Abstract: A method of detecting battery capacity in a zinc-air battery. The method includes the steps of removing all non-essential loads from the battery for a first period of time, thereafter and for a second period of time, applying a constant load to the battery, periodically sampling the voltage of the battery, and, as a function thereof, determining whether a condition is satisfied during the second period of time, the satisfying of the condition indicating low battery capacity. The method of detecting battery capacity can also determine battery usage on a real-time basis in which an accumulator is loaded with a value representing an expected zinc-air battery capacity, loads on the battery are detected, and the accumulator is decremented based on the detected actual usage. The accumulator reaching a minimum value indicates that the battery capacity is low.

Abstract: A method of recovering and restoring the voltage in a zinc-air battery that has dropped below a first threshold. The method includes the steps of decoupling essentially all loads from the zinc-air battery and permitting the voltage to stabilize, sampling the voltage to determine if the voltage of the zinc-air battery is below a second predefined threshold, starting a timer and determining if the voltage has recovered to at least a third predefined threshold prior to the timing out of the timer, and periodically sampling the voltage to determine if the voltage has recovered to a voltage above a fourth predefined threshold for a sustained period of time, the periodic sampling being done if the zinc-air battery fell below the first predefined threshold but did not fall below the second predefined threshold, and upon determination that the voltage of the zinc-air battery has recovered to above the fourth predefined threshold, coupling the loads, previously decoupled from the battery, back to the battery.