Buss Bar

[Svencool]

I read where someone said to run your batteries to a buss bar and hook your inverter to the buss bar. Does anyone know how or can explain on how to setup one of these? Just trying to understand the concept as they were saying its better on batteries instead of hooking your inverter directly up to the battery bank.

[littleharbor]

If you are running multiple parallel strings of batteries buss bars are a better way to get some balanced charging. They are also a convenient way to make all the various load and charging connections opposed to trying to stack these up on the battery terminals. Mine are made from 1 1/4" x 1/4" solid copper bars, drilled for the connections I needed. You will need one for the positive and one for the negative connections. I'm not sure about what metals you can, and can't use. I have all copper and stainless steel.

[bcroe]

If you are running multiple parallel strings of batteries buss bars are a better way to get some balanced charging. They are also a convenient way to make all the various load and charging connections opposed to trying to stack these up on the battery terminals. Mine are made from 1 1/4" x 1/4" solid copper bars, drilled for the connections I needed. You will need one for the positive and one for the negative connections. I'm not sure about what metals you can, and can't use. I have all copper and stainless steel.

Stick with copper; only silver and gold can match it for conductance. Bolts may be something else, if they
just hold together the conducting parts. Bruce Roe

[Svencool]

I found some Nice copper one's on amazon and they will be here Wed Thanks for your advice.....

[Svencool]

If you are running multiple parallel strings of batteries buss bars are a better way to get some balanced charging.

Here is an example of what I'm seeing when people talk about hooking there batteries to a buss bar type connection. Would this be better for the batteries? All cables are the exact same length and 2 gauge copper stranded wire.

[littleharbor]

Here is an example of what I'm seeing when people talk about hooking there batteries to a buss bar type connection. Would this be better for the batteries? All cables are the exact same length and 2 gauge copper stranded wire.

Basically yes although in this graphic there are only two strings and with only two a buss bar isn't really necessary. You can achieve balanced charging by connecting loads and controller to the positive of one string, and the diagonally opposed negative of the other string as in method #2 below.
Method #3 of this guide http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html shows the same thing you have shown, except with 4 "strings"

[Svencool]

Basically yes although in this graphic there are only two strings and with only two a buss bar isn't really necessary. You can achieve balanced charging by connecting loads and controller to the positive of one string, and the diagonally opposed negative of the other string as in method #2 below.
Method #3 of this guide http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html shows the same thing you have shown, except with 4 "strings"

Well all my batteries are 12v and I'm using a 24v system now. So 2 have to be in a series connection and then paralleled. In all those examples in that line are for parallel connections right?

[Sunking]

No reason to use a Buss Barr. People do that out of ignorance. Common practice if you are using say 10,000 AH batteries that requires you to parallel batteries to get the AH capacity, but there is absolutely no reason for solar. At 5000 Watt Solar panel array operating at 48 volt batteries largest battery it can support is 800 to 1000 AH batteries, You just buy 800 to 100 AH batteries.

Never Ever Parallel Batteries.

Edit Note:

There is a few application where using a Buss Bar is a good practice, like an RV where you have more than one device to power. Example in an RV you might have a 120 VAc Inverter and a dozen or so 12 volt loads like lights, entertainment systems and other 12 volt devices. But the buss is not used to parallel batteries, rather parallel loads.

Think of it like your house wiring. You brin din 1 linde from the utility to your Breaker box to distribute power on Branch Circuits. Something like the last picture below.

[littleharbor]

Well all my batteries are 12v and I'm using a 24v system now. So 2 have to be in a series connection and then paralleled. In all those examples in that line are for parallel connections right?

Exactly, Your series wired 12 volt batteries are essentially single 24 volt batteries.

[Svencool]

No reason to use a Buss Barr. People do that out of ignorance. Common practice if you are using say 10,000 AH batteries that requires you to parallel batteries to get the AH capacity, but there is absolutely no reason for solar. At 5000 Watt Solar panel array operating at 48 volt batteries largest battery it can support is 800 to 1000 AH batteries, You just buy 800 to 100 AH batteries.

Never Ever Parallel Batteries.

Edit Note:

There is a few application where using a Buss Bar is a good practice, like an RV where you have more than one device to power. Example in an RV you might have a 120 VAc Inverter and a dozen or so 12 volt loads like lights, entertainment systems and other 12 volt devices. But the buss is not used to parallel batteries, rather parallel loads.

Think of it like your house wiring. You brin din 1 linde from the utility to your Breaker box to distribute power on Branch Circuits. Something like the last picture below.

Thanks SunKing That's what I like pictures!!!!!

[Sunking]

Thanks SunKing That's what I like pictures!!!!!

You are welcome. Pictures or schematics work if drawn well.