2 batts in parallel + 1 in series?

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HippyGirl

Super Member
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Oct 30, 2009
407
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Alabama
TO clarify...

I've had this 4xAAA box for a while. So I got tired of it staring back at me from my mod parts stash and decided to try my hand a building a box with the batts in parallel.

I had two 600mah 10440s and one 320mah (salvaged from a 510 PT), so I was thinking I could put the two 600mahs in parallel and add the 320mah to THAT, but in series.

Keep in mind I really do NOT fully understand WTH I'm doing here, but the thing does work...

3x10440.jpg

I just don't know if it's working like I "think" it should (doubling the mahs to extend the batt life with the two in parallel and adding more volts using the 320mah added in series).

The reason I don't think it's working as it should is because the volts going to the atty was only 4.2-ish...if it was doing what I wanted it to do, shouldn't the voltage going to the atty be more than that? Something tells me it's pulling from the 320mah only.

Thoughts?
 

Kattdaddy

Unregistered Supplier
ECF Veteran
TO clarify...

I've had this 4xAAA box for a while. So I got tired of it staring back at me from my mod parts stash and decided to try my hand a building a box with the batts in parallel.

I had two 600mah 10440s and one 320mah (salvaged from a 510 PT), so I was thinking I could put the two 600mahs in parallel and add the 320mah to THAT, but in series.

Keep in mind I really do NOT fully understand WTH I'm doing here, but the thing does work...

View attachment 6208

I just don't know if it's working like I "think" it should (doubling the mahs to extend the batt life with the two in parallel and adding more volts using the 320mah added in series).

The reason I don't think it's working as it should is because the volts going to the atty was only 4.2-ish...if it was doing what I wanted it to do, shouldn't the voltage going to the atty be more than that? Something tells me it's pulling from the 320mah only.

Thoughts?

This all depends... what hits my mind, as far as the parallel side and batts, ... Most of the time a battery box of this type is designed for planned outputs and will be regulated by resistance to obtain this... Some of them dump the extra juice supply and others re-direct that extra supply to be back fed for battery use. So, it sounds like there is a planned output that is affecting your overall and depending on how the series- side was hooked up.. this might also add some resitance in to a portion of the supplied voltage prior to the current draw of the atty.

Just my thoughts......
 

bigozone

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Sep 6, 2009
237
0
Kentucky
the 320maH could be reverse charging... that's why everyone warns when using batteries in series MAKE SURE TO USE MATCHED PAIRS....

what you are doing is going aginst that in a MAJOR way.... either just run the 2 10440's in series or run 2 sets of 10440's in series otherwise you could be the next one posting about exploding batteries....

batteries ran in series should be the SAME in age, charge, type.... mixing different maH cells in series is more likely to malfunction than like cells.
 

Nicotinologist

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jan 14, 2010
135
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Long Beach, California
The total mah of the two 600mah will double but the voltage will remain thesame. If a 320mah is connected in series with the output of the two 600mah connected in parallel the total mah will only be a little over 320mah I don't think it will approach 920mah because batteries behave differently even if they are of thesame brand and model but the total voltage will add to the 600mah battery voltage output. If we are talking about E-cig batteries it will be 3.7v +3.7v@ over 320mah. I don't see any problem about reverse charging according to bigozone unless he means the battery charger should be over 7.4volts, like a 9 volt battery charger otherwise system will be discharging instead of being charged. Also the 320mah will be pulling some charge from the two 600mah in other words the circuit will try to regulate the voltage and mah. I based this explanation from my basic electronics training in the airforce many many moons ago.
 

Wireguy

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 24, 2009
932
1
Birmingham Al
Sounds like it is only pulling from one battery. 4.2 is about what one batt would show, It's hard to tell from the picture but it looks like you are pulling the + and - of of the last battery. That would use only the last battery. How do you have it wired?

Kattdaddy I suspect she just has a blank (dumb) box she rearranged the contacts on so none of that would come into play. Hippygirl can clarify.

bigozone (or anyone else) do you have a good reference for lion batteries, not battery university, about dangers of and use of? Something slightly more in depth.

