Buck converter or boost converter, which is best? Check out this article to see which voltage converter would be.

Buck Or Boost Converter Which Is Best or Most Efficient 

Buck converter or boost converter, which is best? When you have to change one voltage to another, this question can come to mind. Many of the devices that we rely on every day have some sort of boost or buck converter circuit built into them. This makes sense if you think about it. Things like hard drives, mp3 players, video recorders, laptops, and many other devices require voltages that are outside of the natural range of a lithium-ion battery pack.Buck and boost converters are both DC to DC converters that rely on switch mode power supply technology to operate. Buck and boost converters allow lithium-ion batteries (or any other voltage source) to operate beyond their normal range. They can also be used to charge lithium-ion batteries.Boost and buck converters perform the same function in that they allow the user to change from one voltage level to another to achieve higher electrical compatibility between power sources and the devices being powered. There is really no way to say, however, that a buck converter is better than a boost converter or a boost convert is better than a buck converter. It comes down to your specific application in terms of what battery or power source you are using and the load you are trying to power or charge.&nbsp;If you need to have a voltage that is lower than what you are starting with, then you are going to need a buck converter. If, on the other hand, you need a higher voltage than what your batteries can provide, you will need a boost converter.Buck converters are generally more efficient and more flexible than boost converters. They also require fewer external components compared to boost converters. There are devices that combine buck and boost converters and they are called - you guessed it - buck-boost converters.&nbsp; A buck-boost converter does exactly what it sounds like. It switches between buck and boost modes depending on how low (or high) the input voltage is compared to the target output voltage.<h3>How Do Buck Converters Work</h3>Buck converters also known as step-down converters use one or more transistors as a switch. This switch rapidly connects and disconnects the input voltage to an inductor. Inductors have many properties, one of which is the resistance to an instantaneous change in current.&nbsp;Highly simplifying the situation, a buck converter can be thought of as a device that connects just enough of the input to the output to achieve a lower voltage. Energy is conserved, however, in the form of a higher current. So if you have an ideal, totally lossless buck converter that you put 12V and 2A into, if the buck converter is set to 6V, then the output current would be 4A.<h3>Buck Converter</h3><ul><li>Steps down a voltage from a higher input to a lower output.</li><li>Current is increased on the output in order to lower the voltage.</li></ul><blockquote>[[ aff type=aff ~ link=https://amzn.to/3E3qLOz ~ title=`Buck Converter DC to DC Step Down` ~ image=https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/81L1-6rB9OL._AC_SX679_.jpg ~ description=`The input voltage range is DC 10-65V; Output voltage range is DC 0-60V, which is adjustable and used to convert 24v to 12v 5v; Output current range is 0-12A, which is adjustable; Max output power is 720W` ~ height=large ~ buttonText=Check Price``&nbsp; ]]</blockquote><h3>How Do Boost Converters Work</h3>Boost converters also known as step-up converters rely on the fact that an inductor prevents the instantaneous change of current. The setup is a bit different, though. In a boost converter, the rapidly connecting and disconnecting switch is used to 'charge' an inductor that is effectively put in series with the rest of the circuit. Because the inductor is able to store and re-emit current, it can do so during the on and off stages of the switch mechanism. This energy is sent through a diode (a one-way valve for electricity) and into a capacitor where it is stored at a higher voltage than the input.<h3>Boost Converter</h3><ul><li>Steps up a voltage from a lower input to a higher output.</li><li>Current is decreased on the output in order to raise the voltage.</li></ul>While it's true that a boost converter can work at single-cell lithium-ion voltages, that is a less-than-ideal situation.&nbsp;Remember, there is no such thing as a free lunch. So, if you want to increase the voltage on the output, you have to increase the current on the input. If you double the output voltage, then you must double the input current. Lithium-ion cells can most certainly handle such current requirements, but the components used to make boost converters cannot. At least not at those extreme levels.&nbsp;This is why low voltage boost converters are physically small devices that support a tiny amount of current on the order of just 1 amp or so. If you want to do anything practical with a boost converter, you are going to need an input voltage of at least 10 to 12 volts.<blockquote>[[ aff type=aff ~ link=https://amzn.to/3y4sDDc ~ title=`Boost Converter` ~ image=https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/81c4URq5jjL._AC_SX679_.jpg ~ description=`Input voltage: DC 8-60V; Output voltage: DC 10-120V; Input current: 0-15A; Output current: 0-15A.` ~ height=large ~ buttonText=Check Price``&nbsp; ]]</blockquote><h3>Buck Converter Or Boost Converter Which Is Best For Efficiency?&nbsp;</h3>Generally speaking, boost converters are less efficient than buck converters. At first glance, this may seem like it's because boost converters increase voltage while buck converters decrease voltage. That, however, is not the reason why.&nbsp;The reason why a boost converter is generally less efficient than a buck converter boils down to how the devices differ in operation. Because the devices work in a different way, they need slightly different components in a different arrangements. It just so happens that boost converters use a little more energy to do their job than a buck converter. The good news is that the difference is quite small.&nbsp;For both boost and buck converters, expect about 90 to 95 percent efficiency depending on load current. And remember, while it's true that the difference between input and output voltages in DC to DC converters is not directly proportional to its efficiency level, it’s certainly a key factor.&nbsp;So, when choosing a boost or buck converter for your application, make sure to set things up so that the difference between input and output voltage is as small as possible.&nbsp;<h3>How Can DC to DC Converts Be Used With Lithium Ion Batteries?</h3>Buck converters and boost converters can be used with lithium-ion batteries in several ways. You can use a buck converter to lower the voltage of a battery so that the battery can operate devices that are normally outside its range. As you would expect, a boost converter can be used to increase the voltage of a battery so that it can operate higher voltage devices.&nbsp;These same regulator boards can be used to charge batteries as well. It is important to note, however, that to be able to use a boost converter or a buck converter as a lithium-ion battery charger, you must ensure that it is a DC to DC converter of the constant current variety.<h3>So, Buck Converter Or Boost Converter Which Is Best?</h3>Well, that depends on your application. If you are using a converter board as a battery charger and you have a 4S battery (16.8V charge voltage) and a 24V power supply, then you will need a constant current buck converter as you would need to lower the voltage going into the battery.&nbsp;In contrast, if you are using a 12V supply to charge that same battery, then you would need to use a constant current boost converter to step up the charge voltage from the lower voltage DC supply.&nbsp;When using a DC to DC converter to regulate the voltage of a battery to operate a device, it's pretty much the same situation. The main difference is that if you are using a boost or buck converter to control the discharge voltage of a battery, you will not have to use a constant current converter; a simple constant voltage module will work just fine.&nbsp;<h3>Conclusion</h3>Ideally, you would want a battery and a load that does not require a buck or boost converter in between. There are times, however, where this is either not an option or putting a converter between the battery and load can actually extend the operational capacity of the battery pack.If you are looking through all the parts on Amazon and thinking to yourself, ‘Buck converter or boost converter, which is best?’, the answer is neither. It really depends on your application and your specific needs. In fact, boost converters and buck converters have pretty much opposite roles. So if you need to use a boost converter to make something work, no buck converter will be a viable solution.&nbsp;We hope this article helped you determine whether a buck converter or boost converter is best for you. Thanks for reading!

Buck Converter Or Boost Converter Which Is Best

Batteries and cells come in many different sizes, shapes, voltages, and chemistries. We will help you pick which is right cylindrical, pouch or prismatic. 

