Additional Features:

• Determines health of lead-acid cells up to 2000 Ah
• On-line testing with Pass/Warning/Fail calculations
• Measures impedance, interconnection resistance and cell voltage
• Windows CE operating system with 32 MB of memory
• Measures float and ripple currents
• Includes ProActiv™ Database Management Software

Accessories:

• ProActiv™ software 
• Canvas carrying case 
• RS-232 null modem cable 
• Line charger 
• Battery 
• Dual-point lead set 
• Tip kit 
• Operating manual

Applications:

• It is known that impedance is correlated to battery capacity and there has been a long-standing question as to when a user should replace a cell. See Figure 2. Recent studies by EPRI* and other organizations indicate that when the impedance of a sealed battery increases by about 50% from its baseline value, the cell has degraded to less than about 70% capacity.

• BITE 3 and ProActiv allow the user to trend data and to enter baseline values for comparison purposes and to make decisions whether onsite or in the office. Both the BITE 3’s impedance deviation graph and the trend graph in ProActiv clearly show the status of a cell which helps users to decide what action needs to be taken to ensure battery back up reliability based on users’ criteria.

The Megger BITE 3 Battery Impedance Test Equipment determines the health of lead-acid cells up to 2000 Ah by taking measurements of the most important battery parameters. The BITE 3 measures cell impedance, an internal ohmic test, cell voltage, intercell connection resistance and ripple current. And, for the first time in a battery instrument, the BITE 3 measures float current and the harmonic content of the ripple current. There is even a built-in spectrum analyzer to show the harmonic content of the ripple current. It has firmware that can be upgraded through the Internet and supports multiple languages.

The BITE 3 is one of the easiest instruments to use. Its measurements, along with temperature, specific gravity and other battery data, can provide the best basis for evaluating the overall health of batteries from terminal plate to terminal plate and to a lesser extent, the charger (from ripple current and its harmonic content.) Megger recommends that the BITE 3 be made part of a comprehensive battery maintenance program with readings taken and recorded semi-annually for flooded, lead-acid cells and quarterly for VRLA.

Unlike load-cycle testing which is expensive, nonpredictive and time-consuming (but does provide actual capacity data), the BITE 3 is quick, reliable and easy to use. With a rapid test time, one person can easily, quickly and precisely measure cell and string parameters without taking the system off line. Furthermore, in as little as four keystrokes, the instrument is ready to take battery measurements (five, if the power button is included).