May 27, 2020 Pageview:1490
Battery capacity is one of the most crucial factors that are accounted for when a consumer is buying a battery for his/her specific needs. No matter why you are buying the battery, the capacity plays a significant role.
Given by Ampere hour or Watt-hours, Battery Capacity is the measurement of the charge that is stored inside the battery. It is a product of the current that can be drawn without causing a voltage drop in the chemistry. You must have heard about the term battery capacity in your smartphone, as it is the specification that determines how long your device will last. Buying a battery of capacity up to 5000 mAh will be enough for a phone to last 24 hours while performing several tasks simultaneously.
But here, we will discuss about the battery pack capacity from a broad perspective. Let's begin now.
How Do You Calculate A Battery Pack Capacity?
If you remember, the formula of battery capacity is given by the division of Energy by Voltage of the battery.
Q (battery capacity) = E (Energy)/ V (voltage)
The calculation is as simple as that. Now, let's say that we want to find the capacity of a battery whose voltage and energy is known. The voltage is 12V, and the amount of energy stored in the battery pack is 26.4 Wh. Put the values in the formula, and we will have the battery capacity value.
Q = E/ V = 26.4 / 12 = 2.2 Ah
Hence, the battery capacity will be 2.2 Ah for the battery.
If you are wondering why calculating the battery capacity is necessary, then you must know that it is used in other calculations as well. Only by knowing the battery capacity, you'll be able to determine C-rate, discharge current, and runtime to full capacity of the battery. Many components that are used to determine the overall lifecycle of the battery are determined after accounting its capacity. And only after knowing the value, the manufacturers can achieve an ideal state of charge for the battery pack.
How Do You Care For Battery Pack State Of Charge?
Before we get to the caring and maintenance part, we must cover the fundamental aspects of the State of Charge. By definition, SOC is the level of charge in a battery that is relevant to its capacity. It is represented as a percentage, where 0% is empty, and 100% is a full state of charge.
Measuring the state of charge by voltage is simple enough, but the results can be inaccurate as it is affected by several factors such as cell materials and temperature. Hence, the battery owner needs to take care of the state of charge of the battery pack.
Most batteries have the SOC indicator that gives the diagnosis for the battery condition. The State of Charge Indicator is a very useful tool that helps the owner to recognize when the battery pack needs to be charged or replaced.
In many cases, the battery continues functions even if the State of Charge indicator says that it's time to replace the battery. However, don't mistake the function to think that the battery is in an optimal state. It simply is a sign that the battery pack is at the brink of exhaustion and can fail at any point. Instead of ignoring the indicator signs, when the "Replace" icon is highlighted, change the battery pack as soon as possible. Continuing the use of battery can increase the risk on the device that it operates. And when the battery fails, it'll take the device with it.
Hence, the most important part of caring for the State of Charge is to pay attention to the SOC indicator. If you are doubtful that the SOC might not be working properly, then you can consider checking the voltage of the battery pack as well. When the voltage drop extends its minimum voltage limit, it is a sign that the battery pack has suffered from extensive damage, and now it can't operate ideally. However, the voltage drop can be fixed with a kick start, whereas doing the same after at the end of SOC won't be possible.
At last, if you are still doubtful, take the battery to a reseller or the distributor to get it checked. They'll tell if the battery has reached the end of its life cycle or it can be revived.
How Does A Battery Pack Capacity Calculator Cost?
If you think that a battery pack capacity calculator will cost you a lot, then you are wrong. Most of the battery manufacturers and distributors provide such information on their website along with an online calculator. These online calculators are entirely free for use.
However, if you are a manufacturer and want to implement the calculator system within your website, then the process will cost you. The formula used to calculate battery capacity is standard. Hence, there won't be much difficulty is embedding the formula. Furthermore, it will provide the consumers with enough information to learn about their battery condition.
Some battery manufacturers even provide the calculators for an entire building's power needs. You can simply provide the information about the devices and equipment the battery will operate, and the calculator will provide you accurate results. You can implement the results directly, but still, we recommend that you get a battery with a higher capacity than recommended. It will allow you to manage the load efficiently, and even during the voltage fluctuations, the battery pack will continue working without extreme damage.
The numbers used in the calculations, i.e., voltage and current, play a major role in determining the overall capacity. If one element is affected, then the battery system will suffer damage. As long as you keep this mind, you will be able to care for your battery pack effectively and prevent it from sudden failures.
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