ELK Technology - ELK-BLT v.2
Battery Life Tester™
Have
you ever wanted to test a battery beyond a simple voltage measurement?
An accurate way of determining the capabilities of a battery is to measure
the internal conductivity or Mhos. Elk Products located in Hildebran,
North Carolina, has a variety of products for security and home automation,
including several innovative test instruments to help installers and end-users
solve problems.
The new and improved ELK-BLT v.2 Mhos Meter is a battery life tester that is compact and very simple to use. The meter is designed to work with 12 volt rechargeable batteries, typically used in fire and security alarm systems, uninterruptible power supplies and backup lighting systems. The meter includes a padded plastic case with a handle for easy portability. Once connected, the voltage appears and then the conductivity reading or Mhos is displayed.
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Using the Mhos Chart, users can quickly determine the health of their 12V rechargeable batteries (Best, Good, Weak or Bad). The Battery Mhos Chart is used to compare baseline readings which are the best indicator of a battery’s health and life expectancy. Since every battery type has a specific characteristic Mho value when it is brand new and fully charged, the table is an accurate way of determining the condition of the battery being tested.
Also included with the kit are self-adhesive test data labels which can be placed on each new battery to record battery measurements as a baseline for future tests. Elk Products recommends charging the battery for 24 hours prior to running the baseline Mhos test. A new battery out of the box should be about 12.6 volts. We confirmed this with the Elk battery we used during our test.
We
tested the ELK-BLT v.2 using a brand new, fully charged ELK Products 12100
12 Volt, 12 Amp Hour Sealed Lead Acid Battery. Our measurements were made
at room temperature (approximately 70° F). The
tester displayed 12.6V and 284 Mhos. Warmer temperatures will tend to
increase the Mho readings while cooler temperatures will tend to decrease
them. This needs to be taken into consideration when measurements are
being made. For example, at 100 °F the Mho reading will be about 105%
above normal and at 32 °F it will be about 76% of the normal reading.
Taking readings is as simple as connecting the tester to the battery.
The tester automatically takes a voltage measurement and then the Mho
reading. The meter goes through a series of tests, including measuring
the conductance to determine the battery's current capability. Nothing
else is required of the user except putting the tester back into the box.
It's really that simple to use.
Conclusion
The ELK-BLTv.2 is an inexpensive and very clever product that offers excellent
user feedback on the condition of 12V batteries. Elk Products has designed
a companion to their line of 12 volt batteries that allows installers
and end-users to test the integrity of their batteries. No longer do you
need to guess whether your battery is good or not.
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Rita Nakano