# I Bought 2 Batteries



## Meerkat

Yesterday I bought 2 Duracel Marine Deep Cycle 12 volts.They were $69 each plus core charhe $9 ,right at $200 with tax .
27 DC and 600 or 800 cranking amps.
I think I can just wire a fan direct to them?:dunno:

I got them at Sams Club,they had a non member day,and I asked if we could bring them back,they said we could.


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## Meerkat

The heat is relentless!!!Add to that the humudity.
They are saying next year will be as ba or worse,one of the Ninias El or Lel.

I figure buy a panel to charge them in a couple months.Meanwhile keep them charged with battery charger in case we need the.


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## UncleJoe

Meerkat said:


> I think I can just wire a fan direct to them?:dunno:


If the fan runs on standard 120v; No, you can't wire it direct. The wrong voltage coming into the fan will ruin the motor. I don't know exactly why but that's what I was told by my dad. You will need an inverter to turn your DC power into AC or use a fan that is made to run on DC.

BTW. I think you'll have 24V with 2- 12v batteries.


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## Meerkat

UncleJoe said:


> If the fan runs on standard 120v; No, you can't wire it direct. The wrong voltage coming into the fan will ruin the motor. I don't know exactly why but that's what I was told by my dad. You will need an inverter to turn your DC power into AC or use a fan that is made to run on DC.
> 
> BTW. I think you'll have 24V with 2- 12v batteries.


 Thanks,yea I will get the inverters soon as somebody tells me which ones.
I also have to buy the DC fan .I was looking at a metal fan by Road Pro and one by Fan-tastic Endless Breeze.Both are smalll '6 inch' or box fans,I want the round one. I figure at least a 10 inch fan.
Right now I have a sick dog to worry about and costing us.Soon as I can I'll go to library and use their web so I can visit more sites withut getting booted off.


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## Meerkat

Cold Cranking amps,715,CA 575.

Average Mins. 23 amp draw[200]. Marine,RV.

Trolling ,accessasry,starting power,vibration resistance design.


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

UncleJoe said:


> If the fan runs on standard 120v; No, you can't wire it direct. The wrong voltage coming into the fan will ruin the motor. I don't know exactly why but that's what I was told by my dad. You will need an inverter to turn your DC power into AC or use a fan that is made to run on DC.
> 
> BTW. I think you'll have 24V with 2- 12v batteries.


depends on if you wire them in parallel or series unclejoe....


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## Meerkat

rabidcoyote666 said:


> depends on if you wire them in parallel or series unclejoe....


 Tell me more!:dunno: Uncle Joe is just trying to help.

I figured I'd go ahead and do something instead of just keep asking questions here.
But if I need to return them and buy somethign else than maybe yal;l can tell me what to do.


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## efbjr

*Source...*

Harbor Freight Tools carries small inverters that plug into the cigarette lighter, or hook to the battery posts, of a car. I got one for $17 that I use to run my laptop in the car.

While not the best out there, you could probably rig them up to run your fan(s) fairly easily.

Available in various wattages and prices.

Search results for: 'Inverters'


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## Nadja

your batteries will need to be wired together. Since you bought 2 12v. batteries, you will wire the 2 positive cable ends together and same with the 2 neg. poles. Then pull one positive lead and one neg. lead from opposite corners, which will give you double the amps but keep you 12v. Next, just buy a small 12v fan, which you may do even better on ebay or rv stores, and you can wire it to the batteries without an inverter.


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## Meerkat

efbjr said:


> Harbor Freight Tools carries small inverters that plug into the cigarette lighter, or hook to the battery posts, of a car. I got one for $17 that I use to run my laptop in the car.
> 
> While not the best out there, you could probably rig them up to run your fan(s) fairly easily.
> 
> Available in various wattages and prices.
> 
> Search results for: 'Inverters'


 Thanks ,and thanks for pictures too.:flower:
I wrote this down.


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## Meerkat

Nadja said:


> your batteries will need to be wired together. Since you bought 2 12v. batteries, you will wire the 2 positive cable ends together and same with the 2 neg. poles. Then pull one positive lead and one neg. lead from opposite corners, which will give you double the amps but keep you 12v. Next, just buy a small 12v fan, which you may do even better on ebay or rv stores, and you can wire it to the batteries without an inverter.


