Digital battery capacity meter with battery charger

Abstract

In this paper, a digital battery capacity meter with an integrated battery charger is developed and built. Also, the software used to control and monitor the microcontroller of the device from the PC has been developed, so that the data obtained from measurement can be processed and compared further using one of the available spreadsheet software packages. Due to the widespread use of electrochemical energy sources, whether primary ones or of the battery type, it is extremely important to know and measure their actual capacity. Primary cell capacity measurement helps in selecting the most appropriate solution (with respect to the cost/ capacity ratio) for powering portable or mobile devices. By measuring the capacity of the used battery, its condition and capability of further exploitation can be determined. Measuring capacity can provide verification of the data in the manufacturer's specifications, for example, in order to compare measurements and confirm statements in technical documentation.

Keywords

• analog electronics
• battery
• battery charger
• dc load
• measuring of electro-chemical source capacity
• microcontroller