Abstract: A discharge device for discharging a plurality of battery cells having an unknown state-of charge is disclosed. The discharge device includes a contact-connection element for the electrical contact-connection of respective battery cells in the plurality of battery cells, and a short-circuiting element. The contact-connection element includes, for each individual battery cell in the plurality of battery cells, an electrical contact having a non-return device. Each of the non-return devices is configured to prevent any return flow of electricity from the respective battery cells, via the contact-connection element, into a battery cell which is assigned to the respective non-return device such that electricity is removed in a unidirectional manner from the respective battery cell. Respective electrical contacts of the contact-connection element are electrically coupled in the direction of flow of electricity, down-circuit of the respective non-return devices.

Abstract: A method for monitoring and/or regulating the quality of spot welds of a resistance welding gun includes measuring and storing measured values during the execution of resistance spot welds at different points on a workpiece. The measured values represent a voltage, a current, a resistance, a welding time, an energy, a force on welding contacts and/or an output during the production of a resistance spot weld. The method also includes comparing the measured values with a reference measurement value. The reference measurement value represents a corresponding voltage, a current, a resistance, a welding time, an energy, a force on welding contacts and/or an output during the production of a corresponding resistance spot weld. The method also includes outputting a warning message when, during the comparison, it is established that a predetermined number of successive measured values is outside a predefined tolerance band from the reference measurement value.

Abstract: A method for operating a welding device (1), wherein the welding device has at least one welding electrode (4), which is operated with at least one variable electrical reference value and wherein this electrical reference value is controlled by a control device (6), wherein the control of the electrical reference value takes place with allowance being made for a set of reference data (25) that is characteristic of a welding operation to be carried out. According to the invention, the set of reference data (25) is determined on the basis of at least one set of raw data (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d), wherein this set of raw data (23a, 23b, 23c, 23d) is characteristic of the welding operation to be carried out.