Any business that uses battery powered equipment is aware of the necessity of ensuring the battery will last as long as the job requires.
Medical equipment, drones and vehicles or communication devices need a reliable source of power. If the battery fails, your business is going to suffer huge costs and even devastating circumstances.
A range of battery testers can be purchased and utilised on the field, ensuring a productive and successful outcome for your business without the risk of battery failure.
The type of battery tester you choose depends on the type and size of battery to be tested.
Resistors measure current
A carbon pile battery tester is essentially a large electrical resistor that tests the current flowing through the battery. It works by measuring how much current is able to be discharged through this large resistor.
The battery is subjected to a similar load to that which it will receive in service, creating an effective way of measuring current. The handheld battery tester or multi-meter also operate using resistors.
To indicate whether the battery is still usable, a conductive ink that responds to micro temperature changes is used. When the charge held by the batter sends a current through the ink, it increases its temperature.
The higher the temperature, the stronger the current. The results are indicated by a colour chart on the outside of the battery tester, or by a pin. As the resistor measures more amperage, the pin moves further on the gauge, measuring in voltage.
For a battery to be working at its best, the voltage should be at the value stated on the battery or slightly above. If it falls below this, the battery tester shows that the battery is low or needs to be replaced.
Electromagnetic battery testers
A battery is inserted into the electromagnetic tester and thereby completes a circuit releasing both the current and the voltage from the battery. This allows electricity to flow, creating electromagnetic waves.
The battery tester’s circuitry includes a wire coil suspended between two magnets. When the test battery is in circuit, the electromagnetic waves, created at the coil, act against the magnets’ charge and cause the needle to pivot indicating the levels remaining in the battery.
The higher the voltage and current, the more electromagnetic waves are produced.
Lithium-based batteries.
Measuring the current in the battery is not an adequate test for Lithium and lithium ion batteries. Many battery testers use CAM-technology can be used to provide an accurate estimate of the life of this type of battery.
By accessing large quantities of data it can create algorithms to provide rapid reading of the state of the battery in a couple of seconds.
Battery testers work for your business by reducing downtime and loss of production as a result of a battery failing unexpectedly.
The devices provide a range of parameters such as voltage, terminal temperature and resistance. You can operate most testers rapidly while the battery is in service while digital battery testers also store and transfer information.
