Do you Parallel or Series Wire 2 RC LiPo Battery Packs?

You may be considering a build and wondering if it would be possible to use just one LiPo battery. Or you may know that it's impossible to use one battery pack and you are not sure how using 2 batteries can work.
RC manufactures of boats, cars and planes may have the vehicle set up in such a way to utilize 2 LiPo battery packs. You may begin to see 2 LiPo's being used around the 4s cell count. Once over 6s, using multiple LiPo batteries becomes more common. The most used wiring harness for Ready to Run (RTR) RC application is series.
In this video we look at the details of using a pair of batteries and how they should be wired. We also consider the advantages of each wiring technique, what the wiring diagrams look like and some common tips to help get you started.
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#LiPoPower #LiPoBattery #LiPoPacks #rcexplained

[@mtb4maine]

Man, thanks so much for this video! You saved me a lot of headaches. Just built my first 700 sized 12s heli, there’s a lot I wasn’t understanding about this stuff.

[@RCexplained]

Glad I could help

[@webmailtje]

I kind a miss one of the most important reasons for parallel connecting. The current drawn per battery is divided by 2 which results in a less warm battery and a much longer lifespan for both batteries. Yes the theoretic max current is doubled but in normal use cases the esc and motor will limit the max current. For example 2x 2S in series (14.8v) will draw max 80ampere. 2x 4sbatteries in parallel (14.8v) will let you drive faster and lets put it on 100 ampere. But because they are in parallel the battery will only need to give 50A each which will result in a cooler battery and longer life span compared to the 2s serie batteries. (I think also a higher voltage on the battery will give you less resistance in the wires towards esc because amps are lower)

[@ssranon]

Thanks for this vid. You should subtitle it "How to save money on batteries" because you do a great job explaining how I can use my two existing 3s packs to power a new, bigger model instead of having to buy a new 6s pack especially for it. Nice! :) Will definitely keep this in mind when designing the power systems for any upcoming models I buy.

[@RCexplained]

Thank You A. Nony Mous for the comment. I'm glad the video helps.

[@colin1992]

Ryan thank you for explaining this! Sometimes i want to run 7s on my arrma infraction, even though most of the time i run either 6s or 8s, i one time used a 5200mah 3s 50c battery pack and a 4s 5000 50c battery pack, noticed the truck was struggling. So now i see it has to be the same milliamp hour a c rating for it to work. My esc is the mamba monster x 8s. I run a 1650kv 1717 castle x-01 motor

[@RCexplained]

Hey Colin, Preferably the packs should be from the same manufacture and of the same model. You can put a 4s and 3s pack in series with no issue.

[@Lunarpollo5622]

This channel is very good, very informative, been watching a couple video lately

[@RCexplained]

Glad to hear it!

[@racingrivals8934]

Had to subscribed from all the facts you speaking

[@RCexplained]

Hey Racing Rivals, thank you for the sub! Hope you enjoy the videos, new content every Monday!

[@racingrivals8934]

@@RCexplained thanks great content keep it up

[@Zrosum]

Thank you, you've answered my questions on the nose. Excellent video!

[@muchmirulyusasetiaji6271]

thanks bro

[@RCexplained]

No Problem Muchmirul Setiaji

[@cybereye2]

I’d you rub your boat in parallel how does it affect your esc?

[@MrsRabbit8]

Thank you, as usual you have the most clear and logical way of explaining these things. Also thank you for your help a while back on my son's RC esc malfunction. I replaced it and some wires, alls well. My question today: I have a 3s lipo, arrived with 1 cell leaking. Refunded. Now I have a lipo with 2 healthy cells. Im splitting the 2 cells apart, placing one on each side of transmission on a SCX24 crawler. This is excellent for CG. Now, usually i buy 2 x 7.4v lipos (long drone batts), make a parallel connector, and i improve batt life and CG. This time I'll have, when i split the 2 cells apart, 2 x 3.7v 1cell batts. - I'll need to run it in series. Can i use the same 3s balance charge plug? Plug it into 3s balance charge port, and no problem? Or do I need to buy a 2s balance charge plug? Im sorry it was so long winded, I'm kindof wordy they tell me! Lol Thanks again, your my favorite brain on here! Cheers :)

[@RCexplained]

Hi Mrs. Rabbit, How do you plan to charge these battery packs? If you were to charge each one cell individually you do not need to balance as its a single cell. If you plan to charge them while in series you will need a balance tap. If you use a balance tap designed around 3s, you will need to make sure the correct leads run to the charger. If the wrong leads are ran to the charger from the balance tap, it will not work. Using a 2s balance lead will make things simpler and there will be a lot less confusion for how to wire it.

