sitting bench?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

absolutely perfect idea. in fact the solar folks I bought by stuff from has their batteries in a box on the porch of their portable building. they use 2 car taillight bulbs (12v) on opposite ends to heat the box during winter .

[@immrnoidall]

there is a battery balancer for lead acid batteries ,on ebay . cheap way to extend their life. they come in 2 x 12, 3 x 12, 4 x 12. i have not seen one for 6 volts . but i'm sure they exist.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks for the info.

[@2Truth4Liberty]

Yes, battery clustering needs balance due to variance in voltage, charge, and resistance. A balancer can greatly extend the life of the batteries.

[@ghulamfaqiri181]

Is there any way to control to stop battery or batteries discharging before it ( they) are getting 50% downloads automatically ? I appreciate your help.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

my inverter has a low voltage shut off . havent looked into one for dc only but you can put an inline volt meter and use a main breaker so you can look at it often and when volts get low you can trip the breaker cutting the power saving your batteries.

[@chanceisom]

Great presentation, very easy to follow your commentary. Concise!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks. i was hoping to make it simple

[@chuksohacheni6384]

So what's the voltage of the three series combined

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

batteries wired in series increase volts (SIV) amps stay the same. Parallel increase amps (PIA) volts stay the same. always use all batteries with same amps and volts. .

[@taurustodd9112]

Dude, Could 4 12v deep cycle gel ( 6-GFM-100 ) 100ah 30a batteries wired in series for a 48v bank connected to a 48v 5kwh MPPT charge Controller Inverter, & a 4S4P array ( 2 x 360w panels series connection; x 4 ( 4S4P) ) producing a total of 2880w, 400v, & 60a work ?without harming the batteries, or anything else? Thanks if You have time to reply. Dig the vids btw.., thx a lot for them.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

i am no expert. it sounds like you have an all in one inverter charger. look at the pv input for that component if 3000 or more you within specs. check the input volts or pv volts is it within range. if so it will work. most all in ones are up to 250 volts or 150 v. . check your specs

[@taurustodd9112]

@@ArizonaHotHomestead 200. I got it going. Thx Dude.4s1p

[@garylamb7688]

How about your solar panels? I understand the smaller battery issue but I don’t understand the solar issue. Why nit in parallel? Batteries are like Christmas lights one goes out and the strand is dead. I see some wiring panels in series does that work the same ? Thanks

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

solar panels wire to increase volts (series) the reason is high volts travel a distance will have less loss in volts. it travels better at higher volts compared to lower volt like 24v. plus high amps will kill so keep the high amps at the battery level. does that help.

[@garylamb7688]

Thanks it does

[@Mandalaman]

nice video! bluesea makes larg busbars. I have my batteries wired up to the large busbars exactly like you explain in the video.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

nice. i didnt look into the large bus bars yet but i think some day i will have to rewire . actually you kind of help inspire me to do this video. . i take it your system is going well?

[@Mandalaman]

thats great to hear. this was something that I wondered about quite a lot before wiring my batteries. Yeah all is going really well thanks. batteries are running great. next projects are mid point fusing of each string with hrc fuses and cleaning up all the stragely cables with some gutters. thanks!

[@ellissmithjr6599]

I have watched several videos,just as this one none of them has explained why you have both series and parallel together...What is the point? I plan to use all 12V batteries in Parallel that wil still give me 12V but alot more amps in running time. So...why are you using both series and parallel?...what is te benefit in that?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

If you want to increase your volt to 24 or 48. Depending how large your system is higher voltage is more efficient. Series increase volts. Example if you want to run multiple things that requires lots of watts like 6000 watts you want to use 48v .

[@ellissmithjr6599]

@@ArizonaHotHomestead Huh?...im not sure that is a good reason. Have 4 - 125 Amp 12V Batteries on a Parallel system that is a total of 6000 Watts. I dont have a camper or an RV,they are for my house during power outages after bad storms or huricane season. The house runs on a Parallel system but what you do may be for something else. Solar would be pointless during storms of hurricanes,there is no sunlight.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

Example when I invert to 120v to run ac, washing machine, etc the inverters that are available may not handle the watts being used at 12v but if I wire battery to make 24v system I can use a more efficient n an inverter that can handle more watts. Small systems 12v is perfect but larger you go the higher volts is more efficient

[@ellissmithjr6599]

@@ArizonaHotHomestead AC's are not on 120 but I think I get what you are saying. series may do better with AC's...Range Stoves...Dryers...Hot Water Heaters 🤔👍ok.

