TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post - Wiring two 6V batteries in series when you have solar panel

**rickst29** · 06-02-2018, 01:23 PM

It works, but you found it confusing. The installer did bad things, I think, to cause your confusion, and "he" should have done better

Error #1: From the +12V battery terminal to the circuit breaker "input", someone put two small wires in parallel with each other.

"He" imagined that this would "improve" power distribution, but he was wrong about this. The long wire black wire, going from circuit breaker "output" to the "input" for the TM's 12 Volt "power distribution" Board board (that's the one with all the fuses attached) is only #10 and much longer. The vast majority of "Voltage Drop happens along that wire. Installing anything "bigger" than #10 for the first few inches from the battery, leaving a much longer distance at the small size, accomplishes almost nothing.

Also: If this was house wiring, the inspector would make you rip out the "helper wire" and use ONE bigger wire. They don't allow parallel wires, it's ILLEGAL - for very good reasons. A single big wire such as #8 would be helpful and acceptable, but if (and only if) the long wire to the TM "12V Power Distribution" was also upgraded to #8.
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Error #2: The wire which I'll label as "neutral grounding wire for reset" should absolutely, positively be WHITE in Color. This is a current carrying neutral wire. The lazy installing person didn't have any white wire around, and should have bought some.
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I'm never thrilled to see two wires under the same connector - with the one possible exception of a BTS ("Battery Temp Sensor" for a Solar Controller) and the big current carrying-wire, both on the same battery terminal.

06-02-2018, 01:23 PM	#15
rickst29 yes, they hunt lions. Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,318	IMO, two significant errors are present - even though it works. It works, but you found it confusing. The installer did bad things, I think, to cause your confusion, and "he" should have done better Error #1: From the +12V battery terminal to the circuit breaker "input", someone put two small wires in parallel with each other. "He" imagined that this would "improve" power distribution, but he was wrong about this. The long wire black wire, going from circuit breaker "output" to the "input" for the TM's 12 Volt "power distribution" Board board (that's the one with all the fuses attached) is only #10 and much longer. The vast majority of "Voltage Drop happens along that wire. Installing anything "bigger" than #10 for the first few inches from the battery, leaving a much longer distance at the small size, accomplishes almost nothing. Also: If this was house wiring, the inspector would make you rip out the "helper wire" and use ONE bigger wire. They don't allow parallel wires, it's ILLEGAL - for very good reasons. A single big wire such as #8 would be helpful and acceptable, but if (and only if) the long wire to the TM "12V Power Distribution" was also upgraded to #8. - - - - Error #2: The wire which I'll label as "neutral grounding wire for reset" should absolutely, positively be WHITE in Color. This is a current carrying neutral wire. The lazy installing person didn't have any white wire around, and should have bought some. - - - - I'm never thrilled to see two wires under the same connector - with the one possible exception of a BTS ("Battery Temp Sensor" for a Solar Controller) and the big current carrying-wire, both on the same battery terminal. __________________ TM='06 2619 w/5K axle, 15" Maxxis "E" tires. Plumbing protector. 630 watts solar. 450AH LiFePO4 batteries, 3500 watt inverter. CR-1110 E-F/S fridge (compressor). TV = 2007 4runner sport, with a 36 volt "power boost".