The computerized Battery Analyzer is much more than a simple battery voltage tester or a battery load tester. It will test virtually any type or size of battery, any chemistry or number of cells, up to 55 volts. We are making this tester available with accessories intended for FIRST legal batteries, although teams may purchase the CBA without accessories and create their own cables for testing other battery types.

The CBA not only tests the total amount of energy stored within a battery (capacity in amp-hours), but also graphically displays and charts the voltage versus time under a constant current load. Graphs may be displayed, saved and printed, and the axis parameters can be changed at any time. Multiple test graphs of the same battery, or multiple batteries, may be compared or overlaid; a very useful feature for teams looking to test capacity and performance of their batteries as they age.

Included Items:

1 - Computerized Battery Analyzer (am-3158a)
1 - SB50 to PP45 XT30 and XT60 Adapter Cable (am-2070b)
1 - USB A to USB B 2.0 Cable (am-3579)

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To run a test:

Install the CBA V software
- You can find the latest version of the software, drivers, and the full owner's manual for your CBA V here.
Connect the battery tester to your computer
Connect a fully charged battery to the battery tester
Click the "New Test File" Button
- If you wish to add an additional test to an existing file chose "Append Test" instead.
In the New Test window do the following.
- Select "Discharge" on the left
- In the blue box on the right click the "Detect" button
  - For an FRC Battery fill in the following settings: Lead Acid, 13.2V, 6 Cells
  - Enter the Ah of the battery
    - Usually 18 for FRC batteries
- Enter a name for the battery at the top under "Test Name:" and label the battery with this name for future comparison
- In the center of the screen set "Cutoff V:"
  - This is the voltage that the battery will be depleted to.
  - For an FRC Battery we recommend 10.5
- In the center of the screen set "Test Amps:"
  - This is the load that the tester will apply to the battery for the duration of the test.
  - For an FRC Battery we recommend 7.5
    - This is the highest the tester can do on an FRC battery and will result in the fastest test.
- Click "Start"
The test will now run for anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours
- Do not move or touch the battery at all during the test
- Pausing the test will result in a bad portion of data around the pause and is not recommended
When the test is complete a dialogue box will appear informing you of the result and the graph will be complete

Click "OK" and repeat the test for another battery.

The critical number to look for is amp hours (Ah) after the test. If the graph crosses the 10.5V at less than 12Ah after 2 consecutive tests from a fully charged state we recommend not using this battery in competition due to the increased risk of brownouts, especially near the end of a match. Such batteries should be marked and only used for things like practice, demos, or testing.

Included Items:

To run a test:

Further Reading:

Electrical Testing Equipment

Price