How To Pick Best Cells For A Battery Pack Cylindrical Pouch or Prismatic 

Are you wanting to learn how to build the perfect battery? There is a lot to consider when learning how to pick the best cells for battery projects.&nbsp;While it is true that batteries come in many different sizes, shapes, voltages, and chemistries, lithium-ion batteries are by far the most common type of battery cell that you will come into contact with. It is important to consider, however, that not all lithium-ion cells are the same. In fact, lithium-ion cells within the same sub-chemistry can have substantially different properties.In this article, we will go over all of the factors that need to be considered when picking battery cells for your project.<h3>Factors To Be Considered While Choosing A Battery</h3>Let's take a look at each battery cell parameter in order to gain a better understanding of battery performance and operation. Availability Of SpaceLithium Ion battery cells come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. There are thin, skinny ones, short fat ones, big tall ones, and just about everything else in between. Regardless of what type of lithium-ion cell you come across, however, they will filter down into 3 categories. Canisters, Pouch, and Prismatic. Canister/Cylindrical CellsCanister cells also known as cylindrical cells are by far the most common type of lithium-ion battery cells. Like anything else packaged in a cylinder, canister cells can be manufactured extremely quickly. This makes them the least expensive to produce and that is why they are most common. They are safer to use than pouch cells because they have a hard steel shell. When To Use Canister/Cylindrical CellsCanister cells are the most common and most available type of battery. So, as long as you have a spot welder, you really should be using canister cells. Their low cost and size along with their relatively high energy and packing densities make them a viable solution for most applications.&nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;cylindrical battery cells 1865 2170 4680.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:277225,&quot;height&quot;:810,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/9uth1EzoOgb6DZOdIPGy4KJMtgW9tsPKkI3kx4ld.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/9uth1EzoOgb6DZOdIPGy4KJMtgW9tsPKkI3kx4ld.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1440}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/9uth1EzoOgb6DZOdIPGy4KJMtgW9tsPKkI3kx4ld.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/9uth1EzoOgb6DZOdIPGy4KJMtgW9tsPKkI3kx4ld.jpg" width="1440" height="810"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">cylindrical battery cells 1865 2170 4680.jpg 270.73 KB</figcaption></a></figure>Pouch CellsPouch Cells, also known as lithium polymer cells, are the ones you find in modern, sleek laptops, phones, and some other thin gadgets. They generally have a higher current carrying capacity than canister cells due to the larger contact surface area of the cathode and anode. The problem with lipo cells is that they have no hard casing. This means if you physically impact a pouch cell, you are in for quite a situation.&nbsp;When To Use Pouch CellsBecause of their lack of any sort of protective layer and their high cost, it's best to use pouch cells only if you absolutely have to. These types of batteries swell under normal operation and if this is not taken into consideration, it can cause an explosion.&nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;battery pouch cell.jpeg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:33556,&quot;height&quot;:684,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/TVlXdjQfCfAOPsE9fuCFapUJ9x3Z3OYAO5kG4WS6.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/TVlXdjQfCfAOPsE9fuCFapUJ9x3Z3OYAO5kG4WS6.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:755}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpeg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/TVlXdjQfCfAOPsE9fuCFapUJ9x3Z3OYAO5kG4WS6.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/TVlXdjQfCfAOPsE9fuCFapUJ9x3Z3OYAO5kG4WS6.jpg" width="755" height="684"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">battery pouch cell.jpeg 32.77 KB</figcaption></a></figure> Prismatics Prismatic cells are an attempt at the best of both worlds. They are basically massive lipo cells that are built into a hard metal casing. They are still complicated to manufacture because they are not round and cannot roll through any sort of machine easily. So, they are generally more expensive.&nbsp;When To Use Prismatic Cells Prismatics are reliable and have a high energy density. The drawback here is that they are rather large cells. So, if you are making something like a power wall or other static, nonmoveable battery, prismatic cells can be a good solution.&nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;prismatic battery cell.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:67862,&quot;height&quot;:720,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/0SqQu4xef3VuhiFtBmffapqquYmkjre52XcZ6hqu.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/0SqQu4xef3VuhiFtBmffapqquYmkjre52XcZ6hqu.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:960}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/0SqQu4xef3VuhiFtBmffapqquYmkjre52XcZ6hqu.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/0SqQu4xef3VuhiFtBmffapqquYmkjre52XcZ6hqu.jpg" width="960" height="720"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">prismatic battery cell.jpg 66.27 KB</figcaption></a></figure> Operating VoltageBattery voltage is pretty much the most important characteristic of a battery. Battery voltage is determined by the internal structure and chemistry of the battery. While it may seem like a dead battery will have a voltage of 0V, this is not the case. In fact, if a battery is reading as 0V, that means it is damaged.Standard cobalt-based battery cells have a running nominal voltage of about 3.7 volts. In contrast, iron-based lithium battery cells have a running voltage of around 3.25 volts. So, if you are using lithium iron (LiFePO4) batteries, you will have to put more in series.&nbsp; Operating TemperatureThis is an extremely important and often overlooked one. Most people will consider how important it is to make sure your batteries don't exceed a certain temperature due to their operation, but the ambient operating temperature is often overlooked. Performance, reliability, and even safety can be diminished if a battery pack is operated outside its temperature scope. At first glance, one may reasonably assume that there is only an upper-temperature threshold, but there is also a lower temperature threshold. [talk about lithium-ion changing at below freezing]It's best to charge lithium-ion batteries between 20°C to 45°C. Outside of this range, you will not be able to safely charge a lithium-ion battery at its rated current. If you do, it will result in lower battery cycle life. If you need to charge lithium-ion batteries in temperatures ranging between 5°C and 10°C, you will have to slow the charge down to a crawl in order to prevent dendrite plating on the electrolyte. Capacity Of The Battery - Amp Hours &amp; Watt Hours&nbsp;If a given battery cell has a nominal voltage of 3.7 volts and a capacity of 3.5 amp hours, that means it can store 12.95 watt-hours of energy. The formula to derive watt hours is extremely simple. All you have to do is multiply the nominal voltage by the capacity and it will tell you the watt-hours.&nbsp;If a battery has a nominal voltage of 3.7 volts and a 2 Ah (amp hour) capacity, that means it can store 9.4 Wh (watt hours) of energy. This means that the battery could power a .94W load for 10 hours or a 9.4W load for 1 hour. It also means that it can power an 18.8W load for 30 minutes.In another example, a battery pack that has a nominal voltage of 36 volts and a capacity of 15 Ah will be able to store 540 Wh (watt hours) of energy. This means that the battery could power a 540W load for 1 hour or a 54W load for 10 hours, and so on.&nbsp;Batteries that have a higher capacity do not always provide faster discharge capability. This fact is important to consider. Cost Of Battery CellsGenerally speaking, the battery is the most expensive single part of any system. In most cases, many battery cells are required to achieve optical characteristics. For this reason, cost becomes a huge factor in choosing the best type of battery for your project.<h3>Which Battery Should I Choose?</h3>When it comes down to how to pick the best battery cells for your project, it's important to make sure the cells can support the currents your application demands. Remember, the current is shared between the cells in parallel and not shared between the cells in series. This means if you have a battery pack that is made with 10 cell groups in series and 3 cells in parallel in each group, whatever your load current is will be divided by 3 across the cells in the P group.&nbsp; So, if you are running a 30amp load on a 10S3P battery pack, each cell in the battery pack will be under a 10-amp load.&nbsp;<h3>Conclusion</h3>There are many factors to take into consideration when learning how to pick the best cells for battery projects.&nbsp;It’s important to remember that canister cells are the hardest to work with but they are the most available and generally the lowest cost. Pouch cells are a bit dangerous and kind of expensive so you should only use them when you absolutely have to. Prismatics are heavy, large, and can be somewhat expensive. They are, however, the easiest to work with as they all have screw terminals on them.&nbsp;We hope this article helped you learn how to pick the best cells for your project. Thanks for reading!

How To Pick Best Cells For A Battery Pack

18650 Or 21700 cells is one of the most common questions before you build a pack, we break everything down to help you make the right choice.

