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Build Tetrix Battery LoadTester-PDFVersion

This document describes how to build a simple battery load tester for 12V batteries used in FIRST Tech Challenge robots. The tester uses 50W or 100W fog lamps connected to the battery as a constant load. As the battery discharges under load, its voltage is measured over 40 seconds using a voltmeter. If the voltage drops below 11.2V, the battery has likely lost its capacity to hold an adequate charge. Testing batteries under load indicates capacity loss better than voltage readings alone. The load tester allows teams to monitor battery health over time and retire batteries when capacity fades.

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Kyaw San Oo
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165 views

Build Tetrix Battery LoadTester-PDFVersion

This document describes how to build a simple battery load tester for 12V batteries used in FIRST Tech Challenge robots. The tester uses 50W or 100W fog lamps connected to the battery as a constant load. As the battery discharges under load, its voltage is measured over 40 seconds using a voltmeter. If the voltage drops below 11.2V, the battery has likely lost its capacity to hold an adequate charge. Testing batteries under load indicates capacity loss better than voltage readings alone. The load tester allows teams to monitor battery health over time and retire batteries when capacity fades.

Uploaded by

Kyaw San Oo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Build a Load Tester for 12 Volt

Robot Batteries
Developed by the Tuxedo Pandas and
the New River Robotics Association
especially for FIRST Tech Challenge use
Benefit
• Batteries used in our robots can always be
recharged, but over time, some batteries lose
their ability to hold that charge.
• A voltmeter only shows the current voltage, not
capacity.
• Bad batteries can have a good voltage after
charging, but have very limited capacity.
• Load testing quickly indicates whether a battery
has lost its capacity to hold a charge.
Background
• FTC Tetrix batteries: 12 Volts DC, Nickel Metal
Hydride (NiMH). Known for very good charge
capacity, minimizes the “memory” effect of
Nickel Cadmium (NiCad)
• Made of 10 NiMH battery cells each delivering
1.2 Volts, wired in series
• Cost: $49.95 each, via Pitsco Education
website. Every dollar counts- so get the most
from your batteries!
• Tetrix batteries have a rated capacity of 3,000
mAh: 3,000 milliamps, or 3 Amps, for one hour
• Truly testing capacity requires placing the
battery under a load, and measuring voltage
over time until the battery is exhausted.
• Batteries are effectively exhausted for FTC use
after dropping below 11 to 10.5 Volts (no load)
Design Principles
• 12 Volt battery load testers are common in the automotive
market, but are designed for much higher load: 60-120
Amp hours versus our 3 Amp hour robot battery.
• We need a continuous, constant load for testing accuracy:
automotive lamps are the easiest, low-cost way to load a 12
Volt battery. Fog lamps are in a safe housing, are relatively
low cost, and easy to find in most auto and department
stores.
• We need to measure voltage during the discharge, as well
as time, plus keep everything safe.
• We want our test to provide definite results, but not
require us to drain a battery any more than necessary. 5-
10% of the charge would be a good goal.
Finished Product
Circuit Diagram
50 Watt lamps

SPST
1 or more
types of 50 W or 100 W load
battery Start/Stop test
connectors SPST

-
Voltmeter

Tetrix 12V battery


Testing Procedure
• Connect a fully charged battery to the tester. Turn on your voltmeter.
• If you included a switch for both headlights, enable both lights for a full 100
Watt test.
• Observe the starting battery voltage, usually between 14.2 Volts to 13.2
Volts.
• Start a 40-second countdown timer or stopwatch at the same time that you
turn on the switch.
• Observe the battery voltage declining during the test.
• After 40 seconds, if the battery voltage has dropped below 11.2 Volts, then
your battery likely has lost its capacity to hold an adequate charge.
• Turn off the tester, stop the timer. About 5% of your battery capacity has
been used for the test, so you may want to top off your charge before going
into a competition with this same battery, assuming your battery passed.
• Label your batteries, and keep a record of each battery’s date placed in
service, a unique letter or number identifier, and the results of this test over
time. Testing batteries once a quarter should be adequate, but do it at least
once a year.
• Send feedback to [email protected]
Test Results
Observations
• Testing under load indicated that Battery 3 is no longer a
useful battery for competition. Starting voltages alone do not
indicate this. In fact, battery 4 had one of the lowest voltage
readings right after charging, but lasted almost two minutes
longer than any other battery.

• To see a distinct difference in battery capacity, the battery


must be measured under load for at least 30 seconds, to
isolate the voltage drop over time. See graph enlargement,
right.

• Based on our tests, if a battery drops below 11.25 Volts in less


than 30 seconds, that battery has lost its charge capacity.

• More battery performance data is available through a battery


capacity tester. This $45 device is added in-line between the
battery and load, either actual robot load or a test load such
as the foglamps we used. Sample output is shown at the top.
Tips and Notes
• For versatility, add multiple types of battery connectors.
The white standard connector is called a Tamiya plug.
Anderson Power Pole connectors are highly encouraged
on FTC forums, and Dean’s Connectors are also popular.
• The test rig shown has two meters: a standard voltmeter,
and a battery capacity tester available from Tower
Hobbies. This meter tracks Volts, Amps, Amp-Hours and
Watts. See this link for info, price about $45. But a
voltmeter and a stopwatch is really all you need.
• My typical Amp-hour reading from this PowerMatch
meter was 1500 mA-H, or 1.5 A-H. That is about half the
rated capacity, but I also stopped the tests when voltage
under load dropped below 10.5 VDC.
• Test data and graphs are available as an Excel spreadsheet
on our website, www.TuxedoPandas.org
Battery tester in operation

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