[SOC] Batteries in Parallel

[David Ring]

Plus to plus to plus (etc) and negative to negative to negative (etc)
adds current capacity (ampere-hours) of battery but the voltage
remains the same.

This is parallel connection.

If you wire like this:

----(+) 1.5 volt dry cell (-) -------------------- (+) 1.5 volt dry
cell (-) -----

The two cells are connected in a battery and the resultant voltage
will be the sum of the voltage of the separate cells.

In the above example connecting two 1.5 volt cells will make a 3.0
volt battery.  The power capacity will be the same as the individual
cells (ampere-hours) - in other words there is no power capacity gain,
only a voltage gain.

Similarly, batteries can be connected in parallel with equal batteries
for more current or more "life" - actually more ampere-hours.

So you can make a 9.0 volt battery from 3 cells then connect three
such groups in parallel for a very long lasting 9 volt battery.  You
could use 9 D cells in this way - making a total of three identical 9
volt batteries each battery comprised of  3 1.5 volt cells and  then
paralleling these three 9 volt batteries to form a larger capacity  9
volt battery.

PARALLEL = More power capacity, same voltage.
SERIES = Same Power Capacity, but the voltages add.

73

DR

On 10/14/07, Tom McCulloch <thom2 at att.net> wrote:
> Hi,
>  Definitely an SOC question here:
>
> 1)  If I put two of those little 3 volt disc batteries (both the same type
> and number) in parallel will I get the equivalent of a 3 volt battery that
> lasts twice as long (more or less)?
>
> 2)  Would these 2 batteries be in parallel if I connected the two positive
> ends together and the two negative ends together.  Should I then run one
> wire from the positive ends and one from the negative for use in the
> circuit?
>
> Thanks
> Tom
> WB2QDG
>
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