”Smart test devices for reliable electric power systems”

www.dv-power.com
Battery Load Unit – BLU Series Training
Armin Fazlic – Application Engineer

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 Battery Load Unit – BLU Series Training
• Safety
• Different battery test types
• Capacity test procedure
o BLU Series
o BVR and BVS series

• Comparison between internal resistance and battery

capacity test
• Connecting the instrument and different test modes
• Software – DV-B Win operation (with DEMO version)

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 SAFETY
• General
o Maintenance should be performed by
individuals who understand battery systems
and have been properly trained
• Protective equipment
o safety glasses, electrically insulated gloves,
adequately insulated tools
• Precautions
o Always connect cables to the device
first an then to the test object, the CB is
in OFF position
o Device needs to be properly grounded

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 Types of test on the battery

• Visual inspections
• Specific gravity
• Float voltage and
current
• Discharge (capacity)
test
• Individual cell condition
• Internal resistance
• Inter-cell resistance

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 IEEE 450-2010 – VLA Batteries Inspections
Measurement Monthly Quarterl Annually
y
Battery (String) Voltage 
Charger Current 
Charger output Voltage & Current 
Ambient temperature 
Visual Inspection 
Electrolyte Levels 
Pilot Cell Voltage, Temperature , Specific gravity 
Specific Gravity Antimony/
Selenium
Cell Temperaure  (10%)
Cell Internal Ohmic User Option
Connection Resistance 
Capacity Test Intervals 25 % of expected
service life

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IEEE 1188-2005 – VRLA Batteries Inspections
Measurement Monthly Quarterly Annually
Battery (String) Voltage 
Charger Current 
Ambient temperature 
Visual Inspection 
Electrolyte Levels
All Cell Voltages 
Cell Temperaure  (10%)
Cell Internal Ohmic 
Connection Resistance 
AC Ripple Current and Voltage
Capacity Test Intervals 25 % of expected
service life
2 years

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 What can be tested with DV Power devices ?
BLU BVS BVR BAC
Series Series Series Series
Capacity •
Internal resistance • •
calculation*
Intercell connection •
voltage
Voltage of individual cell • •
Cell/ambient temperature • •
Recharging and power •
supply

Note: BLU and BVS combination enables internal resistance calculation according to
IEC 60896.
* Provided ih combination of BLU and BVS devices

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 IEEE, IEC and NERC standards
Standards defining different battery models testing

Flooded (open, vented) Lead Acid batteries

• IEEE 450
• IEC 60896-11
VRLA batteries (Valve Regulated Lead Acid)
• IEEE 1188
• IEC 60896 – 21
Nickel-Cadmium
• IEEE 1106 - 2015
UPS
• IEEE 1184 - 2005
Battery Monitoring standard
• IEEE 1491 -2005

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 Battery Capacity Test

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 Capacity Test
Why is it important?
• Determines where the battery is on its predictable life curve.
• You know when to replace a battery.
• To locate weak cells

How is it performed?
• It should be performed every year or at least after 25% of the
expected service life.
• Compared to reference measurements

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 Capacity Test Types defined by IEEE and
NERC
• Acceptance test – capacity test made at the factory or upon initial
installation
• Performance test – constant current or power capacity test made on
battery after it has been in service
• Service test – test of batteries ability, as found, to satisfy the battery duty
cycle
• Modified performance test – constant current test modified by
increasing the current to bound the currents in the duty cycle

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 Capacity Test – Modified Performance
Test
• Modified Performance Test –
Type 1- when duty cycle
encompasses a very large load for a
short amount of time followed by a
reduced time.
• Modified Performance Test –
Type 2 – all currents above the
standard performance test are
measured and the remaining duty
cycle is modified
• Modified Performance Test –
Type 3 – service test which covers
the entire duty cycle

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 Capacity Calculation Methods –
according to IEEE and NERC
•  Time adjusted method

C – is the % capacity at 25 °C
Ta – actual time duration of the test to specified terminal voltage
Tm – published rated time to reach terminal voltage
Kt – temperature correction factor
• Rate adjusted method
x 100
Xa – actual rate used for the test
Xt – published rating for time to specified terminal voltage
Kc – temperaure correction factor

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 Effect of temperature - Temperature
correction factor
• Time correction factor (Kt) for temperatures other then 25 °C

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 Site preparation before the Capacity Test
• Using manufacturers published data determine the
discharge rate and test duration

Discharge rate table important for the test preparation

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 Myths and Misunderstanding that leads to
mistakes during the capacity test
• Myth1 - Performance Testing Ruins the Battery – this
common reason why some do not perform performance test is wrong.

• Myth2 – Equalize Vented Batteries Before a Test – this

statement applies in specific context.

