Golf Cart batts re-positioning & wiring diagrams

[Roc]

I've used 4 golf cart batteries as my house bank for the past few years with much success.  I just had a thought that maybe it would be a good idea to rearrange them so the current flow doesn't remain the same.  Kind of like rotating the tires on your car for even wear.  My thought is if current flows through the batteries in the same pattern time after time, the battery in a certain position would degrade at a different rate than the others.  Maybe moving them around will "exercise" them and keep them at full potential.  Any EE's out there with any thoughts if this really matters would be helpful  

Thanks!

[added to wiring to title - Stu]

[Stu Jackson]

Roc, if you've done it this way, no need to change anything.

[Roc]

Yup..that's what I did

[Jim Hardesty]

Disclaimer....I'm not an EE.  I think that if the specific gravity of each cell (hydrometer check) checks evenly.  The charging is going well.

[Ron Hill]

I'm far from being an EE!! 
If the batterys (6v ) are in series the flow of electrons remains the same even if you place battery 2 first in line !!

A hydrometer check is necessay on any flooded battery.  When I had flooded batteries the hydrometer reading told me the "health" of each cell. 

[mainesail]

Roc, if you've done it this way, no need to change anything.

Not a big fan of the method on the right as the neg can take a short cut. I prefer to separately parallel the banks then pull off opposite ends.

Couple different orientations:

[Roc]

Maine Sail....yes, yes!!  your diagram is exactly the way mine are wired; the + and - are pulled off opposite ends.  Stu's diagram doesn't really show that, but overall, I said mine was wired like that picture.  But your picture is exactly the way I did it......so...if the current is pulled from opposite ends, there is no need to "rotate" the batteries to change the flow?  Just a thought that came up that made me curious.

[mainesail]

Stu : As I mentioned I'm not an electrical whiz, but your 12v diagram  (on the left) is giving a but more than 12 volts - me thinks!  

Actually the diagram on the left shows 12V batts in parallel but NOT how they should be wired to remain in decent balance. That is exactly how NOT to wire them in parallel to keep them balanced.

This is how to wire parallel batteries to help keep them balanced.


This is exactly how NOT to wire parallel batteries..

[Stu Jackson]

Are we learning something now?    I spent a half an hour looking for Maine Sail's sketch, couldn't find it and posted that one.  Glad to get it right, finally.

[noworries]

I'd love to see pics of any 4 costco 6v battery setups with seperate starter battery.  I'm getting ready to tackle this project and want to do a clean install.

[Stu Jackson]

Here's one we did on a friend's C34 about ten years ago.  Don't know if it's wired right, based on the above.

Try the Tech wiki, I recall many more.

Where you put your reserve bank is up to you.

Also this:

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

[Ken Juul]

Mine are similar to the picture above.  Slid as far stbd as they will go.  That leaves room on the center wall for my ACR and a couple fuse blocks for the battery charger leads.  My starting battery is under the aft berth.  To increase storage I had previously installed a fore/aft 2x4 just stbd of the large opening into the shaft area to keep things from sliding into the shaft.  I fastened my new battery case to the 2x4.  Added a new battery switch on the aft end of the walkway to the aft berth.  Positive line from the battery goes through the switch to the starter, neg direct to the engine.  Charging is via the ACR for both alternator and battery charger, wire is run across through the head, then under the floor to the battery compt.  I can do pictures, but won't be to the boat until Oct 20.

[mainesail]

Here's one we did on a friend's C34 about ten years ago.  Don't know if it's wired right, based on the above.

Try the Tech wiki, I recall many more.

Where you put your reserve bank is up to you.

Stu,

For loads and charge sources only two terminals on any bank should ever be used (temp sensors are the only exception). If you need places to put the neg's or pos for loads and charge sources bus bars can be used to get things off the bank posts. That bank looks like loads a charge sources were connected to what ever was closest and that can lead to a bank that gets itself out of balance...

This one may make more sense..

[Jack Hutteball]

Here is how I did mine with 4 golf carts and a separate starting battery.  I wanted to keep things original as possible.  will take a picture of the installation on the boat later today so you can see how they all fit.

Jack

[Jack Hutteball]

Here is a picture of the golf cart battery installation on our 2001. I had to increase the size of the battery boxes by cutting them in half and fiberglassing them back together, about a 1/2" increase in length.  There was room to screw them back down to the wood floor plate.  The single 2x4 wood hold down for the former 4D's was replaced with 2 - 1/2" threaded rods that are covered with clear plastic tubing.  A new floor plate  was added for the 12 volt starting battery, which was installed in a standard auto battery box, all held down with a tie strap.  The buss bars are located under the lip of the seat on the back of the sink cabinet.  I simply reused the cables coming from the battery switch to the new bus bars and then added the new cables between batteries as needed.

The new installation has worked well so far.  We have been on the hook for up to 4 days before a recharge and the larger bank never was lower than about 85%.  Our refrigeration is our only big draw as we do not run a TV or computer. Minimal reading lights as well as a LED anchor light is about all we use at night.

Jack