Give Batteries a Voice!
The Battery Bug Series of monitors use patented Ohmic testing methods to communicate battery life information directly to the user. Previously available only as professional handheld tools, the unique, battery-mounted Battery Bug shows:
- Lost Battery Capacity
- Percentage of Remaining Battery Life
- Charge Level
- Voltage
- MHO
The DCM product line is for deep cycle applications like maring trolling motors, boat, RV or camper "house" batteries, solar, golf cars, off-read, and military deep cycle batteries applications. The Battery Bug works on lead-acid SLI battery designs including:
Technology
The Battery Bug connects directly to the terminals of the battery and starts measuring the internal resistance of the battery using LPR technology.
When the Battery Bug recognizes the first charging sequence after being installed, it 'sets' the battery's maximum capacity parameter. If a larger maximum capacity is found after subsequent chargers, the parameter will be reset until it 'learns' the maximum capacity of the battery.
Once the maximum capacity of the battery is learned, all future tests can be compared to this memorized parameter providing data on Charge Level, Lost Capacity, and % Remaining Battery Life.
It is ideal if the Battery Bug is attached to a new battery since the capacity of the battery before installing the Battery Bug will forever be unknown. Though not ideal, the Battery Bug can be attached to a battery up to one year old in most applications.
After setting the maximum capacity parameter, the Battery Bug measures the internal resistance of the battery once every minute and displays: % Remaining Useful Life and Charge Level between 0% and 100%. An audible alarm indicates when to recharge. Alarms and warning icons also indicate when an aging battery should be replaced.
Much More than a mere Volt Meter
The Battery Bug measures the battery's 'internal resistance' - the same parameter as $500 professional handheld testers. Internal resistance is accepted as the best indicator of battery capacity and health. Volt meters, on the other hand, measure only voltage and are only a rough estimate of charge level. Volt meters can tell you nothing about the age of a battery and it is well known that changing electrical loads will have an effect on battery voltage. A charge meter that measures only voltage will bounce up and down as loads are turned on and off. In reality, the charge level is not changing - only the voltage is changing.
The Battery bug is a much better solution to the Volt Meter, providing a stable Charge Level indication and more importantly, Battery Life / Lost Capacity information.
Visualize 'Lost Capacity' Over Time
A battery's ability to store energy decays with time, until eventually the battery can't store enough energy to do its job. The Battery Bug tracks this lost capacity over time showing this critical battery health data on the display. When storage capability drops to a critical level, visual and audible alarms warn to replace the battery.
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