18650 Or 21700 Cells How to Pick Which Is Best

When working with lithium-ion batteries, there are many types that you will come across. The overwhelming majority, however, will be either 18650 or 21700 cells. So, you may be wondering which cell type is best for your application.Generally speaking, 21700 cells are better for most applications. These larger cells contain more watt-hours per cubic centimeter compared to smaller 18650 cells. Also, 21700 cells can generally provide more discharge current and support higher charging currents than 18650 cells. 18650 cells are smaller, so you may not have an option to use 21700 cells. Also, 18650 cells are lower cost per cell and generally a lot easier to find than 21700 cells.In this article, we will compare and contrast 18650 cells vs 21700 batteries in order to provide you with enough information to determine which cell is best for your use case.<h3>Are 21700 And 18650 The Same</h3>No. These numbers only indicate size, but size plays more of a factor in how well a battery cell works than you may think. 21700 cells are physically larger, so there is more room for energy storage. Also, when it comes to scaling cylinders, as you increase its surface area by a small amount, you increase its volume by a large amount. So, basically, being a little bigger on the outside makes things a lot bigger on the inside. This means that gram for gram and cm³ for cm³, 21700 calls are going to offer the best characteristics more often than not.21700 cells are not twice as large as 18650 cells but they do often contain twice the power or more. Also, 21700 cells can support very high currents, most of their 18650 counterparts. These two factors are again attributed to the size difference between the cells.These two battery types provide the same function and are often used in the same application. Both 18650 and 21700 cells are lithium cobalt battery cells and therefore have the same running voltages.&nbsp;21700 and 18650 batteries offer drastically different performance characteristics due to their size. Because 21700 batteries are larger than 186500 cells, they have superior energy storage characteristics and current carrying capacity. Really, the only advantage of an 18650 other than higher availability is also their main detracting point; their size. If you need to fit a certain amount of cells in series to create a particular voltage, you may have no choice but to use 18650s due to this size constraint.<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;2170 vs 18650 size.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:407356,&quot;height&quot;:780,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/UkOFZSGexHQSVGGXsoU2KpZH5gJj6Sq4aNpz9dIc.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/UkOFZSGexHQSVGGXsoU2KpZH5gJj6Sq4aNpz9dIc.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1040}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/UkOFZSGexHQSVGGXsoU2KpZH5gJj6Sq4aNpz9dIc.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/UkOFZSGexHQSVGGXsoU2KpZH5gJj6Sq4aNpz9dIc.jpg" width="1040" height="780"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">2170 vs 18650 size.jpg 397.81 KB</figcaption></a></figure><h3>21700 Battery Vs 18650, Which One Is Better</h3>Battery capacity is measured in milliamp-hours (mAh) which can easily be converted to amp-hours (Ah) by dividing by 1000. A 21700 battery cell generally has a rated capacity of about 4000ma (4Ah) to around 5500mAh (5.5Ah). 18650 battery cells, on the other hand, have rated capacities of 2600mAh (2.6 Ah) to 3600mAh (3.6Ah). Therefore, most 21700 battery cells have nearly twice the capacity of most 18650 battery cells.The Molicel P42A is, by far, the highest performing 21700 battery cell. It has a 4200 mAh capacity (4.2Ah) and can support a continuous discharge current of 45 amps. When it comes to the most popular and sought-after battery cells, that title will have to be given to Tesla cells. If you are wondering what a Tesla cell is, well, it's a pretty much nameless and faceless cell made by either LG or Panasonic. They have a 5000 mAh capacity and only support about 15 amps continuously, but because they were installed in a model 3 for a moment, people really love them.There are quite a few excellent 18650 cells on the market but we will discuss three here.The LG MH1 is commonly used because it provides a good balance between capacity and discharge capabilities. The official model number is INR18650MH1 and these cells support a continuous discharge current of up to 10 amps. LG MH1 cells have a nominal capacity of 3200 mAh and a nominal voltage of 3.6 volts. For the longest cell life, it is recommended to charge LG MH1 cells at 1.5 amps. They can, however, safely be charged at 3 amps, but this will reduce the cells overall lifespan.&nbsp;Another popular 18650 cell is the Samsung 30Q. This cell is used for the same reasons that LG MH1 cells are, but the 30Q strikes a bit less of a balance. If you need a cell that can handle a little more current than the MH1 and you don’t need the extra capacity, then the Samsung 30Q is perfect for you. These cells have a capacity of 3.0 Ah and a nominal voltage of 3.6 to 3.7 volts. These cells can handle up to 15 amps of continuous discharge current. For the best cycle life, Samsung 30Q cells need to be charged at no more than 1.5 amps per cell. These cells can be safely charged at up to 4 amps, but overall life will be reduced.&nbsp;The most sought-after cell is by far the Molicel P28A because Molicel. Molicel is the Mercedes Benz of lithium-ion battery cells when it comes to current carrying capacity.&nbsp; Molicel P28A cells have a capacity of 2.8Ah and a nominal voltage of 3.volts. P28A cells can handle up to 35 amps of continuous discharge current, and that is not even a typo. 35 Amps per cell continuously is quite a tall order and these cells can do it. For the longest cycle life, P28A cells should be charged at no more than 2.8 Amps but they can safely be charged at up to 6.8 Amps per cell at the cost of some cycle life.&nbsp;<h3>Do 21700 Batteries Fit 18650 Devices</h3>No. 21700 cells are physically larger than 18650 cells. Because of this, it's physically impossible for a 21700 cell to fit in a 18650 cell holder. You can, however, purchase adapter sleeves to make 18650 cells fit into places that are expecting 21700 cells. It's important to keep in mind that doing so will result in a massive drop in energy density.<h3>Does Tesla Use 21700 Batteries</h3>Yes. Not only does Tesla use 21700 batteries, but they also pioneered that format. The Tesla Model 3 was the vehicle by Tesla to use these cells. There are 4416 21700 cells in the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y.<h3>Can A 18650 Charger Charge 21700</h3>Yes. Any charger that is designed for 18650 cells can charge 21700 cells. Electrically, 18650 and 21700 cells look the same to a charger. The charger does not care about capacity, so it will charge the 21700 cells just the same and it will be none the wiser.&nbsp; While it is true that exceeding the safe current limits can result in damage or fire, it's crucial to note that 21700s can support equal or greater charging currents compared to 18650 cells.<h3>Are 18650 And 21700 Cells The Same Size</h3>No. 18650 batteries have that name because they are 18mm wide and 65mm tall. The trailing 0 simply means it's a cylindrical cell. 21700 batteries, on the other hand, are 21mm wide and 70mm tall. This is why 21700 cells cannot fit in the same space that an 18650 can, but an 18650 can fit in the same place as a 21700 can.<h3>Can I Use A 21700 Battery Instead Of 18650</h3>Yes. As long as you don't have any kind of size constraints, then 21700 cells will work just fine in place of18650 cells.<h3>Conclusion</h3>So, 18650 Or 21700 cells; which Is best? I would have to say 21700 cells so long as a battery built from them can physically fit in your application.21700 battery cells are gaining popularity quickly. 21700 battery cells offer more power and more often than not provide more current than 18650 battery cells. This makes 21700 cells ideal for high-current applications like devices like power tools and electric vehicles. While it is true that 18650 cells are still being manufactured, we will more than likely see 21700 replace them as the industry standard for everything but the most compact portable electronics.&nbsp;We hope this article helped you understand more about 18650 Or 21700 cells and which Is best. Thanks for reading!

18650 or 21700 Cells, Which Is Best

Lifepo4 cells are newer to the market so we will go over some steps to find these and how to identify them.

Where To Find Lifepo4 Batteries and Cells

Even if you have a lot of lithium-ion battery experience, lithium-Iron-phosphate batteries. also known as LiFePO4 batteries, are different from what you may be familiar with. This is because the type of battery that can be found in cell phones, laptops, and well, everything else is lithium-cobalt batteries. LFP batteries are much more stable than standard lithium-ion batteries and are much less prone to self-combustion. In this article, we will discuss the differences between LiFePO4 batteries and their more common lithium cobalt counterparts. We will also discuss where to find LiFePO4 batteries and which applications are best to use them.&nbsp;<h3>Are Lithium And LiFePO4 The Same?</h3>Contrary to popular misconception, Lithium-Iron-Phosphate batteries are a subset of lithium-ion batteries. This means that LFP cells *are* lithium-ion batteries but not all lithium-ion batteries are LFP batteries.This question is based on the misconception that LifePO4 batteries are not lithium-ion batteries. Remember, the L in LifePO4 stands for lithium. What you really meant to ask was, "Are lithium cobalt and lithium-ion batteries the same?" The answer is no. Lithium cobalt batteries have a higher energy density than LiFePO4 batteries. LifePO4 batteries, on the other hand, are much more stable and therefore much safer.<h3>How Many Years Will a LiFePO4 Battery Last?</h3>Generally speaking, LiFePO4 batteries will last about 5 to 7 years. Like standard lithium cobalt batteries, however, the number of cycles and the amount of load put on the battery is much more of a determining factor than time.<h3>How Many Cycles Does A LiFePO4 Battery Have?</h3>You can expect a LiFePo4 battery to make it through 5000 cycles or more before there is any degradation. That is quite significant when you think about it. Generally speaking, regular lithium cobalt batteries are only good for 500 cycles or so. While it is true that there are things you can do to increase the number of cycles you can get out of lithium cobalt batteries, you won't ever be able to bring that number up to 10 times its normal value.&nbsp; Cycle life is one of the most important characteristics of a battery. So, as you would expect, having such a high cycle life is one of the best features of LiFePO4 batteries.&nbsp;<h3>Can LiFePO4 Batteries Catch Fire?</h3>Yes. Lithium Iron batteries are still extremely energy dense. If you release all the energy in the cell in an instant, it will catch fire. With that being said, LiFePO4 has a far higher chemical stability compared to lithium cobalt batteries. Also, lithium iron batteries produce significantly less heat during the charging and discharging process compared to other 'standard' lithium cobalt chemistries.<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;lifepo4 pouch cell.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:56622,&quot;height&quot;:664,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/z56QhU0B2iiv2iG2d4xvcR4SbD6Bb1LEcAUebGIN.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/z56QhU0B2iiv2iG2d4xvcR4SbD6Bb1LEcAUebGIN.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:700}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/z56QhU0B2iiv2iG2d4xvcR4SbD6Bb1LEcAUebGIN.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/z56QhU0B2iiv2iG2d4xvcR4SbD6Bb1LEcAUebGIN.jpg" width="700" height="664"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">lifepo4 pouch cell.jpg 55.29 KB</figcaption></a></figure><h3>Is LiFePO4 A Lipo?</h3>No. Lifepo4 is a cell chemistry that is found in prismatic cells, pouch (soft pack), and cylindrical cells. LiFePO4 does come in a pouch or soft pack format so be careful not to confuse the two.<h3>Are LiFePO4 Batteries Better?</h3>Well, that depends. If safety is more important to you than energy density, then yes, LiFePO4 batteries are better. If, on the other hand, your battery application is space or weight constrained, then standard lithium cobalt batteries are better. LiFePO4 batteries have a much longer lifespan and are very safe.&nbsp;They have a better charging efficiency, but they also have a lower cell voltage. This means you have to put more cells in series compared to lithium cobalt cells. Also, cost is a factor. LiFePO4 cells cost significantly more than their less safe, more energy dense cousins.<h3>Can I use A Lithium Ion Charger On A LiFePO4 Battery?</h3>No. A standard cobalt-based lithium-ion battery cell has a fully charged voltage of about 4.2 volts and a dead voltage of around 2.6 volts. LiFePO4 cells, on the other hand, are dead at around 2.5 volts and fully charged at 3.65 volts.<h3>Why Is LiFePO4 So Expensive?</h3>Because they are new. Economies of scale make a major impact on the cost of a product. As LiFePO4 production ramps up, costs will come down. With that being said, even though LiFePO4 batteries are usually more expensive up front, they end up being the lowest cost in the long run. This is no surprise as they last around 10 times longer than standard cobalt-based lithium-ion cells.<h3>Can I Leave My LiFePO4 Battery On The Charger?</h3>Yes. Any lithium battery, LiFePO4 or not, must be equipped with a battery management system. The BMS will prevent the battery from being overcharged, among other things. The MOSFETs in a BMS can effectively remove the battery’s connection to the outside world when they are switched off. Because of this, it's totally safe to leave your LiFePO4 battery on the charger.&nbsp;<h3>What Is The Life Expectancy Of LiFePO4 Batteries?</h3>LiFePO4 batteries are commonly rated to last about 5,000 cycles. That is 10 times more than the 500 cycles that standard lithium-ion cells are rated for. In most applications, this works out to about a 10-year lifespan.It's important to consider the fact that once this limit is reached, it does not mean that your battery pack is unusable. It simply means that it will be able to store less energy by the time these many cycles are reached. Generally speaking, it's about 70 to 80 percent capacity.<h3>What Can I Use LiFePO4 Batteries For?</h3>LiFePO4 batteries can be used for anything, but because of their cell voltages, they work particularly well for lead acid and AGM replacements.<h3>Conclusion</h3>Lithium-ion batteries are still quite new, so if you are wondering where to find LiFePO4 batteries, you will more than likely have to purchase brand new ones and won't be able to harvest them from devices and machines in the same way you can for lithium cobalt cells.&nbsp;

