Best Battery Wiring Configuration?

[Redoverfarm]

I pose this question to anyone that is using batteries for storage.  I am planning on 6 volt batteries for a total of 48 volts to the inverter. It appears to me that Series is the only way to go with 8 batteries.  Series/parallel would require 16 batteries?

Series?  Increases battery bank outpue voltage.

Parallel?  Increases the amp hours.

Series-Parallel?  Increases both voltage and amp-hour

[MountainDon]

For 48 volts with 6 volt batteries, right, you need 8 batteries. The question is how much capacity (amp-hours or watt-hours) do you need? That will affect battery choice and how many series strings. Ideally you would chose batteries that will supply sufficient capacity by using a single series string.

Note that some of the higher quality choices for batteries (Rolls and Surette to name one) are also available in 4 volt versions and even 2 volt cells.

What capacity do you figure you need? Is the goal to add PV or wind at some point and have that supply the main power, with the generator used solely for backup?

[Rob_O]

I pose this question to anyone that is using batteries for storage.  I am planning on 6 volt batteries for a total of 48 volts to the inverter. It appears to me that Series is the only way to go with 8 batteries.  Series/parallel would require 16 batteries?

Series?  Increases battery bank output voltage.

Parallel?  Increases the amp hours.

Series-Parallel?  Increases both voltage and amp-hour

Exactly

[Redoverfarm]

For 48 volts with 6 volt batteries, right, you need 8 batteries. The question is how much capacity (amp-hours or watt-hours) do you need? That will affect battery choice and how many series strings. Ideally you would chose batteries that will supply sufficient capacity by using a single series string.

Note that some of the higher quality choices for batteries (Rolls and Surette to name one) are also available in 4 volt versions and even 2 volt cells.

What capacity do you figure you need? Is the goal to add PV or wind at some point and have that supply the main power, with the generator used solely for backup?

Don at the beginning I will start small and maybe down the road increase the batteries, configuration to incorporate some solar.  Do you have available a diagram of the wiring for a 48 volt system using 6 volts.  Trying to figure out the amount of wire and clamps that I will need.  Ideally I would like to have two rows of four each side by side for space saving. 

[MountainDon]

1. Adding batteries to those that have been already in service can make the new ones act like the partially worn out / degraded older batteries. They all age, hopefully slowly if they are not abused. Just be aware that adding past a year will most likely result in the new ones acting like they are older.

2.