[@michaelagnew7825]

Theres some controversy re parallel vs series ie connecting 3 batteries in parallel (your diagram) the main problem with parallel first is that they will act as a single cell (12v) therefore a BMS cannot monitor the whole system and will only monitor a single cell. I agree with your system.... well done for all the hard work.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

true and the system is only as good as the weakest cell.

[@missingMBR]

If wired in parallel first, the BMS sees each parallel pack as a single cell. If we look at the fundamentals of a BMS, it's essentially a voltage sensitive switch that can balance voltage between cells. When matched cells are wired in parallel, the voltage doesn't change, and the cells naturally balance between each other. To the BMS, multiple cells in parallel just looks like a single cell. This is why, if using a BMS, you'd wire in parallel first, then series. If you chose series first, then you'll be using a BMS for each series string, and in the case of this video, 3 BMS's.

[@echo-_-radio]

Thank you very much for your information... very help full. 😎

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

nice. glad it was helpful

[@michaelthomas3105]

Hi nice video. Just how bad the losses / imbalance could be with batteries wired in parallel is shown on the Smartgauge website. Just taking the inverter from different batteries 'on the diagonal' makes a huge improvement.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

interesting info

[@asf130thecompany7]

I wasn't thinking about the breaker fuse thing at all... Thanks really might saved few apparatus :) from my set

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

any time. think breakers protects components so between everything might be over kill but a great way to protect your components from being killed.

[@primadonnagoingoffgrid4313]

Really good info! Love the abbreviations!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks. it helps me to keep this straight. lol

[@surenbono6063]

4s3p....but can i connect the middle 2 battery in parallel to...?...is it save theoretically..?..and is it save to tap inbetween those connection to get different values of voltage and ampereges..?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

no you will create a short. i talked the solar folks with alternative energy discount where i purchased my solar and wiring different ways and they said you will short out the batteries causing them to not charge or discharge equally weakening the system faster plus a risk of heating up the batteries until they explode.

[@alunwilliams4970]

I have 4 x 12v 12ah batteries. Can I get 48v 24ah out of them?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

to get 48v you have to wire in series 4 12v batteries . series increase volts. parallel increase amps. 48v at 12ah.

[@PAFloridian]

I have a small battery backup bank consisting of two 6v golf cart batteries. Would I place then in series? POS to Neg?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

+The OS series increase volts (siv) if you want 12v . Wire battery 1 neg to batt 2 pos. Bat 1 pos will become your main pos with Batt 2 neg your main neg

[@PAFloridian]

Thank you

[@josepeixoto3715]

It does not matter, series first or last, same end power; to me, the IMPORTANT thing is to MATCH voltages (between solar panels, MPPT, batteries).

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

yes. matching is the most important.

[@thearkprojecthomelessshelt6576]

Hi can you help me ? I have 8 x12v I need to wire up to make 24v max amps to power the inverter Can you draw me a diagram please mate

[@ashforkdan]

Make two twelve volt banks in series and then connect them in parallel.

[@fullvegan]

@@ashforkdan actually it would be best to make four 24 volt banks (two batteries in series for each bank) then parallel the 4 banks. You could also make two 12 volt banks with 4 batteries each in parallel then series them to get 24 volts.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

.

[@bbulliard]

fascinating! I didnt know you could hook up batteries in both parallel AND serial. I assume total output would be equal to 24 volts and the sum of all amps in all the batteries? and you are an expert! in knowledge and as a teacher! great video and truly interesting!!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

expert at nothing. lol. i learn from others. key is to remember series increase volts SIV..... parallel increase amps PIA....

[@andrewboss4942]

I'm looking to make 84v 50a batteries out of 12v20a so 9 batterys can you send me a diagram. ?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

why 84V. need even number of batteries plus you can do 20a, 40a or 60 but not 50. . wire 7 batteries in parallel to get 84v 20a.

[@GravelGuerrilla]

Fantastic job mate

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

gee thanks.

[@amar036]

How to charge the battery for fast charge in series and plear

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

i dont think about charging the batteries fast charge. i look at it as it charges based on my panels and my charge controller.