Where To Find Lifepo4 Batteries

Are you wondering how to plan a portable power pack or station? Here is some basic information to help you plan.

How To Plan A Portable Power Pack - Power Station

Are you wondering how to plan a portable power pack? It’s actually not all that hard of a thing to do, there are just some key aspects and basic ground rules that need to be considered first.&nbsp;In this article, we will cover everything you need to know to build a portable power pack (also known as a portable power station). For this article, we will assume that you already know how to build a lithium-ion battery. If you do not, then I highly recommend you check out this article, as it covers exactly that.Also, this article will be about how to plan a portable power pack and not so much about how to build one. If you are looking for how to build a portable power pack, sign up for our email list we will be writing on it at a future date.<h3>Why Build It Yourself?</h3>When researching the cost of solar generators and other portable power systems, one will find that most of them demand a hefty price. In fact, most small units cost somewhere between $300 and $500 dollars, while larger models can run anywhere between $500 to $1000 or even more. What's even worse is the fact that at this price range, portable power systems often do not provide the amount of power that the user is needing.While the definition of a portable power pack is rather broad, there are a few key aspects that I believe every portable power pack should have.&nbsp;USB PortsIt’s 2022, so USB ports are super important. There are simply too many devices that are charged or powered over USB for USB ports to not be included in a portable power pack. The good news is that there are plenty of great USB power modules to choose from on Amazon. <figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;65922100549__6480D614-F29E-4C02-917F-73A588E53358.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:1010399,&quot;height&quot;:1336,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/4b62ox9UhUduxpEy77sU6vEuB7HyN4W6cRxxRrRl.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/4b62ox9UhUduxpEy77sU6vEuB7HyN4W6cRxxRrRl.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1512}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/4b62ox9UhUduxpEy77sU6vEuB7HyN4W6cRxxRrRl.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/4b62ox9UhUduxpEy77sU6vEuB7HyN4W6cRxxRrRl.jpg" width="1512" height="1336"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">65922100549__6480D614-F29E-4C02-917F-73A588E53358.jpg 986.72 KB</figcaption></a></figure> LED flashlightWhile it's true that portable power packs are useful for things like camping, they are much more useful for emergency situations. Whether you are on a camping trip or enduring an emergency, when the sun starts to go down it begins to feel a lot like the 13th century. So, it’s important for your portable power pack to have some sort of built-in lighting.Direct Power OutputThe batteries in your portable power pack can often supply much more power than any regulator that would attach to it. There are plenty of circumstances in which it's useful to have a direct connection to the battery cells inside your portable power pack.&nbsp;Short Circuit &amp; Overcurrent ProtectionThese things are especially important if you have a direct power output in your portable power pack. The last thing you want to do is accidentally short something out and render your only source of power completely useless. The great news, in this regard, is that over current and short circuit protection are basic features that are built into every BMS. So, you don't even have to add an additional module to get these benefits.&nbsp;Regulated, Adjustable Power OutputThe great news is that you can build a really nice portable power system yourself! Not only does it save you money, but it will build a skill that will be useful for the rest of your life. Also, there is a great sense of accomplishment when building anything, especially something that you will use all the time.<h3>What Voltage Battery To Use For Portable Power Pack</h3>A portable power pack is only as useful as the regulators you have attached to it. While it's nice to have a direct power output, that is not what you are going to be using most of the time. Instead, most of the time you will be using USB ports or a standard 12V output to run 12V devices.&nbsp;Among many other things, the efficiency of a given regulator is a function of the difference between the regulator's input voltage and output voltage. With all else being equal, a regulator will always be more efficient if the input and output voltages are closer together rather than far apart.&nbsp;Most devices that you are going to want to run from your portable power pack are going to be 12-volt devices. Things like small inverters, LED room lighting, and many other devices are made to run on 12 volts.USB A outputs 5V in the overwhelming majority of situations. USB QC 3.0 (QuickCharge) compatible devices can negotiate with smart USB power modules and they can provide 9 or even 12 volts to a device after an automatic voltage negotiation process.&nbsp;USB C PD (Power Delivery) is a bit different. USB C PD can supply either 5, 9, 12, 15, or 20 volts. It can also supply up to 100W of power depending on the device you have attached to it.&nbsp;Most power regulator modules and all USB regulator modules rely on buck converter technology. That means that they cannot increase the voltage, they can only reduce it.&nbsp;This means that in order to be able to supply the desired output voltage, you are going to need to have an input voltage just above your highest possible output voltage. The reason it needs to be slightly higher than your output voltage is because nothing is 100 percent efficient. There will always be a small voltage drop across a regulator.&nbsp;If you are not interested in running USB PD devices at the max voltage of 20V (laptops, other battery banks, etc) then you can go with a simple 4S (16V) or 5S (18V) battery pack.&nbsp;If, however, you are wanting to build a portable power pack that has full USB C PD support, you will have to use a battery pack that has a voltage that never drops below 21.5 volts. With lithium-ion batteries, that is pretty hard to do.&nbsp;In fact, there is no lithium-ion battery configuration that runs a USB C PD port in an ideal manner. Simply put, you are not going to find a USB PD module that can run on anything higher than a 35-volt input.&nbsp;The closest fit is a 7S configuration (24V). In the case of a 7S lithium-ion battery, the max charge voltage is&nbsp; 29.4 volts, but the dead voltage is about 18 volts. This means that without a boost converter in between the two, a 7S lithium-ion battery will only be able to provide the full 20V 100W USB C PD spec for a portion of its capacity. Before the battery is depleted, the voltage of the pack will drop low enough to where the USB PD module cannot provide 20 volts.&nbsp;The solution is to put a constant voltage boost converter (or a constant current boost converter set to constant voltage mode) between the battery pack and your USB C PD modules. If you set the boost converter to around 21.5 volts, when the battery voltage is high, the boost converter will essentially be doing nothing. But the moment the battery voltage drops below what you have the boost converter set to, the converter will work its magic and keep the output voltage high.&nbsp;Doing this will ensure that your portable power pack is able to provide the full USB PD specification throughout its entire capacity range.&nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;IMG_5981.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:648481,&quot;height&quot;:1107,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/ZpHxeG6kD5jxbWGuAlp1X1ainTYl9GEytRHlGhxi.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/ZpHxeG6kD5jxbWGuAlp1X1ainTYl9GEytRHlGhxi.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1701}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/ZpHxeG6kD5jxbWGuAlp1X1ainTYl9GEytRHlGhxi.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/ZpHxeG6kD5jxbWGuAlp1X1ainTYl9GEytRHlGhxi.jpg" width="1701" height="1107"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">IMG_5981.jpg 633.28 KB</figcaption></a></figure><h3>Parts Needed To Build A Portable Power Pack</h3><ul><li>Battery pack 4S or 5S if you don’t need the full USB PD output spec. 7S if you do, but you will have to put a boost converter between your battery pack and the USB PD modules if you plan on using 20V USB C for the entire capacity of the battery.</li><li>Charger You must use a proper constant current battery charger for your portable power pack. Do not rely on the BMS to ‘handle things’ and cut off charging and regulate current. If you do, then you will not only not get all of the performance you expect from your portable power pack, but it will also damage it.&nbsp;</li><li>Power Regulators You will need step-down converters and USB power regulator modules to adapt the main battery voltage slope into something more stable and standardized.</li><li>Casing While it will work, it's not very practical to run all of these components lose on a table or the ground. So, consider what kind of package you could put it in. Ammo cases are pretty popular to build portable power packs out of, but I feel like it's better to build a battery pack out of something less conductive. So, look for a small cooler or other plastic casing or project box to put your portable power pack components in.&nbsp;</li><li>Ports and outlets Many devices rely on the standard cigarette lighter plugs that are commonly available in automobiles. So, it's a good idea to put at least one of these sockets on your portable power pack.&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Conclusion</h3>When it comes to planning a portable power pack, there are a lot of options. The information in this article is more or less the best effort at providing a general overview of what’s needed to make one of these extremely useful devices. Thanks for reading!

