Vehicle battery testing
View Patent ↗A method of estimating a state of charge of a battery in a vehicle undergoing a vehicle assembly process. The method may include the steps of: installing the battery in the vehicle; employing a sensor mounted in the vehicle to automatically sense battery net amp hours during at least a portion of the vehicle assembly process; storing the net amp hours in a control module mounted in the vehicle; mounting a data link connector in the vehicle to provide communication with the controller; temporarily connecting a tool connector of a battery test assembly to the data link connector and transmitting the stored net amp hours data to the battery test tool from the control module; and comparing the net amp hours to a predetermined maximum net amp hours to estimate if the state of charge of the battery is acceptable.
1. A method of estimating a state of charge of a battery in a vehicle undergoing a vehicle assembly process, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) installing the battery in the vehicle;
(b) employing a sensor mounted in the vehicle to automatically sense battery net amp hours during at least a portion of the vehicle assembly process;
(c) storing the net amp hours in a control module mounted in the vehicle;
(d) mounting a data link connector in the vehicle to provide communication with the controller;
(e) temporarily connecting a tool connector of a battery test assembly to the data link connector and transmitting the stored net amp hours data to the battery test tool from the control module; and
(f) comparing the net amp hours to a predetermined maximum net amp hours to estimate if the state of charge of the battery is acceptable.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: (g) if the net amp hours is greater than the predetermined maximum net amp hours, then charging the battery prior to shipping the vehicle from a vehicle assembly plant.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (e) and (f) are further defined by the vehicle assembly process being completed before steps (e) and (f) are carried out.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (e) and (f) are further defined by the vehicle assembly process not being completed before steps (e) and (f) are carried out.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) is further defined by the sensor being an electrical current sensor operatively engaging a ground wire connected to a negative terminal of the battery.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein step (c) is further defined by the control module being a body control module.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) is further defined by the control module being a body control module.
8. A method of estimating a state of charge of a battery in a vehicle undergoing a vehicle assembly process, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) installing the battery in the vehicle;
(b) employing a sensor mounted in the vehicle to automatically sense battery net amp hours during at least a portion of the vehicle assembly process;
(c) storing the net amp hours in a control module mounted in the vehicle;
(d) mounting a data link connector in the vehicle to provide communication with the controller;
(e) temporarily connecting a tool connector of a battery test assembly to the data link connector and transmitting the stored net amp hours data to the battery test tool from the control module; and
(f) determining an amount of net amp hours used during a particular vehicle assembly process based on the net amp hours data transmitted to the battery test tool.