Multiple lead acid battery charging

[tonybarebones]

When charging multiple lead acid batteries (i.e. more than one) from the same charger; in my case a 4 amp mains supplied battery charger... I have 4 batteries and in the winter lay up thought I would connect them all to the same charger, thus effectivly giving each battery a 1 amp hour charge, should they be connected in parallel or series?

 

[jmh2929]

Parallel - 4 in series gives you 4 times the voltage

 

[VicS]

You dont say how big the batteries are (amp hour capacity) but unless unusually small all 4 in parallel make a pretty big bank for what is a pretty small charger. There is a danger that if one battery is a bit past its best that will take all the current or if one actually failed it could discharge the other three. Leaving you with them all discharged and probably badly damaged.

IMHO it would be better to charge them individually for a few hours now and then during the winter. Modern low maintenance batteries in good nick and not subject to any load should be OK left without charging for up to 6months

 

[tonybarebones]

Thanks for your help everyone. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif