Why did you make it?

How much capacity is there really in that old Lead Acid battery you keep lying around? It’s common knowledge that batteries lose capacity over time, but how much? How long will that newly purchased LiPoly pack actually last for your next high-altitude balloon launch? Does that new RC flight pack actually deliver its advertised capacity?

While many battery chargers will provide a capacity following a full pack charge, these readings are rarely accurate. In fact, due to chemical losses and other inefficiencies, the actual capacity of your pack could be significantly less than what your charger tells you! Potentially up to 30% less!

As mobile electronics enthusiasts and hackers, we put some big value in our batteries. Knowing how much capacity they can offer is a serious concern for us. After years of speculating on pack capacities, we decided to make our own battery analyzer and offer it as a kit for those who share our capacity curiosity!

What is it?

The Battery Analyzer Kit is designed to accurately discharge and measure a battery’s storage capacity. Capable of handling battery voltages of up to 50V and discharge rates of up to 50W, the Battery Analyzer is an extremely useful tool in not only learning what the storage capacity of your battery is, but also for gaining insights to the overall health of your battery.

The Battery Analyzer Kit by default uses a serial console for command input and data output. We also have a small piece of software written to provide a graphical application to ease use.

The analyzer’s software automatically controls the current flow discharging the battery, as well as monitors the voltage of the battery to allow for ending the test once a safe discharge level has been reached.

With the Battery Analyzer Kit, batteries of nearly any type can be tested with ease. From a large lead acid battery, all the way down to the lowly Alkaline AAA. Other types might include Li-Ion, Li-Po, NiMH, NiCd or any other your heart may desire.

What makes it special?

This device is a kit! All the parts excluding the output connector are provided (so you can use wires, or alligator clips, or any other connector of your choice). The few surface mount parts are pre-populated for you, so this kit consists of very easy through-hole soldering.

Provided:

• Circuit Board w/ SMT Components populated.
• Through Hole Components
• Heatsink
• Fan
• Mounting Hardware

NOT Provided:

• USB A <-> B Cable (The kind you’d commonly use with a printer.)
• Battery Connector (The PCB has two solder points for attaching some short wires and your favorite battery connector. 14 AWG is about the largest reasonable. I’m fond of the Anderson PowerPole connectors, but due to the preponderance of connectors out there, the choice is up to the builder.)
• Soldering Iron & Solder
• Phillips Screwdriver
• Pliers

Specifications:

• Minimum Discharge Current: 100mA
• Maximum Discharge Power: 50W
• Maximum Battery Voltage: 50V