 Thanks for hanging in here with me so long,
:flower:.
In your opinion,are these ok batteries or should I return for somethign else? 
Will I need a controller ,would it help with power storage?How about cheap sine kill watt thing'forgot  '?


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## ZoomZoom

Running a fan or powering such a small inverter won't require both batteries. I'd propose you just use one and keep the 2nd in reserve. When the first battery gets low from usage, swap them. If you use both at the same time then get low voltage, you're out of commission until you re-charge both.

When you connect 2 batteries in parallel (as you would want here), if the batteries aren't matched, the weaker battery will draw from the stronger.

While doing your shopping, look at marine battery boxes. Put a battery in the box with the cables connected to the inverter and put the lid on. Then take the inverter and lay it on top of the lid. Strap them together using the provided strap and you have a nice little self-contained unit.


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## NaeKid

There is a great diagram of how to wire the batteries together in order to have the most "amp-hours" and keep the batteries at 12-volt output ..

From: Wiring 12 Volt Batteries in Parallel - Solar RV Panels

Parallel wiring:









On that page they also show series wiring of two 6-volt batteries to make 12-volt power - in your situation, you will want to follow the parallel wiring plan.

I would also recommend the direct-to-battery inverter for having AC-power from the batteries, get the biggest wattage inverter that you can afford. 75-watt inverters will run a small laptop or cell-phone charger. 200-watt will run a large laptop or portable computer and small power tools (Dremel). 500-watt will run a blender, 1000-watt will run small hand power-tools (drills, impact driver, etc) and some house-hold entertainment systems (TV, stero, etc), 5000-watt will run large power-tools (wood saw, metal saw, circular saw) and some house-hold appliances (microwave, hair-dryer).


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## Meerkat

NaeKid said:


> There is a great diagram of how to wire the batteries together in order to have the most "amp-hours" and keep the batteries at 12-volt output ..
> 
> From: Wiring 12 Volt Batteries in Parallel - Solar RV Panels
> 
> Parallel wiring:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On that page they also show series wiring of two 6-volt batteries to make 12-volt power - in your situation, you will want to follow the parallel wiring plan.
> 
> I would also recommend the direct-to-battery inverter for having AC-power from the batteries, get the biggest wattage inverter that you can afford. 75-watt inverters will run a small laptop or cell-phone charger. 200-watt will run a large laptop or portable computer and small power tools (Dremel). 500-watt will run a blender, 1000-watt will run small hand power-tools (drills, impact driver, etc) and some house-hold entertainment systems (TV, stero, etc), 5000-watt will run large power-tools (wood saw, metal saw, circular saw) and some house-hold appliances (microwave, hair-dryer).


 Thanks Naekid,very helpful site.And it did'nt boot me off to boot.:beercheer:

So I guess we should keep these batteries and get battery cases for them.
:flower:


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## Meerkat

bczoom said:


> Running a fan or powering such a small inverter won't require both batteries. I'd propose you just use one and keep the 2nd in reserve. When the first battery gets low from usage, swap them. If you use both at the same time then get low voltage, you're out of commission until you re-charge both.
> 
> When you connect 2 batteries in parallel (as you would want here), if the batteries aren't matched, the weaker battery will draw from the stronger.
> 
> While doing your shopping, look at marine battery boxes. Put a battery in the box with the cables connected to the inverter and put the lid on. Then take the inverter and lay it on top of the lid. Strap them together using the provided strap and you have a nice little self-contained unit.


 So you think it would be better to just keep up charge on one battery? This makes sense too.Especially until I get a solar panel,but will see what yall agree on now that I finally invested in the system.:flower:


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## Meerkat

if not I understand its not your fault I don't have access to most websites,but.....if yall could give me some figures on chargers,inverters and panels for my batteries or just one unless 2 is better.
Then I can save up for what I don't have and buy what I can afford for now.
How much for inverter to work off 2, 12 volts bat.s.How much for controller. 
:wave:


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## NaeKid

If you are going to tie the batteries together in a parallel system, they essentially become "_one battery_" - you should charge them together, not individually.

