Battery Testing Equipment for Hire

Battery testing verifies that a standby battery system will deliver its rated capacity to the connected DC load when the AC supply is interrupted. The standard maintenance programme for a substation, BESS, data centre, telecommunications or UPS battery system combines two complementary methods. The first is rapid cell-level screening, where the internal resistance and voltage of every cell are measured with a handheld impedance tester such as the Hioki BT3554-50. Internal resistance trends upward as a cell ages or develops a fault, so a cell that reads significantly higher than its peers can be flagged for replacement before it pulls the bank down under load. The second method is the discharge test, where the entire battery bank is loaded with the Megger Torkel 930 at a defined current, power or load profile, and the bank voltage is monitored against the discharge curve to determine the actual capacity in ampere hours. Discharge testing is the only method that proves a battery bank can deliver its rated duty during an AC outage.

The two methods are complementary, not competing. Internal resistance testing is fast, can be performed in service, and identifies weak cells. Discharge testing is the definitive proof of capacity but takes hours to complete. A typical substation maintenance cycle uses internal resistance testing on every visit and a full discharge test on a multi-year cycle. For BESS battery modules under warranty, both tests are usually performed on commissioning and at warranty milestones.

Battery testing in Australia is governed by IEEE 450 (maintenance, testing and replacement of vented lead-acid batteries), IEEE 1188 (maintenance, testing and replacement of valve-regulated lead-acid batteries), IEEE 1106 (maintenance, testing and replacement of nickel-cadmium batteries) and AS 2676 (Guide to the installation, maintenance, testing and replacement of secondary batteries in buildings). Asset-owner specific standards including ElectraNet, TasNetworks, Powercor and Ausgrid maintenance specifications add further requirements. Megavar performs battery testing against all of these standards from offices in Hobart, Launceston, Adelaide and Newcastle, with delivery Australia-wide.

Battery testing is performed across the full asset lifecycle, from commissioning of new battery banks through to periodic maintenance and end-of-life capacity verification. The right test programme depends on what type of battery is installed, what duty it supports, and what evidence the asset owner needs.

Substation DC system maintenance

Every transmission and distribution substation has at least one DC battery bank, typically 110 V or 125 V nominal, supporting protection relays, control circuits, indication, comms and circuit breaker operating mechanisms. Loss of the DC system means loss of protection, so capacity testing on a defined cycle (usually three to five years) is non-negotiable for asset owners. Megavar performs internal resistance screening with the BT3554-50 on routine maintenance visits and full Torkel 930 discharge tests on the asset owner’s specified cycle, with the records lodged into the asset management system on completion.

BESS battery module commissioning and warranty testing

Battery energy storage systems use modular lithium-ion packs supplied by the OEM with declared capacity at defined C-rates. Commissioning testing verifies that each module delivers its rated capacity under controlled discharge, and warranty milestone testing verifies the rate of capacity fade against the OEM’s degradation curve. The Torkel 930 discharges individual modules or sub-strings at constant current, with BVM modules logging cell voltages throughout the test. Megavar tests BESS battery modules across Australia for major OEMs and developers.

UPS and data centre battery testing

UPS battery banks supporting data centres, hospitals and critical industrial loads must deliver full capacity at the moment of an AC failure. The Torkel 930 in-service mode allows the UPS battery bank to be discharge tested without disconnecting from the load: a DC clamp meter measures the battery current, the Torkel applies the additional discharge load required to reach the test current, and the UPS continues to feed the protected load throughout. This eliminates the risk window of a UPS bank disconnected for testing during a potential AC outage.

Telecommunications and remote site battery banks

Mobile network base stations, microwave repeater sites and remote SCADA outstations all use 48 V or 24 V battery banks for autonomy during AC outages. The BT3554-50 is the standard tool for site-by-site cell impedance screening on these banks because it is handheld, battery powered, and operates without disconnecting cells from the bank. The Torkel 930 supports the lower voltage range of these banks for full discharge tests where required by the asset owner’s maintenance regime.

Periodic maintenance and end-of-life verification

All major asset owners require periodic battery capacity verification under their maintenance specifications. The standard cycle on substation flooded lead-acid banks under AS 2676 and IEEE 450 is a discharge test every five years and an internal resistance test on every annual visit. VRLA banks under IEEE 1188 typically require more frequent impedance testing because internal resistance is a more reliable predictor of imminent failure for VRLA chemistry than for flooded cells. Approaching the end of the design life, capacity testing is used to confirm whether a bank should be replaced or has remaining service life.

Battery testing splits between two complementary test methodologies. The right method for a given test depends on what the maintenance cycle calls for and what level of evidence the asset owner requires.

Internal resistance / impedance testing (BT3554-50 method)

Internal resistance testing applies a small AC signal to each cell or block, measures the AC impedance, and compares the result against a baseline value. The Hioki BT3554-50 uses the four-terminal AC impedance method to measure resistance from 3 milliohms to 3 ohms with a two-second hold time per measurement. As a cell ages or develops sulfation, dry-out (in VRLA), or grid corrosion, its internal resistance climbs. Comparing the readings across all cells in a bank reveals the outliers; cells reading 30 to 50 percent above the bank median are usually flagged for closer inspection or replacement. The method is fast, the battery does not need to be disconnected from its load, and the test is non-invasive. The limitation is that internal resistance correlates with capacity but does not measure it directly. A capacity-degraded bank can still pass impedance screening if the degradation is even across all cells.

