Low Cost, Convenient Battery Health Assessment: Who Needs It?

Why are small, low-cost battery sites generally a poor match for highly capable ohmic battery monitoring products? The answer isn't just cost. This paper draws a contrast between the differing performance expectations and resource environments of two categories of stationary battery system users. It proposes some simple requirements for battery monitoring at cost-constrained sites with modest sized stationary battery systems, and proposes a solution to providing battery health assessment at such sites. Operators of high-profile, mission-critical systems spending large sums on batteries and power electronics justifiably want assurance that their standby batteries will perform per specification. Many of these high budget users employ sophisticated battery health assessment equipment that gives early warning of degradation in one or more battery cells, and notifies the user so he can take appropriate action. In contrast, small, low-cost battery sites (e.g. 24, 48 and 120-volt systems with batteries up to, say, 250 AH) are typically devoid of automated battery health assessment. This is despite greater risk of catastrophic battery failure than exists at high-end sites.