Are the Batteries Connected in Series or Parallel?

Electrical Technology

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… + I_n

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… V_n

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.

Series, Parallel & Series-Parallel Connection of Batteries

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