[@amar036]

@@ArizonaHotHomestead ok

[@PA96704]

Nice very clear with acronyms.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks. it sure helps me

[@maehay4065]

Jeff you are a handy guy to learn from and you explain things so it's not so complicated that the average person like myself can understand fairly well. I am generally teachable but I might need flash cards to actually try this on my own!!! My problem lies in not knowing wire gauges and what size I would work for certain applications. You did give a couple of examples that helps understand what works with matching up with wiring/connecting to the inverters.👍😍👍 You seem to be adjusting to living off the grid very well! Jeff are meeting your your neighbors where you live did you already know some folks when you moved off grid? AND SHOULD I PUT MY QUESTIONS IN ALL CAPS LIKE SOME PEOPLE PREFER WHEN THEY DO WITH LIVE STREAMING.?? THANK YOU 😊

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

lol put your questions anyway you wish. getting to know the neighbors is coming along. becomes a network know one person they introduce you to another. having a good relationship with larry and Daryl with Alternative Energy Discount our local non profit solar guys has been great. i use them as my go to. thanks for the kind words . i try to explain things so the avg person understands. wire gauges is actually intimidating at first. think this. its ok to go big as long as it fits/connects to what ever your connecting them to. like the inverter going with 4/00 is big welding cable but works. maybe 2/00 on bigger systems. enjoy your day.

[@kusnezoff8705]

this depends on what you are using for batteries. if you are using 3.2volt battery cells then you wire parallel first. the example is putting together 3.2v x 200AH cells in parallel to create a 3.2 volt x 600AH unit. then you put these units together in series putting 8 of them together creating a 25.6 volt x 600AH battery bank giving you a total of just over 15 K/WH of power this way you have a battery bank that can be balanced easily and you won't end up with a run away cell that may explode or cause other cells to drain improperly and destroy your battery bank. the reason so many people have been doing it backwards is because they have been using 12 volt lead acid batteries which are the worst thing you can use for a battery bank. they charge poorly and let go of their power poorly as well. lead acid is a horrible battery to use when you are making a battery bank and are very expensive in the long run where as Lifepo4 batteries are very cheap in the long run lasting as long as your solar panels if you take care of the wire them correctly and don't over drain or over charge the during the years. so wiring in series parallel is backwards when using cells and not batteries. a cell is a power box that has a small amount of power like 2 volts or 3.2 volts and is not a battery but a power cell. you put the power cells together parallel series and you will end up with a long life battery bank.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

good info

[@philstat100]

Thank You for the great video and information. You may not be an expert, But1 You teach a lot. Could You tell me the name of your video about grounding the system? Again Thank You.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

sure. here is the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ-2eZWOh8-Eqbs

[@marktheunitedstatescitezen185]

48v battery bank 15 batteries 3.2v lithium phosphate, 13 batteries 280Ah & 3 batteries are 200Ah still 3.2v so what I did was 2 rows of 7 Batteries each are in Series in the middle I have 2 batteries in parallel 3.2v each battery is 200Ah x 2 because in parallel so there 400Ah in the middle of the 280Ah batteries and down One side I have a 200Ah battery also and I know the higher Ah battery will work easier and make the 280Ah batteries work more what do you think about me wiring the other 200Ah battery in Parallel which will be 400Ah

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

i dont know anything about lithiums but i heard you never want to wire them up in series. they have a battery management system built in (bms) so if you put to many volts in it they may explode or catch on fire. better get with someone who knows lithiums.

[@ashforkdan]

Should explain that when you increase the voltage it doesn't increase the amps. They stay the same. But you do increase the capacity of your amp hrs.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

siv and pia..... series increase volts, parallel increase amps.

[@sabinealexander2773]

Excellent information!! Thanks so much!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

your welcome

[@jeepoyfernandez]

Thanks for that info.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

you bet have a great day

[@ashforkdan]

Instead of cables that corrode inside the sheathing and restricting amps try using copper or bronze flat stock about a quarter inch think one inch wide. And make your connections a buss bar. There is 0 resistance compared to cable.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks.

[@BrentCraig7]

Thank you for this video

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

you are welcome. hope it was helpful .have a great day

[@executie593]

Right series first so the amps will not add up remember that the higher amps will melt metal if you touch positive and negative terminals together if voltage adds up but the amps is low it will only tickles you.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

amps are the killer.

[@fredtelarico1816]

Really instructive video, thanks; it clarifies a couple of confusing issues. The question I can't seem to find the answer to is this, "if your solar panels are 12v and your batteries are 12v and your inverter is 12v, what is the purpose for wiring the system so the panels are 24v and the batteries are 24v"? Why not just hook everything in parallel and leave it all at 12v? Thanks

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

awesome question. it really depends on how big your system is going to be. if you are only running lights and a few other items going with 12v is perfect. however on larger solar panels like 260w they dont come in 12v or 24v just the 24v. which is fine the charge controller takes care of that. the key on 24v is with every connection/device/component/distance in feet you loose a little power and at 24v it more efficient than 12v. bottom line is small systems go 12v. large systems 24 or even 48 . on your 24v panels a charge controller can take the 24v down to the 12v limits if you have a 12v controller. . does that help?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

oh also if using an inverter depending again on size the efficiency of the inverter matters. for example if you may only use the inverter for 2 hrs a day a 12v maybe perfect. if you need a 2000w inverter for many hours go with 24v they are normally more efficient than a 12v inverter. . again hope this helps. great question

