How To Connect Batteries In Series And Parallel

When you open a toy or any electric device you can see that often there is more than 1 battery.
Such batteries are standard ones and are connected together to give more power to the device.
If you know how to connect batteries in series and parallel configurations, you’ll be able to boost power and/or capacity without the added bulk.

What Is A Battery Pack?

A battery pack consists of two or more batteries that are connected with wires through their terminals. By connecting batteries to supply power for a single application, you can increase the voltage, amperage, or both. Whenever you need more power or capacity, consider building a battery pack instead of installing multiple units. This would make your power supply more efficient and longer-lasting. There are two ways to connect batteries to a power source: series and parallel.

How To Connect Batteries In Series 

When you connect two batteries in series, you are able to double the voltage while maintaining the same electric intensity. For example: One 12-volt 150Ah battery + one 12-volt 150Ah battery connected in series equals 24 volts and 150 Ah. One 12-volt 100Ah battery + one 12-volt 100Ah battery wired in series equals 24 volts and 100 amps.

How do you connect batteries in a series configuration? Take a jumper wire and wrap it around the negative terminal of the first battery. Connect the other end to the positive terminal of the second battery. Take another set of wires and connect the open positive and negative terminals to your application.
Never cross the open positive and open negative terminals with each other as this would lead to a short circuit and cause damage or injury.
Always connect two batteries that have the same voltage and capacity rating. Mixing batteries can result in charging issues and reduced battery life.

How To Connect Batteries In Parallel

When you connect two batteries in parallel, you are able to double the capacity (amperage rating) while maintaining the same voltage. For example: One 12-volt 10Ah battery + one 12-volt 10Ah battery connected in parallel equals 12 volts and 20 amps. One 12-volt 150Ah battery + one 12-volt 150Ah battery wired in parallel equals 12 volts and 300 amps.

How do you connect batteries in a parallel configuration? Take a jumper wire and wrap it around the positive terminal of the first battery. Connect the other end to the positive terminal of the second battery. Take another wire and connect the negative post of the first battery to the negative post of the second battery. Connect your positive and negative wires to one battery and run your application.

Always use heavy-duty wires when connecting batteries in parallel. The increase in amperage can heat up the cables really quick and lead to damage.

How To Connect Batteries In Series And Parallel

If you want to increase both voltage and amperage, you could connect multiple batteries in both series and parallel. You will need at least four batteries to build this complex configuration. If you already have two sets of batteries connected in parallel, you can wire them together to form a series connection. For example: let’s consider 2 sets of batteries 12-volt 150Ah wired in parallel and put them in series. This system will give you 24 volts and 300 amps.

How to connect batteries in series and parallel configurations? Take two batteries and connect them in parallel. Take another set of batteries and wire them together in parallel as well. Finally, take a jumper wire and bridge the positive terminal of one parallel connection to the negative terminal of the second parallel battery pair.
If you are connecting multiple battery pairs, be sure to stay safe and connect the wire ends to the appropriate terminals. It can get confusing once the cables become a tangled mess. Make a diagram of your project so you can keep track of your connections as you construct them.