If you are familiar with the function of 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 battery, but you want LiFePO4 battery pack to provide more powerful functions for your equipment, increase the voltage and capacity by connecting in series and in parallel. Connecting batteries in parallel and in series is an effective solution to provide a better experience for your customers. Your various applications such as solar power system, uninterruptible power supply system, golf cart, RV camping, etc. are equipped with modular battery packs in parallel and in series. We share with you the guide on how to connect two 12 volt batteries in parallel and in series.

What does it mean to connect batteries in parallel and in series?

Connecting batteries in series and in parallel means increasing the voltage or capacity of the battery system. When batteries are connected in parallel, their voltage remains the same, but the capacity increases. For example, connecting two 100V batteries with a capacity of 12Ah will result in a 200V battery with a capacity of 12Ah. On the contrary, when batteries are connected in series, their voltage increases, but the capacity remains the same. Therefore, connecting the same two 12V batteries will result in a 100V battery with a capacity of 24Ah. This is the difference between connecting batteries in series and in parallel.

Regardless of how the batteries are connected, the total available energy (watt-hours) is the same. This is because the watt-hours are calculated by multiplying the voltage by the capacity. The total energy for both systems is 2400 watt-hours.

It is important to note that the batteries in parallel and series setups should have the same voltage and capacity ratings. Mixing and mismatching voltages and capacities can lead to battery damage.

Before making parallel and series connections, always prepare the necessary tools and accessories, such as battery cables (positive and negative), wire cutters/strippers, wrenches or socket wrenches, goggles, and gloves. Also, make sure you are working in a well-ventilated area to avoid breathing in harmful fumes that may be emitted during the process.

How to connect 4pcs 12 volt batteries in parallel?

A 12 volt system consists of two or more 12 volt batteries connected in parallel (positive to positive, negative to negative). This configuration increases the battery capacity (Ah) while keeping the voltage the same. The battery wires should be the same length when connected in parallel to ensure that each battery bank operates at the same current. Parallel connections are common when higher current requirements or longer run times are needed. Examples include applications such as RV, Marine, Golf Carts and Backup Power.

As shown in the figure, the negative terminal of the first battery is connected to the negative terminal of the second battery, and the positive terminal is also connected to the positive terminal. Connecting 4 12 volt batteries in parallel means connecting 4 12V 100Ah batteries in parallel to form a 12V 400Ah battery.

What are the advantages of connecting batteries in parallel?

The benefits of connecting batteries in parallel are as follows: If one of the batteries dies or fails, the remaining batteries in the system can still provide power. It is possible to increase the possible operating time of the system while maintaining voltage. Since ampere-hour capacity accumulates, connecting two batteries in parallel can double the operating time, three batteries can triple the operating time, and so on.

For high-current applications, batteries in parallel have a lower system voltage than batteries in series. Therefore, larger currents require larger cables and a larger voltage drop.

Larger electrical equipment and generators are more difficult to operate and less efficient when running at lower voltages.

How do I connect 4pcs 12 volt batteries to produce 48 volts?

It requires that they are connected in series. This means that you connect the positive terminal of one battery to the negative terminal of the next battery. Continue connecting the batteries in this manner until all batteries are connected. The final connection should be the positive terminal of the last battery to the negative terminal of the first battery. Typically battery packs allow up to 4 lithium batteries to be connected in series to create a 48 volt system. Make sure that the number of batteries in series does not exceed the recommended limit.

The total voltage of the battery pack will be the sum of the individual battery voltages. In this case, the voltage of the battery pack will be 48 volts. As shown in the picture, you can see 4 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 batteries connected in series.

As shown in the picture, you can see 4 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 batteries connected in series. The batteries are connected in series when the positive terminal of the first battery is connected to the negative terminal of the second battery. This means that the voltages of the batteries are added and the total system voltage is 48 volts. The battery capacity remains the same, so the total system capacity is 100 Ah.

What are the benefits of connecting 4pcs 12 volt batteries to 48 volts?

When 4 batteries are connected in series, the batteries are not all connected to the same voltage source. This helps prevent overcharging or over-discharging of the batteries, which can damage the batteries and increase the risk of fire.
If you are using the battery bank to power a 48 volt device such as a solar panel or an RV, connecting the batteries in series will give you the voltage you need.
Connecting 4 batteries in series helps reduce the cost of the battery system. This is because you can use fewer batteries, saving on the initial purchase price as well as maintenance and replacement costs.
The higher the system voltage, the less current is required to power the device. This is beneficial in many ways. For example, it can reduce the size and expense of wiring, as well as the amount of voltage drop in the system.
A higher system voltage also means that more power can be delivered to the battery during charging. This is helpful if you are using a solar charger or another type of charger that is limited by the rated current.
Increasing the system voltage can increase the efficiency of the battery bank. This is because the batteries are able to operate at a lower current.

The following example shows how the advantages of running batteries in series can be applied to a real-world situation.

A 360-watt device running at 12 volts will draw 30 amps of current. This means that the wiring in the system must be able to carry 30 amps of current without overheating or causing voltage drops. If the same device were running at 48 volts, it would only draw 7.5 amps of current. This would allow for the use of thinner wiring, saving money and making the system more compact.

An MPPT solar charge controller rated at 50 amps would only handle 600 watts of solar power at 12 volts. However, at 48 volts, the same controller could handle 2400 watts of solar power. This means that a wider array of solar cells can be used to charge the batteries, increasing the amount of energy available to the system.
It is important to note, however, that there are some disadvantages to connecting 4 12-volt batteries in series. Since it is more complex than parallel, the batteries need to be connected in the correct order to ensure that the voltages add up correctly. If the batteries are not wired correctly, there is a risk of damaging the batteries or the device being powered by the battery bank.