• Myth 3 – Stop The Test When the First Cell Reaches

Final Voltage – stopping the test based on this myth results in an invalid
test . Tests shows that at the end of the test some cells are at the final
voltage and some will be above.

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 Battery Load Units BLU Series

BLU A Series

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 DV Power Battery Load Units
BLU and BXL series – different models and discharge currents
Battery Weight V max 6V 12V 24V 48V 60V 110/120V 220/240V 480V
voltage (Kg/Ibs)
BLU100A 12,3/ 28 300 V 40A 80A 160A 160A 120A 110/100A 55/50A -

BLU200A 14,5/32 300V 50A 100A 200A 200A 120A 120/120A 75/70A -
BLU340A 21/46 300 V 50A 100A 200A 200A 200 A 160/150A 110/100A -

BXL-A 12,5/ 28 300 V 80A 160A 250A 250A 110 A 160/180A 90 A -

BLU220T 15,1/34 60 V 100A 200A 340 A 340A 275A - - -

BXL-T 12,5/28 60 V 100A 210 A 420 A 420 A 350 A - - -

BLU360V 21/47 480 V 50A 100A 200A 200A 200A 160/150A 110/100A 55 A

BXL-V 16/35 480 V 15 A 35 A 70 A 140 A 180 A 120/130 A 110/120 A 60 A

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 Battery Load Units BLU A series
Battery Load Unit BLU340A

• Primarily intended for battery capacity

tests

• Battery internal resistance calculation

– in combination with BVS

• Operation modes: Constant I/ Constant

P/ Constant R

• User selectable load test profile

• Parallel operation (up to 10 BLU units)

• External current measurement (using

current clamps)

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 Front panel of BLU A Series

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 DV Power Battery Load Units

BLU K Series

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 DV Power Battery Load Units
BLU-K and BXL series – different models and discharge currents
Battery Weight V max 6V 12V 24V 48V 60V 110/120V 220/240V 480V
voltage (Kg/Ibs)
BLU100K 12,3/ 28 300 V 40A 80A 150A 150A 100A 110/100A 55/50A -

BLU200K 14,5/32 300V 50A 100A 150A 150A 100A 120/120A 70/70A -
BLU340K 21/46 300 V 50A 100A 150A 150A 150A 150/150A 100/100A -

BXL-A 12,5/ 28 300 V 80A 160A 250A 250A 110 A 160/180A 90 A -

BLU220TK 15,1/34 60 V 100A 200A 330 A 330A 250A - - -

BXL-T 12,5/28 60 V 100A 210 A 420 A 420 A 350 A - - -

BLU360VK 21/47 480 V 50A 100A 150A 150A 150A 150/150A 100/100A 50 A

BXL-V 16/35 480 V 15 A 35 A 70 A 140 A 180 A 120/130 A 110/120 A 60 A

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 DV Power Battery Load Units
Battery Load Unit BLU200K

• Primarily intended for battery

capacity tests

• Operation modes: Constant I/

Constant P/ Constant R

• External current measurement

(using current clamps)

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 Front panel of BLU K Series

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 Battery Extra Load Units BXL series
BXL Series – main features

• Powerful up to 33,6 kW

• Voltage range up to 480 V DC

• Discharge current up to 340A

DC

• Used in combination with BLU

to increase loading capability

• Discharge process controlled

by BLU

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 BLU Series – comparison
BLU A Series BLU K Series
LCD screen 20
characters by 4 lines
Display 4,3 touch screen display
with backlight, visible at
bright sunlight
Discharge modes CONST I, CONST P CONST I, CONST P
CONST R and Load Profile CONST R
Single, Parallel*, Single and Single, Single and CP
Test modes
CP
USB flash drive port YES NO
DV-B Win software YES YES
150 A DC up to 330 A
Maximum discharge 160 A DC up to 340 A DC
DC
current (depends on the model)
(depends on the model)

Note: BLU100A does not have parallel operation connectors

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 BLU series - Summary of features
• Lightweight starting from 12,3 kg (27 Ibs) up to
20,6kg (45,4 Ibs),

• Discharge at constant current, power, resistance,

or user selectable load profile

• Constant current up to 340A (depends on the

model)

• Voltage range up to 480 V (depends on the

model

• Three automatic stop and alarm functions: time,

voltage and capacity

• Easily expendable for larger battery banks using

BXL or any other load

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 Cell Voltage measurements during the
capacity test
Why it is important ?
• Increase life time (replace bad cell, NOT
the whole battery)
• Be sure that the battery keeps its
specification.
• Predict failures (specifically the bad cells)
• Measure all cells at the same time –
Possibility to compare cells with each
others.
• Less risk that the battery is replaced too
early

To get complete picture of the battery

condition both the BLU and BVS (BVR) are
needed.

