Atec Megger-BITE Series - Manual

BITE
®
2 and BITE 2P
Battery Impedance Test Equipment
n Determines condition of lead-acid and
NiCd cells up to 7000 Ah
n On-board Pass/Warning/Fail indications
n Robust, repeatable instruments
n On-line testing
n Checks charger condition by measuring
ac ripple current
BITE ® 2 and BITE 2P
Battery Impedance Test Equipment
DESCRIPTION
The BITE 2 and BITE 2P Battery Impedance Test
Equipment determine the condition of lead-acid and
nickel-cadmium cells up to 7000 Ah. An advanced feature
set has been developed that includes Pass/Warning/
Fail calculations based on a user-entered baseline value,
advanced printing functions and more. The case of the
BITE 2P consists of both the transmitter and a carrying
case for all of the standard accessories and some of the
optional accessories, in an all-in-one unit. The BITE 2 and
its accessories fit into a sturdy canvas case with a shoulder
strap.
The instruments work by applying a test signal across the
battery string while on-line, then calculates impedance
based on simultaneous measurements of current and
resulting voltage drop of each cell/jar. They also measure
dc voltage and interconnection (strap) resistance to help
determine the overall condition of the entire battery string’s
electrical path from terminal plate to terminal plate.
In addition, the BITE 2 and BITE 2P measure ac ripple
current which, if too high and over an extended period of
time, can damage the battery by heating it. (An increase of
battery temperature by 18ºF/10ºC will halve the life of lead-
acid batteries.) Battery manufacturers generally recommend
a limit of 5A of ac ripple current for every 100 Ah of battery
capacity. The first measurement that the instruments take is
ac ripple current which should be trended.
The BITE 2 and BITE 2P receiver stores the readings in
its internal memory. These measurements, along with
other maintenance data such as ambient and pilot cell
temperatures and ac ripple current, assist in determining
the overall condition of battery systems. Megger
recommends that impedance measurements with the
BITE 2 or BITE 2P be made part of a battery maintenance
program with readings taken and recorded semiannually for
flooded batteries and quarterly for VRLA.
Unlike load cycle testing that involves substantial downtime
and repeated discharges, using the instruments require
no battery discharge, nor do they stress the battery in any
way compared to other techniques. With a test time of
less than 15 seconds for each cell and intercell connector,
one person can easily, quickly, and precisely measure
internal cell impedance, dc terminal voltage and intercell
connection resistance without taking the battery system off
line and evaluate charger condition also.
Naturally, everything you need to perform these tests is
included with the basic instruments. There is a full line of
optional accessories to enhance the capabilities of the BITE
2 and BITE 2P. Both have the ability to download to a PC
for data interpretation and to ProActiv
™ , Megger’s battery
database management software. Additionally, the BITE 2P
has a built-in printer to review the active test and also to
leave a hard copy record at the site.
Receiver
The battery-operated receiver incorporates the potential
leads, clamp-on current sensor, and data storage
capabilities. It stores more than 2000 sets of data (cell
impedance, cell voltage and interconnecting strap
resistance, date and time stamps) in up to 300 tests. It also
allows for printing the active test for easy review and retest.
Selective printing of any test and deleting oldest tests are
now included features to maintain in memory the most
critical tests.
BITE 2P
BITE 2