For decades, Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR) chargers dominated the utility industry, providing reliable, if somewhat bulky, power conversion. But as technology and customer expectations have evolved, switch-mode power supply (SMPS) chargers are quickly becoming the industry standard — and for good reason. In this article, we’ll explore why switch-mode chargers outperform traditional SCR technology, from efficiency […]
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Battcon 2025 Recap with Industry Legends on DC Power Hour. Explore highlights on lithium-ion safety, panel sessions, UPS monitoring challenges, key takeaways, and the value of building lasting industry relationships. Episode Highlights 11:02 – Was there any real concerns at, Battcon about lithium ion respect to safety? 29:34 – What did you think of the […]
In this episode Allen hosts Pete DeMar, who has over 40 years of experience in the stationary battery industry, and Ryan Wallace, Market Development Manager for Eagle Eye Power Solutions. They explore the critical topic of battery room safety, covering key precautions and best practices to prevent hazards. The expert panel discusses essential safety measures, […]
Battery Education Provider Transforms the Training Landscape by bringing In-Person Courses to Select US Cities MEQUON, Wis., June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Eagle Eye University (EEU), a leader in professional battery education and division of Eagle Eye Power Solutions, has developed a way to effectively reach local Utility customers by taking its best-in-class battery training directly to students through […]
Navigating the Latest Codes and Standards for Lead-Acid Batteries Things change, and that certainly applies to rules and regulations, codes and standards. This webinar will bring stationary battery users, installers and maintainers up-to-date on what is happening in the regulation minefield that surrounds your batteries. What documents apply? What is enforceable by law? Where do […]
In the latest episode of DC Power Hour, Dave Neubert recaps the Battcon conference in Miami with the Battery Blarney duo, George and Allen. Allen, a founder and Hall of Fame member, discusses the history of Battcon, which began to address negative press around VRLA batteries by fostering dialogue among industry stakeholders. Despite Allen’s absence […]
In this episode of DC Power Hour, the Battery Blarney Duo delve into the topic of ground fault testing, welcoming special guest Ron Dickinson who shares his experiences with ground faults on his installations. They discuss the nuances of ground faults, distinguishing them from short circuits, and explore techniques to mitigate issues such as corrosion […]
The above reference document discusses ohmic measurements and the use of this data in determining battery state-of-health (SOH). While a very useful tool, full reliance on ohmic measurements in determining the condition of a battery cell/unit can often be misleading and can give inaccurate “good” and “bad” indications. Also, in many cases, the ohmic value […]
Is Electrolyte Spill Containment Necessary for Vented Lead-Acid (VLA) and Vented Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) Stationary Batteries? The above question is frequently asked and often the answer is what seems to be the standard answer to every stationary battery question – it depends! Well, the purpose of this technical note is to give an honest answer, taking […]
Almost all non-Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) battery related codes were written with the Vented Lead-Acid (VLA) in mind. VLA is the correct IEEE term for a battery that has free-flowing, liquid, dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte that allows gases generated during charging to be vented out of the battery. Because of this design, […]
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 […]
“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 […]
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 […]
The Battery Blarney Duo is back together again after a few months with a very special guest, Jeff Donato from H2Scan, author of the article, “A Primer on the Codes and Standards Governing Battery Safety and Compliance”. One of the subjects of this podcast is one that’s often overlooked, and that’s hydrogen detection and ventilation […]
Industry-leading stationary battery educator enhances course offering with addition of IEEE certificates for continuing education and professional development. MEQUON, WI, Aug. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Eagle Eye University (EEU), a leading institution in professional battery education and division of Eagle Eye Power Solutions, has been officially recognized as an approved provider of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Professional Development Hours […]
In this episode the Battery Blarney Duo talk about a great topic once again, the Battcon 2023 recap. We’ve been waiting a few weeks to discuss this as George has been traveling, doing some training around North America. He’s back and in studio with us along with Allen and Chris joining in so sit back […]
In this episode, the Battery Blarney Duo of Alan and George are joined by their longtime friend and colleague at times, Dan Lambert. These gentlemen definitely have their finger on the pulse of the industry and can shed some light on the really interesting topic of codes and standards. Episode Highlights 04:40 – Not […]
The Battery Blarney Duo continue their discussion with Andrew on the challenges and opportunities facing the DC power industry. They discuss the role of standards in promoting innovation and interoperability, the need for improved energy storage technologies, and the potential for micro-grids to provide resiliency in the face of extreme weather events. They also talk […]
In this episode, the guys talk about how batteries have always been a critical part of the telecom infrastructure and can be found in many different types of telecom equipment. They provide backup power and support to essential systems during an outage or emergency situation. Most substations have some kind of telecom element to them. […]
In this episode, we dig in about the importance of battery room safety. In the Battery Blarney segment, George and Allen talk about issues that can occur when safety precautions are overlooked, and why they are overlooked. Then, they are joined by Ed Rafter, an experienced engineer who has spent his impressive career successfully working […]
In this episode of DC Power Hour, we have a panel of round table experts to talk about the most recent Battcon event. Allen Byrne, George Pedersen, Erik Knudtson and Andrew Charlton discuss their experience and process the whole event. The whole team dive deep into the conversation and share their thoughts and opinions on […]
The topic of this episode covers the importance of battery room safety. In the Battery Blarney segment, George and Allen talk about some of the issues that can occur when safety precautions are overlooked, and why they are overlooked. They also discuss what to do when there is a battery spill or accident in a […]
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 […]