Abstract: A computer-based system for automatically detecting when a battery changeout occurs has an input device, a neural net trained to identify when said battery changeout occurs based on data from a battery monitor and an output device. The system reads in battery data points once per a data period. The system then formats multiple data points into a data vector for the neural net. The neural net then produces an output vector indicating when a battery changeout occurs. The output vector may show a detected changeout as a step change in a graph.

Abstract: A complex impedance battery monitor has one or more primary switches, a load resistor in series with the primary switches, a current sensor in series with the primary switches, two or more lead wires connected to two or more busbars in a string of batteries, and a digital signal processor. The primary switches are connected to two or more terminals of the batteries in the string of batteries. The primary switches are turned on and off to produce a ripple current in the string of batteries. The digital signal processor determines at least a portion of the complex impedance of at least one of the batteries by analyzing the voltage and current waveform of the ripple current. The primary switches may be turned on and off with a pulse width modulated wave.

Abstract: A controller for controlling a system for mitigating the flow of vapors from contaminated soil into a building controls a blower pulling an exhaust from underneath the sub slab of the building and blowing the vapors away from the building. The blower is controlled by pressure sensors that measure the pressure drop across the sub slab. The sensors are monitored by the controller to make sure they all have a minimum pressure drop. If any of the sensors have an inadequate pressure drop, the blower speed is increased a small amount by the controller. If all of the sensors have adequate pressure drop, then the blower speed is decreased by a small amount. The controller then rechecks the pressure drops on a periodic basis and makes appropriate blower speed adjustments after each measurement.

Abstract: A battery monitor control system has a load plate, two or more lead wires connected to two or more busbars in a string of batteries, and a digital signal processor. The load plate has one or more primary switches connected to two or more terminals of the batteries in the string of batteries. The load plate also has a load resistor and a current sensor. The primary switches are turned on and off to produce a ripple current in the string of batteries. The digital signal processor determines the real portion of the complex impedance of at least one of the batteries by analyzing the voltage and current waveform of the ripple current. The primary switches may be turned on and off with a sine wave modulation.

Abstract: A system for mitigating the flow of vapors from contaminated soil into a building has a blower pulling an exhaust from underneath the sub slab of the building and blowing the vapors away from the building. The blower is controlled by pressure sensors that measure the pressure drop across the sub slab. The sensors are monitored to make sure they all have a minimum pressure drop. If any of the sensors has an inadequate pressure drop, the blower speed is increased by a small amount. If all of the sensors have adequate pressure drop, then the blower speed is decreased by a small amount. The system then rechecks the pressure drops on a periodic basis and makes appropriate blower speed adjustments after each measurement.

Abstract: A battery monitoring system for simultaneously managing the batteries in 100 or more remote locations, each with 100 or fewer cells, has an individual battery monitor operatively engaged with at least one of the cells, a network access module in communication with the battery monitor, and a battery manager that has a fixed IP address that can be connected via an M2M data protocol to the battery monitor. The network access module is programmed to periodically transfer battery monitor data, including ohmic measurements, to the battery manager at a frequency of not less than once per week and with a total rate of data transfer of not more than 1 Mb per month. When the network access module initiates contact with the battery manager, the M2M data communication protocol assigns a variable IP address to the modem of the network access module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining to which battery cell in a string of battery cells between a pair of busses a test instrument is connected. Knowing the average voltage of the battery cells in the string, the voltage from one of the busses to the side furthest from that bus of the cell of interest is measured, and that measured voltage is compared with a voltage range calculated as a multiple of the average voltage.

Abstract: A probe assembly for use with a battery impedance meter which minimizes excitation pick-up voltages by routing the wires from the meter to the battery cell terminals without forming a loop within a changing magnetic field caused by current drawn from the battery cell.

Abstract: A method for determining the internal impedance of each battery cell within a system including at least one parallel string of serially connected battery cells without disconnecting the battery cells from the system, which initially makes measurements of two battery cells within each string to calculate the internal impedance of each of those two battery cells and to calculate a common impedance multiplier term for the rest of the battery cells in each string. The remaining battery cells in each string are individually measured and the common impedance multiplier term for that string is used to account for measured current which comes from the Thevenin equivalent voltage source of the rest of the system, in addition to current drawn from the battery cell being measured.

Abstract: An electronic system having a central controller coupled to a plurality of remote transceiver modules by means of a serial bus. The modules are designed to remain in a sleep mode in which they consume no power until such time as a wakeup signal is sent over the bus by the central controller. Each module includes a source of power and power supply circuitry adapted to provide power for operating the module when the power supply circuitry is connected to the source of power. Each module further includes an energy detector coupled to the bus and adapted to connect the power supply circuitry to the source of power upon detection of energy, in the form of the wakeup signal, on the bus. Within each module is a microprocessor which responds to the provision of power by maintaining the connection between the source of power and the power supply after the wakeup signal has terminated and until such time as the module completes its assigned task.

Abstract: A method and system for evaluating lead-acid battery jars in a battery backup or standby system applies, in a stepwise manner, a current load across a group of adjacent jars. Voltage measurements are taken across each jar in the group at various times during the application of the current load. These measurements are utilized to calculate the ohmic resistance, the charge transfer resistance and the double layer capacitance of each jar.

Abstract: Connections between batteries and impedance measuring circuitry in a system for on-line measurement of battery cell impedance is effected by twisted wire triplets.

Abstract: Impedance measurement of battery cells within a battery system comprising at least one string of battery cells is accomplished by dividing each of the strings into at least two portions. A loading current for measurement purposes is only imposed on a portion of one of the strings at any given time and battery cell voltage measurements are made only within this string portion.