Hioki 3555 Battery HiTester

Battery Hi-Tester

With improvements in battery technology, the range of applications in portable devices is growing rapidly: not only portable telephones, but also video cameras, notebook computers, and other electronic devices. But the performance of these devices depends on the lifetime and performance of the batteries. Because of the wide variation in battery lifetime depending on the charging frequency and pattern of use, an increasing demand for battery maintenance tools can be expected. The 3555 BATTERY HiTESTER provides a simple, on-the-spot assessment of the state of compact storage batteries, including nicad (Ni-Cd) and nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries.

Simultaneous measurement of resistance and voltage

This tester uses the same AC four-terminal method* as Models 3550 and 3551 use for lead-acid batteries to measure the internal resistance, and simultaneously measures the battery voltage, to give an immediate Pass/Warning/Fail result.

* The AC four-terminal method supplies an AC current from the source terminals to the battery being measured, and measures the voltage drop with the sense terminals. This cancels out the contact resistance and lead resistance, and provides accurate measurement of low resistances. See also the enlarged illustration of the tip of the 9461 Pin-Type Leads.

Three-rank rating of battery state: Pass, Warning, or Fail

The Pass/Warning/Fail assessment of a battery's state is based on a six-way combination of comparisons against upper and lower resistance limits and a voltage threshold.* This result is then indicated by LEDs and a beeper. * The comparison threshold values depend on the battery manufacturer, type, and capacity, and these must be established by the user.

Simple operation

Once the appropriate comparison values for the battery being tested have been entered or recalled from memory, measurement is as simple as contacting the pin-type probes against the battery terminals. Since the tester is battery-operated, it can also be used anywhere.

Battery diagnosis

Once a compact storage battery, typically one used in a portable telephone, exceeds the manufacturer's guaranteed limit on charge-discharge cycles, its charging capacity gradually deteriorates, and the operating time on a single charge may become extremely short. A simple test is therefore required to determine whether an apparently faulty instrument simply has a failing battery. In cases such as these, the 3555 BATTERY HiTESTER gives exactly the guidance needed to determine whether or not to replace the battery.