We’ve all seen the too-good-to-be-true battery listings on-line: 18650 batteries claiming big capability for unbelievable costs. Nonetheless, as I’m certain you’re conscious, if it’s too good to be true, it most likely is! Utilizing this Battery Capability Tester from Open Inexperienced Power, you may get an correct take a look at the true capability of any batteries you buy.

That is helpful not just for separating real from pretend batteries but in addition for checking the well being of batteries over time. After many cost/discharge cycles, all batteries begin to lose capability, and by evaluating the true capability to the label you may get an concept of how a lot life the battery has left. As soon as the capability drops beneath 70-80% of the nameplate capability, the battery is beginning to close to the top of its life. Totally different battery sorts and chemistries have completely different lifetimes and cost necessities, and it’s vital to maintain that in thoughts when conducting testing like this.

However for a fast take a look at your batteries, this board is greater than enough. It makes use of an Arduino to regulate a easy constant-current circuit which drains the battery at a user-selectable fee. This lets you see how capability adjustments relying on discharge fee — increased discharge charges don’t enable the battery to expend all of its saved cost as effectively, decreasing the measured capability. Discharging at a a lot slower fee will enable the battery to totally make the most of its capability. Cost and discharge charges are sometimes acknowledged when it comes to C, which is the nameplate capability in mAh. For instance, discharging a 2.2Ah cell at 0.5C means discharging it at 1.1A.

If you wish to be taught extra about Lithium batteries (and batteries generally) an awesome web site to take a look at is Battery College. The web site is filled with helpful info on battery testing and completely different battery chemistries. Studying in regards to the battery chemistry you’re utilizing will show you how to make the most of instruments like this capability tester, and show you how to interpret and characterize the outcomes, providing you with extra confidence in your battery-powered designs!