Computerized Battery Analyzer

$179.00 – $195.00

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The computerized Battery Analyzer is much more than a simple battery voltage tester or a battery load tester. It will test virtually any type or size of battery, any chemistry or number of cells, u...Read More

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Product Overview

The computerized Battery Analyzer is much more than a simple battery voltage tester or a battery load tester. It will test virtually any type or size of battery, any chemistry or number of cells, up to 55 volts. We are making this tester available with accessories intended for FIRST legal batteries, although teams may purchase the CBA without accessories and create their own cables for testing other battery types.

The CBA not only tests the total amount of energy stored within a battery (capacity in amp-hours), but also graphically displays and carts the voltage versus time under a constant current load. Graphs may be displayed, saved and printed, and the axis parameters can be changed at any time. Multiple test graphs of the same battery, or multiple batteries, may be compared or overlaid; a very useful feature for teams looking to test capacity and performance of their batteries as they age.

To run a test:

  • Install the CBA software
    • You can find the latest version of the software, drivers, API/SDK for internal development of your own tools, and the full owner's manual for your CBA IV here. 
  • Connect the battery tester to your computer
  • Connect a fully charged battery to the battery tester
  • Click the "New Test" Button 
    • Choose to either overlay the graph on your previous graph or start a new one
  • In the New Test window do the following. 
    • Click the "Detect" button
      • For an FRC Battery it should fill in 13.2V, 6 Cells, 10.5V Cutoff
      • If it does not, the battery is not connected or is dead 
    • Enter the Ah of the battery 
      • Usually 18 for FRC batteries
    • Enter a name for the battery and label the battery with this name for future comparison
    • Set the "Test Amps" to 7.5 
      • This is the highest the tester can do on an FRC battery and will result in the fastest test 
    • Click "Start" 
  • The test will now run for anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours 
    • Do not move or touch the battery at all during the test 
    • Pausing the test will result in a bad portion of data around the pause 
  • When the test is complete a dialogue box will appear informing you of the result and the graph will be complete
    • Click "OK" and repeat the test for another battery. 

The critical number to look for is amp hours (Ah) after the test. If the graph crosses the 10.5V at less than 12Ah after 2 consecutive tests from a fully charged state we recommend not using this battery in competition due to the increased risk of brownouts, especially near the end of a match. Such batteries should be marked and only used for things like practice, demos, or testing. 

Further Reading: 

FRC 1640 has published their procedures and best practices regarding this tester.
https://team1640.com/wiki/index.php/Battery_Management#Battery_Testing

Documents

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1 review

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  1. star star star star star

    Great Product

    I highly recommend this device. We have used a handheld CCA Load Tester and Battery Beak for years, but still always had disagreements over which batteries were "good" and which were "bad". This tool takes out all of the mystery and myth and provides clear engineering data to quantify all of your robot batteries.

    Verified Purchaser