I'm currently using a battery balancer for my setup of 4 twelve-volt batteries configured to run at 24 volts. Recently, I added two more batteries, but my balancer only has leads for four batteries. Should I buy another balancer, or are there options available that can support six to eight batteries? Am I making this more complicated than it needs to be, and is there a simpler solution?
3 Answers
I'm following this thread too because I'm curious! What model of balancer do you have at the moment?
You really should only need one connection per series string. Think of your two existing strings of 3 twelve-volt batteries as three 24V batteries. Just connect one lead to the positive and negative of each string. If your voltage was low before, how were all four batteries set up? You should ideally be seeing close to 29 volts, but at least 28 volts should be the minimum.
Got it! So I can just connect one lead to the + and - of each string? I'll do a bit more research on how to connect them properly.
You generally only need one balancer for each series group of batteries. It's a bit surprising that your current balancer is working for you since it seems like it's designed for a 4-cell setup (4s). If you aren't going to 48 volts, you can probably find a more cost-effective balancer. Just remember, it’s best to use batteries that match your system's voltage to avoid needing extra equipment like this.
I totally understand, I got a little overwhelmed with options on Amazon and missed that detail. Thanks for clarifying!
Here's the link to the one I'm using: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GLS1DVR](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GLS1DVR). It's been working decently but seems to max out around 26.7 volts when I used to reach about 27 volts at full charge.