Really sorry about this..........Batteries again ! (1 Viewer)

[knokinonabit]

I thought I was all set to add a parallel battery to our MH and had all the info that I needed. So, I thought I would read through everything again just to make sure. Bugger !!!!!

Can someone please put me out of my misery and tell me why I should not connect a sealed battery to a non sealed battery ? Or even if I can !!!!

Please be gentle as I am on that steep learning curve (or is it a slippery slope ?).

 

[pappajohn]

do you mean a sealed (maintenance free) lead acid battery or something like an AGM type ?

 

[scotjimland]

In an ideal world to ensure best performance, best practice both should be the same age, type, size(ah) and make ..
It's like a farmer putting two horses between the shafts for ploughing, you wouldn't have a Shetland pony yoked to a Shire horse.. the small one would drag the big one down.

That said.. if you have already bought the second battery there is no danger in using it connected in parallel with the existing one provided it is not a GEL or AGM as they have a different charging regime .. so, not ideal but it may well perform quite adequately..

EDIT .. useful link with info

http://www.motts.org/second%20leisiure%20battery.htm

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[knokinonabit]

do you mean a sealed (maintenance free) lead acid battery or something like an AGM type ?

Sealed lead acid type.

 

[Reallyretired]

An ordinary sealed lead/acid battery should be no problem. I've always found it best to get the ones you can top up though, as on a constant float charge on EHU in the summer can lose water. The sealed ones are not really maintenance free, they may still need maintenance, its just that you can't do any :Sad:

 

[slobadoberbob]

I only recently changed my batteries

I had on my RV two unman sealed lead acid type batteries.. on constent EHU via my Sterling Pro-Combi Inverter / charger.. now they are in the workshop and checked now and then... still Ok...

I changed to two sealed lead acid batteries 100amps each Elecsol ... they come with a 5 year warranty.


If you look on the Sterling site he has some interesting comments about batteries in general, types and use.

It is not always practical to change both batteries at the same time.. but my understanding providing they were not miles apart in the amps you could marry them.


Bob

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[pappajohn]

providing all batteries are of the same type there should be no problem.

different ah rating of each battery is not an issue if connected in parallel.

your charger will only see one large battery, not two or three smaller ones.

a 75ah plus an 85ah plus a 110ah, connected in parallel, will total 270ah @ 12v......and that is what your charger will try to charge.......maybe take a while with a 15amp charger but it will get there.

so, differing ah rate is not an issue but condition can be......a worn out/failing battery will still be a worn out/failing battery when connected to a new one and will charge/discharge accordingly.

the same three connected in series will total 36volts and will only charge (with a 36v charger) to an average of of the three....... 91ah

 

[knokinonabit]

Thanks for all of the useful replies.

The main query that I have is about connecting batteries of different types.
ie, sealed with non sealed lead acid. If not, why not ?

Thanks again :thumb:

 

[hilldweller]

Thanks for all of the useful replies.

The main query that I have is about connecting batteries of different types.
ie, sealed with non sealed lead acid. If not, why not ?

Thanks again :thumb:

And one answer said "do it". Make sure you have a fuse right next to each battery +.

If it fails it the worst is one battery dies early. Not the end of the universe.

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[Reallyretired]

Thought we had answered this. No problem with connection of sealed and non-sealed batteries. The problems occur if you want to connect gel batteries with ordinary ones, as gel batteries need to be charged slower.

 

[knokinonabit]

Thought we had answered this. No problem with connection of sealed and non-sealed batteries. The problems occur if you want to connect gel batteries with ordinary ones, as gel batteries need to be charged slower.

You had.

I was trying to say what my original query had been as there had been some replies with loads of info in. Very welcome it was too :thumb:

Must try and learn to speak plain English and not get carried away

Thank you all. My questions have been answered fully.

 

[hilldweller]

Must try and learn to speak plain English and not get carried away

You'll only confuse us.

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