How to Wire Lithium Batteries in Parallel or Series

Wiring a battery in series is a way to increase the voltage of a battery. For example if you connect two of 12V 10 Ah batteries in series you will create one battery that has 24V 10Ah. Since many electric motors in kayaks, bicycles, and scooters run on 24V this is a common way of wiring batteries.

Wiring a battery in parallel is a way to increase the amp hours of a battery. For example if you connect two of 48V, 30 Ah batteries in parallel you will create one battery that has 48V 60Ah.


How to connect 
    Wire batteries in a series, you will first need to connect the positive ( + ) terminal from Battery A to the ground or “negative” ( – ) terminal of Battery B.
    Next, you will need to connect the open positive and negative terminals on Battery A and B to your specific application

    To start, you will want to connect the batteries’ positive ( + ) terminals to one another.
    Next, you’ll want to connect the ground or “negative” ( – ) terminals to one another.

Note

  • Parallel connection attains higher capacity by adding up the total ampere-hour (Ah).
  • Most battery chemistries lend themselves to series and parallel connection. It is important to use the same battery type with equal voltage and capacity (Ah) and never to mix different makes and sizes. A weaker cell would cause an imbalance. This is especially critical in a series configuration because a battery is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain.
  • A weak cell will not affect the voltage but provide a low runtime due to reduced capacity. A shorted cell could cause excessive heat and become a fire hazard. On larger packs a fuse prevents high current by isolating the cell.
  • Observe polarity when charging a secondary cell. Reversed polarity can cause an electrical short, leading to a hazardous condition.
  • Remove fully charged batteries from the charger. A consumer charger may not apply the correct trickle charge when fully charged and the cell can overheat.
  • Charge for battery. one charger for one battery.
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