DataCell simplifies battery monitoring

UK company Merlin Equipment has developed Data-Cell, a battery data monitor which is designed to accurately monitor the state of charge of lead-acid batteries.

The most frequently used method of providing battery data for use with PC displays or for telemetry systems is to fit a battery monitor, with a current measurement shunt and an RS232 data converter.

With just a positive and negative connection DataCell's technology can analyse the battery and determine actual capacity remaining without the need of a shunt, which can reduce installation time and complexity.

The unit can continuously send battery voltage and state of charge information via a standard RS232 output to be interpreted remotely by any windows based PC running Merlin software.

As well as reducing installation time and the cost savings from not needing a battery monitor display and RS232 converter, DataCell claims to improve long term accuracy compared to conventional shunt based battery monitors.

Merlin's DataCell software can provides battery data which includes voltage and remaining capacity. Low voltage and capacity alarms can also be set. For each active bank, it displays a moving 'heart monitor style graph' where voltage and the percentage state of charge can be viewed over time to provide trend information.

Designed for either 12V or 24V systems, DataCell comes in either single bank format or for monitoring two, three or four banks simultaneously.