Project Management

Installation

Startup/Commissioning

Calibration

Troubleshooting

Repair

Maintenance

Training

DC Battery Systems

Installation

Commissioning

Inspection

Maintenance

Load Testing

Capacity Testing

Predictive Analysis

Internal Ohmic Measurements

Battery Replacement Assessment

Training

Definitions

Because Little's Specialities Unlimited, Inc. wants you to learn more about what you need to keep your batteries and battery monitoring system operating at peak efficiency, below, we have listed definitions for the several terms.

Battery Monitoring

Project Management - We offer project management for the installation of an Albér battery monitoring system. This can entail all aspects of the installation from start to finish or we can offer a technician with years of experience, to assist your chosen installation contractor. We typically provide a technician for one to two days, at the beginning of the battery monitoring system installation, to work with your installation contractor side by side. We will cover all aspects of the installation from start to finish and make recommendations for areas where problems could arise. We give the installation contractor a means to contact us 24 hours a day for technical support, after we leave the site. This will ensure that the upcoming startup/commissioning of your battery monitoring system is as problem free as possible.

Installation - Installation includes identifying the mounting location of your battery monitoring equipment, the central computer & cabinet, protected power outlet location, wire management raceways, supporting hardware, mounting of the racks, and wiring your batteries to the battery monitoring equipment.

Startup/Commissioning - Experienced technicians are required to put a system into service. Commissioning is the confirming of accurate connections and the powering up of the battery backup system or battery monitoring system. It can take one, two or more days depending on the size of the system.

Calibration - Experienced technicians are required to perform the initial and annual calibration of your battery monitoring equipment.

Troubleshooting - Should your battery monitoring system develop a problem, our highly trained technicians can assist you in troubleshooting the problem, and in many cases correct the problem right away with out having to remove it from service.

Repair - If your battery monitoring system develops a problem which requires repair by returning the effected module to the manufacturer, our technicians can troubleshoot the system for verification, before sending the module out for repair. In some cases, can repair the module on site with the technical assistance of the manufacturer. If the module must be sent to the manufacturer for repair,  having an experienced technician troubleshoot and diagnose the symptom, can speed up the repair/return of the product.

Maintenance - To insure that you new battery monitoring system gives you years of reliable service, proactive maintenance and calibration will guarantee your system operates within all manufacturer specifications.  As with all electronic equipment, periodic diagnostic testing, calibration, and visual inspection are good practices.

Training - On site or classroom hands-on training is offered for users of battery monitoring equipment. Whether it is a refresher course or a new user course, training is available at your facility. This will teach key personnel about the highly specialized field of battery monitoring, battery testing and maintenance. Hands-on sessions ensure understanding of equipment and it's proper operation. Lectures address equipment use and cover topics such as battery test equipment, battery monitoring, battery maintenance procedures and related equipment. Hands-on software instruction can be instituted as well. Sessions usually have 6 to 10 students and last 6 to 8 hours, depending on session content, which can be adjusted to your needs.

DC Battery Systems

Your DC battery system is the one of the most important systems in your critical backup power system. It provides the instantaneous power when the commercial power grid fails. LSU, Inc's trained technicians will help insure that it will be there when you need it most.

Installation - Installation includes the locating and mounting of the racks and batteries and the wiring of your batteries to the battery monitoring equipment and your protected lines.

Commissioning - Experienced technicians are required to put a system into service. Commissioning is the confirming of accurate connections and the powering up of the battery backup system and/or battery monitoring system. It can take one, two or more days depending on the size of the system.

Maintenance - Proper maintenance will prolong the life of a battery and will aid in assuring that it is capable of satisfying its design requirements.  A good battery maintenance program will serve as a valuable aid in determining the need for a battery replacement. Personnel knowledgeable of batteries and the safety precautions involved should perform Battery maintenance.

Inspection - All inspections should be made under normal float conditions if possible.  Readings should be taken in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruction.  Visual inspections should include but not be limited to plate distortion, connections, vent caps, racks, jars and covers.

Load Testing - Load testing not only evaluates each cell within the battery but also can provide useful information on the performance of the UPS and related conduction path.

Capacity Testing - Capacity discharge tests are the only true means to measure battery capacity.  The benefit of regularly scheduled capacity testing far outweighs any expenditures of time, money, or impact to the battery.  Voltage, internal resistance, and specific gravity (lead-acid batteries) readings are used between capacity discharge tests to infer battery capacity. The purpose of battery capacity testing is to confirm remaining battery capacity, determine the need for battery replacement and to detect incipient or developing problems.

Predictive Analysis - Voltage, internal resistance, and specific gravity (lead-acid batteries) readings are used to trend a batteries life cycle and determine if the battery is starting to fail.

Periodic Measurements - As part of a comprehensive battery maintenance program, a periodic visual inspection of the cells should be conducted.  At a minimum, it is recommended that maintenance of the battery plant be performed monthly, quarterly and annually. All recorded data should be trended.

Internal Ohmic Measurements - Internal jar resistance (ohmic) is viewed by many in the industry as not only a predictor of possible problems within the cell, but also as a means of determining a change in the available capacity of the jar. It is not possible to directly relate minor changes in the internal jar resistance to available capacity however, if the internal jar resistance increases by 25% or more from baseline data, a problem may exist within the jar.

Battery Replacement Assessment - Voltage, internal resistance, specific gravity (lead-acid batteries) readings and battery capacity testing are used to determine the need for a battery replacement.

Training - On site or classroom hands-on training is offered cover topics such as battery test equipment, battery monitoring, battery maintenance procedures and related equipment.