Automatic Battery Monitoring System

This paper discusses an Automatic Battery Monitoring System (ABMS) which provides sensing and monitoring capability to indicate the cell conditions in any number of standby power cells. The ABMS includes a Scanner/Display/Printer Module (SDPM) which is located remotely from the battery and transponder probes are installed in each battery cell. Capability is available to monitor any number of cells utilizing a frequency-shift-keyed signal to sequentially interrogate each individual cell and using modulated tone responses to transmit data back to the monitoring module. The system consists of a SDPM and individual transponder probes connected by a two-conductor signal bus. Depending on the probe configuration, up to five parameters can be measured at each cell and monitored at the SDPM. These cell parameters are voltage, temperature, electrolyte level, specific gravity. A panel display provides an LED cell-fault matrix that indicates when an out-of-tolerance condition exists. Specific parameter values may be displayed for any selected individual cell with the out-of-tolerance parameter identified. The built-in printer provides capability for hard copy cell parameters.