Ohmic Testing Applications in VRLA Batteries Maintenance

Abstract:
As a large scale Telecommunications Operator with a vast network as well as a large customer base, battery maintenance has always been an important and also a huge task for China Mobile. Traditional methods of battery maintenance have become continuously more difficult to complete due to the rapid expansion of the network infrastructure each year. Starting in 2006, China Mobile began to investigate how Ohmic testing method could play a role in easing the huge workload of battery maintenance. Hundreds of batteries in the field have been tested and results indicated that batteries manufactured in China did exhibit a correlation between Ohmic testing value and the capacity. With the conclusions drawn from the validation field tests, China Mobile started to apply the Ohmic testing technology in the practice of battery maintenance work, including using conductance testing on approval inspection before installation of new batteries. Conductance was also utilized in regular battery maintenance work, as well as the emergency patrol tests of batteries in thousands of base stations right after the occurrence of a serious catastrophe. This paper will introduce the progress that China Mobile made from the field validation tests with regard to the application of Ohmic testing value as a tool to identify the state of health of the batteries, and also the progress of China Mobile’s application of Ohmic testing in its network, as well as some initial progress that China Mobile experienced after implementing the use of these technologies in the battery maintenance procedures. With more understanding of Ohmic testing and more confidence in the technology, Chinese telecom operators can reduce discharge testing as they gain confidence in Ohmic results over time, saving time and money.