Testing a Li-ion battery pack requires a balance of safety, accuracy, and efficiency. Key steps include:

Visual Inspection: Check for swelling, leakage, or damaged terminals.

Voltage Check: Measure open-circuit voltage to ensure cells are within the safe range.

Insulation Resistance Test: Verify electrical isolation between terminals and the battery casing.

Capacity & Discharge Testing: Simulate real-world loads to assess actual capacity, energy output, and discharge efficiency.

Impedance/IR Testing: Identify aging cells or weak connections.

Thermal Monitoring: Monitor temperature rise during charging/discharging to detect potential overheating.

Safety tips include using proper PPE, short-circuit protection, and ventilated areas to avoid thermal events.

KPM's Battery Pack Tester is designed for safe and efficient testing of EV and industrial Li-ion packs. It offers automated test sequences, multi-channel voltage/current monitoring, and integrated thermal protection. The tester's real-time data logging and analysis software help ensure accurate diagnostics, preventive maintenance, and safer battery operation.

Discharging lithium-ion cells must be done with precision to avoid safety risks and performance degradation. Here are the top 5 mistakes to avoid:

1. Over-Discharging Below Safe Voltage Limits: Going below 2.5–3.0V can cause irreversible damage or capacity loss.

2. High Current Discharge Without Monitoring: Excessive current leads to overheating, thermal runaway, or cell swelling. Always follow rated discharge current.

3. Ignoring Cell Balancing: Uneven discharge across cells in a pack can reduce lifespan or cause imbalance-related failures.

4. Lack of Temperature Monitoring: Not monitoring temperature during discharge can hide thermal issues that lead to fires or failure.

5. Discharging Without Load Control or Cut-Off Logic: Manual discharge setups without auto cut-off risk cell damage or safety hazards.

KPM’s Battery Tester prevents these issues through programmable discharge profiles, auto cut-off, real-time voltage/current/temperature monitoring, and cell balancing diagnostics. It ensures safe, accurate discharge testing for EVs, storage systems, and R&D applications.

Cell balancing is essential in lithium-ion battery pack design to ensure uniform voltage levels across all cells, which directly impacts performance, safety, and lifespan. Without balancing, even a single weak or overcharged cell can cause:

Reduced usable capacity

Premature degradation or failure

Overheating or thermal runaway

False full/empty readings during charging/discharging

There are two types:

1. Passive balancing dissipates extra energy as heat and

2. Active balancing redistributes charge to weaker cells, improving efficiency

KPM’s Battery Solution features integrated smart cell balancing technology. It continuously monitors each cell’s voltage and automatically adjusts charge levels to maintain uniformity. Whether in EVs, solar storage, or industrial packs, KPM’s system ensures balanced charging/discharging, enhanced cycle life, and optimal safety. The real-time monitoring interface also provides visual alerts on imbalance conditions—enabling proactive maintenance and higher reliability.

Ampere-Hour (AH) Curve Tracers or constant current discharge testers are critical tools for evaluating battery quality. By discharging the battery at a fixed current and recording voltage over time, they generate AH curves that reveal:

1. Actual capacity vs. rated capacity

2. Voltage stability during load

3. Internal resistance and aging behavior

4. Cut-off voltage performance

5. Cell degradation patterns over cycles

This data helps manufacturers and maintenance teams identify underperforming cells, confirm batch consistency, and detect early signs of capacity fade—essential for EVs, energy storage, and critical backup systems.

KPM’s Constant Current Battery Testing Equipment is designed for precise AH curve analysis. It offers programmable discharge rates, real-time voltage monitoring, and auto cut-off features. With multi-channel support and detailed data logging, it enables accurate grading, performance benchmarking, and lifecycle testing—ensuring battery packs meet safety and performance standards before deployment.

Battery fires often originate from internal short circuits, moisture ingress, or poor sealing during manufacturing. Air leakage testers play a critical role in preventing such incidents by verifying the airtightness of battery cells, modules, and packs.

These testers use pressure decay, vacuum decay, or mass flow methods to detect even the smallest leaks. Ensuring proper sealing prevents oxygen or humidity from entering the cell enclosure, which can lead to electrolyte degradation, corrosion, or thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries.

Regular air leakage testing helps:

Maintain IP-rated enclosures for harsh environments

Detect seal defects before cell assembly

Ensure consistency in automated production lines

Comply with safety standards like UN38.3 and IEC 62133

KPM offers high-sensitivity air leakage testers tailored for EV and energy storage applications. With fast cycle times, digital pressure control, and data traceability, KPM’s solution enhances quality assurance and plays a vital role in fire prevention and safe battery operation.