How To Plan A Portable Power Pack/Station

In this article, we will go over all the things you need to know and look out for when shopping for lithium-ion battery cells or lithium-ion battery packs. We will also touch on where not to get lithium-ion battery cells.

Where To Find Lithium Batteries Packs and Cells

After learning about battery safety and how to choose a BMS, the next logical step is to find out where to find lithium batteries. The good news is that lithium-ion batteries are not hard to find. They are in just about any portable electronics and are commonly for sale on many online marketplaces.&nbsp;Lithium-ion battery cells can be harvested from several places to build a battery pack. If you are not wanting to do the work in harvesting old lithium-ion battery cells, there are several places online that you can buy them from. Complete lithium-ion battery packs can be purchased on Amazon and eBay, but don’t expect to get the highest quality battery packs from those places. Given the current environment, it’s still best to either custom-build your own lithium-ion battery pack or have a professional battery builder do it for you.&nbsp;In this article, we will go over all the various things you need to know and look out for when shopping for lithium-ion battery cells or lithium-ion battery packs. We will also touch on where not to get lithium-ion battery cells.&nbsp;<h3>Where Are Lithium-ion Batteries Most Commonly Found?&nbsp;</h3>All over the place! Specifically, lithium-ion batteries are found in laptops, cell phones, ebikes, USB battery banks, automobiles, fitness trackers, and just about anywhere else you need portable power.&nbsp;<h3>Lithium Ion Battery Harvesting</h3>You can find totally healthy lithium-ion battery cells in several readily available products. A quick search of craigslist or the Facebook market will reveal a high number of old laptops that have lithium-ion battery cells in them.&nbsp;When a laptop battery pack goes bad, it's generally only 1 cell that actually has a problem. So, that means that there are 2 to 5 totally good lithium-ion battery cells in most laptop battery packs.&nbsp;Another great source is old modems. For quite a while it was commonplace for cable modems to have a small built-in battery backup. Most of the time, the battery pack in these modems never got fully cycled. So, if you are wondering where to find lithium batteries, modems are a great source.<h3>Where To Find Lithium Ion Batteries - Cells</h3>If you are not into the labor involved in the extraction and testing of lithium-ion battery cells, there are several places to buy them online.&nbsp;<h3>Where To NOT Get Lithium Ion Battery Cells</h3>Lithium-ion battery packs can be found all over the place. There are some places, however, that are not worth looking at. Pretty much any drill that is not brand new is not going to have lithium-ion batteries. You will sometimes get lucky and find a broken drill that has a lithium-ion battery. More often than not, though, lithium-ion-powered drills are not old enough for many of them to be discarded yet.&nbsp;So, the overwhelming majority of drills in circulation today still have the old NiCd batteries in them. This makes drills an excellent candidate for an upgrade to lithium-ion batteries, but they are a poor choice for lithium-ion harvesting.&nbsp;Also, in most cases that a drill is discarded, there is nothing wrong with the drill anyway. It’s usually just the battery pack that has failed. So, even if you get lucky and get your hands on a newer drill, the lithium-ion battery cells in that drill are going to be closer to the end of their usable lifespan.Remember, drills are high-current devices. While it’s true that drills are not operated for very long continuously, when they are operated, it's at very high current levels. This places extra strain on the cells, so even if you end up with a few decent cells harvested from a lithium-ion drill battery pack, using them could be one of the quickest ways to start lithium-ion battery fires or even a lithium-ion battery explosion.&nbsp;<h3>Where To Find Lithium Ion Batteries - Battery Packs</h3>Complete lithium-ion battery packs can be found at the usual places online such as eBay and Amazon. Lithium-ion battery packs found on these websites are readily available and are often priced to sell as quickly as possible.&nbsp;While it's true that one can certainly buy one of these lithium-ion battery packs and have no problem with it, the buyer is seldom actually getting what they are paying for. As a rule of thumb, it's good to subtract about 25% from the rating capacity of these battery packs to get closer to the actual figure.&nbsp;So, if you buy a 20Ah battery pack on eBay, expect it to provide around 15Ah of capacity. This is the unfortunate culmination of rock bottom, highly competitive pricing, and the rampant pervasiveness of fake and improperly listed battery cells.&nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;_DSC8514.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:315223,&quot;height&quot;:950,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/UFsN4SXW2tm24hVfvaGLM6pv0AphVNO74mM9Cpyo.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/UFsN4SXW2tm24hVfvaGLM6pv0AphVNO74mM9Cpyo.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1342}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/UFsN4SXW2tm24hVfvaGLM6pv0AphVNO74mM9Cpyo.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/UFsN4SXW2tm24hVfvaGLM6pv0AphVNO74mM9Cpyo.jpg" width="1342" height="950"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">_DSC8514.jpg 307.83 KB</figcaption></a></figure><h3>Shopping Criteria For Lithium Battery Cells</h3>When shopping for the best lithium battery cells for your application, there are a few important things to keep in mind.&nbsp;<ul><li>Physical Size Lithium-ion battery cells come in all kinds of sizes. There are 18650s, 21700s, 32650s, and several other less popular formats. A battery pack that will barely fit X number of 18650 cells will not be able to fit nearly that many 21700 cells. &nbsp;</li><li>Lithium Ion Battery Voltage Lithium-ion battery cells come in several varieties that have different voltage ranges. For example, your average run-of-the-mill lithium-ion battery cell will have a fully charged voltage of 4.2 volts and a dead voltage of around 2.5. Lithium phosphate cells, on the other hand, are fully charged at 3.3 volts and are dead at around 2.8.&nbsp;</li><li>Max Change and Discharge It’s of critical importance to make sure your lithium-ion cells are able to support the load that you plan on putting them under.&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Shopping Criteria For A Lithium Battery Pack</h3>When shopping for the best lithium battery for your application, there are several factors to take into consideration. Overlooking these things or not giving one aspect enough thought could at best leave you with buyer’s remorse, and at worst, put you and your family at risk. Lithium-ion battery safety should be taken very seriously when shopping around for a pack.&nbsp;<ul><li>Physical Size Make sure the lithium-ion battery you are looking to buy will physically fit in the location you plan on putting it in.&nbsp;</li><li>Connectors Ensure that the lithium-ion battery pack you are looking at has the correct charge and discharge connectors for your application.&nbsp;</li><li>Lithium Ion Battery Voltage Make sure that the battery pack you are wanting to buy supports the voltage range of the device you are wanting to power with it.&nbsp;</li><li>Charging Speed Look into the maximum charge rate of the lithium-ion battery pack that you are considering buying.&nbsp; If the battery fits all of your other specifications but takes too long to charge, it could be a deal breaker. If you charge a lithium-ion battery pack faster than what it is rated for, it could overheat and cause a fire.&nbsp;</li><li>Charge Cycles Lithium-ion battery packs are rated by the number of charge and discharge cycles. Generally speaking, a lithium-ion battery pack is good for 500 to 800 full cycles before there is any loss of capacity. </li></ul><figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;_DSC8450.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:178599,&quot;height&quot;:919,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/gtOyn6bdKewdBVOFNmZDxmwoUAL3vw5E50wLgvaB.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/gtOyn6bdKewdBVOFNmZDxmwoUAL3vw5E50wLgvaB.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1330}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/gtOyn6bdKewdBVOFNmZDxmwoUAL3vw5E50wLgvaB.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/gtOyn6bdKewdBVOFNmZDxmwoUAL3vw5E50wLgvaB.jpg" width="1330" height="919"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">_DSC8450.jpg 174.41 KB</figcaption></a></figure><h3>What Is The Cost Of A Lithium Battery?</h3>There is no single answer to that question. There are many different types of lithium-ion battery packs, and those battery packs are made up of many individual lithium-ion battery cells. So, as you would expect, prices differ. In order to remain competitive, lithium-ion battery manufacturers do their best to keep prices as low as possible.&nbsp;The cost of the cells, however, is but one of several price-driving factors. There is also the cost of the conductor used to connect the cells, and also the cost of the wire used to make the external connections. Let’s not forget about the cost of the BMS module, and there is also a non-significant amount of tape and PVC wrap used in the process of building a lithium-ion battery. Another thing to consider is the cost of the charge and discharge connectors themselves.&nbsp;And that is just material cost. These things cannot simply assemble themselves. They instead have to be put together by a human being, and that process also has a cost.&nbsp;<h3>Where To Find Lithium Batteries - Conclusion</h3>Whether you are looking for lithium-ion battery cells or lithium-ion battery packs, there are several sources to choose from.&nbsp;Lithium-ion batteries can be harvested from several viable sources to build a battery pack. Lithium-ion battery cells can also be purchased individually from several online vendors. When it comes to complete lithium-ion battery packs, those can be found on Amazon and eBay. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that bottom-dollar battery packs are one of the best examples of ‘getting what you pay for’. When it comes to a complete lithium-ion battery pack, it's always best for it to be custom built to fit its specific use case. &nbsp;We hope this article helped you learn more about where to find lithium batteries. Thanks for reading!

