About putting a known load on the battery ... can you do this while
     the product that is running from the battery is still working?

     regards,
     SW.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Batteries
Author:  tjaart@wasp.co.za at INTERNET
Date:    26/11/97 06:45


Andrew Mayo wrote:
>
> In order to reliably determine battery life, you really need to be able
> to briefly switch a load across the battery which draws a predetermined
> current and then measure the battery voltage. Battery manufacturers can
> supply voltage/time curves for a given load, if you ask.

This is exactly what we do to determine a 6 cell NiCd pack's state. I
discharge it over a 47E resistor for 10s and measure the voltage under
load.

A few people have asked about good batteries to use lately. A very nice
battery (but a bit expensive) is the Hawker (previously Gates) Cyclon
2V lead acid cells. They combine all the nice features of lead acids
and NiCds.

--
Friendly Regards

Tjaart van der Walt
mailto:tjaart@wasp.co.za
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