As electric vehicles (EVs) grow rapidly, service centers must be equipped with specialized battery diagnostic tools to ensure safe and effective maintenance. Key tools include:

Battery Pack Testers – For measuring voltage, current, capacity, and SOH (State of Health) during charge/discharge cycles.

Cell Balancing Analyzers – To detect and correct imbalances between individual cells in the pack.

Insulation Resistance Testers – Essential for checking insulation integrity to prevent leakage currents and electrical hazards.

Thermal Imaging Devices – For identifying overheating cells or poor thermal management.

Communication Interface Tools – To read battery management system (BMS) data via CAN or other protocols.

Air Leakage Testers – To ensure sealed packs meet safety standards.

KPM provides an integrated suite of EV battery testing equipment, including constant current testers, smart BMS diagnostic tools, cell balancers, and leakage testers. Designed for workshop and field use, KPM’s devices offer fast, accurate, and automated diagnostics, helping service centers improve safety, reduce downtime, and extend battery life.

Charging and discharging tests are both essential for evaluating battery performance, but they serve different purposes and reveal different insights. Both tests are complementary—charging tests help optimize input energy handling, while discharging tests validate output performance. Together, they provide a comprehensive view of battery health and reliability

Key Differences

Feature : Charging Test Discharging Test

Purpose: Assess charging efficiency & behavior Measure capacity, energy output, Stability Data Collected: Charge time, input current, voltage rise Discharge time, voltage drop, delivered AH

Risks : Overcharging, thermal buildup Deep discharge, undervoltage stress

Monitoring Focus: Temperature rise, end-of-charge detection Voltage sag, current stability, thermal trend

Control : CC/CV (Constant Current/Voltage) Constant Current or Constant Power load

Advantages of Charging Test

Evaluates charging curve behavior and efficiency

Helps in BMS calibration and charger compatibility

Detects issues like overvoltage cutoff failure or high IR during charge

Monitors thermal response during charging cycles

Advantages of Discharging Test

Measures real usable capacity of the battery

Identifies aging or weak cells through voltage sag

Simulates real-world usage conditions

Critical for state of health (SOH) estimation and performance grading

KPM’s battery testers support both charging and discharging modes with programmable current profiles, real-time monitoring, and data logging, enabling accurate, automated, and safe battery diagnostics across EVs, energy storage, and R&D applications.

State of Health (SOH) is a key parameter that reflects the overall condition and performance capability of a lithium-ion battery compared to its original, factory-new state. Expressed as a percentage, SOH = 100% means the battery performs at full capacity; lower values indicate degradation.

Factors Affecting SOH:

Capacity Fade: Reduction in charge-holding ability over cycles.

Increased Internal Resistance: Leads to voltage drop and heating.

Cycle Life: Number of full charge-discharge cycles completed.

Temperature Stress: Accelerates degradation if outside ideal range.

Charge/Discharge Rates: High currents can strain cell chemistry.

How SoH is Measured:

Capacity Test: Compares actual vs. rated capacity (e.g., via constant current discharge).

Impedance/Resistance Test: Higher internal resistance suggests aging.

Voltage Behavior Analysis: Under load, abnormal voltage drops signal poor SOH.

Algorithmic Estimation: Used in BMS for real-time SOH prediction based on usage history.

KPM’s battery testing equipment measures SOH using precision discharge testing, impedance analysis, and real-time voltage tracking. Its smart software computes SoH accurately, helping users assess battery viability, schedule replacements, and extend system reliability in EVs and energy storage applications.

Battery safety and performance testing follow strict protocols defined by IEC standards (e.g., IEC 62133, IEC 62660) and UN38.3, which governs the safe transport of lithium batteries. These protocols ensure batteries can withstand mechanical, electrical, and environmental stress.

Key UN38.3 tests include:

Altitude simulation

Thermal cycling

Vibration and shock resistance

External short circuit

Overcharge and forced discharge

Impact/crush test

IEC standards add protocols for electrical performance, insulation resistance, and endurance cycling.

Each test is designed to validate battery integrity, prevent fire or explosion risks, and ensure global compliance for transport and use.

KPM’s battery testing systems are built to comply with these standards, offering programmable test sequences, automated data logging, and safety cutoffs. This enables manufacturers and labs to efficiently validate battery packs for EVs, consumer electronics, and storage systems before certification and deployment.