Where To Find Lithium Batteries and Cells

When choosing a BMS for a lithium-ion battery, the most important aspects to consider is the maximum current rating and that the BMS supports the correct number of series cell groups.

How To Choose A BMS For Lithium Batteries

If you are looking to build safe-high performance battery packs, then you are going to need to know how to choose a BMS for lithium batteries. The primary job of a BMS is to prevent overloading the battery cells. So, for this to be effective, the maximum rating on the BMS should be greater than the maximum amperage rating of the battery.When choosing a BMS for a lithium-ion battery, the most important aspect to consider is the maximum current rating of the BMS. In addition to that, you need to make sure the BMS supports the correct number of series cell groups. Also, wireless connectivity is important to you, make sure the BMS you are looking to buy has Bluetooth because most BMSs do not. A BMS’s discharge current, charge current and balance current.In this article, we will go over all of the various aspects of a BMS. We will explain what they do and why they are important. After that, we will tell you how to find the best BMS for your application.&nbsp;<h3>How To Choose A BMS For Lithium Batteries</h3>In order to choose the best BMS for your lithium battery, you will need to know a little bit about the functions that a BMS provides.&nbsp;Overcurrent ProtectionDetection circuitry inside the BMS continuously monitors the current flowing through the BMS discharge MOSFETs. If this current rises above a certain threshold, the BMS switches off the MOSFETs and effectively removes the battery pack's electrical connection to the outside world.Undervoltage ProtectionThe BMS will monitor the cell voltage of each cell group and if any of them go lower than a certain threshold (usually around 2.6 volts), the BMS is disconnected so that the battery cells don’t get damaged.&nbsp;Overvoltage ProtectionWhen charging a lithium-ion battery, a high voltage is applied across many sets of lithium-ion cells in series. If any one of the cell groups reaches the maximum charge voltage of a lithium-ion battery (4.2 volts), then the charge MOSFETs will be switched off to prevent overcharging the battery cells.&nbsp;Cell BalancingThe difference between each cell group is monitored in the BMS. The cell group is detected to have a slightly higher voltage than the other cell groups, a small balance current is applied to the cell group. Over time, the high cell group’s voltage is brought down to the other cell groups.&nbsp;Connectivity FeaturesHigher-end BMS modules will either include a built-in Bluetooth interface or a generic UART interface that a Bluetooth module can be attached to. In some cases, you can even hook a USB cable up to your computer and manage your BMS from your PC.&nbsp;Temperature MonitoringMonitoring the temperature of the battery pack is an important but optional component of a BMS. In most cases, a properly designed system with a functioning BMS won't ever get hot enough to need to monitor the temperature.Lithium-iron based batteries, however, can be damaged if they are changed while being below a certain temperature. So, temperature monitoring is much more common for those types of cells.&nbsp;<h3>Do Lithium Batteries Needs A BMS</h3>Lithium-ion batteries do not require a BMS to operate. With that being said, a lithium-ion battery pack should never be used without a BMS. The BMS is what prevents your battery cells from being drained or charged too much. Another important role of the BMS is to provide overcurrent protection to prevent fires.&nbsp;BMS modules are not expensive (compared to the rest of the battery pack) and they are relatively easy to install. So, there is really no reason to not use a BMS. There are a few super special and rare situations where it may make sense to not use a BMS, but they are outside of the scope of this article.&nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;IMG_20220528_181657.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:322346,&quot;height&quot;:780,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/5dMyhZ3IXID75VLf73Q1qRlr16mXCGirZzVHJVcT.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/5dMyhZ3IXID75VLf73Q1qRlr16mXCGirZzVHJVcT.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1040}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/5dMyhZ3IXID75VLf73Q1qRlr16mXCGirZzVHJVcT.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/5dMyhZ3IXID75VLf73Q1qRlr16mXCGirZzVHJVcT.jpg" width="1040" height="780"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">IMG_20220528_181657.jpg 314.79 KB</figcaption></a></figure><h3>How To Know What Size Of BMS To Get</h3>When someone refers to the ‘size’ of a BMS, they are generally referring to the maximum amount of current the BMS can handle. You need to make sure to get a BMS that can support the amount of power that is required by your load.&nbsp;In fact, it's a good practice to add about 15% more current carrying capacity just so you have a little bit of headroom. After all, you don't want to run your BMS (or anything else, for that matter) at its absolute maximum ratings.&nbsp;Let's say you have a 1000W inverter that you want to be able to safely run at max load. In this example, we will consider a 7S lithium-ion battery running a 24 volt AC inverter. A 7S lithium-ion battery has a fully charged voltage of 29.4 volts and a dead voltage of about 18.5 volts.&nbsp;Drawing a 1100W load from the battery pack will require around 37 amps when the battery is fully charged. 1100 watts ÷ 29.4 volts = 37.4 AmpsAt first glance, it may seem like you just need a 45 amp BMS. After all, your peak current will only be 37.4 amps, and adding an extra 15% to that comes to just 43 amps.&nbsp;But wait.When the battery is nearly dead, the voltage will be much lower. So, what happens when the amount of watts that you need stays the same but the voltage goes down?&nbsp;The current goes up.1100 watts ÷ 18.5 volts = 59.5 AmpsAs you can see, you have to plan for the maximum amount of current that your battery will have to provide at its lowest voltage. So, in this example, you would want a 70 amps BMS.<h3>What Happens If You Build A Lithium Ion Battery Pack Without A BMS</h3>Lithium-ion battery packs are composed of many lithium-ion cells in a complex series and parallel arrangement. Many cells are needed when building a battery pack in order to provide the right amount of voltage, capacity, temperature, and current carrying capacity characteristics.&nbsp;The ways in which lithium-ion cells have to be arranged inside a battery pack depend on the cells and connections to the cells being exactly the same. In the real world, however, this is never the case. Even if cells are the same brand and type, and even if they are from the same production run in the factory, no two are the same. Also, no two spot welds and no two solder joints are the same.&nbsp;So, because of this, there needs to be some active circuitry living inside the battery pack that monitors its internal state so corrections to natural imbalances can be made. The BMS actively monitors each cell group's voltage and provides a balanced current to compensate.The BMS shuts things down when they get out of spec. If anything unusual happens, a BMS will do what it can to resolve the problem. If it cannot, it will effectively shut the battery pack off. Building a battery without a BMS is dangerous and can result in fires, injury, and loss of life.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;battery with bms.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:147101,&quot;height&quot;:639,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/uwu9eoFt1IvAbwFuW9qE80z360pk1LE2sTJGFY4o.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/uwu9eoFt1IvAbwFuW9qE80z360pk1LE2sTJGFY4o.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:756}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/uwu9eoFt1IvAbwFuW9qE80z360pk1LE2sTJGFY4o.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/uwu9eoFt1IvAbwFuW9qE80z360pk1LE2sTJGFY4o.jpg" width="756" height="639"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">battery with bms.jpg 143.65 KB</figcaption></a></figure><h3>What Does 100amp BMS Mean? </h3>When a BMS is spoken of in terms of amps, that’s generally in regards to its sustained current carrying capacity. So, a 100 amp BMS will be capable of supplying at least 100 amps of current continuously. The rating is a significant amount less than a BMS’s burst or peak capability. Generally speaking, a BMS that can do 100A continuously can do up to 150 to 200 amps for a short amount of time.&nbsp;<h3>What’s The Best BMS For 18650 Cells?&nbsp;</h3>Well, that is actually a rather broad question with no single answer. When it comes to picking the best BMS, the brand is not super important. Choosing the perfect BMS for a small to medium size project really comes down to down to the specific application.&nbsp;If you are building a small USB battery bank, then you might only need a 10 to 20 amp 3S BMS. If, however, you are building a power wall battery, you would need a 6S or 7S BMS that can handle at least 50 amps of current for most applications.&nbsp;<h3>What’s The Best BMS For Ebike Battery</h3>Ebikes take lithium-ion batteries and BMS modules to the next level. Space requirements are tighter, current requirements are higher, and the highest possible capacity is desired. This means that it’s important for the cells and BMS in an e-bike battery to be top-notch hardware.&nbsp;This is when brands start to matter.For the overwhelming majority of applications, DALY is the best BMS for e-bikes. DALY BMS modules have an extremely high build quality and are fully sealed devices. This means they are water and mature-proof. A DALY BMS will always be able to provide its rated amount of current and they are known to be among the most reliable eBike BMS on the market.&nbsp;<h3>How To Choose A BMS For Lithium Batteries - Conclusion</h3>Building lithium-ion battery packs come with a lot of responsibility. That is why it's so important to know how to choose a BMS for lithium batteries. Even though a BMS is not required for a battery to function, they are required for a lithium-ion battery to be safe.&nbsp;If you want to choose the right BMS, you need to consider things like the maximum current rating of the BMS, and it’s very important to ensure that it supports the correct output voltage range for your application. It’s also important to make sure the BMS you are wanting to buy has the right discharge current, charge current, and connectivity features that fit your particular use case.&nbsp;We hope this article helped you learn more about how to choose a BMS for lithium batteries. Thanks for reading!