[@fredtelarico1816]

Thanks so much for the clarification; it makes perfect sense. I thought that was the reason but wasn't sure. I'm looking at putting together a small system with (8) 12v 100w Renogy panels to support a daily load of 2700whrs from (6) 12v 100ah AGMs using a 3000w 12v inverter. The runs are pretty short; 12' from array to controller; 6' from controller to batteries; 3' from batteries to inverter, using 4awg. I'm sure I'd get a little "pick up" configuring the 8 panels into 4 sets of of 24v and the 6 batteries into 3 sets of 24v, but I'm hoping with the relatively short runs, the improvement would be negligible, so I can just use the simpler 12v configuration. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks again.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

nice. remember ok to go big on the wire. that helps to prevent loss. sounds like you got a nice system

[@philstat100]

Back again: Never mind about your other video, I found it by accident. You are using a total of 24 batteries four in each set. 24 volts total in series for all three sets. then you run the parallel. pretend each battery has 50 amps each. would that now make the system 24 volts and 2oo amps? Please correct me if I am wrong. Again Thank You.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

right on. 4 batteries at 6v makes 24 volt bank (Series Increase Volt SIV). 4 banks of 24v at 50 amps each gives you 200 amps (Parallel Increase Amps PIA) . total of 24 batteries at 6v each.

[@karer-ggj4jbdfi6]

Peter From England, thanks for the information :-)

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

awesome and hello peter from england. glad to have you aboard.

[@justinorloff]

thanks were very helpful to me, appreciated..

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

anytime. glad it was helpful.

[@ExtremeEngineering]

thanks for share knowledge which you learn other great

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks for watching.

[@TheDentsRUs]

Hi great video, I disagree I think parallel first is better that way the batteries stay balance naturally specially Lithium batteries but this is just my opinion

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

my thought was do i wire parallel or series first? bottom line is it doesnt matter but my solar guys told me stay consistent and always wire series first.

[@russellk.bonney8534]

Why not connect all the three diagonals together in each vertical to maintain a better equalization? Not all of them together.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

from what i have been told you wont get better equalization. i am no expert but from what experts have told me this is proper.

[@russellk.bonney8534]

@@ArizonaHotHomestead I meant to say for a couple of days keeping an eye on things. I do get better equalization doing that but if you leave the straps on it will develop overall unequal affect and you will waste power, being used internally in the batteries forever striving to be equal. The problem you usually get with many batteries is that you often have to take cells or batteries out of the bank and charge them separately but if you connect the center runs while you do the equalization "overcharge" you can avoid that. LOL I found it really makes the cells/batteries all unequal TOGETHER and then they equalize together when connected back to normal with a normal charge discharge cycle. Just saying.

[@thesolarpowerinstallersass635]

very good information.....solar installer

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks so much.

[@iamulfr1965]

I'm homeless and live in a tent and even though I have a 5500 running watt generator it's not feasible to run it 24/7. The generator has 4 120v outlets and 1 120/240v 30 amp outlet. I don't have any solar panels. But I have 4 NorthStar NSB 170FT Silver Battery that capacity says 12V 170 ah C/10 to 1.80VPC @ 20°C(68°F) 12v 170ah C/8 to 1.75 @ 77°F (25°C) Terminal Torque 8.Nm/71 inch pounds. Float Voltage 2.29VPC @ 20°C (68°F) 2.27VPC @ 77°F (25°C) how you may recommend I wire up my batteries and generator so that the generator can be used to charge the batteries and the batteries power my campsite. I use 1 9 watt LED light bulb, a 1100watt microwave, a 1500 watt electric heater, my cell phone charger so 6watts. A 4 - 1/2" angle grinder that says 120v ,6amp, and a power drill that's the same 120v,6amp, mini tankless water heater 110v 3000watt 25 - 32A current (Amps), my water pump is 12vdc 8Amp max. It's winter so I'm won't be running the 5000 btu window ac unit. I have 4 12volt 170ah deep cell gas venting batteries. Any advice is greatly appreciated or links to point me in the right direction I'm thing a need to go all 4 in parallel keeping them at 12volts and just raising the amp hour capacity to 680ah or 8,160.00 watts if my math is correct. Thank you for the videos and all your research

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

wow you have lots of electric stuff. electric tankless water heater , window ac, by solar set up can only run a window ac for a few hours before the batteries are drained and i have more total amps. i have no idea how you are going to set all that up. sounds like your going to run the generator a lot. maybe a hybrid inverter charger to wire the 30amp generator into the inverter/charger but the inverter needs to be large enough to handle the water heater. electric heater use lots of power think of it 1500 for 6 hours at night only is 9kwatts. wow your batteries will last a few minutes. . not sure how to help you sounds like you have to much electric loads. try propane heaters and propane water heaters.