Extending the life of an EV battery begins with smart, proactive testing practices throughout the battery’s lifecycle—from development to daily use. Key strategies include:

Accurate SoH & Capacity Testing: Regularly monitor State of Health (SoH) and capacity using controlled charge/discharge cycles to detect early degradation and prevent overuse of weak cells.

Cell Balancing Verification: Use testers to identify and correct imbalances, ensuring even load distribution and avoiding stress on individual cells.

Thermal Profiling: Monitor temperature behavior under load to detect hotspots or cooling issues that accelerate aging.

Internal Resistance Checks: Periodic impedance testing identifies cells with rising resistance—a sign of aging or failure.

Simulated Real-World Load Testing: Evaluate performance under actual driving conditions to optimize BMS tuning and charging protocols.

KPM’s battery testing solutions support all of the above, offering automated diagnostics, real-time analytics, and precision control. This helps EV manufacturers and service centers maximize battery life, reduce failures, and enhance long-term performance.

With the rise of electric vehicles (EVs), battery testing equipment has evolved from basic voltage and capacity checkers to smart, multifunctional diagnostic platforms. Early systems focused on simple charge/discharge cycles, but modern EV batteries demand high-precision testing for complex parameters like State of Health (SoH), internal resistance, cell balancing, and thermal behavior.

Today’s equipment supports high-voltage, multi-channel testing, fast data logging, and automated test protocols aligned with IEC and UN38.3 standards. Integration with Battery Management Systems (BMS), cloud connectivity, and AI-driven analytics are now standard, enabling predictive maintenance and lifecycle optimization.

KPM’s battery testing solutions reflect this evolution by offering advanced tools for real-time monitoring, constant current testing, leakage detection, and cell balancing verification. Built for R&D, manufacturing, and service centers, KPM's systems ensure safety, accuracy, and performance—essential in the fast-paced EV ecosystem.

False results from a battery test bench can arise due to calibration errors, inaccurate sensor placement, or improper test conditions. If the voltage or current sensors are not calibrated regularly, readings may drift, leading to incorrect capacity or SoH measurements. Poor contact resistance at terminals or cables can also distort current flow and voltage drop data.

Environmental factors like temperature fluctuations or electromagnetic interference can affect sensitive measurements, especially during internal resistance or impedance tests. Additionally, incorrect test profiles—such as setting the wrong cut-off voltage or charge rate—can lead to misleading performance data.

Software issues, such as outdated firmware or poor algorithm tuning, may misinterpret real-time data or fail to filter noise properly.

KPM’s battery test benches mitigate these issues with auto-calibration, real-time error detection, and intelligent profiling. They ensure accurate, repeatable results that reflect the true performance and safety status of EV and energy storage batteries.

Environmental factors play a crucial role in battery pack testing, as they significantly influence battery performance, safety, and lifespan. Temperature, humidity, and altitude conditions can alter a battery’s behavior under both charge and discharge cycles.

Temperature affects chemical reactions inside cells. High temperatures accelerate degradation and risk thermal runaway, while low temperatures reduce capacity and increase internal resistance.

Humidity can lead to moisture ingress, causing corrosion or insulation breakdown—especially in poorly sealed packs.

Altitude (low pressure) impacts thermal dissipation and can increase the risk of electrolyte leakage or expansion in sealed packs.

To ensure reliability, batteries are tested in environmental chambers simulating real-world extremes. IEC and UN38.3 standards mandate such conditions for certification.

KPM’s battery testing systems integrate seamlessly with environmental chambers, enabling precise control, real-time monitoring, and automated safety checks—ensuring comprehensive evaluation of battery packs under varied environmental stresses.

Li-ion cell grading is the process of evaluating and categorizing cells based on their performance parameters to ensure uniformity in battery pack assembly. Doing it right involves a systematic and precise testing protocol:

Key Steps in Proper Cell Grading:

Initial Voltage & IR Check: Measure open-circuit voltage and internal resistance to identify defective or aged cells.

Capacity Testing (Constant Current Discharge):Discharge cells under a controlled current and record actual capacity (Ah) against rated values.

Cycle Performance Evaluation: Charge/discharge cycles help verify stability and consistency across multiple uses.

Temperature Monitoring: Track thermal response under load—abnormal heating indicates inefficiency or cell faults.

Sorting Criteria: Classify cells based on capacity, IR, voltage behavior, and thermal stability into A, B, C grades.