[@MrsRabbit8]

@@RCexplained okay i see. Yeah, i was hoping to stick the leads into the right holes and simply use the 3s balance tap. Though I do see another issue now... the wires to the balance charge plug will also have to be extended, more weight (maybe marginal), and not sure if that creates any other issues. Maybe i should simply buy a 1s multi-port to charge multiple 1s. Thank you, much appreciate.

[@sbaja280]

I have a question I purchased 2x 3s1p packs from cnhl what is (1p)? And can I connect them in series in all my 6s rigs or so I have to connect them a different way

[@mikemalherbe7845]

Excellent!

[@RCexplained]

Many thanks!

[@davidaguilar2966]

Very well done video!! This helped me a lot, I did a Tamiya TNX brushless conversation and want to run 2 batteries on it since I have space, but I wanted to see if it was possible. Gotta use the Parallel way

[@RCexplained]

Right on, thanks for the comment David!

[@jimhenriksen498]

Hello, like ssranon below, I would like to combine two 3S packs in series to get a 22.2v 6S pack. My question is this; can I combine the two packs in series, placing the negative from one pack and positive from the other pack into "one connector" and then solder the other two (negative & positive) wires from each pack together to complete the series path? Also, very important is; can I shorten the soldered wires so as to reduce weight and compactness of the series path connection, or must I leave the two soldered wires as long as they were already?

[@RCexplained]

I'd recommend following a series wiring diagram. If I understand your description correctly, it doesn't sound correct.

[@jeysongutierrez1851]

Do you recommend doing both if done right. I have a 8s felony I run 2 4s lipos I'm planning on getting 10000mah packs but I'll like to run for at least an hour or a bit more. Motor won't overheat is 800kv under geared.

[@jeysongutierrez1851]

Also planning on running multiple temp sensors to monitor Temps. Wirelessly

[@RCexplained]

I'd recommend running what you own without buying more packs while using the least amount of packs as possible.

[@ardislamet362]

Halo, great video. I have some question, what if i use 2 battrey with different mah but same voltage in paralel mode. Will it work fine? Or any suggest and what? Thanks.

[@MrsRabbit8]

Oh, I've got another question, if you will.. If one battery pack of a parallel setup is weak/going bad, when i plug them in, is there a possibility of a hyper-charge-speed situation... Whereas the weak batt draws a charge TOO fast from the good batt, creating a fire hazard?

[@RCexplained]

The good and bad battery pack should be charged to the same 4.2v per cell. When plugged in there should be no or very little current flowing from one battery to another. If one battery pack is not charged fully, right up to 4.2v per cell, current would then flow in to the under charged battery. You can confirm the state of charge with a LiPo checker. A small amount of current flow between 2 batteries is OK, however you do want to confirm you are connecting batteries that have the same state of charge when placed in parallel. This would be to charge batteries or to run the battery packs in parallel.

[@MrsRabbit8]

@@RCexplained is there a danger running a good pack in parallel with a pack that is not bad but not good? I try to keep my batteries all good, buy if there was a cell in one pack going bad, would the good pack try to force a charge on that pack with a bad cell, creating any problem? Im just getting into monitoring my packs, discovering bad cells, and saving the good ones to create new packs. (I dont want to waste good cells). This is a great subject, really interesting to me, and i appreciate your contribution to the hobby! Thank you!

[@RCexplained]

Hey Mrs. Rabbit, if you make sure your cells are all charged to 4.2v per cell in each pack, it won't matter so much. The weaker cell may have less capacity and also more internal resistance. Watch for heat and voltage specific to the bad cell after you run the pack.

[@MrsRabbit8]

@@RCexplained okay awesome, I'm buying a proper charger now. I'll be monitoring my batts more closely, and will watch for that. Thank you so much for the info!

[@RCexplained]

@@MrsRabbit8 no worries

[@paolodulayshooting]

Sir hello i have an inquiry,can i run this series on my kraton 6s? one is 35c one is 45c both 3s 4500mah, will this cause any major issue on the batt or the esc itself? I understand that it may cause degradation on a batt with a lower c, can a difference of 10c cause immediate issues on the battery? Thank you

[@xXB.FunkXx]

Can you use a cap pack on both battery setups?

[@RCexplained]

A cap pack placed on the ESC will not know if you have packs in series or parallel. It works for both.