In this article, we will explain why you would want to wire lithium-ion batteries in parallel, how you wire them in series and how to charge battery cells while in series.

How To Wire Lithium Batteries In Parallel 

So, can lithium batteries be wired in parallel? Lithium-ion batteries are one of the most ubiquitous pieces of technology on the planet. You can find them all over the place. They are on the roads, on our desks, and in our pockets. In fact, the world as we know it could not exist without lithium-ion batteries.&nbsp;Wiring lithium-ion batteries in parallel is simple. All you have to do is connect all the + connections together and all of the - connections together. A lithium-ion battery of any voltage level can be composed of single cells in series. More often than not, however, lithium-ion cells are wired in parallel Some configurations will require just 2 cells in parallel, while other configurations can require 7 or more. Either way, once you wire a set of lithium-ion batteries in parallel, they function as one single cell on an electrical level.&nbsp;In this article, we will discuss whether or not lithium-ion batteries can be wired in parallel. We will also discuss the importance of lithium-ion parallel connections. After that, we will shed some light on the charging process for lithium-ion batteries connected in parallel and if it differs from charging a single lithium-ion battery. Finally, we will discuss balancing lithium-ion battery cells in parallel.&nbsp;<h3>Single Cell Lithium Ion Capacity Limits</h3>Lithium-ion batteries are extremely power dense and over the last 10 years, the cost of a given amount of lithium-ion energy has come down 10-fold. There is, however, a major shortcoming when it comes to lithium-ion battery cells. The capacity of a single cell is quite low. At the time of this writing, a single cell or series chain of 18650 cells will have a maximum capacity of about 3600ma. When it comes to 21700 cells, this figure is about 5000ma.&nbsp;While it’s true there are many products and peripherals that can chug right along sipping merely milliamps of current, this is not the case for most consumer devices. Most things are going to draw an amp or two, or even considerably higher.For example, you can technically run a 12V inverter on just 3 lithium-ion cells in series. But really, how long would it run? Let’s say you have three 5000mah cells in series. This would create a battery with a nominal voltage of 11.1 volts and a capacity of 5ah. A 12V inverter will run at that voltage more or less just as well as it would at 12 volts.This is especially true considering the full charged voltage of a 3S lithium-ion battery pack is 12.6 volts. But the question still remains: How long could such a small battery run an inverter?&nbsp;Let’s say we are running a TV that consumes 120W watts of energy per hour. A nominal voltage of 11.1 multiplied by a cell capacity of 5 amp hours equals 55.5 watt hours of energy.&nbsp;11.1V x 5Ah = 55.5WhTo estimate how long something will run on a given battery, all you have to do is divide the number of watt hours available in the battery pack by the number of watts per hour your load uses.&nbsp;55Wh / 120W = 0.4625 hours (27.75 minutes)It is important to consider, however, that no system is 100 percent efficient. Most inverters are about 90% efficient. So, if your TV requires 120 watts to run, the inverter will have to draw about 132 watts from the battery. &nbsp;55Wh / 132W = 0.4167 hours (25 minutes)NOTE: 3 lithium-ion cells in series produce a battery that has a fully charged voltage of 12.6 volts and a dead voltage of around 8.9 volts. Most inverters stop working at around the 10.5 volt mark, so you will really only get about 30Wh of usable energy out of 3 lithium-ion cells when they are being used to power an inverter.&nbsp;30Wh / 132W = 0.2273 hours (13 minutes)It’s clear to see that single lithium-ion cells, while very impressive, don’t have enough capacity to run most consumer electronics for any reasonable amount of time. So then, of course, the question comes to: ‘How do you increase the capacity of lithium-ion battery cells?’&nbsp;<h3>Can Lithium Batteries Be Wired In Parallel?</h3>Yes. Not only can lithium-ion batteries be wired in parallel, a lot of the time it's necessary to do so. Before we get into how to do it, first let's explain why you would want to wire lithium-ion batteries in parallel in the first place.&nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;parallel2.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:301919,&quot;height&quot;:780,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/H7AcFj3gmBxdCzU7v5aNKVEUhjAYG13axVpAxLmg.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/H7AcFj3gmBxdCzU7v5aNKVEUhjAYG13axVpAxLmg.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1040}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/H7AcFj3gmBxdCzU7v5aNKVEUhjAYG13axVpAxLmg.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/H7AcFj3gmBxdCzU7v5aNKVEUhjAYG13axVpAxLmg.jpg" width="1040" height="780"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">parallel2.jpg 294.84 KB</figcaption></a></figure><h3>Lithium Ion Parallel Connections</h3>So, can lithium-ion batteries be wired in parallel? Aboslutely! Lithium-ion battery cells can be configured in just about any parallel or series configurations that you can think of. If you plan on building high-quality lithium-ion battery packs, then the importance of having a clear understanding of lithium-ion parallel connections cannot be understated.&nbsp;Wiring lithium-ion batteries in parallel is simple. All you have to do is connect all of the - connections to each other and all the + connections to each other.&nbsp;Lithium Ion Batteries Wired In Parallel - Capacity4.2 volts x 1 = 4.2 volts3 amp hours + 3 amp hours = 6 amp hoursWhen lithium-ion batteries are wired in parallel, their capacities add together but their voltages do not. Their capacities, however, are not the only thing added together when lithium-ion batteries are wired in parallel. Their current carrying capacity (Ampacity) is also added together. So, assuming each cell can handle 10 amps of current: Lithium Ion Batteries Wired In Parallel - Ampacity4.2 volts x 1 = 4.2 volts10 amps + 10&nbsp; amps = 20 amp<h3>Can You Charge 2 Lithium Batteries Connected In Parallel?&nbsp;</h3>Yes, you can charge 2 or more lithium batteries that are connected in parallel. Before you connect them in parallel, however, it's very important that you charge each battery separately (but with the same charger) to ensure that they are both at the same voltage level before they are attached in parallel.&nbsp;After that, the lithium-ion batteries wired in parallel can be charged as if they were a single cell.&nbsp;<h3>How To Charge Lithium Batteries Connected In Parallel?&nbsp;</h3>The procedure for charging multiple lithium-ion battery packs in parallel is exactly the same as charging them separately. Again, it's just important to make sure that the lithium batteries are balanced before they are connected together.&nbsp;<h3>How Do You Balance Lithium Batteries In Parallel?&nbsp;</h3>Once lithium-ion batteries are connected in parallel, they will balance themselves. This process, however, can be both dangerous and slow. If the cells are not balanced before connecting them, then there will be a substantial voltage difference between cells which will cause an unknown (and possibly massive) amount of current to flow between the higher and lower voltage cells.&nbsp;In contrast, if you get the cells very close in voltage and then rely on the internal self-balancing to do the rest, it will take a very long time before they all completely equalize. The good news is that once they are connected in parallel, this process happens continuously and on its own.&nbsp;<h3>Conclusion</h3>That was quite a bit of information. So, let's do a quick review of everything that we have covered. Can lithium batteries be wired in parallel? Yes, and in most cases, they have to be. Can you charge 2 lithium batteries connected In parallel? Yes, of course. It would be inconvenient to have to break down your battery pack to charge it, wouldn't it?&nbsp;When it comes to charging lithium batteries connected in parallel, it’s no different than charging a lithium-ion battery on its own. It will, of course, take longer to charge, but at the same time, it would be able to handle higher charging currents as well. &nbsp;We hope this article helped you learn more about how to wire lithium-ion batteries in parallel. Thanks for reading!

