One 36V Lithium Iron Battery or Three 12V Lithium Iron Batteries? Pros and Cons

When an application called for 36 volts in the past, connecting three 12V batteries in a series was the optimum solution. However, given the availability of 36V batteries, you could be considering whether using a single battery will “float your boat” more effectively. For those who require them to run their trolling motors, literally!

Here is one instance. Consider a situation where your trolling motor or other device calls for 36 volts 50 AH. A single 36V 50AH Lithium Iron battery can be exchanged for three 12V 50AH batteries wired in series. However, is this the best solution?

How much power you need, what type of battery you’re using, and your preferences all go into this. Let’s first examine how the type of battery you use could influence your decision.

Which 36-volt battery brand do you have?

For some battery types, the decision between three 12V batteries and one 36V battery could matter more. For instance, it’s important to regularly inspect and top out lead acid batteries with distilled water. So instead of monitoring three batteries, you might prefer to focus on just one.

Still, if you picked lithium batteries, you won’t be concerned about performing any maintenance at all, and also when choosing between three 12-volt batteries and one 36-volt battery, battery maintenance won’t be a concern.

Speaking about lithium, it’s the most advanced battery technology and is far superior in every manner. For example, three 12V batteries and one 36V lithium battery, combined, will both expand twice as long as standard batteries in terms of power output and this is a better choice than lead acid batteries.

Other advantages of adopting lithium include the following:

No upkeep is necessary.

Quicker charging times than with traditional batteries (2 hours or less).

Safe for indoor storage, won’t leak, and is devoid of toxins.

Using three 12V lithium batteries or a 36V lithium battery in the normal system will weigh 70% less than a lead acid battery.

Even if the battery life drops 50% more than before, the amps always keep constant.

Only 2% of batteries discharge each month while not in use (lead acid batteries discharge at a rate of 30%).

compared to a 36V lithium battery, three 12V lithium batteries

On a lake, two fishermen are fishing in a bass boat.

So, you’ve decided to use lithium. Let’s get on to the main issue at hand. Should you power your trolling motor/other application with a single 36V battery? Or even three 12V batteries?

In actuality, lithium is compatible with both alternatives! So you might conclude that the only benefits and drawbacks are determined by the needs of the individual application and personal preference. Utilizing a 36-volt battery has the following advantages to using three 12-volt batteries:

Using Three 12V Lithium Batteries: Advantages and Drawbacks

Pros: If one of them fails, it’s simple to replace, which is one justification for connecting three 12-volt batteries in a series. Additionally, there are more options for where to put the batteries in your application. For anyone looking to disperse weight in a boat, this might be helpful.

You don’t need a specific charger for your 12V batteries, in contrast to a 36V battery, so 12V batteries will be more normal. They can also assist with engine start-up.

Cons: You have more connection points the more batteries you have. Each one needs mounting and connecting, and each exposed connection has the potential to be an unreliable source.

Advantages and Drawbacks of Using a Single 36V Lithium Battery

The single 36V battery’s most evident pro is that there is only one of them. If lithium, there is only one little battery to install and store.

The fact that having a single 36V battery saves space might be the most significant benefit for many. That’s fantastic for fishing boats since every square inch counts. They are frequently used with powerful trolling motors because of this, among other things.

Cons: A 36V lithium battery requires a specialized charger. Although 12V chargers are more prevalent on the market, they remain insufficient.

The following factors

How much more expensive is a 36-volt battery than three 12-volt batteries? Which choice will cost you more of your hard-earned money than the other? Most likely not. Although 12V batteries are less expensive, you’ll need three of them to supply the necessary power. And the price for a 36v battery is only somewhat more unless you also require a new charger.

The truth is that both of the options are excellent and correct. Regarding benefits and drawbacks, there isn’t a significant difference between using three 12V batteries and one 36V battery. But if you choose lithium batteries, that’s an important point. Select the configuration that best suits your application’s requirements.

