If you run your batteries in parallel, you get whatever their rated voltage is, and ADD their capacities. If you run them in series, you ADD their VOLTAGES. This MIGHT be dangerous, if your electronics are meant to operate at 12VDC and you run 2 12VDC batteries in series, then you will be running 12V equipment on a 24V system, and you will most certainly let the magic smoke escape from all your expensive electronics...
Kevin M. Morton S/V Serenity #1920 _/)_ --- On Tue, 1/27/09, Jon Prestage <[email protected]> wrote: From: Jon Prestage <[email protected]> Subject: catalina27-talk: 12 Volt Batteries: Series or Parallel? To: [email protected] Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 1:25 PM Listees, I have a couple of questions. I use three 12-volt batteries in my C27 with an Atomic 4 configured in two banks. I use a starting battery on one bank (motor) and two deep cell batteries (house) in the other. Here are my questions: 1. I wired the two deep cells in parallel, that is positive to positive and negative to negative. I read somewhere that it might be better to wire the two in series, that is positive to negative and negative to positive. Which is best? 2. I've been charging the batteries by connecting a charger to one of the batteries, normally a deep cell, and then putting my main power switch on "All" and assumed this would allow all three batteries to be charged. Is this how it works? Should I be doing this in some other manner? Jon Boston 1858
