Why are small, low-cost battery sites generally a poor match for highly capable ohmic battery monitoring products? The answer isn’t just cost. This paper draws a contrast between the differing performance expectations and resource environments of two categories of stationary battery system users. It proposes some simple requirements for battery monitoring at cost-constrained sites with modest sized stationary battery systems, and proposes a solution to providing battery health assessment at such sites.

Failure to start is the most significant avoidable cause of diesel generator malfunction. Over 80% of failures to start are caused by battery problems.

Today most gensets do not include any means to detect that the starting battery has deteriorated, and may not be fit to start the engine. End-users have tolerated this situation because there has been no practical, cost-effective battery failure detection system. The low-cost, practical battery failure detection proposal made in this paper would significantly reduce the number of genset start failures and associated business risk.

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Using a Best Battery Selector for highly reliable engine starting

This paper describes the function and proper use of a Best Battery Selector (BBS) in engine starting systems that use two batteries to increase system reliability. 

A properly engineered Best Battery Selector consists of two large diodes, specialized heat sinks, voltage surge protection, and high current terminals mounted in a metal housing. Each diode allows starter motor cranking current to flow in the forward direction, but blocks current from flowing in the reverse direction.

Proper sizing and configuration are essential for reliable operation.

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