KPM’s cell grading systems offer multi-channel, high-precision testers with automated sorting, real-time data logging, and user-defined grading profiles. This ensures consistent cell performance, longer pack life, and optimal safety for EV and energy storage applications.

Battery testing for aerospace and automotive applications differs significantly due to varying performance, safety, and environmental requirements. Aerospace batteries demand extreme reliability, lightweight design, and operation under harsh conditions like high altitude, vibration, and temperature extremes. Testing includes rigorous altitude simulation, thermal vacuum, and shock/vibration endurance to meet standards like RTCA DO-311 and MIL-STD.

In contrast, automotive EV batteries focus on cycle life, thermal management, and high-power performance. Tests involve real-world drive simulation, fast charging analysis, thermal profiling, and compliance with UN38.3, IEC 62660, and ISO 26262.

KPM’s testing solutions cater to both sectors with customizable test protocols, environmental chamber integration, and real-time monitoring. For aerospace, KPM offers high-precision, lightweight diagnostics; for automotive, it provides high-throughput, high-current testing systems—ensuring safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance across industries.

End-of-life (EOL) testing for electric vehicle (EV) batteries is essential to assess whether a battery can be reused, repurposed, or must be recycled. This testing focuses on determining the State of Health (SoH), remaining capacity, internal resistance, and thermal behavior after prolonged use.

Key EOL testing steps include:

Capacity Test: Measures actual ampere-hours (Ah) to determine if it meets minimum reuse thresholds (typically ≥70% of original).

Impedance Measurement: Identifies internal degradation and cell imbalance.

Charge/Discharge Cycle Analysis: Evaluates efficiency and detects abnormal voltage drops or thermal spikes.

Thermal Performance Check: Assesses safety risks under load.

Leakage and Insulation Tests: Ensures physical and electrical integrity.

KPM’s battery EOL testing systems automate these processes with real-time monitoring, trend analysis, and safe discharge protocols. This enables accurate decision-making for second-life applications, such as stationary storage, or safe recycling, aligning with circular economy goals.

End-of-life (EOL) testing for EV batteries is crucial to determine whether a battery should be reused, repurposed, or recycled. This involves evaluating the battery’s State of Health (SoH), residual capacity, internal resistance, and thermal behavior. Typically, a battery is considered at end-of-life when its usable capacity drops below 70–80% of its original rating.

EOL testing includes controlled charge/discharge cycles, impedance analysis, and thermal profiling under simulated real-world loads. It also verifies the integrity of the Battery Management System (BMS) and checks for cell imbalance, swelling, or leakage.

This testing helps classify batteries for secondary applications like energy storage or ensures safe recycling of critical materials.

KPM’s battery testing systems provide automated, accurate EOL assessment with programmable protocols, multi-parameter monitoring, and safety interlocks, enabling OEMs and recyclers to make informed decisions about battery reuse, life extension, or disposal.

As energy density increases in lithium-ion batteries to meet the demands of EVs, aerospace, and portable electronics, safety risks also rise. Higher energy density means more power is stored in the same space, which can lead to thermal runaway, fire, or explosions if not properly managed.

From a testing perspective, it is critical to balance performance with safety through:

Thermal abuse tests to simulate overheating

Overcharge/overdischarge tests to detect BMS failure scenarios

Short-circuit and impact testing to assess mechanical protection

Internal resistance and SoH testing to identify degradation risks early

Leakage and enclosure integrity tests to prevent moisture or gas ingress

Testing protocols per UN38.3, IEC 62133, and UL 2580 ensure that high-energy cells meet strict safety thresholds.

KPM’s battery testing solutions are designed to test both high-capacity and high-safety requirements, providing real-time monitoring, automated safety shutdowns, and environmental stress simulations to ensure safe, high-density battery deployment.

A good battery service center combines technical expertise, advanced diagnostic tools, and safety-first practices to ensure efficient and reliable battery maintenance. Key qualities include:

Skilled Technicians trained in EV, industrial, and energy storage battery systems.

Advanced Testing Equipment for SoH analysis, cell balancing, IR testing, and BMS diagnostics.

Safety Protocols including insulation resistance checks, thermal monitoring, and ESD protection.

Data-Driven Diagnostics using software tools for real-time monitoring and historical performance tracking.

Proper Infrastructure, such as ventilated workspaces, fire suppression systems, and isolation zones for damaged packs.

Support for Multiple Battery Chemistries and pack configurations.