Everything You Need to Know to Perform a Proper Load Test Since the only way to truly determine battery performance is to conduct a load test, we have put together this simple 7-Step Guide to Connecting our SLB-Series Constant Current DC Battery Load Tester to a Battery Bank. 1. Connect the load bank to AC […]
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Since the early days of civilization, the method by which the craft skills have been taught was through an apprenticeship program. A young person would work under an older craftsman, learning the skills to eventually ply a trade and succeed – maybe not always in the way they might have thought. After all, some of […]
The US Electrical Grid is a complex integrated structure that is under continuous development. To ensure that reliable development matches the growth in demand, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) developed the Standard, TPL-001-1 System Performance Under Normal Conditions. The objective was to establish the basic performance requirements for both generation and transmission. The […]
Eagle Eye Power Solutions (EEPS) recognizes that battery defects do occur, and it is EEPS’s and most reputable suppliers’ goal to fulfill all genuine warranty claims in a fair and timely manner. The submission of as much information as possible, that will substantiate the claim, is important and will streamline the process. Why is all […]
Reducing Risk and Cost Through Intelligent Battery Monitoring Continuous battery monitoring can help the user achieve all these things Note: In standby battery systems the terms “cell”, “monobloc” (“bloc”) and “unit” refer to an individual unit within a “battery”, which may be made up of anything from 4 x 12 volt blocs to several hundred […]
Your battery is only as good as how you charge it All too often, stationary batteries are not correctly or adequately charged. This leads to a shortened battery life and may also cause a premature and sometimes catastrophic battery failure. It is the author’s experience that almost 50 percent of all stationary batteries are not […]
“The great thing about codes and standards is that there are so many to choose from.” There are multiple organizations and entities that publish codes, standards, guides, and practices pertaining to the storage, transportation, installation, maintenance, testing, and disposal of stationary lead-acid batteries and their chargers. Almost all of these are updated and revised on […]
Capacitive, Ultrasound and Infrared Technologies The use of flooded battery cells in electrical power backup systems has always necessitated a high use of resources and personnel. Although long lasting (25 years), the batteries themselves are expensive, and must be maintained properly if this lifetime is to be achieved. Proper maintenance dictates visits by service personnel […]
The Lead-Acid Battery is a sacrificial design with unavoidable degradation over time. The inside of a battery cell is a highly chemically active environment. Lead is soft, so in order to make the plates more rigid, in most of the early designs, antimony was added as a hardening agent. The percentage of antimony was high, […]
I frequently get asked, “what is the difference between the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) stationary battery maintenance standards and those promulgated by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) in PRC-005?” My stock answer is, “lots.” First of all, a little bit of history and a lot of acronyms. In 2003, the […]
In 2005, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) released the Protection System Maintenance Standard PRC-005. NERC comes under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The mission of NERC is to ensure the reliability of the bulk power system in the USA and Canada. This standard has been revised several times since and is currently […]
In 2011, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) released the Protection System Maintenance Standard, PRC-005-2. NERC comes under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The mission of NERC is to ensure the reliability of the bulk power system in the USA and Canada. FERC is an independent government agency that is part of the […]
Although noise & ripple currents occur in many standby battery systems, there is a certain amount of controversy about their effects on lead-acid cells; some believing it has virtually no effect and some claiming it shortens the service life of the battery. It can be shown however that even where the ripple current is very […]
For many years, the only training guide for technician skill levels had emerged from the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T). After the breakup of the AT&T monopoly in 1983, it was promulgated by the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC’s) under the wings of their newly established subsidiary, Bell Communications Research, Inc, known as Bellcore. […]
A properly implemented maintenance program will aid in prolonging battery life, prevent avoidable battery failures, reduce premature battery replacement, ensure that the battery systems is charged properly at full capacity and deliver it the stored energy to the load when required. Eagle Eye Power Solutions’ maintenance procedures are based on the recommendations issued by the […]
A few months ago, we published a White Paper in our monthly newsletter titled “Some Codes and Standards Applicable to Stationary Batteries and their Chargers.” It was well-received and generated a lot of comments, and true to the sub-heading of “The great thing about codes and standards is that there are so many to choose […]
Minimize Risk, Maximize Insight with a Pilot Program (As seen on Utility Dive) When it comes to addressing feasibility, costs, and potential risks on a small scale before deploying on a much larger one, pilot programs are essential across many industries and applications. One such application is installing a Battery Monitoring System (BMS) on a […]
This is a question that is often asked, and the answer is relatively simple. A discharge test measures the capacity of the battery and a battery monitoring system is a maintenance tool. Let me explain further. Capacity Testing A lead acid battery is a collection of lead-based electrochemical cells, each with a nominal voltage of […]
How Lead-Acid Batteries Release Hydrogen Lead-acid batteries produce hydrogen and oxygen gas when they are being charged. These gasses are produced by the electrolysis of water from the aqueous solution of sulfuric acid. A Vented Lead-Acid (VLA) battery cell, sometimes referred to as a “flooded” or “wet” cell, is open to the atmosphere through a […]
The term “Sealed Maintenance-Free,” in my opinion, is a marketing-driven term. In the early 1980’s, when telephone Private Branch Exchanges (PBX’s) were being deployed into customer premises, computer mainframes were migrating out of dedicated computer rooms, and smaller computers were being situated in occupied office space. Consequently, users were demanding that the battery manufacturers come […]
There are a myriad of codes, standards, guides and practices associated with lead-acid and nickel cadmium stationary batteries. A former colleague of mine and a code expert, used to say that, “the good thing about codes and standards is that there are so many of them to choose from.” The following is an extract from […]