Power supply having temperature sensors for detecting battery temperatures

A power supply comprising:

• a plurality of battery modules, wherein each of the battery modules includes a plurality of secondary batteries connected in series;
• a voltage detection circuit for detecting voltages of the battery modules;
• and
• a plurality of temperature detection units, wherein each of the temperature detection units is connected to a surface of at least one of the battery modules and includes a plurality of temperature sensors, connected in series, for detecting temperatures of the secondary batteries,
• each of the temperature detection units comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to an end of an associated battery module and the second end is connected to an input terminal of the voltage detection circuit, and thus each of the temperature detection units functions as a lead wire for detection of the voltage of the associated battery module;
• wherein each of the temperature sensors has a temperature characteristic that its electric resistance is small when a temperature of an associated one of the secondary batteries is low and increases as the temperature of the associated secondary battery exceeds a predetermined temperature, and
• wherein the voltage detection circuit is operable to detect the voltages of the secondary batteries or the voltages of the battery modules as well as temperatures of the secondary batteries.