A battery-charger for motorcycles called Battery Tender is a smart trickle-charger, it keeps the batteries topped up and ready for use. Because it is just a trickle-charger, you do not want it to be hooked to the batteries when the batteries are in use (powering equipment).

Boat-Tender (similar to the one for motorcycles) is designed for when the boat is near shore-power, a quick charge and then it automatically drops to trickle-charge to keep the batteries topped up.

If you want to go solar, small panels (under 13-watt) don't really require a charge-controller, but, as you get into higher wattage, you will need a controller that is capable of handling at least double the wattage of the panel ..

Prices vary from store-to-store and from net to brick-n-mortar businesses. I have seen charge controllers as cheap as $35, chargers as cheap as $10 ... etc .. but, you get what you pay for.

The inverter, again, go for the highest wattage that you could possibly afford. You can buy many inverters locally in camping stores, rv dealerships, etc ... online, you might get a better price ...


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## Meerkat

NaeKid said:


> If you are going to tie the batteries together in a parallel system, they essentially become "_one battery_" - you should charge them together, not individually.
> 
> A battery-charger for motorcycles called Battery Tender is a smart trickle-charger, it keeps the batteries topped up and ready for use. Because it is just a trickle-charger, you do not want it to be hooked to the batteries when the batteries are in use (powering equipment).
> 
> Boat-Tender (similar to the one for motorcycles) is designed for when the boat is near shore-power, a quick charge and then it automatically drops to trickle-charge to keep the batteries topped up.
> 
> If you want to go solar, small panels (under 13-watt) don't really require a charge-controller, but, as you get into higher wattage, you will need a controller that is capable of handling at least double the wattage of the panel ..
> 
> Prices vary from store-to-store and from net to brick-n-mortar businesses. I have seen charge controllers as cheap as $35, chargers as cheap as $10 ... etc .. but, you get what you pay for.
> 
> The inverter, again, go for the highest wattage that you could possibly afford. You can buy many inverters locally in camping stores, rv dealerships, etc ... online, you might get a better price ...


 Ok highest wattage inverter I can get.And at lest a 13 watt panel.Thanks Boss.:beercheer:


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

look here for all the 12 volt stuff you'd need in a cabin or off grid unit......cant beat the prices

RV Supplies, RV Accessories & RV Parts for Motorhomes, Campers, Travel Trailers & 5th Wheel Campers - fifth wheel camper - Camping World


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## Meerkat

rabidcoyote666 said:


> look here for all the 12 volt stuff you'd need in a cabin or off grid unit......cant beat the prices
> 
> RV Supplies, RV Accessories & RV Parts for Motorhomes, Campers, Travel Trailers & 5th Wheel Campers - fifth wheel camper - Camping World


 Thanks Rabid.I know right where that place is located,maybe I will stop by next trip to Atlanta.
I pulled up the page but could'nt hold it,but I will go to it next library trip or when we visit family.
:wave:


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## NaeKid

Meerkat said:


> Ok highest wattage inverter I can get.And at lest a 13 watt panel.Thanks Boss.:beercheer:


Think of a solar-panel as being a source of water needing to fill up a container.

A panel under 13-watt is kind of like an eye-dropper - slowly putting water into a cup, it will fill it, but, it will take a long time.

A panel between 13-watt and 80-watt is kind of like a kitchen faucet, it will fill a sink in very short order.

A panel of 120-watt is getting closer to a bath-tub faucet, it can fill the bathtub in very short order.

Now, you wouldn't use the kitchen faucet to fill up an olympic-sized swimming pool, would you? No, because it would take beyond forever. Using a fire-hose to fill that swimming-pool would be much quicker.

You need to size your panel to your batteries and size your batteries to your power-requirements.

I have 3 panels at 13-watt each, they work, but, they don't work great. I have an 80-watt solar-panel, it works good, but, I find that I am wishing for just a little bit more, so, I am now looking at snagging a pair of 120-watt panels for a combined wattage of 240-watt of power generating capability.

Get the highest wattage solar-panel that you can afford and that will run your equipment directly without the battery in the middle. The battery is the bonus - make the solar panel do the work.


