In the “digital age,” batteries are all around us. They are found in everything from our remote controls and battery backups to a whole host of electronic devices in our homes and places of business. As important as batteries are, however, most people don’t really know how these power storage units work. This post provides an overview of batteries, battery packs, and wholesale batteries.
Understanding Batteries
Batteries are free-standing sources of a type of electricity called direct current (DC). With DC power, the voltage remains constant. This is different from the alternating current (AC) power that we have in our homes, which switches back and forth from positive to negative output.
There are many different sizes and types of batteries. However, they all share certain features. For example, they have a positive (+) and negative (-) contact point. The negative contact point represents zero volts, and the difference between the positive receptacle and negative receptacle is what’s called the DC voltage of the battery.
Connecting Batteries in Battery Packs
A battery pack is a group of batteries connected in order to provide higher voltage or greater capacity (a measure of how much power a battery can produce over a specified time period) or both. Batteries in a battery pack can be connected in different ways to achieve different results. This includes:
- Series connection. In this type of connection, the + contact point of one battery is connected to the – contact point of another. The resulting configuration has the same capacity as the batteries it contains, but voltage that is the sum of the voltages of its component batteries. For example, connecting four 12-volt batteries in this way produces a battery pack that can deliver 48 volts.
- Parallel connection. In this type of connection, the + contact points of multiple batteries are connected and the – contact points are connected. In the resulting battery pack, the voltage is the same as the component batteries, but the capacity is the sum of the capacities of all the batteries combined.
- Series-Parallel connection. This type of connection, as the name suggests, has elements of series and parallel connections. A battery pack designed this way can have both higher voltage and higher capacity than the component batteries.
Tailored Battery Packs
While there are many types of “standard” battery packs that can be purchased, some devices require a specific configuration and a particular cell chemistry. At Rapport, we specialize in customizing battery packs to meet specific needs.
This includes designing and manufacturing battery packs that include custom electronics, wires, or connectors. We also provide battery packs that use a wide range of chemistries including:
- Alkaline batteries
- Lead Acid batteries
- Li-Ion batteries
- Li-Iron Phosphate batteries
- Li-Polymer batteries
- Lithium Primary batteries
- NiCad batteries
- NiMH batteries
Completed units are shrink wrapped or secured using plastic cases or electronic enclosures. Then they are thoroughly tested for performance and safety. And, of course, in creating our battery packs, we adhere to best practices that should be followed by everyone, from manufacturers to consumers, including:
- Never connect batteries of different ages
- Never connect batteries with different voltage
- Never connect batteries of different capacities
Ignoring these best practices can be dangerous. For example, if a full battery is connected to an empty one, the natural reaction is for the full battery to share power with the empty one. This can create a strong current, a temperature increase in both batteries, sparks, and potentially the breakdown of insulating material.
Wholesale Batteries
For power needs that don’t require units to be connected, we offer wholesale batteries. This includes batteries ranging from coin-sized cells to golf cart batteries.
Our full-service facility outside of Denver can take battery packs from prototype to final packaging, quickly and cost-effectively. Contact Rapport, Inc. today to get answers to all of your questions about battery packs and wholesale batteries.
