How to Perform a Battery Health Assessment

 If your power system suddenly encounters decreased performance, we have some quick troubleshooting tips to check the health of your batteries and ensure you are still enjoying their peak performance. A voltage check is always the first step to check if your batteries are simply unbalanced or if there is an issue with your charger. Once you’ve determined that your batteries and system are functioning properly, there are two methods to check their current amp hour capacity. We will walk through basic troubleshooting steps and how to determine the health of your batteries based on their consumed amp hours.

Battle Born Battery Troubleshooting for a Battery Health Assessment

1. Fully Charge Your Batteries

Charge your batteries until they reach 14.4V or until the voltage stagnates.

2. Disconnect Batteries

Disconnect all wires between the batteries, leaving them isolated. Wait for 30 minutes.

3. Measure Individual Voltages of Each Battery

• Label each battery with a number.
• Use a voltmeter to measure the voltage of each battery individually and record the readings.

4. Analyze the Results

• Unbalanced Batteries: If the voltage readings vary significantly between batteries, it indicates an imbalance. Charge each battery separately and double-check all wiring connections. Upon reconnecting the batteries, they should return to a balanced state, and your troubleshooting is complete.
• Potential Charger Issue: If the voltages are similar but not fully charged, it suggests a potential charger issue. If this is the case, move on to step five.

5. Validate Charger (If Needed)

• Reconnect all batteries.
• Measure the charger’s output voltage and the batteries’ input voltage. At the start of charging, both readings should be between 14.4v and 14.6v.
• Determine the charger’s amperage output. Divide your battery bank’s total amp-hour capacity by the charger’s amperage to estimate the charging time. For example, charging two 100Ah batteries with a 30A charger would take approximately 7 hours (200Ah / 30A = 6.67 hours).

Remember:

• Safety first! Always consult your Battle Born Battery manual and follow safety guidelines when working with batteries and electrical equipment.
• If you have any further questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact Battle Born Battery Tech Support for expert assistance. Our team of technical specialists is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (PST) at (855) 292-2831.

Performing a Consumed Amp Hours Test with a Victron Battery Monitor

Using a Victron Battery Monitor, you can measure the amp hour capacity of your Battle Born Battery with the VictronConnect app. This procedure will provide you with valuable insight into your battery’s health and performance.

Safety First!

Before proceeding, ensure you understand the safety precautions when working with lithium batteries. Consult the Battle Born Battery and Victron Connect manuals for specific safety instructions.

Necessary Equipment:

• VictronConnect app on your device.
• Fully charged Battle Born Battery
• Victron Battery Monitor

Procedure:

1. Open the VictronConnect app on your device.
2. Perform Necessary Firmware Updates (Optional): While not necessary, consider checking for and installing any available firmware updates for your Victron BMS to ensure optimal performance.
3. Navigate to Your Victron Battery Monitor: Access the “Trends” menu within VictronConnect.
4. Choose “Voltage” and “Consumed Amp Hours” as the factors to be displayed on the graph. This allows you to visualize the relationship between voltage and amp hour consumption.
5. Ensure your Battle Born Battery is fully charged to 14.4V before starting the test.
6. Then, begin discharging the battery through your usual system load or by simulating a load using the VictronConnect app. Monitor the voltage and amp hour consumption throughout the discharge.
7. Continue discharging the battery until it reaches 10V, indicating depletion.
8. Analyze the Results: Once the battery has reached 10V, stop the discharge and review the “Trends” graph.
   • Peak & Lowest Voltage: Observe the highest and lowest voltage readings displayed on the left side of the graph.
   • Consumed Amp Hours: Note the total consumed amp hours displayed on the right side of the graph. This value represents your Battle Born Battery’s amp hour capacity.
9. Battery Comparison (Optional): Compare your measured amp-hour capacity with the manufacturer’s specifications for your specific Battle Born Battery model. This will provide an indication of your battery’s health and remaining capacity.

Troubleshooting:

• If you encounter any issues during the test, stop immediately and consult the Victron Connect or Battle Born Battery manuals for troubleshooting assistance.
• If the measured amp hour capacity significantly deviates from the manufacturer’s specifications, consider contacting Battle Born Batteries for further diagnostics.

Remember:

• This test is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a definitive assessment of your battery’s health or safety.
• Always prioritize safety when working with lithium batteries and seek professional assistance if needed.

Performing a Consumed Amp Hours Test without a Victron Battery Monitor

Conducting a consumed amp hour (Ah) test on a lithium battery requires some caution and specific equipment. Here’s a breakdown of the process, but remember, for safety reasons, it’s best to consult a qualified technician.

Equipment:

• Multimeter: To measure voltage and current.
• Load testing device: To draw a controlled current from the battery. This can be a resistor bank, DC load tester, or another device capable of handling the battery’s voltage and current output.
• Timer: To track the test duration.
• Data logger (optional): This is for continuous recording of voltage and current throughout the test.

Procedure:

1. Ensure the battery is fully charged before starting the test.
2. Connect the multimeter to monitor voltage across the battery terminals. Connect the load-testing device to the battery’s positive and negative terminals.
3. Set the desired load: Choose a specific current draw for the test. This should be a realistic representation of your typical application’s current needs. For example, if you typically use the battery to power a 100W device, the load test current would be approximately 8.33A (100W / 12V).
4. Start the test: Begin the discharge cycle with the load tester.
5. Record the voltage at regular intervals (e.g., every 15 minutes) and keep track of the total test duration.
6. Stop the discharge when the battery reaches a predetermined voltage cut-off point, typically around 10.5V for LiFePO4 batteries.
7. Calculate consumed Ah: Use the recorded voltage and current data to calculate the total consumed Ah during the test. This can be done manually or with data logging software.

Want To Learn More About Electrical Systems and Lithium Batteries?

We know that building or upgrading an electrical system can be overwhelming, so we’re here to help. Our Reno, Nevada-based sales and customer service team is standing by at (855) 292-2831 to answer your questions!

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