[Ham-Computers] Parallel gelcel batteries

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Goran,

Seriesing cells is OK.  That is after all how all batteries are built.  
Paralleling batteries is to be avoided.  The weakest one will drag all of the 
others down to its level.  If you isolate the individual batteries with silicon 
diodes, you will lose about 5% of the available WH per diode (12 volt system).  
No competent engineer would design such a system for either commercial or 
military use.

Having said that, if you have a large quantity of the 8AH batteries available 
at no cost, strap six of them together and use them.  When one fails and 
takes out the other five, throw the six away and start over with six new ones.  

In a message dated 8/13/2004 1:26:40 AM Central Daylight Time, ea8yu at arrl.net 
writes: 
> I would like to put six 12V 8Ah in parallel for power.
> I am thinking of float charging them
> and using a series resistor to limit the current from the
> charger in case the batteries are flat.
> Would this system work or do I have to isolate each battery
> with diodes on the charge side and/or on the load side?

Robert Downs - Houston
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