Parallel top balancing Lifepo4 vs Li-Ion

[meetyg]

Hi there.
After seeing many YouTube videos about top balancing Lifepo4 cells by the parallel method, I was wondering why this method is recommended for Lifepo4 but not for Li-Ion cells?

From what I have read, parallel balancing is dangerous for Li-Ion, because one cell with high voltage/SOC may push a fair amount of current to a lower cell, which may cause heat and thermal runaway.
Why are we not scared that this might happen with Lifepo4 cells?

Thanks for the info.

 

[toms]

The voltage difference across the SOC range on LiFePO4 isn’t great enough to cause high current flow.

I have yet to see a compelling reason to parallel top balance any type of battery though. There are so many safer and easier ways to achieve top balance.

 

[meetyg]

Thanks for the reply.
I'm guessing that this assumes the LFP cells are within the majority of the flat voltage curve, when top balancing. I would guess no one would try to parallel top balance cells with a SOC difference of above say 80%.
But let's say a newbie saw one of those YouTube videos and did it, without understanding this, having a great difference in SOC (e.g. one cell is at 5-10% and another is above 90-95%), would it harm the cells in the same way as with Li-Ion?

And no, I haven't done this... but just asking to get better knowledge of the differences between the two chemistries.