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Multiple Parallel Batteries Configuration: Design Considerations
Up to four (4) Iron Edison 4LiFe Lithium Iron batteries can be connected in parallel to increase amp hour
capacity.
NEVER connect Iron Edison 4LiFe Lithium Iron batteries in series to increase voltage. Permanent
damage and a dangerous catastrophic failure will occur.
For optimal performance the fewest number of batteries should be used to accomplish the needed
capacity (i.e.: a 400Ah project should use two 200Ah batteries instead of four 100Ah batteries). Here are
recommended configurations for various size battery banks:
Qty.
Battery Size
100 Amp Hour Battery Bank
1
IE48V100
200 Amp Hour Battery Bank
1
IE48V200
300 Amp Hour Battery Bank
1
IE48V300
400 Amp Hour Battery Bank
2
IE48V200
600 Amp Hour Battery Bank
2
IE48V300
800 Amp Hour Battery Bank
4
IE48V200
900 Amp Hour Battery Bank
3
IE48V300
1,200 Amp Hour Battery Bank
4
IE48V300
The recommended parallel wiring method is to use a battery combiner box to combine the batteries into a
single bus, which is then connected to the system. Directly paralleling the batteries is not recommended
due to high current and the need to electrically isolate the batteries in the event of a BMS fault.
It is CRITICAL that the battery cables between the battery combiner box and batteries are
EXACTLY the same size, length and type
. Any variance in battery cables will create unequal
resistance, resulting in unbalanced batteries and significant performance issues.
4/0 battery cables and a 250 amp circuit breaker are recommended for EACH battery in the bank. 2/0
battery cables and a 175 amp circuit breaker can be substituted if appropriate for the project’s loads.
