Backup battery systems for traffic cabinets
Backup battery systems for traffic cabinets that control traffic lights are provided herein. Backup battery systems include a controller operably coupled to 1 or more backup battery panels having rechargeable battery cells. Preferred systems can fit and operate entirely within the traffic cabinet. Monitoring and control of the backup system can be operable locally and remotely via internet cloud.
1. A backup battery system comprising a rechargeable, non-lead battery panel having a thickness of between 19.05 and 25.4 mm, a power output of 200 W or greater and having the flexibility to be configured into both an unflexed planar and flexed non-planar position, wherein the battery panel comprises a casing made of rigid or semi-rigid material, the casing having at least one part-way slit and forming a living hinge, thereby providing the flexibility along the at least one part-way slit.
2. The backup battery system of claim 1 , wherein the battery panel is comprised of a plurality of independent battery strings made of battery cells, each string individually having its own independent charging board configured to distribute the charging and discharging of its respective battery string.
3. The backup battery system of claim 2 , wherein the multiple strings of batteries and their respective independent charging boards are operably coupled together by a central controller/inverter configured to control the power output of the battery panel as a whole such that it can turn each individual battery string on or off depending on overall power requirements of the battery panel and the power supply potential of one or more batteries strings.
4. The backup battery system of claim 3 , wherein the controller/inverter is configured to monitor power output of each battery string, such that it can detect problems in power output of each battery string.
5. The backup battery system of claim 4 , wherein the controller/inverter is configured to operably connect the individual battery strings together either in series or in parallel, and to disconnect the individual battery strings from each other.
6. The backup battery system of claim 4 , wherein at least one battery string is redundant and at least one battery string is a primary, such that if the primary battery string diminishes in its power output, the controller/inverter can activate the redundant battery string such that the power output of the battery panel as a whole is not diminished.
7. The backup battery system of claim 4 , wherein the controller/inverter presents power output status information from the battery strings on a display screen for a user to view.
8. The backup battery system of claim 3 , wherein the controller/inverter monitors the total current into and out of the battery strings to determine the capacity of each battery string and can signal a charger board to charge its operably coupled battery string.
9. The backup battery system of claim 8 , wherein the central controller/inverter continually recalculates the actual capacity of each battery string, using an algorithm based on the battery chemistry and monitors the temperature and voltage of the battery strings in order to ensure the battery strings are operating to achieve the highest capacity and longest life.
10. The backup battery system of claim 8 , wherein the charging boards are operably coupled together to a single cable configured to couple to the central controller/inverter such that the charging boards can transmit data to the controller/inverter and can receive signaling commands from the controller/inverter.
11. The backup battery system of claim 3 , wherein the controller/inverter monitors a primary power source and generates a template of utility power and uses it to compare incoming voltage waveform from the primary power source against such that if there is a preset difference between the template voltage waveform and the incoming voltage waveform for a certain amount of time, the controller/inverter will signal the backup battery to activate.
12. The backup battery system of claim 11 , wherein the system saves the incoming waveform of any power outage trigger event, and makes the waveform accessible by the user locally or remotely via the internet cloud.
13. The battery panel of claim 11 , wherein the controller/inverter samples the cable 100 times per cycle, looking for changes in the root mean square value of the battery panel's waveform and any abrupt changes in the wave shape.
14. The backup battery system of claim 3 , wherein the controller/inverter can upon detecting a power failure in a central utility power activate the battery panel as a backup power source within 6 to 200 milliseconds.
15. A backup battery system of claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of said battery panels and operably coupled controllers/inverters each of which are accessible remotely by a software application on a computer such that status information is displayed on the computer to a user, and the user can enter in control commands to the controllers/inverters.
16. The backup battery system of claim 15 , wherein the controllers/inverters are also accessible by a direct Ethernet port by a software application on a computer connected to the Ethernet port or remotely via the internet cloud.