Discharge testing (Torkel 930 method)

Discharge testing applies a known constant current, constant power or load-profile load to the entire battery bank and measures how long the bank holds above its end-voltage cutoff. From the test result the actual capacity in ampere hours is calculated and compared against the nameplate. The Megger Torkel 930 supports battery systems from 12 V to 500 V, with discharge currents up to 220 A in standalone mode, and four test modes covering constant current, constant power, constant resistance and user-defined load profile. The Torkel 930 can discharge the bank in service, with the connected DC load remaining energised throughout, by using a DC clamp meter to measure total battery current and adjusting the Torkel load to maintain the target test current. Discharge testing is the only method that definitively proves a battery bank will deliver its declared duty cycle, and is the basis for end-of-life decisions on substation and UPS battery banks.

BVM cell voltage monitoring during discharge

On any discharge test of consequence, BVM (Battery Voltage Monitor) modules are connected to the Torkel 930 to log the voltage of every cell throughout the discharge. BVM modules daisy-chain to monitor up to 120 cells per loop, with a second BVM loop on the Torkel’s BVM2 port supporting up to 240 cells in total, and the Torkel 930 records the per-cell voltages alongside the total bank voltage and current. This allows weak cells that are dragging the bank toward end-voltage to be identified at the cell level rather than scrapping a whole bank because of a few bad cells. Megavar supplies BVM modules with Torkel 930 hires on request.

Expanding discharge capacity with the TXL870

For large battery banks where 220 A is insufficient to reach the test current called for by the IEEE 450 or IEEE 1188 discharge profile (for example, a substation bank rated for several hundred amps over an hour), the Megger TXL870 extra load unit connects in parallel with the Torkel 930 to add additional discharge load. Multiple TXL870 units can be paralleled, enabling discharge currents of several hundred amps depending on the battery bank voltage and the number of TXL units configured. The Torkel 930 remains the controller, with the TXL units providing the additional load capacity. This is the standard configuration for full capacity testing of larger transmission substation battery banks and BESS battery sub-strings.

Battery test equipment is a strong hire candidate for the majority of users. The decision turns on testing frequency and the cost of having capital tied up in equipment that sits on a shelf between maintenance cycles.

• Single substation maintenance cycle every 3 to 5 years – the equipment sits idle between cycles, so hire it for the test window only
• BESS commissioning project, fixed window - Equipment needed for the commissioning window only. Hire matches project schedule.
• One-off post-fault investigation or warranty test - Single use case with no recurring requirement. Hire for the test window only.
• Internal commissioning team, periodic site visits - Avoid carrying calibration costs and storage burden between projects.

• Asset owner maintenance contractor servicing 5+ sites annually - Frequent use justifies ownership or extended hire. For hires of more than 90 days we quote a long-term rate.
• UPS and data centre maintenance contractor - Single site, hire. Multi-site portfolio with annual cycle, evaluate purchase.

Megavar is a high-voltage testing and commissioning business that runs a hire fleet, not a hire desk that happens to stock test gear. Our commissioning engineers use the Torkel 930, TXL870 and BT3554-50 on substations, BESS sites, UPS systems and BESS battery modules every month. When you hire battery testing equipment from Megavar you get four things that pure-rental businesses cannot match.

• Fault support. If a set plays up, call us and we will arrange a fix or a replacement.
• Calibration on cycle. Every Torkel 930, TXL870 and BT3554-50 in the fleet is in calibration, and its current certificate is available on request. We track calibration cycles in our asset management system so you do not get caught with an out-of-cal instrument on site.
• Compatible accessories on call. BVM cell voltage monitor modules, DC clamp meters, BT3554-50 pin-type leads and TXL870 parallel cabling are stocked alongside the test sets so you can build the right rig for the bank you are testing.
• National coverage. Hire delivery from Megavar offices in Hobart, Launceston, Adelaide and Newcastle, with shipping Australia-wide. Pickup options at our Hobart, Launceston, Adelaide and Newcastle offices for project teams that prefer to collect.

Hire periods are flexible from single-day commissioning checks through to multi-month project rentals. Delivery is Australia-wide. Call 1300 730 499 or email rentals@megavar.com.au.

Yes. BVM modules are stocked alongside the Torkel 930 and supplied on request as part of the hire. The number of BVM modules required depends on the number of cells in the battery bank under test. Specify the cell count at the time of enquiry so the correct number of modules can be allocated. BVM modules daisy-chain to monitor up to 120 cells per loop, with a second BVM loop on the Torkel’s BVM2 port supporting up to 240 cells in total.

They do different jobs. The BT3554-50 measures cell impedance and voltage in seconds and is the screening tool for every maintenance visit. The Torkel 930 runs a controlled discharge to measure the capacity the bank actually delivers, which is the test IEEE 450 and IEEE 1188 call for on the capacity-verification cycle. For a full maintenance programme hire both; for a routine visit the BT3554-50 alone is usually enough.

The minimum hire period is one day for all battery testing equipment. The daily rate steps down for hires of 8 days or more. For hires of more than 90 days, or maintenance contractor engagements, call for a long-term rate. Phone the rentals desk on 1300 730 499 or email rentals@megavar.com.au to confirm rates and availability.

Yes. Megavar’s commissioning engineers run battery testing as a service across substations, BESS, UPS and DC systems Australia-wide. We can supply the equipment for your team to run the tests, supply the equipment with a Megavar engineer attending site, or run the test programme end-to-end including report production. Phone 1300 730 499 or email rentals@megavar.com.au to discuss the right arrangement for your project.