The two most common ways to wire batteries are in series and parallel. Both configurations have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the desired outcome.
When wiring Lithium batteries in series, the voltages of the individual batteries are added together, this is useful for applications where a higher output voltage is required, such as in an RV or boat where 12 volts is standard. However, the system’s capacity is reduced because only one battery supplies power at a time.
In contrast, wiring batteries in parallel keeps the voltage the same but increases the capacity. This is helpful when a long run time is necessary, such as in a wheelchair or other powered device.
However, it should be noted that the total available energy in both configurations is equal. That means that while one may be able to run for a longer period with Lithium batteries wired in parallel, the amount of power that can be delivered at any given moment is still limited by the number of batteries in the system.
For example, let us say you have two 12-volt, 100 amp hour batteries. You can make a 24-volt, 100-amp-hour battery by connecting them in series. However, if you wire them in parallel, you will still have a 12-volt, 200-amp hour battery.