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How to Hook Up Batteries in a Parallel Circuit

Hooking up multiple batteries in a parallel circuit allows you to increase capacity while keeping the voltage output constant. If you use two identical batteries, you double the capacity of your battery rig, which effectively doubles the amount of hours or battery life of whatever you are powering. Because most devices require specific voltages to run, parallel circuitry is the only way to increase capacity without damaging the device.

Things You'll Need

Batteries
Jumper wire

Instructions

- 1
  Set out your batteries. Determine the positive and negative terminals on your batteries.
- 2
  Using jumper wire, connect the positive terminals together. It is easiest to use jumper wire that has built in clips, such as alligator clips. Clip the wire to the positive terminal of one battery, then to the positive terminal of the second.
- 3
  Connect the negative terminals together, again using jumper wire. Make sure the wire is clipped securely to the terminals.
- 4
  To complete the circuit, hook another jumper wire to the negative terminal of one of the batteries. Hook another wire to the positive terminal of the same battery and the other end of that wire to the positive terminal on your device. Then hook the other end of your negative wire to the negative terminal of the device.

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