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12-6v EGC2 battery made into 12v battery bank

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  • 12-6v EGC2 battery made into 12v battery bank

    Newbie here! I found a great deal on these batteries on Craigslist and so now have 12 6 volt golf cart batteries that I'd like to make into a battery bank for my barn. I have 8 different sized solar panels that I've acquired over the last few years for a total of about 800 watts that I'll be mounting on the barn roof. I'm looking for suggestions as to how to wire this correctly. I'm hoping to run 6v lighting and 12v lighting that I already have in addition to putting a 400w and 1500w inverter on as well.

    I'm really new to all of this so hoping for any suggestions and advice.

    It's greatly appreciated!

    Dave
    Irwin, PA

  • #2
    To do it right you need to work backwards.

    How much power do you draw and for how long daily? It is important to get this as accurate as possible. You'll need to make either amperage measurements, or use a tool like a P3-International-Kill-A-Watt meter.

    Know your solar insolation hours, which differ from sunrise-to-sunset hours. A quick check shows that you'll have 4 hours in the summer, and anywhere from about 1.5 to 2.5 hours in the winter. You can look for more exacting values online. Winter hours are the ones most design for to make sure your batteries get fully charged.

    With the above known, you'll be able to find out how much battery capacity you need, as well as how much panel power you need.

    Tip about the batteries: I'd recycle them. Starting a solar project with used batteries is asking for endless headaches. Unless you can personally vouch for their age, charging procedure, and discharge parameters, the seller wants to rid himself the hassle of recycling them himself. Unfortunately, you just paid to do that for him.

    Until you do at least step 1, stop buying stuff. Don't worry, this is a common mistake.

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