[scottz]

Originally Posted by PNW Fireguy

Sorry but that is so not true. The electrical current in the first diagram must account for the resistance of the added wire and the battery itself. I really hope nobody with a sizable investment in lithium batteries uses this method to connect batteries or cells in this fashion.

That is what I've been trying get across; probably didn't explain it well. The voltage drop across the battery cables (assuming you have good connections and proper cables) is insignificant. I turned on everything I could, pulling as much current as possible, and the voltage drop across my cables (measured by my four digit meter) was .001 volts. Suppose this was like massive telecom battery plants that I have been maintaining most of my life and had 2" wide x 1/4" thick buss bars between the battery terminals? Do you think it would make a difference where you connected to that bar?

The deciding factor on how a battery charges is the internal resistance of the battery; something we cannot control. Someone mentioned one battery taking 70% more charger than another. In that case, there is something seriously wrong the the other battery or the connections.

Anyway, we have beat this to death. There is absolutely no down side to hooking up the cables as in drawing two; the op should do so and sleep well. My batteries are connected like this, but I would be comfortable with either method.