Additional battery query

[robmcg]

The boat has a separate battery that runs the fridge. This is charged by the alternator and a dedicated 100w fixed solar panel through an Epever 10a solar charge controller. I am adding a second battery to this to increase the capacity. New battery is in a locker about 50cm from the other fridge battery. Currently the solar charge cables go from the regulator to the +be and -ve of the original fridge battery. Should I move the -ve to the new battery or leave as is to make sure the batteries are both charging together ( they are the same brand and ah btw)?

 

[Refueler]

If it was me ... I would leave as is and just run decent gauge cables from original battery to the new with switch inline so as to isolate if necessary. As long as the parallel cabling you use is decent size to avoid voltage drop ...

 

[pmagowan]

Is there a specific reason not to have all these batteries in the one house bank and just suitable sized cables to the fridge?

 

[vyv_cox]

The Smartgauge advice is to connect the positives and negatives of the two together, then take the positive from one and the negative from the other. Apparently this is more effective than simply paralleling the new battery.

 

[rogerthebodger]

The Smartgauge advice is to connect the positives and negatives of the two together, then take the positive from one and the negative from the other. Apparently this is more effective than simply paralleling the new battery.

This is how my domestic battery bank is connected as it shears the vold drop in the interconnection canle across both batteries

My domestic bank consists or 12 x 105 Ah battries

SmartGauge Electronics - Interconnecting multiple batteries to form one larger bank

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/images/batt_new.gif

 

[robmcg]

Is there a specific reason not to have all these batteries in the one house bank and just suitable sized cables to the fridge?

The house batteries live under the galley floor and there isn't room for any more. The boat was set up like this when we bought her. You can tie the fridge battery to the house bank via a switch but as the fridge is by far the highest draw, I thought it would be easier just to add extra capacity to the existing setup.

 

[robmcg]

The Smartgauge advice is to connect the positives and negatives of the two together, then take the positive from one and the negative from the other. Apparently this is more effective than simply paralleling the new battery.

A quick look at the wiring and I can definitely do that without any real modification so that's the way I think I'll go. As it's only two batteries, I'm not sure it will make the world of difference but every little helps .

 

[rogerthebodger]

The house batteries live under the galley floor and there isn't room for any more. The boat was set up like this when we bought her. You can tie the fridge battery to the house bank via a switch but as the fridge is by far the highest draw, I thought it would be easier just to add extra capacity to the existing setup.

My domestic bank used to be set up as 2 banks used alternatively but I now use it as a single bank as it reduces the depth of discharge which increases the life of the batteris