Battery Series versus Parrallel Question

[vetman1]

This is not a golf cart per se question, but I am sure that someone on here will be able to help me answer the question.

I have several sealed 12 volt batteries that I got from my work that are used as back up power on medical equipment. They are not very big batteries and are only 2.5 amp hour. My question is they look like two batteries put together to make the 12 volt battery. You cannot separate the two batteries from each other, but both have a negative and positive terminal on each end.

On both ends of the battery pack it has two male spades. On one end of the battery pack it has a metal strip attatching the positive terminal from one battery pack to the negative terminal of the other battery pack. On the opposite end of the battery it has a negative spade of one battery pack and a positive spade of the opposite battery pack which supplies the 12 volts if I understand it correctly.

I need a couple of 6 volt batteries for one of my boys Power Wheels toys. If I disconnect the metal strip that connects the negative and positive terminal on the one end of the battery pack then connect the positive of one battery pack to the positive of the other battery pack and the negative to the negative will I then have a 6 volt battery pack wired in parallel?

I think currently the batteries are wired in series producing 12 volts, but I want to wire them in parallel which should give me a 6 volt battery?

Will I have more, less or the same amp hours with the 6 volt battery versus the 12 volt battery?

Thanks,
Thomas

[scottyb]

Connecting them in series will add the voltages.

Connecting them in parallel will add the amperage.

[wizardket]

Yes, if you wire them parallel, you will have a 5AH 6v pack instead of a 2.5AH 12v one