GB2326241A - Instrument for measuring battery capacity - Google Patents

Instrument for measuring battery capacity Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2326241A
GB2326241A GB9711888A GB9711888A GB2326241A GB 2326241 A GB2326241 A GB 2326241A GB 9711888 A GB9711888 A GB 9711888A GB 9711888 A GB9711888 A GB 9711888A GB 2326241 A GB2326241 A GB 2326241A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
battery
capacity
instrument
measuring
available
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9711888A
Other versions
GB9711888D0 (en
Inventor
Tony Smith
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB9711888A priority Critical patent/GB2326241A/en
Publication of GB9711888D0 publication Critical patent/GB9711888D0/en
Publication of GB2326241A publication Critical patent/GB2326241A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
    • G01R31/36—Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
    • G01R31/382—Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
    • G01R31/3828—Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC using current integration
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
    • G01R31/36—Arrangements for testing, measuring or monitoring the electrical condition of accumulators or electric batteries, e.g. capacity or state of charge [SoC]
    • G01R31/385—Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables
    • G01R31/386—Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables using test-loads

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Tests Of Electric Status Of Batteries (AREA)
  • Charge And Discharge Circuits For Batteries Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

Apparatus suitable for measuring the capacity of a battery comprises means of discharging a battery to thereby measure the available Ampere/Hour charge capacity of the battery. The said available battery capacity is then indicated in terms relating to the stated capacity of the battery under test. The apparatus may include means to automatically recharge the battery after measuring the available capacity of the battery. A battery charger within the apparatus may be used to support the operation of a stand-by battery under test, for a short period, such that the function of the stand-by battery is not prevented by the test procedure.

Description

INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING BATTERY CAPACITY.
This invention relates to an Instrument for the measurement of a batteries Ampere Hour (A/Hr) capacity.
Batteries are known to suffer a reduction in their A/Hr capacity due to the batteries age and operating conditions.
Batteries in standby duties are particularly prone to reduced A/Hr capacity and it is frequently only apparent after the battery has failed in its purpose.
This invention relates to an instrument that measures the available A/Hr capacity of a battery.
According to the present invention the features with reference to the Block Diagram (Fig 1) are as follows: The instrument is connected electrically to the BATTERY in situ with two leads.
The User then enters the batteries characteristics such as stated A/Hr capacity (via a selector switch or keypad for example). After this, the whole process is automatically controlled (using a Micro-controller for example) by reference to a program contained within the instrument.
Using an internal switching arrangement (such as a relay), the BATTERY is connected to a LOAD via a REGULATOR. The REGULATOR setting is held in a "lookup" table within the CONTROLLER program and is suited to the BATTERY being measured.
The LOAD consists of a resistive element designed to dissipate the major part of the energy and the variable REGULATOR is comprised of a power transistor section that varies its effect to control and maintain the pre-determined current throughout the discharging of the BATTERY.
During the discharge period the instrument displays the amount of charge extracted from the BATTERY as a percentage of its stated A/Hr capacity. Also, the DISPLAY informs the User that testing is in progress.
The voltage of the BATTERY is monitored throughout the discharging phase by the instrument through use of the MONITOR. The MONITOR comprises a differential amplifier (for example) that supplies the CONTROLLER with suitably scaled values of the BATTERY voltage.
When the BATTERY is deemed to be discharged, the REGULATOR sets the current to zero thereby terminating the discharge part of the procedure. At this point the "testing in progress" indication is cancelled The BATTERY is then automatically switched by the internal switching arrangement from the LOAD to an integral CHARGER.
The same variable REGULATOR used to control the discharge current is now used by the CONTROLLER to control the charging current. The DISPLAY informs the User that re-charging is taking place.
The value and duration of the recharging process applicable to the particular BATTERY is also held in a "lookup table" within the CONTROLLER program.
If the BATTERY is tested whilst being connected to the circuit of which it forms a part and is called upon to perform its duty at the point during the test where it is deemed discharged then the instrument will immediately switch over to re-charging mode and set the CHARGER output to a suitable value for a short period so as to perform the duty the BATTERY being tested was expected to do (such as operating a tripping coil on a circuit breaker).
The additional load to the BATTERY is detected by a greater than normal drop of BATTERY voltage during discharging.
In the re-charging of a NiCad BATTERY, overcharging is undesirable. If the NiCad BATTERY is overcharged whilst being re-charged using a constant current method, then a negative voltage drop occurs across the BATTERY.
The CONTROLLER program contains an algorithm to detect this voltage drop and terminate the recharging forthwith.
Before the instrument commences its test procedure it checks the voltage applied to the two leads connecting it to the BATTERY and it will not commence measuring until the polarity is correct and the voltage falls satisfactorily between expected limits. An indication on the DISPLAY informs to the User if this criteria is not met.