In this article, we will explain why you would want to wire lithium-ion batteries in series, how you wire them in series and how to charge battery cells while in series.

How To Wire Lithium Batteries In Series

If you are wondering how to wire lithium batteries in series, then this is the article for you. Lithium-ion batteries have become part of everyday life. They are all around us, in our phones, tablets, laptops, electronic cigarettes, cars, and just about any other portable device you can think of.&nbsp;Wiring lithium-ion batteries in series is simple. All you have to do is connect the + connection of the first cell to the - connection of the next cell. Some configurations will require just 3 cells in series, other configurations require 20 or more. Either way, once you wire a set of lithium-ion batteries in series, it will form an open-ended chain. At the ends of the chain, you will find your main - and + connections.&nbsp;In this article, we will explain why you would want to wire lithium-ion batteries in series. We will also explain if it's even possible and if the battery cells can be charged while in series.&nbsp;<h3>Lithium Ion Voltage Woes&nbsp;</h3>Lithium-ion batteries are extremely power dense and over the last 10 years, the cost of a given amount of lithium-ion energy has come down about 10-fold. There is, however, a major shortcoming when it comes to lithium-ion battery cells. The voltage of a single lithium-ion battery is quite low. A single cell or parallel group of cells has a maximum voltage of just 4.2 volts. This is not a high enough voltage to power most things.&nbsp;For example, most inverters need at least 11 volts to turn on, and 12 or 13 to operate efficiently. Single LEDs can run at single-cell lithium-ion voltages, but if you plan on running a more sophisticated lighting setup, you are going to need a higher voltage. Most motors will work at just about any voltage you give them, but if you give a motor the voltage from a single lithium-ion cell, it will spin very, very slowly.&nbsp;So then, of course, the question comes to: ‘How do you increase the voltage of a lithium-ion battery?’ If you want to start effectively using lithium-ion batteries at reasonable voltage levels and have them power the vast majority of electrical devices that require a voltage level higher than that which a single lithium-ion cell can provide, you will first have to learn a little bit about series and parallel electrical connections in general.&nbsp;<h3>What's The Difference Between Series And Parallel?</h3>When two power sources are wired in parallel, their voltages are not added but their amps (current carrying capacity) are. In contrast, when two power sources are wired in series, their voltages are added but their amps do not combine.&nbsp;Below we have an example of what would happen if you wire 2 power sources in series and in parallel. In this example, the two power supplies are both 12 volts and can carry 4 amps.&nbsp; Series12 volts + 12 volts = 24 volts4 amps x 1 = 4 amps&nbsp; Parallel12 volts * 1 = 12 volts4 amp + 4 amps = 8 ampsAs you can see, when power sources are in series, the voltages add together but the amps do not. In contrast, when power sources are in parallel, the amps are added together and the voltages are not.&nbsp;NOTE: Adding the current carrying capacity does NOT mean that the new combined power supply will send that much current through the load. This is a common misconception. What it actually means is that the combined power supplies can handle UP TO that much current.<h3>Lithium Ion Series Connections</h3>So, can lithium-ion batteries be wired in series? Yes! Lithium-ion battery cells can be put into an infinite number of series and parallel configurations to achieve just about any end result you can imagine. Understanding the difference between series and parallel battery connections is crucial to building reliable, safe, high-performance lithium-ion battery packs.&nbsp;We can provide a similar example to the one above, except this time we will use battery cells instead of power supplies:&nbsp;When two lithium-ion batteries are wired in parallel, their voltages are not added but their amp hours are. As you would expect, when lithium-ion batteries are wired in series, their voltages are added but their amp hours are not.&nbsp; Lithium Ion Batteries Wired In Series4.2 volts + 4.2 volts = 8.4 volts3 amp hours * 1 = 3 amp hours Lithium Ion Batteries Wired In Parallel4.2 volts *1 = 4.2 volts3 amp hours +&nbsp; 3 amp hours = 6 amp hoursSo, it works the same for lithium-ion batteries. When lithium-ion battery cells are wired in series, the voltages add together but the amp hours do not. Then, just like with the power supplies, when lithium-ion batteries are wired in parallel, the amp hours are added together but the voltages are not.&nbsp;NOTE: You may have noticed that we mentioned amps when talking about the power supplies and mentioned amp hours when talking about the batteries. It's important to take into consideration that lithium-ion battery cells have both an ‘amps’ rating and an ‘amp hours’ rating.&nbsp;‘Amps’ refers to how much current something can handle. ‘Amp hours’ refers to how long something can provide a given level of current.&nbsp;The power supplies are plugged into the wall, so they don't have any time-related ratings. Just remember that the same thing applies to lithium-ion cells. If you have a cell that can handle a current of 10 amps, if you put those cells in series, they can still only handle 10 amps. If you put them in parallel, however, their current carrying capacity is added.&nbsp;Also, while it may be true that adding two 10A cells in series does not increase the amount of amps that they can provide, it does increase the amount of watts (overall amount of power). I will explain:If you have two 4.2 lithium batteries in series, you end up with a power source that can handle 10 amps at 8.4 volts. 10 amps times 8.4 volts is 84 watts.That same cell on its own would only be able to handle 10 amps at 4.2&nbsp; volts.10 amps times 4.2 volts is 42 watts.<h3>How Do You Wire Lithium Batteries In Series?</h3>So, you have a good supply of high-quality lithium-ion battery cells and you understand why they need to be wired in series. So now it's time for the next question: How do you wire multiple lithium-ion batteries in series?’ The good news is wiring lithium-ion batteries in series is no different than wiring any other type of battery in series.To wire lithium-ion batteries in series, you have to attach the + connection of one cell to the - connection of the next cell. Regardless of how many lithium-ion batteries you wire in series, it will resemble a chain. At both ends of the chain, you will have a connection that has no other cell that it can connect to. These are your main + and - connections.&nbsp;<figure data-trix-attachment="{&quot;contentType&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;filename&quot;:&quot;serial1_with_watts.jpg&quot;,&quot;filesize&quot;:273978,&quot;height&quot;:830,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/KlLUHq6I1IeZPR2y9Crd7OA7ZTA6eDAUDxa82V63.jpg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/KlLUHq6I1IeZPR2y9Crd7OA7ZTA6eDAUDxa82V63.jpg&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1040}" data-trix-content-type="image/jpeg" data-trix-attributes="{&quot;presentation&quot;:&quot;gallery&quot;}" class="attachment attachment--preview attachment--jpg"><a href="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/KlLUHq6I1IeZPR2y9Crd7OA7ZTA6eDAUDxa82V63.jpg"><img src="https://admin.cellsaviors.com/storage/KlLUHq6I1IeZPR2y9Crd7OA7ZTA6eDAUDxa82V63.jpg" width="1040" height="830"><figcaption class="attachment__caption">serial1_with_watts.jpg 267.56 KB</figcaption></a></figure>NEVER connect the + and - from the same cell together. Also, never connect the - connection of a set of series-connected cells to the + connection on the other end. Doing either of these things will more than likely lead to an immediate fire.&nbsp;<h3>Can You Charge Lithium Batteries In Series?</h3>So, now you know why it's necessary to put lithium-ion batteries in series and how to do it. The next thing that probably comes to mind is, ‘Can lithium-ion batteries be charged in series?’ Well, there’s good news. You can definitely charge lithium-ion batteries in series. After all, it would be super annoying to have to take your cells out of a series configuration just so they can be charged.&nbsp;Ideally, all the cells will have an equal-to-very-close resistance. Because of that, the voltage applied to the cells in series is evenly divided among all of the cells. So, if you have 10 cells in series and apply 42 volts across the entire group, then each cell will only ‘see’ 4.2 volts.&nbsp;<h3>Conclusion</h3>Several key questions were answered in this article. So, we would like to take the time to go over them quickly. Can lithium-ion batteries be wired in series? Yes. In fact, they have to be wired in series to be useful most of the time.&nbsp;How do you wire multiple lithium-ion batteries? Lithium-ion batteries are wired in series by attaching the - of the first cell to the + of the next cell in a chain.&nbsp;How do you charge lithium batteries wired in series? To charge lithium-ion batteries in series, simply apply the appropriate charge voltage across the main - and + connections using the standard CC/CV method.&nbsp;We hope this article helped you learn more about how to wire lithium-ion batteries in series. Thanks for reading!