A Digital Current Capacity Tester for Rechargeable Batteries

Abstract

A battery capacity tester has been built that indicates the amount of energy that can be released from a rechargeable multi-cell battery. The capacity tester is easily configured for the types of battery packs common in industrial hygiene field equipment. It provides a digital display of the milliampere-hour capacity of a battery for direct comparison to battery manufacturer's rating. A properly functioning instrument, when equipped with a battery that does meet its capacity rating, can be expected to operate for the interval claimed by the instrument manufacturer. Some newer field equipment can detect low battery voltage while sampling, then reduce power consumption and save the collected data. But some applications will require an uninterrupted sampling interval, and the capacity tester can assure this. Although batteries can be tested just before use, a program of regular testing and recharging will assure operational readiness at all times.