@ hetfield;
Texas Instruments ...
A battery pack is constructed from a string of series and parallel cells. Each series cell, or group of parallel cells, requires protection from over-charge, over-discharge and short-circuit conditions.
Overall, each group of parallel cells forms one of 8 series cells, and the only monitoring that is done is that of each parallel group as its contribution to the series. The very low impedance of the parallel grouped cells makes balancing of individual cells within the group extremely difficult.
Now, that's my interpretation, and I believe that is what the TI statement implies. I have been known to be wrong - on may occasions.
