Connecting thermopiles in parallel vs series

What happens when you connect thermopiles in parallel? In series it increases the output voltage and increases source impedance. In parallel, it decreases source impedance and...does what? Would it improve response time or something?

Think of it just like a battery; Cells in series increase voltage but decrease maximum possible current due to the higher impedance where as cells in parallel cause the voltage to remain the same but allows higher current due to the lower impedance. So you have to determine the voltage and current requirements of the system it's running to figure out the needed series/parallel configuration.

The main reason for connecting thermocouples, or thermopiles, in parallel is for mathematical averaging. Multiple thermocouples terminated together, placed at different points of interest in an environment to be measured will give an approximation of the average temperature in that environment. This might be useful in a large volume like a water tank or a large room. The one consideration that is made that introduces error is lead resistance differential between each thermocouple.

Depends Ke5, thermo electric generators and peltier modules have hundreds if not thousands of modules in various series/parallel configurations.

Well...let's talk about just measuring purposes hehe. I don't think I'll be trying to build an RTG anytime soon lol.

Sceadwian said:

Depends Ke5, thermo electric generators and peltier modules have hundreds if not thousands of modules in various series/parallel configurations.

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I do not believe he was asking about peltier coolers.