Primary Battery ESR meter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 11:59:20 am
content: Hi. We had a bit of a hiccup in our production. We regularly used LiSOCL2 batteries, but for some reason we had a production batch that was a bit older than the usual ones. So they had this passivation happening, and their ESR went to ~100 Ohm, that caused some issue with the circuit connected to them. This can be recovered, just by discharging the battery for a minute, and it is not really unexpected. But we want to have some quality control in the production, that could tell if a battery is suitable for the product, or needs depassivation. I will add this functionality to our ATE, but I would like to have the capability to just connect the battery before to some equipment which could tell the ESR of it, without using a calculator. Because this would be done by our production team.Long story short, does anyone know of a handheld battery ESR meter, that can be used for primary batteries?Or other question: Can the 1KHz AC method be used with primary batteries to determine their ESR?

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 04:58:59 pm
content: I would expect ESR to be ESR? I don't currently have access to the ESR testers we use for SLA batteries but I could easily arrange to have it, and try one on a primary battery.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 05:19:46 pm
content: 1 kHz should work, especially that you would use this as quick check to compare to good cells, i.e. relative measurement.Take a look at this:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/esr-meter-adapter-design-and-construction/msg3296986/#msg3296986

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 05:28:01 pm
content: Maybe just apply a load resistor to all batteries in manufacturing process, for some seconds to ensure depassivation.Note the passivation can still occur in service if currents are very low for a prolonged period, particulary if ambient temperature is high.In this case firmware could perform some de-passivation routine prior to drawing larger currents.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 05:32:33 pm
content: It would seem to me that you can measure ESR with any ordinary ESR meter as long as you use a coupling capacitor of low ESR.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2022, 06:39:20 am
content: Quote from: bob91343 on February 09, 2022, 05:32:33 pmI'll give that a try...

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2022, 08:28:25 am
content: Quote from: voltsandjolts on February 09, 2022, 05:28:01 pmWe had devices with very similar HW and FW in tests for two years (the same as these have been on the shelf), and the passivation hasn't happened, so we are good there. For now, they are connecting a Keithley DC load to 15 batteries at a time, the issue is the time it takes. I measured the optimal time for the depassivation to be 2 minutes, and that's quite expensive if it is not nessessary. I'll probably make a better setup then this.So the idea is, when they open a box of batteries and measure 1 or 2 to see what the ESR is, and only depassivate if nessesary. Then the ATE test step will do it anyway, if they missed a battery or made a mistake. Time is money.

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2022, 10:12:13 am
content: The Bob Parker ESR meter is good for battery ESR out of the box. I can't do a quick test on mine as I've fitted it with back to back input diodes (charged cap idiot proofing), but I know people who use it for batteries and rate the result.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2022, 01:56:17 pm
content: I have a YR1030+ handheld battery tester which measures ESR and voltage fine on both primary and secondary batteries.I've not used it on LiSOCL2 batteries, but I have used to check the usual alkaline & NiMH AA, AAA, as well as coins cells, 9V batteries, and various LiIon and LiFePo4 cells & packs.I can't speak to how accurate it actually is, but suspect batteries certainly do read high ESR.There is a newer YR1035+ model, but I've not looked into the difference (in case I'm tempted...)