C8000 Battery Testing System User Manual
167
Lifecycle
Note: Lifecycle is a “destructive” test that continuously cycles a
battery until a failure occurs. Do not run this program on a battery
that needs to be used after the program completes.
Function:
Determines total battery life by the number of cycles.
Checks whether the battery meets the standard life for its chemistry.
This is an accelerated aging test that is designed to “destroy” the
battery.
Sequence:
The battery is charged and discharged continuously until
the battery fails (i.e. battery capacity falls below target capacity) or the
maximum number of cycles has been reached.
Duration:
Approximately one month or more, depending on the
chemistry. Batteries should provide the number of cycles as specified
by the manufacturer. Typically, with a target capacity of 80%, NiCD
batteries should provide about 1500 cycles, NiMH 500 cycles, Li-ion
500 cycles, and SLA 300 cycles.
DchgOnly
(Discharge
Only)
Function:
The DchgOnly program determines the residual capacity of
a battery, prepares batteries for storage, and checks battery
performance under load. To determine battery capacity, fully charge
the battery using the
Charge
program before running the
Discharge
only
program.
Sequence:
The battery is discharged until its voltage reaches the
END
OF DISCHARGE
setting in the C-Code and the battery capacity is
measured. If the battery is partially discharged, the capacity may be
lower than the target capacity. This may give a Fail Code 115 or 116.
The battery is not necessarily poor.
Duration:
Approximately 1 hour for a NiCD battery discharged at
default C-Code settings.
Note: Smart batteries (often used in laptops) should not be stored in
a fully discharged state. If the battery’s voltage drops below the
level required by the processor within the battery, information can
be lost. In some cases, this data loss can leave the battery
permanently unusable.
ExtPrime
(Extended
Prime)
Function:
Exercises a battery that has been in storage or unused for
three months or more.
Sequence:
The battery is charged for 16 hours on the
TRICKLE CHARGE
setting in the C-Code. The battery is then cycled (charged and
discharged) up to five times until the difference between the capacities
achieved from one cycle to the next is less than 5%.
Duration:
Approximately 24 hours for a NiCD battery charged and
discharged at 1.00C.
OhmTest
Function
: This program is similar to the IEC “DC” method of
resistance measurement. It is recommended that the battery have a