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## Meerkat

NaeKid said:


> Think of a solar-panel as being a source of water needing to fill up a container.
> 
> A panel under 13-watt is kind of like an eye-dropper - slowly putting water into a cup, it will fill it, but, it will take a long time.
> 
> A panel between 13-watt and 80-watt is kind of like a kitchen faucet, it will fill a sink in very short order.
> 
> A panel of 120-watt is getting closer to a bath-tub faucet, it can fill the bathtub in very short order.
> 
> Now, you wouldn't use the kitchen faucet to fill up an olympic-sized swimming pool, would you? No, because it would take beyond forever. Using a fire-hose to fill that swimming-pool would be much quicker.
> 
> You need to size your panel to your batteries and size your batteries to your power-requirements.
> 
> I have 3 panels at 13-watt each, they work, but, they don't work great. I have an 80-watt solar-panel, it works good, but, I find that I am wishing for just a little bit more, so, I am now looking at snagging a pair of 120-watt panels for a combined wattage of 240-watt of power generating capability.
> 
> Get the highest wattage solar-panel that you can afford and that will run your equipment directly without the battery in the middle. The battery is the bonus - make the solar panel do the work.


 Ok that was a good example.

Now I just need to get the battery boxs and all the other stuff.Lots to learn attention span is weaker,maybe its the heat,its like a steam room outside this week.
:wave:


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## KKTipton

Hey Meerkat, you really want to find a way to watch my videos.

They answer your questions *directly*

They show building a 12v portable power pack with all WalMart parts:





And the one with it hooked to the *right* solar panel:





If staying portable, your 12v battery is fine, just watch my video and put it in the right box (Group 24-31 box from WalMart) 
Save the other battery in reserve.

If you were going to leave it in a house, go with two 6 volt golf cart batteries from Sams. Chain them together for 12 volt.
They also make dual 6v golf cart battery boxes, expensive, but safe.

So, like I said, the videos are there for you and everyone else to look at.
They answer *all*the questions people have been asking lately here.

Solar panel, a mount for it, charge controllers, inverters, AA batt chargers and Ryobi tool chargers run off solar, the works. All in one 15 minute video.

You're welcome


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## Nadja

Meerkat. Here is a thought for you. Just last week here in my area, I found 3 different people selling 3 different kinds of solar panels, and at a pretty fair price too. About $1.50 per watt. Why don't you look into Craigs List for your area and see what you can find ? craigslist: san antonio classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events


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## Meerkat

Nadja said:


> Meerkat. Here is a thought for you. Just last week here in my area, I found 3 different people selling 3 different kinds of solar panels, and at a pretty fair price too. About $1.50 per watt. Why don't you look into Craigs List for your area and see what you can find ? craigslist: san antonio classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events


 Thanks Nadja.I go the battery boxes today at W-Mart.I got them for 13 each.Some nice ones were like 50,butI don't think I need them,do I?


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## Meerkat

Meerkat said:


> Yesterday I bought 2 Duracel Marine Deep Cycle 12 volts.They were $69 each plus core charhe $9 ,right at $200 with tax .
> 27 DC and 600 or 800 cranking amps.
> I think I can just wire a fan direct to them?:dunno:
> 
> I got them at Sams Club,they had a non member day,and I asked if we could bring them back,they said we could.


 Are these the right batteries for the right price? Or could I have done better? If so I can take them back if I don't wait too long.

Also the battery boxes are too small so I have to take them back.Should I check into the battery power pack boxes ,I think they have built in inverters?

I only get 30 minutes online at library and theres usually a line,so I need to have a good idea before I go.This webtv dialup is not good for much,especially shopping.


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## NaeKid

The numbers look good-enough to me ... price vs what you got. You probably have RV dealerships nearby - they normally have battery boxes ready for pickup. Also, I have seen the battery boxes at BassPro shops - just take a tape measure to the battery and to the battery box just to make sure that it will all fit properly ..


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## Meerkat

NaeKid said:


> The numbers look good-enough to me ... price vs what you got. You probably have RV dealerships nearby - they normally have battery boxes ready for pickup. Also, I have seen the battery boxes at BassPro shops - just take a tape measure to the battery and to the battery box just to make sure that it will all fit properly ..


