Battery Hook-Up Configurations; Parallel Connection; Series Connection; Series-Parallel Connection - Apollo Solar 3224 User Manual

To reduce corrosion on the battery terminals, coat them with a thin layer of petroleum jelly or
anti-corrosion grease available from automotive parts stores or battery suppliers. Do not apply any
material between the terminal and the cable lugs, the connection should be metal to metal. Apply the
protective material after the bolts have been tightened

4.1.4 Battery Hook-up Configurations

Battery banks of substantial size can be configured by connecting several smaller batteries. There
are three ways: parallel, series, or series-parallel.

4.1.4.1 Parallel Connection

Batteries are connected in parallel when all of the positive terminals and all of the negative terminals
of a group of batteries are connected. In a parallel configuration the battery bank has the same
voltage as a single battery and an amp/hour rating equal to the sum of the individual batteries. This is
done when the battery voltage matches the inverter voltage.

4.1.4.2 Series Connection

When batteries are connected with the positive terminal of one to the negative terminal of the next,
they are connected in series. In a series configuration the battery bank has the same amp/hour rating
as a single battery and an overall voltage equal to the sum of the individual batteries. This is common
with 24 volt or higher battery-inverter systems.

4.1.4.3 Series-Parallel Connection

As the name implies, both of the above techniques are used in combination. The result is an increase
in both the voltage and the capacity of the total battery bank. This is done very often to make a larger,
higher voltage battery bank out of several smaller, lower voltage batteries. This is common with all
battery-inverter system voltages.
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