Wiring up multiple cells - Is there a Best way?

[paulrogers6]

Dear All

If  I have 12nr 2V cells and wish to wire them up to give 12v is there a "best" way, eg:

2 x 6nr 2v cells wired in series to form two 12v cells and then these two 12v  cells wired in parallel to give 12v.

or:

6 x 2nr 2v cells  wired in parallel to form six 2v cells and then these wired in series to give 12v.

Both give the same overall voltage and AH.  Does either give a better performance?  How about charging?  will one setup or another give a more even charge?

Is there anything to recommend either setup over the other?

Thanks

Regards

Paul

[wooferhound]

If you wire your 2 volt cells to make 12 volts you will never get your batteries charged as you will need at least 15 volts to charge a 12v Lead Acid Battery. However this does not take account for days with less than full Sun. A solar panel made for charging a 12 volt battery should put out 20-22 volts and requires a charge controller to keep the battery from overcharging. This means that you will want 10 or 11 cells per panel to get up to full charging voltage.

[wpowokal]

Try this link

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_battery_wiring.html

I don't quite know what tree woof is barking up but clearly I miss read something in your post.

allan down under

[wooferhound]

I see what you are talking about, He never says if he is working with solar cells or battery cells ?

I was talking about solar cells.

[joestue]

What difference does it make what he charges it with?

this is a topology question.

"2 x 6nr 2v cells wired in series to form two 12v cells and then these two 12v cells wired in parallel to give 12v.

or:

6 x 2nr 2v cells  wired in parallel to form six 2v cells and then these wired in series to give 12v."

Given one 'bad' or 'weak' cell, the former instance is more reliable because it will result in the failure of just that one cell, rather than the good cell it is paired with as well.

However if you know for a fact they are all matched it really makes no difference until you have at least 50-100 cells, then its a statistical gamble, and you need individual cell monitoring to find the weak ones before they die.

[Bruce S]

Paul;

  Cold you give a little better explanation. Are these solar cells? or 2V Battery cells. This info will make a difference.

If they are solar cells, then as Woof stated it'll be necessary to bring the output up to above 12V, HF panels open Voltage can read as high as 23Vdc, so setting them up say for higher Voltage then attaching them in parallel to get charging amps would be better.

IF they are batteries, then assembling them as 12Vdc packs, then adding the packs together for increased Amp hour capacity is the way I assemble my battery bank.

Keep Smiling;

Bruce S