 What about the power plant marineboxes?They are like 4 times more expensive,from what I understand they have inverters built in.But then I would'nt need inverter so what do you think?
The young man at Walmart who sold me the boxes said his mother is off the grid and even gets a check from power company.He said she gets some panels for like 179,forgot watts,but panels are 3x5 feet .Do you think he is correct about this price ?


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## NaeKid

A while ago I linked-in a solar-panel from eBay in one of your threads. If I remember correctly it was 120 watt for about $200. The one that the Walmart-kid was talking about could very well be a similar solar-panel but in the 80-watt variety ...


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## Meerkat

NaeKid said:


> A while ago I linked-in a solar-panel from eBay in one of your threads. If I remember correctly it was 120 watt for about $200. The one that the Walmart-kid was talking about could very well be a similar solar-panel but in the 80-watt variety ...


 Ok I'll look it up.Thanks Boss.:wave:


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## Meerkat

Nadja said:


> your batteries will need to be wired together. Since you bought 2 12v. batteries, you will wire the 2 positive cable ends together and same with the 2 neg. poles. Then pull one positive lead and one neg. lead from opposite corners, which will give you double the amps but keep you 12v. Next, just buy a small 12v fan, which you may do even better on ebay or rv stores, and you can wire it to the batteries without an inverter.


Hello Nadja,I'm bumping this back up for future references.Its still a little way down the road but I want to get a solar panel. :wave:


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## LincTex

Meerkat said:


> Hello Nadja,I'm bumping this back up for future references.Its still a little way down the road but I want to get a solar panel. :wave:


Here's a heck of a deal on 2 - 100 watt panels - - click the link in this post (#81):
http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f16/harbor-freight-solar-panel-kit-1898/index9.html#post265615


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## Meerkat

UncleJoe said:


> If the fan runs on standard 120v; No, you can't wire it direct. The wrong voltage coming into the fan will ruin the motor. I don't know exactly why but that's what I was told by my dad. You will need an inverter to turn your DC power into AC or use a fan that is made to run on DC.
> 
> BTW. I think you'll have 24V with 2- 12v batteries.


 :2thumb: Uncle Joe it took me about 3 years but today I got started. I still have my notebook of notes I took from yall a few years ago. Its around here somewhere.

I need you to tell me how to put up youtube videos again though.:scratch


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## tmttactical

UncleJoe said:


> If the fan runs on standard 120v; No, you can't wire it direct. The wrong voltage coming into the fan will ruin the motor. I don't know exactly why but that's what I was told by my dad. You will need an inverter to turn your DC power into AC or use a fan that is made to run on DC.
> 
> BTW. I think you'll have 24V with 2- 12v batteries.


Wrong voltage will toast motors. AC and DC very different, not to mention the voltage difference between 12 volt and 120 volt. The voltage on the batteries will depend on if they are wired series or parallel. Series equals 24 volt. Parallel 12 volts but more amperage.


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## LastOutlaw

TMT... what are you doing dredging up a post from 2011 on solar????
Please people do not buy any panels from the links in this thread. 
Solar panels around 100 watts and above are now priced around $1 per watt or less as the size goes up.
$1.49 per watt is no longer a good deal.
The electric info in this thread is good but the prices are not!

Also a note for all. If you are building a solar system buy golf cart batteries from Sams or elsewhere. You will get much longer life out of them than you will trolling motor 12 volt batteries. 12 volt car type or trolling motor batteries are not true "deep cycle batteries".

I have 6 trolling motor batteries that I use for one of my systems and I bought them because I got a deal on them from a car dealership that I worked at. I'm getting ready to build a new system and will buy golf cart batteries this time because it is a much better deal and the batteries will last much longer.
When my trolling motor batteries go bad I will replace with golf cart batteries.

You can also use those big fork lift batteries if you can get them. They also are true "deep cycle" batteries.