I'm wondering about the advice floating around this site. I've found over the years that some of the common knowledge about batteries is bogus. I've spent more hours than I care to think about studying use of batteries. I even read NASA's study on memory in batteries. Why? At the time I was paying $500 TO $700 apiece for batteries. Got it down to about $60 for rebuilds.

Hey Scotbee. Hows your knowledge on lions?
 
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Wireguy

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 24, 2009
932
1
Birmingham Al
What?:p:confused:

The total mah of the two 600mah will double but the voltage will remain thesame. If a 320mah is connected in series with the output of the two 600mah connected in parallel the total mah will only be a little over 320mah I don't think it will approach 920mah because batteries behave differently even if they are of thesame brand and model but the total voltage will add to the 600mah battery voltage output. If we are talking about E-cig batteries it will be 3.7v +3.7v@ over 320mah. I don't see any problem about reverse charging according to bigozone unless he means the battery charger should be over 7.4volts, like a 9 volt battery charger otherwise system will be discharging instead of being charged. Also the 320mah will be pulling some charge from the two 600mah in other words the circuit will try to regulate the voltage and mah. I based this explanation from my basic electronics training in the airforce many many moons ago.
 

HippyGirl

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 30, 2009
407
4
Alabama
Sorry I didn't get to this last night...chicken emergency (don't ask, just trust me!).

Anyway, here's a new pic. Hopefully, you can see how it's wired:

3x10440b.jpg

The two pos contacts in parallel were cut apart, so I soldered a jumper (red wire) between them.

Of the two neg contacts, the one connected to the slider switch (the box switch) is not connected to the one beside it. The neg contact beside it is not cut apart from the pos contact that is wired to the momentary switch.

You can't see it, but the ground wire is from the negative contact right next to the atty and soldered onto the outside of it.

As for checking the voltage:

With the red probe to the pos end of the batt the fatherest away from the atty side of the box, I get 4.04V at the neg end of the batt beside it, 4.04V to the POS end of the batt closest to the momentary switch, and 4.04V at the switch itself (on both sides when the switch is depressed). HOWEVER, when I put the black probe to the NEG end of THAT batt, I get 8.24V.

Lost and confused would be an understatement.

What do I need to do to make this work like I originally intended (that is, IF it can work)?

Thanks,

Sherry
 
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Scottbee

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Sep 18, 2009
3,610
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Okauchee Lake, WI
I re-read your initial post, and yes, it would appear that only the 320mAh battery is powering the atty and the two 600mAh batteries aren't doing a dern thing but sitting there looking pretty and blue.

That being said.. what you want it to do.... you shouldn't do. The two 600 batteries in parallel will create (basically) one 1200mAh battery. Fine. Now you put that in series with a measly 320mAh battery. Now what? You vape and vape at 7.4V until the 320mAh battery dies (and it will certainly die first). If it is a protected cell.. then that's it, you're done. You got the effective vape duration of a 320mAh cell... no more. If it is not a protected cell.. well then bad things begin to happen as the two remaining "living" cells try to reverse charge the dead 320mAh cell. Bad Juju.

You'd be better off in all ways by just using the two 600mAh batteries in series and allowing the 320 to have a nice retirement in a drawer somewhere. You'd still get 7.4V.... and you'd get a 600mAh vape duration. Better all the way around.
 

Nicotinologist

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jan 14, 2010
135
20
Long Beach, California
600mah batteries in parallel will equal 1200mah, 3.7 volts. Since we are connecting a 320mah in series with 1200mah battery pack we will now have a total output voltage of 7.4 volts. The question: Will the 1200mah battery pack just sit there looking pretty and not contribute in supplying energy? NO, because it will try to keep the 320mah charged up. Yes, the total output is 7.4 volts, too high for any atomozer in existence. Well, this is simple. I believe an average atomizer resistance is 3.1 ohms. If you want to run it at 5 volts try adding a 1.5 ohm wire wound resistor with a 3 watt capacity to run at 5. volts.
 
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