House bank 6 volt vs 2 volt cells

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

12 VDC Lifeline GPL-30 HT - 150 amp hr.
6 of them gives me 900 AmpHr and they fit.
Just hook them in parallel and be done. Will end up about $200 more than 6 volts with less hookups.
What say you?

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Originally Posted by Capt Hugh Wilde

12 VDC Lifeline GPL-30 HT - 150 amp hr.
6 of them gives me 900 AmpHr and they fit.
Just hook them in parallel and be done. Will end up about $200 more than 6 volts with less hookups.
What say you?

Somebody has to have a thought on this one way or another.

[s/v Jedi]

2V in series. When one fails you just jumper it outand go with 5 cells.

[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

The 2V batteries in series is much better.

What is better about 2v batteries?

I expected that they would be the same quality as 6v batteries, but I know that I don't know, so I am asking.

Thanks,
Jim

[FlyingCloud1937]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

2V in series. When one fails you just jumper it outand go with 5 cells.

Yea right,

We have 12 volt nominal in 2 volt cells,

So, where do I put the jumpers?


lloyd


But wait, we have a 24 volt nominal, in 2 volt cells X 12.

Yep, I can jumper, WHERE?, and for how long?

is it a get home home?

or until the rest of the bats are dead?

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

2V in series. When one fails you just jumper it outand go with 5 cells.

5 X 2 - 10volts

[s/v Jedi]

Gee, voltage goes down with one cell jumpered, who would've guessed?! But don't worry, you'll get home on either 10V or 22V. When you're back home you can do something that those with parallel banks can't and that is replace the cell with a new one without any negative effects at all: all cells will share the load perfectly again.

A 2V is better because it is a single cell instead of a battery of cells. This means it has no internal walls that can fail, no soldered connections between cells etc. resulting in a physically more robust product.

[neelie]

Jedi - I know you do this stuff for a living so I know your emergency 5 x 2V idea is not an error. It has me intrigued.

How does one charge a 10.5V battery? ... even for a short while.

How many consumers will accept 10.5V and still work as advertised?

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And for the original poster.. did you consider LFPs? Probably close to LIfelines in cost in a dollar per useable amp hour price.. Not to mention less weight.

[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

A 2V is better because it is a single cell instead of a battery of cells. This means it has no internal walls that can fail, no soldered connections between cells etc. resulting in a physically more robust product.

The batteries that I have seen fail from internal mechanical problems have all been from individual plates breaking off & either falling out of connection or shorting to the adjacent plates. I have not seen solder connections or internal walls fail. Are you aware of these types of failures having happened? Or is this more of an academic caution against something that could possibly happen? Here to, I ask because I know that I don't know. I'm not trying to break chops.

Thanks,
Jim

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Gee, voltage goes down with one cell jumpered, who would've guessed?! But don't worry, you'll get home on either 10V or 22V. When you're back home you can do something that those with parallel banks can't and that is replace the cell with a new one without any negative effects at all: all cells will share the load perfectly again.

A 2V is better because it is a single cell instead of a battery of cells. This means it has no internal walls that can fail, no soldered connections between cells etc. resulting in a physically more robust product.

Try starting your engine, running your autopilot, refrigeration, GPS or pretty much any 12VDC equipment on 10VDC. It just ain't gonna work and if anything does work it won't last for long. None of this stuff is rated as "10-12volts" for a reason. Don't belive it. Let your 12VDC battery run down to 10VDC and try it.

Trying to do this will also increase current and heat on some conductors.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Try starting your engine, running your autopilot, refrigeration, GPS or pretty much any 12VDC equipment on 10VDC. It just ain't gonna work and if anything does work it won't last for long. None of this stuff is rated as "10-12volts" for a reason. Don't belive it. Let your 12VDC battery run down to 10VDC and try it.

Trying to do this will also increase current and heat on some conductors.

You are misinformed. A 12V battery that is run down to 10V is a dead battery. But 5x fully charged 2V cells in series are a different matter, because they can supply the power. Also, it will be 5x 2.10V = 10.5V.

I have started my engine on that, run all my lights and navigation equipment on that. There was one item that did not work and it was that crappy rn300 gps from Raytheon. It hardly works on 12V either so no surprise.

On construction: there is no comparison between a single cell and a battery with multiple internal cells. It is also silly to put that to discussion, just check any mission critical system and you see the single cells, for good reason. Diesel-electric submarines, emergency power for telcos, hospitals, the highest class yachts all have them too.

[s/v Jedi]

About charging: you will need to keep an eye on it as only the bulk phase will be usable, until the voltage has gone up to 12.0V or so at which time you have to stop charging. Some chargers allow to change settings plus any decent system has programmable high/low votage alarms, right?

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

You are misinformed. A 12V battery that is run down to 10V is a dead battery. But 5x fully charged 2V cells in series are a different matter, because they can supply the power. Also, it will be 5x 2.10V = 10.5V.

I have started my engine on that, run all my lights and navigation equipment on that. There was one item that did not work and it was that crappy rn300 gps from Raytheon. It hardly works on 12V either so no surprise.

On construction: there is no comparison between a single cell and a battery with multiple internal cells. It is also silly to put that to discussion, just check any mission critical system and you see the single cells, for good reason. Diesel-electric submarines, emergency power for telcos, hospitals, the highest class yachts all have them too.

10.5volts oddly enough equals .... 10.5volts. The source is irrelevant.

[deckofficer]

I'm with Jedi on this. I always go with a single series string, sizing the cells to meet the capacity needs. Small boat with low capacity needs, (2) 6 volt golf cart batteries in series. I have used L16 for off grid homes but prefer any single battery not be so heavy as to require two people to lift it and at 125 lbs, those L16s were too heavy. I have used both flooded and AGM 2 volt cells and get much better service than the old L16.

I've moved on to LiFePO4 and will never use lead again, but that would be for another thread.

[Capt Hugh Wilde]

Originally Posted by Capt Hugh Wilde

12 VDC Lifeline GPL-30 HT - 150 amp hr.
6 of them gives me 900 AmpHr and they fit.
Just hook them in parallel and be done. Will end up about $200 more than 6 volts with less hookups.
What say you?

Well I was wrong about these fitting. I built a mock up of the battery and I can get these in the way I would like to.
So back to the 6 and 2 volt question.

I do feel like the 2 volt is more rugged.