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## Meerkat

LastOutlaw said:


> TMT... what are you doing dredging up a post from 2011 on solar????
> Please people do not buy any panels from the links in this thread.
> Solar panels around 100 watts and above are now priced around $1 per watt or less as the size goes up.
> $1.49 per watt is no longer a good deal.
> The electric info in this thread is good but the prices are not!
> 
> Also a note for all. If you are building a solar system buy golf cart batteries from Sams or elsewhere. You will get much longer life out of them than you will trolling motor 12 volt batteries. 12 volt car type or trolling motor batteries are not true "deep cycle batteries".
> 
> I have 6 trolling motor batteries that I use for one of my systems and I bought them because I got a deal on them from a car dealership that I worked at. I'm getting ready to build a new system and will buy golf cart batteries this time because it is a much better deal and the batteries will last much longer.
> When my trolling motor batteries go bad I will replace with golf cart batteries.
> 
> You can also use those big fork lift batteries if you can get them. They also are true "deep cycle" batteries.


 Bringing this old thread up this because it tells how long it took me to finally get my solar kit. , :kiss:


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## Caribou

If you can afford more batteries it would be better to get them soon. Batteries of mixed age do not do as well as batteries of the same or similar age. If you wait on getting another set for a year or so then setup another battery bank. Batteries should be identical and of the same age in any bank.


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## Meerkat

Caribou said:


> If you can afford more batteries it would be better to get them soon. Batteries of mixed age do not do as well as batteries of the same or similar age. If you wait on getting another set for a year or so then setup another battery bank. Batteries should be identical and of the same age in any bank.


 Your right. We will try to get at least 2 new ones when we set up the kit. it is suppose to be ready for pick up in about 10 days or so. Also will need your help on the wiring.


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## phideaux

'


The same hookup applies to 6v or 12 v batteries.

Jim


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## Caribou

With two 12V batteries you have the option of 12V or 24V. My guess is that you want 12V so you would wire them in parallel. That is the bottom picture in Phideaux's post. You can keep adding batteries in the same manner for a larger bank.


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## forluvofsmoke

Meerkat,

Just so you know, I skimmed over others replies, but I didn't see mention from others on the type of batteries you bought. Marine Deep Cycle is a mix of cranking and deep cycle, and unfortunately, they won't hold up for very long...better than a car battery, but not much...maybe a year or 2, depending on how deep you discharge them and how quickly your charging system brings them back to full charge, which typically can take 20-24 hours. This depends on charger output for bulk charging as well as time allowed for absorption charge...reaching absorption stage takes a long time with lower charge current for bulk charging. Lead acid batteries rely on being charged as often as possible, and the less they are discharged before charging the longer their life will be...number of charge/discharge cycles also determines life, but has less effect than the depth of discharge. The lower the voltage between charge cycles the shorter their expected life.

A true deep cycle battery such as the 6-volt golf car batteries and many others that are designed to withstand deep cycle use (renewable energy and industrial) will tolerate these applications without as heavy of a sacrifice on battery life. The main difference in the battery designs is the thickness of the lead plates, and to take it further, the type of lead-alloy in the plates. Deep cycle having thicker plates with a more robust lead-alloy, marine being thinner plates, and car batteries having the thinnest plates. Thinner plates erode more rapidly from charge/discharge cycling than thick plates do. The best, most expensive battery designs (industrial) have very thick lead plates in contrast to marine (boat) or cranking (car) batteries.

A battery which is not abused will eventually die from lead plate erosion, which is part of the discharge/recharge cycle...thick plates have more material to erode, thus last longer before the plates are destroyed. Basically, it has reached the end of it's cycle life. A used up battery will often times show signs of one or more shorted cells due to lead plate eroded material building up in the bottom of the battery case, eventually contacting what's left of the lead plates, until the cell plates begin contacting through the eroded lead. This results in batteries that refuse to charge to full voltage (1 shorted cell ruins the battery)...most inverters won't even operate on a shorted battery due to their low-battery voltage cut-off. The battery may be 10-10.5 volts, cut-off is 10.5 min with most inverters, some are 11+...below 12 volts is hard on the batteries in a 12 volt system, IMHO. The better deep cycle battery designs use deeper battery cases to allow more space for eroded lead plate material, thus extending their useful life. Better yet, encase the lead plates with a non-reactive, non-conductive mesh such as fiberglass to keep the eroded lead from dropping into the case...not sure if, or how many are doing this yet...I was reading about that design improvement somewhere a year so ago.