Claims (3)

CLAIMS.
1. An instrument for measuring the capacity of a battery comprising the means of automatically measuring its A/Hr capacity by discharging it and indicating the energy extracted in terms of the batteries stated capacity.
2. An instrument for measuring the capacity of a battery as claimed in Claim 1 wherein upon completing the measurement of the batteries capacity by discharging it, the means to automatically re-charge the battery is provided.
3. An instrument for measuring the capacity of a battery as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein, if the battery is used in a standby capacity cannot readily be removed for testing from the system that it forms a part thereof, the means to support an unexpected short term load applied by the system it forms a part of is provided by the integral charger.
GB9711888A 1997-06-10 1997-06-10 Instrument for measuring battery capacity Withdrawn GB2326241A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9711888A GB2326241A (en) 1997-06-10 1997-06-10 Instrument for measuring battery capacity

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9711888A GB2326241A (en) 1997-06-10 1997-06-10 Instrument for measuring battery capacity

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9711888D0 GB9711888D0 (en) 1997-08-06
GB2326241A true GB2326241A (en) 1998-12-16

Family

ID=10813792

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9711888A Withdrawn GB2326241A (en) 1997-06-10 1997-06-10 Instrument for measuring battery capacity

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2326241A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2448998A (en) * 2007-05-04 2008-11-05 Iwei Technology Co Ltd Charging device with battery capacity analysis function

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1125351A (en) * 1966-01-11 1968-08-28 Ml Aviation Co Ltd Improvements relating to the testing of electrical storage batteries
GB1342110A (en) * 1969-07-24 1973-12-25 Scholl H K Automatic battery tester
GB1400159A (en) * 1972-08-29 1975-07-16 Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd Battery capacity tester
EP0146377A1 (en) * 1983-12-16 1985-06-26 The Commonwealth Of Australia Battery testing circuit
US4553081A (en) * 1982-06-07 1985-11-12 Norand Corporation Portable battery powered system
GB2216277A (en) * 1988-03-02 1989-10-04 Beghelli G P B Srl Controlling and diagnosing the charge level of batteries

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1125351A (en) * 1966-01-11 1968-08-28 Ml Aviation Co Ltd Improvements relating to the testing of electrical storage batteries
GB1342110A (en) * 1969-07-24 1973-12-25 Scholl H K Automatic battery tester
GB1400159A (en) * 1972-08-29 1975-07-16 Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd Battery capacity tester
US4553081A (en) * 1982-06-07 1985-11-12 Norand Corporation Portable battery powered system
EP0146377A1 (en) * 1983-12-16 1985-06-26 The Commonwealth Of Australia Battery testing circuit
GB2216277A (en) * 1988-03-02 1989-10-04 Beghelli G P B Srl Controlling and diagnosing the charge level of batteries

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2448998A (en) * 2007-05-04 2008-11-05 Iwei Technology Co Ltd Charging device with battery capacity analysis function
GB2448998B (en) * 2007-05-04 2010-10-13 Iwei Technology Co Ltd Charging device with battery capacity analysis function

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9711888D0 (en) 1997-08-06

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)