Low-priced valves (Was: [CrackMonkey] Batteries in parallel)

[Seth David Schoen]

George J.P. Perry writes:

> Diodes, dude.  Wire each cell/battery so that the electrons move
> (generally) only in the preferred direction.  -g

That sounds good -- unambiguously preventing the batteries from being
recharged contrary to spec -- except won't the diodes look like an open
circuit to all the batteries except the highest-voltage one?  So will
there be any benefit to using any batteries in parallel except for
whichever one has the highest voltage?

I was taught approximately that diodes look like a wire (a very tiny R)
when the voltage on the cathode exceeds the voltage on the anode, and
like an open circuit when the voltage on the anode exceeds the voltage
on the cathode.

-- 
Seth David Schoen <schoen at loyalty.org>  | And do not say, I will study when I
Temp.  http://www.loyalty.org/~schoen/  | have leisure; for perhaps you will
down:  http://www.loyalty.org/   (CAF)  | not have leisure.  -- Pirke Avot 2:5