Battery life greatly depends on being fully charged as often as possible which reduces the risk of sulfation of the lead plates. Also, your charger should be capable of providing equalization charge periodically (controlled over-charging)...this reduces the risk of sulfation and by equalizing the charge between cells (some cells may not charge completely with normal charge current/voltage. This goes for all FLA (flooded lead acid) batteries used for renewable energy applications.

If you intend to use this system strictly for stand-by/back-up power, then the batteries won't be cycled often and the solar system will maintain them with a float charge...they'll last a fairly long time for this type of use. Once you start relying on them long term, they'll give up on you much earlier than a true deep cycle battery. If you will be using the system to power your refrigeration full-time at some point, that would be the time to invest in GC-2 6 volt batteries (golf car) at the minimum. Available at most big-box stores and possibly some home centers.

Smart chargers with battery desulfation mode are available, and also add-on desulfators which can be operated independently, but unless you are abusing your batteries by continuously allowing them to remain below a fully charged state for weeks to months at a time, you should never need to desulfate them. 

I'm not trying to spread doom or depression here. I just wanted inform you of the drawbacks and expected capability of what you bought for batteries, and which route to go if the need arises (switching from stand-by to full-time/off-grid application).


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## LastOutlaw

You should never discharge your battery bank below 50% and 70% is the maximum recommended amount of discharge.

Here is a discharge graph to make it easy to know what state of charge your bank is in:
http://modernsurvivalblog.com/download/battery-state-of-charge-chart.pdf


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## phideaux

My personal rule of thumb is, never discharge below 80%, before recharging.

My last set of batteries lasted ten years, (and were still usable) when I traded them in.

When not solar charging , my batteries stay on charge using this..
https://www.amazon.com/Genius-G7200...062595&sr=8-8&keywords=genius+battery+charger

Jim


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## smaj100

I agree with the last two posts, i'm running 8 6v golf cart batts from our local farm store. Made by interstate battery with the store sticker on them. I do disconnect 1 bank from time to time and plug them in to a smart charger to equalize and desulfate. If they are normal lead acid make sure you check the water levels periodically.


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## Meerkat

Thank you all for help. I have another thread we can post on since this one id about 4 years old. Sorry for the confusion I caused by bringing this one back up.

Go to this thread ' Solar Inverter........Help! '.


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## readytogo

Tribal Warlord Thug is right;When connecting your batteries in Series you are doubling the voltage while maintaining the same capacity rating (amp hours).and When connecting in Parallel you are doubling the capacity (amp hours) of the battery while maintaining the voltage of one of the individual batteries.


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## Meerkat

readytogo said:


> Tribal Warlord Thug is right;When connecting your batteries in Series you are doubling the voltage while maintaining the same capacity rating (amp hours).and When connecting in Parallel you are doubling the capacity (amp hours) of the battery while maintaining the voltage of one of the individual batteries.
> View attachment 14925
> 
> 
> View attachment 14926


 Thanks RTG aka ready to go. Hubby says thats the way the golf cart is rigged, parallel.


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## Meerkat

KKTipton said:


> Hey Meerkat, you really want to find a way to watch my videos.
> 
> They answer your questions *directly*
> 
> They show building a 12v portable power pack with all WalMart parts:
> ‪Build a portable power pack for $25‬‏ - YouTube
> 
> And the one with it hooked to the *right* solar panel:
> ‪Poor Mans Survival Solar‬‏ - YouTube
> 
> If staying portable, your 12v battery is fine, just watch my video and put it in the right box (Group 24-31 box from WalMart)
> Save the other battery in reserve.
> 
> If you were going to leave it in a house, go with two 6 volt golf cart batteries from Sams. Chain them together for 12 volt.
> They also make dual 6v golf cart battery boxes, expensive, but safe.
> 
> So, like I said, the videos are there for you and everyone else to look at.
> They answer *all*the questions people have been asking lately here.
> 
> Solar panel, a mount for it, charge controllers, inverters, AA batt chargers and Ryobi tool chargers run off solar, the works. All in one 15 minute video.
> 
> You're welcome


 He put this up 5 years ago. Since then I got a laptop that pulls up videos.

Wish this guy would have stuck around he is like many others here he is very knowledgeable.

Thanks KKTipton, and please come back to PS.


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