Abstract: A method for detecting the condition of the individual cells of a bank of serially connected battery cells is provided. The method utilizes a single common sensing wire connected through respective non-linear component switching mechanisms to respective reference terminals. The reference terminals are located between adjacent batteries and at the end of the battery assembly. The method includes the step of detecting an instantaneous change of impedance at points of transition of the state of the individual switches provided.

Abstract: A high-frequency converter of the bridge circuit type includes a snubber circuit connected across the output terminals of the bridge for connecting pairs of charged switching capacitors with an inductor upon the switching of the transistors of the bridge to their OFF conditions. The snubber circuit includes parallel-connected oppositely-poled additional switching devices with reverse blocking characteristic connected in series with the inductor, whereby the energy of the discharging switching capacitors is temporarily stored in the inductor in a substantially loss-free manner, and is pumped in the same direction to assist in the charging of the other capacitors.