Why Battery Test Equipment Calibration is Critical for Accuracy and Safety
In critical fields like electric vehicle (EV) battery development, even the slightest measurement drift can cause serious setbacks. Calibration isn’t just a routine task—it’s your guarantee of accuracy, reliability, and compliance.
Battery testers serve as the foundation of the validation process. But if they aren’t regularly calibrated, their accuracy can gradually decline, jeopardizing product quality, regulatory compliance, and customer confidence. With KeysightCare, calibration is elevated from simple upkeep to a strategic safeguard. In this discussion, we’ll look at why calibration is essential, the risks of neglecting it, and how proactive support through KeysightCare helps secure both your test results and your reputation.
Batteries are now integral to modern life. From wearables and smartphones to electric vehicles and beyond, we depend on increasingly compact, powerful, and efficient batteries every day. They not only bring convenience and mobility but also play a central role in advancing a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
Given this, battery performance has become a decisive factor in whether electronic products succeed commercially. Rigorous testing ensures batteries perform as expected in real-world conditions. Naturally, this raises a common question: is it really necessary to calibrate battery testing equipment? To explore this, I spoke with Christopher and Jeff from Keysight’s Service Delivery Organization.
Sandra: Good morning, Christopher and Jeff. Many customers have told me, “I’ve invested heavily in my battery tester, so I expect it to stay accurate for its entire lifetime.” Do you think the need for calibration decreases with the quality of the tester?
Christopher: Thanks for having us, Sandra. The short answer is no. Calibration should never be considered optional, nor does it indicate poor equipment quality. In fact, the higher the performance of the equipment, the more vital calibration becomes. All electronic test systems gradually drift out of specification over time. Annual calibration ensures instruments continue to meet the specifications you paid for by correcting that drift and returning the system to peak performance.
Sandra: And when it comes to battery testing specifically, does this become even more important?
Jeff: Absolutely. A battery tester integrates a charger, discharger, voltmeter, and ammeter. Each function depends on precise control and measurement. For example, overcharging caused by inaccurate power control can damage batteries, while errors in voltage or current measurement can lead to false capacity results. Sticking to a calibration schedule ensures your tester consistently delivers accurate, reliable data.
Sandra: What happens if calibration is ignored or delayed too long?
Christopher: Once calibration is overdue, the performance of the tester can no longer be guaranteed. This means voltage or current sources may no longer be accurate, and measurements may include significant errors. The outcome is unreliable data—and potentially even damage to the batteries under test.
Sandra: Can you explain why this drift happens?
Jeff: Drift occurs naturally as electronic components age and endure operational stresses such as heat cycling or mechanical shocks from moving equipment. Instruments leave the factory fully calibrated, but over time, these stresses cause components to deviate from their original performance. Scheduled calibration restores them before they drift outside of acceptable specifications.
Sandra: How does that affect battery testing in practice?
Christopher: Take the example of measuring the open circuit voltage (OCV) of a lithium-ion cell at 3.5000 V. If your tester is calibrated, the measurement error might be around ±3.74 mV. But if it’s out of calibration, that error can expand to ±10.45 mV. This difference could lead to premature or delayed termination of a charging step, distorting the measured capacity of the battery and impacting downstream measurements.
Sandra: That’s a significant margin of error. What’s the best way to handle calibration?
Christopher: For large systems, calibration is usually done onsite since moving the equipment isn’t practical. While onsite service can be costly, smaller benchtop testers can be shipped to certified service centers for a more economical option. We generally advise against self-calibration unless you have the expertise, tools, and time—otherwise, it’s much like trying to fix your own car without the right resources.
Sandra: Thank you both for the insights. Keysight offers award-winning, certified calibration services, including KeysightCare Enhanced support plans to simplify scheduling and execution. I’ll share additional details below for our readers.
Click here to know more.
Battery testers serve as the foundation of the validation process. But if they aren’t regularly calibrated, their accuracy can gradually decline, jeopardizing product quality, regulatory compliance, and customer confidence. With KeysightCare, calibration is elevated from simple upkeep to a strategic safeguard. In this discussion, we’ll look at why calibration is essential, the risks of neglecting it, and how proactive support through KeysightCare helps secure both your test results and your reputation.
Batteries are now integral to modern life. From wearables and smartphones to electric vehicles and beyond, we depend on increasingly compact, powerful, and efficient batteries every day. They not only bring convenience and mobility but also play a central role in advancing a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
Given this, battery performance has become a decisive factor in whether electronic products succeed commercially. Rigorous testing ensures batteries perform as expected in real-world conditions. Naturally, this raises a common question: is it really necessary to calibrate battery testing equipment? To explore this, I spoke with Christopher and Jeff from Keysight’s Service Delivery Organization.
Sandra: Good morning, Christopher and Jeff. Many customers have told me, “I’ve invested heavily in my battery tester, so I expect it to stay accurate for its entire lifetime.” Do you think the need for calibration decreases with the quality of the tester?
Christopher: Thanks for having us, Sandra. The short answer is no. Calibration should never be considered optional, nor does it indicate poor equipment quality. In fact, the higher the performance of the equipment, the more vital calibration becomes. All electronic test systems gradually drift out of specification over time. Annual calibration ensures instruments continue to meet the specifications you paid for by correcting that drift and returning the system to peak performance.
Sandra: And when it comes to battery testing specifically, does this become even more important?
Jeff: Absolutely. A battery tester integrates a charger, discharger, voltmeter, and ammeter. Each function depends on precise control and measurement. For example, overcharging caused by inaccurate power control can damage batteries, while errors in voltage or current measurement can lead to false capacity results. Sticking to a calibration schedule ensures your tester consistently delivers accurate, reliable data.
Sandra: What happens if calibration is ignored or delayed too long?
Christopher: Once calibration is overdue, the performance of the tester can no longer be guaranteed. This means voltage or current sources may no longer be accurate, and measurements may include significant errors. The outcome is unreliable data—and potentially even damage to the batteries under test.
Sandra: Can you explain why this drift happens?
Jeff: Drift occurs naturally as electronic components age and endure operational stresses such as heat cycling or mechanical shocks from moving equipment. Instruments leave the factory fully calibrated, but over time, these stresses cause components to deviate from their original performance. Scheduled calibration restores them before they drift outside of acceptable specifications.
Sandra: How does that affect battery testing in practice?
Christopher: Take the example of measuring the open circuit voltage (OCV) of a lithium-ion cell at 3.5000 V. If your tester is calibrated, the measurement error might be around ±3.74 mV. But if it’s out of calibration, that error can expand to ±10.45 mV. This difference could lead to premature or delayed termination of a charging step, distorting the measured capacity of the battery and impacting downstream measurements.
Sandra: That’s a significant margin of error. What’s the best way to handle calibration?
Christopher: For large systems, calibration is usually done onsite since moving the equipment isn’t practical. While onsite service can be costly, smaller benchtop testers can be shipped to certified service centers for a more economical option. We generally advise against self-calibration unless you have the expertise, tools, and time—otherwise, it’s much like trying to fix your own car without the right resources.
Sandra: Thank you both for the insights. Keysight offers award-winning, certified calibration services, including KeysightCare Enhanced support plans to simplify scheduling and execution. I’ll share additional details below for our readers.
Click here to know more.
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