Cells/Batteries/Banks

[boscoe99]

Anyone know why a number of electrical cells connected together is called a battery whereas if a number of batteries are connected together they are called a bank?

It is slow here. Just wondering.

[DennisG01]

Well, I'm just guessing as I type, but... A "battery" is stand-a-lone/complete unit. A "cell" would not function by itself (for it's intended purpose). A "bank" is 2 or more "complete" units tied together.

[zenoahphobic]

A cell is the single or the fundamental thing that can produce electricity, and it does function by itself. Not that useful as they would be the lowest voltage output possible. Although we have A, AA cells everywhere and single cell Li cells with higher voltage being used everywhere. A battery is a series of cells, the word coming from the military term. A bank of course is just a larger collection.

I think the confusion is because we tend to call everything a battery when in fact we should be referring to them as cells when they are cells.

[fairdeal]

it would be interesting to understand the history of the terms;
particularly as they have been taken up by the 'smart charger' community

Just recently I noticed an 'Owners Manual' for a popular brand of marine charger:

it was for a '3 bank charger"

and clearly stated that each of the three "bank" leads -

should be connected to "only one battery"

[zenoahphobic]

And, unfortunately we have not given what we are referring to here a real name, we simple adopted terms that have various meanings depending on what we are talking about.
Eg. Cell in prison.....cell in biology etc. Battery in artillery......battery in assault etc.

[zenoahphobic]

it would be interesting to understand the history of the terms;
particularly as they have been taken up by the 'smart charger' community

Just recently I noticed an 'Owners Manual' for a popular brand of marine charger:

it was for a '3 bank charger"

and clearly stated that each of the three "bank" leads -

should be connected to "only one battery"

Yes language again, in fact concise language not precise.
Smart used to refer exclusively for living things....a charger smart! Stupid really.
What's a marine charger? How do you charge a marine.... I know MPs can do that!
I think bank used above simply refers to 3 batteries not 3 banks of batteries. We have 1 battery or 2 batteries (or dual), and we start to use the collective word bank for 3 or more batteries.!!
I am not to worried about how words are used so long as I get a hint of what is meant.

[boscoe99]

it would be interesting to understand the history of the terms;
particularly as they have been taken up by the 'smart charger' community

Just recently I noticed an 'Owners Manual' for a popular brand of marine charger:

it was for a '3 bank charger"

and clearly stated that each of the three "bank" leads -

should be connected to "only one battery"

What brand charger if I might ask? I can use it as the basis for a question to be asked over at THT. To see if some excitement can be stirred up.

I am amazed at the plethora of varying answers that one can get from one simple question over there. Did you read about an electrical "short" meaning that a switch is closed?

[fairdeal]

What brand charger if I might ask? I can use it as the basis for a question to be asked over at THT. To see if some excitement can be stirred up.

I am amazed at the plethora of varying answers that one can get from one simple question over there.

I'll see if I can find it -

Yes, any 'battery' or 'charger' thread over there is guaranteed to bring out myth, lore, and misinformation...