Voltage drop from wire connecting batteries in series

[Circuit Learner]

For example, say I have 5 batteries in series. Each battery is connected by 1 foot of wire for a total of 4 feet. Each battery has 4 volts for a total voltage of 20 volts.

My load will use a constant current.

When calculating voltage drop in the 4 feet of wire, would I use:

total voltage of the series of batteries. 16 volts?

An average of the total voltage of series. 8 volts?

Or some other value?

The question is basically about how the voltage moves across the wire connecting the batteries, is it equal, or is the voltage different depending on where the wire is in the series.


Thanks.

 

[Audioguru]

Wire has a certain amount of resistance depending on its metal, its diameter and its length. Ohm's Law is used to calculate the voltage dropped by the wire according to its resistance times its current.
The battery voltage has nothing to do with how much voltage is dropped by the resistance of the wire.

If the wire measures 1 ohm and the current is 3A then the 20V is reduced to 17V to feed the load, if the battery voltage remains at 20V when it has a current of 3A.

 

[Circuit Learner]

I get it, I thought a higher voltage would lead to a larger voltage drop compared with a lower voltage.

What confused me was that raising the voltage normally causes a higher current in most applications and more heat, but that has nothing to do with my question as I said I would use a constant current.

But I kind of knew all this already, I just wasn't thinking straight here.

 

[CataM]

I get it, I thought a higher voltage would lead to a larger voltage drop compared with a lower voltage.

And you are right.

What confused me was that raising the voltage normally causes a higher current in most applications and more heat...

Yes, rising the voltage causes higher current for a unchanged resistance and more heat of course.

 

[Audioguru]

I get it, I thought a higher voltage would lead to a larger voltage drop compared with a lower voltage.

You said nothing about trying a higher battery voltage. You said, "Each battery has 4 volts for a total voltage of 20 volts." I do not know why you wrongly said, "An average of the total voltage of series. 8 volts?' because the average voltage of the 20V battery is 20V.

What confused me was that raising the voltage normally causes a higher current in most applications and more heat, but that has nothing to do with my question as I said I would use a constant current.

Yes with a constant current then changing the total voltage would not change the current. But you did not change the total voltage, instead you added wiring resistance.

 

[c_mitra]

F
The question is basically about how the voltage moves across the wire connecting the batteries, is it equal, or is the voltage different depending on where the wire is in the series.

1. When the circuit is open, there is no voltage drop. Because the current is zero.

2. If you connect your meter (you have two probes, take any one) at one end (of the series chain of cells), and take the other end of the meter (the other probe) to the first, second, third, fourth and fifth cell respectively, you will measure volts 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20V.

3. Batteries are called voltage source: if you move from one end to the other, you will find the battery voltage.

4. Kirchoff's laws?