Reliable battery power is a critical piece in today’s portable world. Custom battery pack solutions across the medical, military, and industrial/commercial markets can vary widely.
Identifying the battery pack solution that will work best for your specific product is the tricky task.
Here are five key questions that you should be able to answer for your next battery product design:
1. What space is available for the battery power?
Do you have a sketch or drawing of the product you are building? Do you have dimensions of the space the battery should fit in?
Or are you early in your design process? Perhaps you still have flexibility on the form the battery pack needs to take.
This is a critical piece to plan for.
2. How long do you need your device to operate between charges?
This information is important because it indicates how much capacity (Ah) is needed when choosing a cell size and chemistry. One significant limitation, even a trade-off, is the space that is available for the battery.
3. What agency testing will be required?
The agency testing that is required will depend on the type of device and the market for which you’re building. The design of the custom battery pack inside your device may all or in part depend on the agency testing needed.
For instance, the drop test required for IEC 62133 will likely mean that the battery will need to be in a plastic case or at least protected with foam bumpers.
Some frequently required agency tests are: UL 2054, IEC 62133, and as well those referenced in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria 38.3.
This can be a challenging aspect of the battery design process. We will work with you to verify the testing that is needed, and modify and evolve your battery design to successfully meet the requirements.
4. What battery chemistry is under consideration?
Do you already have product design requirements that justify using a particular chemistry for the battery? The chemistry of the battery will determine the functionality with regard to weight, form factor, capacity, voltage, energy density, and more.
We work with a wide variety of chemistries including:
- Sealed Lead Acid (2v/cell)
- Nickel Cadmium (1.2v/cell)
- Nickel Metal Hydride (1.2v/cell)
- Li-Ion derivatives including Cobalt Oxide (3.7v/cell), Nickel Manganese Cobalt (3.6V/cell), Nickel Cobalt Aluminum (3.6v/cell), Lithium Iron Phosphate (3.2V/cell), and Lithium Titanate (2.4v/cell)
5. What conditions will the device and battery pack be subjected to on a daily basis?
You’ll want to consider four areas (if not more) that might affect the device and/or battery:
- Operating and storage temperature of the product
- Continuous, average and peak discharge currents
- Operating voltage range of the battery and device
- Battery charger rate and method of charging
The answers to these will vary, but they can be incredibly helpful to getting the proper start on your custom battery pack design.
The right provider will be asking you these key questions upfront. You will save time, error, and ultimately cost in the long run by knowing as much about your requirements as you can early on.
If you have flexibility in your design, one of our off-the-shelf battery designs may save you time and money.
Or you can click here to request a quote for your specific project.