How to test small battery cells 1

[frankiee]

I once read in a "Engineering MIninotes" from Radio Shack of how to load test a battery cell.
Like a AA, or a AAA.
It had to do with the resistor to put on depending on which cell you had.
Does any one know how to load test various cells.

I have a small tester that I bought but you hook up to the same place for AA, AAA, C, D,
But I dont think that is very accurate. How can all those different capacity cells have the same hook up.
The book that I read in the past had different resistance values for each cell type.

 

[davidh729]

What specifically are you testing for? If your looking for capacity it is best to emulate the load profile that the battery will see while in use in the end application.

Dave Hyman
iRobot Corp

http://www.irobot.com

 

[ikraj]

What kind of test do you want to perform?
Are you looking to measure ampacity, average discharge voltage, internal resistance...
If you can specify what kind of test you want to perform I can help you. In reality, you can do all three at the same time with the right setup.

Please be more clear as what you want to get from the test.

Isaac Krajmalnik
Axxis Racing

http://www.axxis-racing.com

 

[frankiee]

Sorry for not responding to your replies but I have been on ship and am on a short leave right now.
I have to go back in a couple of days untill Dec. 20 so if I do not respond untill the end of December please accept my appologies.
What I would like help with from you people is a way to test (maybe load test) various batteries to know that they are going to perform well when needed.
For instance, a Ni-Cad radio battery. Or a alkaline flashlite battery . Or the batteries which power the lites on life saving rings.
A normal lead acid battery can be load tested with various tools on the market to varify that they have more then just a surface charge on them and that they will perform when needed.
I am looking for the best way to test dry cell batteries to know they are up to snuff.
Any thought will be appreciated
I will be back the end of December