How to Connect 4 12v Batteries to Make 48v?

If your RVs solar panel needs a 48 V battery, you will probably be searching whether you have got a cheaper way to get the required voltage without spending much for a 48 V battery. You have come to the right path if you are searching on how to connect 4 12v batteries to make 48v. We are going to explain the exact method in this article. 

Increasing the voltage without changing the current flow per hour will give more efficiency in the circuit. This happens because the same amount of charge is moved through the same amount of voltage twice. High voltages can be obtained in series connections. Parallel connections maintain a constant voltage and increase the current flow per hour.

How to Connect 4 12v Batteries to Make 48v?

If you place the batteries in a series connection, it will increase the total voltage output from the circuit. Most importantly, here, you should use a charger that can bear the increased voltage supply from the circuit. A series connection does not change the capacity of a system. But the opposite happens in a parallel connection which is done with the intention of getting a higher amperage. Batteries will last longer in parallel connection as the same amount of voltage is given throughout the process. 

How to connect 4 12v batteries to make 48v? Now it should be crystal clear to you that to increase the voltage from 12v to 48v; we need to arrange the same voltage batteries in a series connection. When we talk about series connections, there is no limit to the batteries you can use to create a high voltage. 

  • Take all the 12v batteries nearby in a line and take some connective wires.
  • Now the connection begins! Identify the negative terminal of the first battery and connect it to the positive terminal of the second battery. Then repeat the negative and positive connection until the 4th battery. 
  • You must make sure only to connect batteries with the same voltage and amperage when you need to connect the voltage. When the voltages differ, the highest-volt battery will start charging the lowest-charged battery, and the circuit will end in failure.  
  • Do not cross the terminals of the besides or any other battery when connecting. This is to avoid unexpected damage to the system.
  • It would help if you chose the charger as per the voltage of the circuit. Individual charging of each battery separately is the recommended method to follow when charging. 
  • Lithium-ion batteries are the most used secondary batteries. But sealed lead acid batteries are the best when it comes to long-term use. 

The series connection in batteries can commonly be seen in RV power supplies, larger trucks, and buses. Trucks do not use 25 v batteries as per its high cost, and instead, two 12v batteries are used in series connection for the power supply. Another reason to use the series connection of 12v batteries in vehicles is that most of the electrical components are manufactured originally to a power supply of 12v.

In the history that lies back to the 1950s, vehicles were powered by 6v batteries. Later, they were replaced with 12v batteries to reduce the expense of copper connectives used to transmit the energy for the vehicle’s electric circuits. The reason was the increase in the price of copper after the second world war. The expertise of the industry was able to replace the 6v battery with the same size 12v battery without adding more weight to the vehicles. At present, there are even 24v batteries in use, but as we discussed, most of the vehicles present 12v powered systems, and therefore, 24v battery usage has been limited. The revolution of batteries not only cut off the expenses but also was productive in the durability of relays and motor brushes.

What Vehicles Use 24v Batteries?

Currently, 24v batteries can be seen in commercial and military vehicles, mostly in order to power the high compression diesel engines of them. 

In consumer-level cars still, we could see the usage of series connected 12v batteries or one battery as a result of the expense of a 24v battery. 

What is the Parallel Connection of Batteries?

A parallel connection is made by connecting the negative terminals of one battery to the negative terminal of the other. The voltage is not changed here. It is used to get a more amperage without changing the voltage. There is no maximum number of batteries that could be connected parallelly. 

A major advantage of this method is that if one battery malfunctions, the whole system will not be affected. 

Are Boat Batteries Wired in Series or Parallel?

In typical boats, the parallel connection could be seen, but when it comes to larger ones, there is a high chance for a series connection.

How to Connect 8 12v Batteries to Make 48v?

When 8 12 v batteries are connected in series, the resulting voltage will be 96v. Therefore, we cannot use that method.

Instead, we can adjust four units of 2 8v batteries in parallel connection. One pair will give a voltage of 12v, and you can take the four results of the parallel units together in a series connection and form 48v. 

How to Connect 4 12v Batteries to Make 12v?

If you need to make the voltage constant, then the batteries must be connected in parallel connection. Thereby, you will receive a 400Ah current without changing the voltage. We have discussed the way of making the parallel connection in an earlier paragraph of this article. 

How Do You Know If a Battery is in Series or Parallel?

When purchasing, if you see a connective wire between negative and positive terminals, it is connected in a series connection. Often, the batteries are connected in series. 

Conclusion

You will have to come across situations where you need to get more voltage using 12v batteries. In this article, we have discussed the way with examples. Here you will find about the other type of connection and its examples too.

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