Battery impedance test equipment
August 2010
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Battery testing just got faster easier and smarter.
Megger’s BITE 3 (battery impedance test equipment) is a new battery tester, which can measure both float and ripple current in addition to impedance, cell voltage and inter cell connection resistance. Used in conjunction with Megger’s ProActive database management software, this combination is a powerful lead-acid battery health analyser.
The unit provides online testing with pass/warning/fail calculations. Built with on-board data analysis, the intelligence of this small, light, handheld instrument enables comparisons with historical data through the recall of previous test results. Ideal for large installations, the tester is fast, accurate and easy to use, eliminating downtime. The accompanying ProActiv software organises and analyses battery data in an MS Access database. The software enables test results to be organised according to the needs and convenience of the end user. Together, BITE 3 and the ProActive software offer a comprehensive data analysis system to provide confident and reliable evaluation of the batteries in a DC network.
The tester determines the condition of lead-acid cells up to 2000 Ah and also measures cell impedance, cell voltage and inter cell connection resistance. With built-in spectrum analyser, the tester can also show the harmonic content of the ripple current. With more than 16 MB of memory, it uses a Windows CE operating system and can store 4000 sets of data in more than 1000 tests. Its unique data analysis screens provide immediate feedback on the status of cell impedance.
“Unlike load cycle testing, which is expensive, non-predictive and time consuming, this tester offers rapid test time and the ability for the operator to easily, quickly and precisely measure cell and string parameters without taking the systems offline,” said Rick Lawrence, product manager at Megger. “This instrument can take battery measurements in as little as five keystrokes.”
Applications include electrical power generation plants, substations, telecommunications facilities, railroad and aircraft power supplies and UPSs. An optional printer is available to allow users to generate reports to be left on site for future reference. The tester supports multiple languages and its firmware is upgradeable.
For more information contact Stuart Ashton, Surgetek, +27 (0)11 792 1303, [email protected], www.surgetek.co.za
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