Battery monitor
An apparatus and method for monitoring at least one battery condition. An ac signal is applied to a battery. A difference between a signal output from the battery and a threshold determines a battery condition. The determined battery condition is transmitted remotely from the battery location either wirelessly or through a network to controller and/or is visibly displayed at the battery location.
1. An apparatus for monitoring an operative condition of each of a plurality of batteries comprising:
a control mounted on each battery and detecting a battery operating parameter;
the control comparing the detected battery operating parameter with a threshold value to determine an operative condition of the battery;
a data collection module including a processor and communicating with a data memory and executing a stored control program; and
a central area network serially connecting the control on each of a plurality of batteries with the data collection module.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the control and the battery are mounted in a single case.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
an illuminatable element, activated by the control, to provide a visual indication of at least one of the battery test state and the determined battery operative condition.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
the illuminatable element is mounted in proximity to the battery.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
an electric power source for supplying electric power to the control.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 further wherein the power source comprises:
Kelvin connections adapted to electrically connect the control to positive and negative terminals of a battery.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control further comprises:
means for testing at least one of battery internal resistance, battery nominal voltage and battery terminal temperature.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the control stores the detected battery condition from a test of at least one of a battery internal resistance, nominal battery voltage and battery terminal temperature in the data memory.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
means for storing at least one of the time and day date in the data memory for communicating battery conditions to the data collection module.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:
the control flagging the test data with an alarm tag when any of the battery test conditions are out of threshold boundaries; and
the control transmitting the alarm tag to a remote controller at one of the set one of the time and the date, and immediately for at least one of the tested battery conditions.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a modem, coupled to the data collection module, for communicating battery test data externally of the data collection module.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a portable processor executing a stored control program connectable in data communication with the data collection module.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
a universal serial bus connection between the portable processor and the data collection module.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a current flow meter serially connected to the batteries.