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 Cell voltage and temperature
measurements during capacity test
• How it can be performed ?

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 Cell voltage and temperature
measurements during capacity test

Automated monitoring – BVS series

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 Battery Voltage Recorder – BVR Series

BVR20 and BVR11

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 DV Power Battery testing equipment
Main features- BVR20
• Your support tool for battery capacity test

• Recording of a cell voltages - up to 30 V

DC

• Cell/ ambient temperature measurement

• Electrolyte density measurement results

(communicating with added density meter)

• Easy transfer of measured data to DV- B

Win
software

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 DV Power Battery testing equipment
Main features- BVR 11
• Your support tool for battery capacity test

• Recording of a cell and string voltages –

up to 500 V DC

• Ambient temperature measurement

(sensor inside the device)

• Current measurement (using current

clamps)

• Easy transfer of measured data to DV-B

Win
software

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 BVR Series - comparison

BVR 11 BVR 20
Voltage, ambient
Parameters measured Voltage, cell temperature
temperature
String Voltage: ± 500 V DC Cell Voltage: ± 30 V DC
Measurement range Cell Voltage: ± 30 V
Bluetooth
Data transfer: USB Cable to PC
USB Cable to PC
- RFID cell recognition
Additional features String voltage measurement - Communicating with
external density meter

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 Battery Voltage Supervisor BVS Series

Consists of:
• Control Unit
• BVS modules
Provides automated monitoring and
recording of a:
• Cell voltage – up to 30 V DC
• Intercell voltage up to 50 mV
• Ambient temperature
• Internal resistance measurement
in combination with BLU Series

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 Battery Voltage Supervisor BVS – Series
Inter-cell connection voltage measurement with BVS

• OUT port of the cell no. N is

connected to the IN port of
the cell no. N+1

• Through the communication

link, the voltage on the +
terminal of the cell no. N is
forwarded to the mV channel
of the cell no. N+1.

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 Connecting BLU to the test object

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 Connecting BLU340A to a test object
• PARALLEL MODE CONNECTION - Using two sets of current cables, and cable for
parallel operation the up to 10 device in parallel can be connected to any battery test
object.

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 Discharge test while the battery is
connected to the load
• SINGLE & CURRENT PROBE MODE - In this mode the measurement will be
based either on the total battery current or a load current being measured by the
DC current clamp.

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 Discharge test while the BXL-A is
connected to the battery too
Connecting BLU and BXL to a test object
• BLU (in a BLU-BXL system combination) ensures control of the
discharge process , by measuring current through BXL with current
clamps

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 Discharge test while the battery is
connected to the load
• SINGLE & CURRENT PROBE MODE - In this mode the measurement will be
based either on the total battery current or a load current being measured by the
DC current clamp.

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 How to make a capacity test with BLU 340A

• Determine test time – Test time

depends on: available test time, battery
size, capability of the test equipment.
• Determine end voltage – The
end voltage is dependent of the lowest
allowable voltage in the substation and
the battery manufacturers specification.
• Determine test current – Check
in the battery manufacturers table for
the actual battery.
• Set the limits in the BLU –
warning and end limits

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 Working principle of BLU A Series –
Discharge modes

Discharge modes:
• Constant current (CONST I)

• Constant power (CONST P)

• Constant resistance
(CONST R)

• User selectable load profile:

• PROFILE I, PROFILE P,
PROFILE R

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 Working principle of BLU A Series – Test modes
Test modes:
• SINGLE MODE – In case the
required discharge current
does not exceeds the
capacities of a single
BLU200A device.

• SINGLE & CURRENT

PROBE MODE - In case the
battery is connected to any
additional load or BXL-A,

• PARALLEL MODE - In case

the required discharge
current or power exceeds the
capacities of a single
BLU200A device.

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 Capacity test process, test examples and
results
• Battery voltages as a function of discharge time as well
as voltage measurements of each cell

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 Relation of Battery Internal Resistance to
Battery Capacity

• Change in impedance/conductance/resistance of more than

25% could indicate a bad battery cell

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 Effect of Various Factors on Cell Capacity and
Internal Resistance
Internal
Factor Capacity
Resistance
Grid corrosion Increase Decrease
Grid swelling and
Increase Decrease
expansion
Loss of active material Increase Decrease
Discharge Increase Decrease
Sulfation Increase Decrease
Decrease followed by
Internal short circuits Decrease
Increase
Temperature decrease Increase Decrease
Dryout Increase Decrease
Negative plate
Increase Decrease
Discharge (VRLA failure mode)

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 DV-B Win software - Included in the
purchase

• Test monitoring and control

• Test data acquisition
• Previous test cases data import
• Data management
• Data analysis
• Data export
• Report generation

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 Questions?

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