Are you a new manufacturer targeting items that use batteries, planning to start a research unit, or working on a new product? If the production process or part of the finished product will require the use of batteries, it is crucial to ensure they are in their best conditions. For example, a phone manufacturer can only grow the market share if his new smartphones come with high-performance batteries. This is why you should acquire and use the right battery load testers for your facility.
Why is Battery Testing So Crucial?
Before we can look at the main testing methods that you should know, it is vital to start by answering the question, “Why is the testing so important?”
A battery, be it a lead-acid or Li-Ion model, is like a living organism, which implies that you can only estimate it as opposed to measuring. A battery starts losing its capacity immediately after it is manufactured. The capacity is also likely to get impacted by the way it is handled, transported, and stored. Therefore, testing helps you to ensure that only the best battery is used on your devices. Here are other reasons why using a battery load tester to check the status of your batteries is so important.
- Allows you to identify the best batteries to order for your devices.
- It makes it easy to determine the life of devices you are taking to the market.
- A good battery load tester can help you to pick the battery suppliers who are committed to quality.
Battery Testing Methods that You Should Know and Use
The battery testing technology method you select should make it possible to assess all battery conditions and provide correct results no matter the charge levels. This can be challenging because some batteries behave like their capacity is eroded when the charge is low, but there is no need to worry about that when using the advanced battery load testers. So, here are the main testing methods that you should know:
- OHMIC Testing
This testing is used to measure the impedance or resistance of a battery. Most manufacturers use OHMIC tests to identify anomalies, such as corrosion and defects. In some cases, the anomalies might indicate the end of life. It is crucial to appreciate that the resistance changes with the status of the battery, such as age, use, and loss of active materials.
- Full-Cycle Test
Unlike the OHMIC test that only looks at the resistance, the full cycle assessment focuses on the charge-discharge-charge process to determine the capacity of the battery. This implies that the test provides one of the most accurate readings about the status of your batteries. However, we must indicate that using this method takes longer compared to the OHMIC test.
- SOLI
SOLI, shortening for State-of-Life-Indicator, is a test used to provide the estimate of a battery’s life. When a new battery is made, it is supposed to start at 100% and then decrease until it reaches the end of life. SOLI is determined by calculating the coulomb count of a single cycle in line with the manufacturer’s specifications. Then, the number is multiplied with the selected cycle count. If you want your products to be of high-quality, make sure to understand the battery testing methods we have highlighted in this post and use the right batteries. Furthermore, you need to use the best lithium-ion battery testing equipment to get the right readings.