[@irate74]

So then how does the math go when trying figure out the addition of amps when adding batteries in parallel?

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

in parallel it increases amps. if wired in series it increases volts.

[@jimmurphy5355]

Series first is OK for lead acid batteries. This is NOT a general rule that applies to all types of batteries, and most definitely wrong if you are building up a battery from individual cells like the lithium iron phosphate cells that are the modern (and much superior) alternative to lead acid.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks for the info. i am no expert dont know anything about lithium.

[@FaithandActiondotnet]

Series/Parallel 101 ~ thx!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thank you.

[@fix-and-drive-diy-repairs]

Parallel first is better. I dismantled a tesla battery module. Parallel first.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

yes

[@philstat100]

Please allow me to ask you a real wild question. Could you connect your solar panels in series and parallel at the same time just like the batteries? I told You that it was wild.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

yes but think this you want the power to travel with high volts and low amps becus it travels the distance better to your charge controller.

[@d.kennedy7627]

Thank you so much.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

you betcha

[@cybercapri]

Basically Sizing Wiring is like Moving Traffic, anyone's that's been stuck in Morning or Evening RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, an Oxymoron BTW Nothing RUSHES during Rush Hour Traffic, knows what this is like and how much HEAT can be generated. The More Lanes there are, the more Vehicles can pass by each other just like Batteries, they have a lot of current that needs to Move, the Larger the Wire the More Current can move with Less Resistant and Less Heat. Of course this is just a simple analogy but it sums it up quickly for those that think using Speaking Wire on Batteries WORKS JUST FINE; sure if you're a Mowron that is... For those that don't know a Mowron is the King of Morons; just saying...

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

i like your analogy..

[@SibesoLizazi]

Parallel

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

i agree

[@jacoadambar]

Excellent!

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks

[@FirstLast-ml7yf]

Bad advice...you should series four parallel banks of 3..Bms balancing has 4 connectors..one for each parallel bank..

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

interesting i got this information from solar exchange in snowflake. maybe someone should tell them they are doing it wrong.

[@martynbenton3632]

Am still confused it is not clear so much waffle not clear to the lay man

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

what question do you have? series increase volts and series it wiring positive terminal of battery a to negative terminal of battery b continue for as many batteries you need for a 12v or 24v or 48v system. if you have other batteries you than parallel those to each other. battery bank a (12v) and other set of batteries bank b (12v) wire them postive terminal battery bank a to positive terminal battery bank b. do the same with negatives. . your positive on battery bank a is your main postive terminal where you hook up your inverter to or any dc loads. your battery bank b negative is your main negative where your inverter neg hooks up to and any negative dc loads.

[@Akhazmat907]

Series first parallel second. There saved you 13 mins. 14 years electrical exp

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

lol thats to simple. lol lets get wordy. lol

[@adnanshah7704]

What does AWG means

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

american wire gauge. lol i had to look it up. lol all i really know is its the gauge of the wire. the bigger the number the smaller the wire and less amps it can handle.

[@angelcsa46]

Perfect

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks. :)

[@kusnezoff8705]

stop using 12 volt batteries for your solar battery banks. they are horrible, cost too much in the long run, take too much time in maintenance and can blow up if you are not careful. use battery cells instead. 3.2volt Lifepo4 cells of whatever AH size you want. If you want a large battery bank then wire the Lifepo4 cells together in parallel series building your battery bank as large as you would like. I want to build my battery bank of 24.5K/WH of power. the DOD is 80% so I end up with 19.66K/WH of useable power for my offgrid home. If you want more power then just add another battery to each parallel unit and you will increase it by one third. The end result is a battery bank that can be balanced easily and never going out of balance giving you a battery bank that will last as long as your solar panels. don't over charge or over drain the battery bank and you will have 6000 cycles of the battries that I have for sale that come with a 10 year warranty. If you use lead acid batteries you are only going to get 5 maybe 6 years of life with lots of time in maintenance possible fires plus they do not charge very quickly and you can only go to 50%DOD at most in order to get 6 years of life from your battery bank. with the price of lead acid batteries and the weight etc you are looking at a lot of work and waste of funds when you could go with Lifepo4 batteries that are much lighter last much longer and are much much safer.

[@ArizonaHotHomestead]

thanks for the info