We have both of them, which is fantastic news! Purchase our brand-new 36V lithium battery here, or look at our selection of 12V lithium batteries here.

Here are the following steps can show you how to link lithium-ion batteries in a series:

The negative connection of one battery should be attached to the positive terminal of the following battery.

Continue connecting the batteries in this way until they are all connected in a line (your “series”).

Such as you connect the positive terminal of the first battery in the series to the positive terminal of any application, and connect the negative connector of the last battery in the series to the negative connection on the application, that’s a normal way.

Reminder: Multiple batteries can also be charged in sequence. Just be sure the charger you use is compatible with the aggregate total voltage of all of your batteries.

It’s crucial to understand this. Ionic lithium batteries can be connected in series in the majority of cases but not always. You can read more about the user handbook for your battery if necessary.

The way to connect batteries in parallel is shown as follows:

Generally, every battery’s negative terminal post would be connected to the battery next to it on the negative post side, and apply a similar technique to the positive terminal post.

And connect the positive terminal post of the last battery to the device’s positive terminal post, and apply a similar technique to the negative terminals.

Things to keep in mind: Using batteries with lower voltage and higher capacity will help you reduce the number of parallel cables.

Battery configurations: parallel vs. series vs. series-parallel

In the end, there is no “better” connection method than the other. Whether to wire your batteries in series or parallel ultimately, that will be depended on what works best for your boat, solar setup, RV, or other power requirements and other applications.

There is, however, still another choice. Series-parallel. This does not suggest that you connect your batteries in series and parallel. That would cause a system short!

Wiring many batteries in series allow for the creation of a series-parallel link. After that, you connect the second series of batteries in parallel.

Parallel versus Series Quick Solutions

Q: Can amp hours be increased by linking batteries in parallel?

A: Yes. The amp-hour capacity of your batteries will be up after you link them in parallel, but the voltage does not change, we call that “in parallel”.

Consider connecting two 12v 100ah batteries in parallel as an example. It will continue to run on 12 volts, but the amps will quadruple to 200 ah. Naturally, the batteries will last a lot longer as well.

Q: What occurs after two pcs 12-volt batteries are connected in series and is it work?

A: A series connection of two pcs or more 12-volt batteries produces 24 volts, but your amps remain no changes. However, if you link those 12-volt batteries in parallel, the amps will rise even though the system would still be 12 volts. (See illustration in the paragraph below.)

Q: Which has a longer lifespan, series or parallel?

A: Parallel batteries have a longer lifespan since the voltage remains constant while the amps increase.

Q: If my lithium-ion batteries are connected in series, is it work?

A: According to the battery – assuming you have ionic batteries, you probably (double check though). Numerous Lifepo4 batteries cannot be connected in series since doing so may cause damage. However, there are most Ionic lithium batteries that could be connected in series but not all of them are, so the first thing is you read clearly about the user handbook for your battery.

Q: Which is more potent, series or parallel?

A: Parallel circuits use more energy. Parallel wiring results in significantly more power being lost by each resistor compared to series wiring (both having the same voltage).

Q: Which solution is more secure, in parallel or series?

A: Normally, the answer is both of them are secure. They are essentially equally safe. There, the supply voltage is what counts most.

Conclusions:

If you have a boat, an RV, a solar installation, or another solar application. Additionally, it requires more voltage or amperage than a single lithium-ion battery can provide, so that can power the boat and RV.

However, how do you behave? You may get the answer might be to connect the batteries in series or parallel. Both techniques result in an increase in total accessible energy, expressed in watt-hours. However, they accomplish this in various ways, and the outcomes vary. Whatever 36V or 12V lithium iron batteries you need, Maxworld Power has all product lines 12V6AH to 12V300AH and 36V50AH to 36V200AH, it also we have 3.2V series,6.4V series,48V series, and 72V series lithium iron batteries, welcome to your inquiry!