1. How do I check the battery life?
Batteries do not retain their capacity after prolonged use. Through multiple charge and discharge cycles, the capacity gradually decreases, the internal resistance increases, and the ability to deliver power also changes.
To assess this degradation, laboratories use a battery life cycle test. Batteries are charged, rested, and discharged in a defined, repeated procedure to monitor changes in capacity, energy, and electrical characteristics.
With electric vehicle batteries, the results help engineers evaluate battery durability, compare designs, and determine suitable operating conditions. This is also an important basis for developing batteries for electric motorcycles, electric cars, and energy storage systems.
2. Sinexcel Battery Testing System
Sinexcel offers battery testing systems ranging from cell and module levels to high-capacity battery packs. Depending on the configuration, the equipment can perform automatic charge/discharge cycles, control current and voltage, and record data throughout the testing process.
The control software allows for setting up test sequences, monitoring operating status, and exporting data for analysis. This eliminates the need for engineers to manually operate each cycle, especially when the program involves thousands of charge and discharge cycles.
3. Parameters to monitor
During the testing process, there are three groups of parameters that require special attention:
- - Battery capacity: Indicates how much of the battery's original capacity remains.
- - Internal resistance: Helps monitor changes in the electrical characteristics and power delivery capacity of the battery.
- - Charging/discharging energy: Used to evaluate energy efficiency at each testing stage.
For example, if a battery sample has an initial capacity of 100 Ah and after several cycles only has 80 Ah when measured under the same conditions, the capacity retention level is 80%. This could be a threshold for evaluating the end of a test if the procedure is predetermined, but it is not a criterion applicable to all types of batteries.
Comparisons are only meaningful when the samples are tested under the same conditions regarding temperature, charging/discharging current, and measurement methods.
4. Automation to improve testing efficiency
A battery life testing program can take weeks or even months. If it has to be set up and monitored manually, engineers will waste a lot of time and increase the risk of errors.
The Sinexcel system supports programming the charge, rest, discharge, and repeat cycles as required. Data is recorded throughout the process, allowing engineers to monitor degradation trends and compare results between battery samples.
When evaluating batteries under varying temperature conditions, the system can be integrated with a suitable thermal chamber. This helps determine the impact of the environment on battery characteristics and lifespan.
5. Energy recovery, reduced operating costs.
With large-scale repeated charge/discharge testing, electricity consumption is a significant cost. Sinexcel systems with energy recovery support can return the recovered energy during discharge back to the grid as designed.
For example, the Sinexcel-RE 500–1000 V battery pack test system reports an energy recovery efficiency of 95%. This figure applies to the system described and is not necessarily true for all Sinexcel devices.
Energy recovery solutions help reduce electricity consumption and heat generation compared to energy dissipation methods using resistive loads. The actual savings depend on the test cycle and operating conditions.
6. Choose a system suitable for your lab.
Before investing, businesses need to clearly define the type of battery to be tested, voltage, charging/discharging current, number of samples, and expected testing time.
For cell testing, measurement accuracy and the ability to control small currents are usually prioritized. For modules and battery packs, additional considerations include capacity, continuous operation capability, cooling systems, and safety protection features.
GPower Vietnam provides consulting services to help you select Sinexcel testing equipment based on your specific requirements, from test configuration to integration with your lab system.
Refer to the product battery testing category.
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