Are the Batteries Connected in Series or Parallel?
Battery Configuration: Series vs. Parallel
Basic Electrical Engineering Interview Q&A Series
Are these two batteries connected in series or parallel? How should the load be connected in this type of batteries configuration?
Short Answer:
While it may look like a series connection, but it is neither series nor parallel. For the current circuit shown in the question, there is no voltage, no current. But Yes, this configuration can be used as parallel configuration as shown below.
Explanatory Answer:
For the circuit shown in the question, connecting two batteries only by their negative terminals (negative-to-negative) does not create a complete circuit or cause a short. As a result, there is no significant reaction or power output.
For functionality, the positive terminals must also be connected, either together (parallel) for higher capacity or to the other battery’s opposite terminal (series) for higher voltage.
When the positive (+) terminal of one battery is connected to the positive (+) terminal of another battery, and the negative (–) terminal is connected to the negative (–) terminal, this arrangement is called a parallel connection of batteries.
As shown in the figure, the negative terminals are connected together, and the positive terminals are also connected together. Therefore, these two batteries are connected in parallel.
Connection of Load:
When the batteries are wired in a parallel configuration, the load is connected across the combined positive and negative terminals of the batteries, as shown in the diagram.
In a parallel connection, the voltage across each branch is the same, while the total current is the sum of the currents supplied by each battery. In other words, voltage at each point is same while current is additive. i.e.
I1 + I2 + I3 … + In
If the negative (–) terminal of one battery is connected to the positive (+) terminal of another battery, and so on, this arrangement is called a series connection of batteries. In a series connection, the total voltage is the sum of the individual battery voltages, while the current remains the same throughout the circuit. In simple words, voltage are additive while current is same at each junction i.e.
V1 + V2 + V3 … Vn
In case of a complex circuit i.e. both series and parallel connection in single circuit, it is known as series-parallel connection of batteries.
In more complex circuits where both series and parallel connections are used together, the configuration is known as a series-parallel configuration of batteries.
Resources:
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I think only the position of application of load effects its configuration in my view.The fig. in the ans. proves that the batteries are in parllal but what if the load is connected in series with the two batteries ??
Goutham Kollurn
Yes.. But you can see that it is a parallel connection of batteries, no matter how the load is connected with batteries i.e. series or parallel. Main topic is only related to the batteries configuration and you can connect load in series or parallel with batteries as per your requirements. Thanks.
How can we connected load parallel of batteries
Dheru
As shown in fig 2. the load is connected in series with batteries. You may connect more load points in parallel or series according to your needs as shown in fig 2.