Electronic Load (DC) Table

[ayates]

I am in the market for an electronic load, specifically for capacity tested of flooded lead-acid (and gel cell) batteries. With 12.8 VDC nominal voltage, and a constant current of 18.5, as a maximum requirement for the tests, I would be looking at a 250W unit. Logging and graphing the test runs on a PC is also a requirement.

After reading through a multitude of posts on the electronic load topic, I came up with the attached table. This might be useful to other folk, possibly overwhelmed with the choice. The lines in green are my short list so far.


Allan.

[HKJ]

For software you might want to take a look at TestController:
On EEVBlog: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/program-that-can-log-from-many-multimeters/
Doc and download: https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerIntro%20UK.html
Supported loads: https://lygte-info.dk/project/TestControllerSupportedEquipment%20UK.html#Electronic_loads

[tautech]

Welcome to the forum Allan.

There is some interesting reading about the $499 SDL1020X-E here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdl1000xsdl1000x-e-electronic-load/msg3077499/#msg3077499

[ayates]

There is some interesting reading about the $499 SDL1020X-E here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdl1000xsdl1000x-e-electronic-load/msg3077499/#msg3077499

Now that is very interesting! That thread I had not seen. Brings me back to me younger years, programming EPROMs for my Commodore PET, for various nefarious reasons


Many thanks,

Allan.

[ayates]

For software you might want to take a look at TestController:

Thanks for this suggestion. This appears very powerful.


Allan.

[H.O]

The Maynuo doesn't have USB natively (so no USBTMC)  but you can use their (or build your own) isolated USB dongle to talk it over serial. It does not speak SCPI though but uses MODBUS. The registers are fairly well documented.

It does have PC software, I've used it for battery testing a few times and it's been working fine - as long as Windows doesn't force an update/reboot cycle in the middle of a test...

The KEL103 does have ethernet and does speak SCPI but does so over UDP instead of TCP (which "everything else" uses). I don't know how or even if the various VISA back- and frontends deals with UDP. Been meaning to figure that out.

[MegaVolt]

M9712C   150В 60А

[HKJ]

For software you might want to take a look at TestController:

Thanks for this suggestion. This appears very powerful.

It is, there is a standard function to run a battery charge or discharge test, but you can also script it and combine multiple charge and discharge tests in one run (For charging you need a supported power supply that can handle voltage on the outputs when it is off).

I did this with scripting:



The discharge it not logged, but is done from the script and after the charging is done the script formats the chart with annotations.

[Jester]

The price of the EastTester and a couple semi positive videos compelled me to purchase two EastTesters, I picked up both the 150V, 40A a well as the 500V, 15A. My need for DC loads tends to go in spurts and so I have only done basic testing with those loads so far.