[@xXB.FunkXx]

@@RCexplained right on thanks for the prompt response as im wiring up my limitless in-between watching your videos for reference. Thank you🤙

[@cylus_sector9]

Nice video man! Sorry I'm pretty late to the party... My question is; when i run 8S with 2x4S in series (Traxxas Xmaxx); what happens if I parallel the balance wires? Would it smoke or help with equal discharge? Have a nice one

[@RCexplained]

You can't place the packs in series and the balance taps in parallel.

[@cylus_sector9]

@@RCexplained Thank you for the quick answer M8!

[@ncunit2l]

Can I run same battery but in different size gauge wire like a 10 awg and one 12awg in series for arrma limitless? Both is lectron 11.1v 7600 mah 75c but somehow they have different size awg wire?

[@RCexplained]

Can you, yes, but definitely not ideal. I would ask why there is a difference in wire gauge.

[@ncunit2l]

@@RCexplained I ordered one off eBay assuming it would be the 10 awg like the one I already have. Thanks!

[@ncunit2l]

@@RCexplainedis there a chance that running it this way would cause a fire hazard or explosion of the lipos under excessive use?

[@RCexplained]

@ncunit2l LiPo batteries being run in high performance vehicles have an inherited amount of risk associated with them. The best thing you can do if you can't speak with the manufacture or seller is check for heat in all components including the wire. I would suspect that you won't see much difference. However make certain of this by measuring Temps.

[@knightknightman1502]

So dose the C rating go up in parallel or series when you use 2 batteries

[@RCexplained]

Hi Knight Knightman. The C rating does not change when you wire in any configuration. (its a constant) What is happening instead is the capacity increases when batteries are in parallel and the voltage increases when wiring in series.

[@cmtetaboaco]

Is it possible to use a Lion in parallel to a High C Lipo so I can use some punches in a climb or take off and the good energy density? A 3500mah Lion in parallel to a 1300 Lipo so I can use the high C advantages of the Lipo in a takeoff and lower the sag on the Lion and take advantage of the extra fuel provided, will the Lion keep the Lipo at its same voltage? Thanks

[@RCexplained]

Is it possible? Yes. But has to be setup correctly so that there are no cells over/under voltage. Not something that I could recommend as it's not necessarily as easy as plugging the packs in parallel together and everything is good to go.

[@cmtetaboaco]

@@RCexplained I’m using 2 18659 4S packs in parallel in a FPV tween, but on climbs late on flight I can see the sag on my OSD on climbs!

[@Nathan-qt2zi]

Can you run two 3s batteries in parallel in a 4s truck

[@RCexplained]

As long as your ESC is happy with 3s (it should be rated for it) you can run 3s packs in parallel in a 4s truck. Expect slower speed with 2 3s packs wired in parallel for 11.1v nominal.

[@Noobmaster-uq9cw]

i have a bettery 0f 2200 mah (30c ) lipo and 2900 mah(3c) lipo should i connect them in parrallel?(both are 3s or 11.1 v)

[@RCexplained]

I would be concerned about the 3C battery. That is awfully low output. If this is accurate , you can as long as you don't pull more than about 15A or so from them.

[@Noobmaster-uq9cw]

thank you @@RCexplained .... but i was concerned that one will discharge much faster than other and cause voltage imbalance and may cause unsafe conditions.....but since the quadcopter consumes 32 amps at 50% throttle and the 2.2amp battery wouldnt be able to supply it for long enough so connecting a 2900 mah might suffice the time...?

[@RCexplained]

Is your 2900mAh 3C? or did you mean 30C?

[@Noobmaster-uq9cw]

@@RCexplained 3c l-ion battery

[@RCexplained]

I would be concerned about that battery pack. The C rating is too low for the amount of current that you will be pulling from it, even when it is in parallel with another pack.

[@Barry843]

Too many ads

[@r390gt1lm]

lol you bought en entire whiteboard for this video lol so much wasted space

[@RCexplained]

Actually, that's not the case. I've been using whiteboards for a while now, well before and after that video was released. It's just a useful tool for me, not specifically for the video and also not solely for KZbin. Fortunately, the space isn't wasted at all; I get a lot of mileage out of it, much like my Toyota! Nice B6 S4, hope you can get some high miles on it too.

[@r390gt1lm]

@@RCexplained thats a decent idea, I wouldnt have the space for it lol and thanks, it already has 150k miles on the clock and still fun to drive!