BU-924: Battery Ecosystem

Statistics reveal that half of failures in portable instruments are battery related. Lack of constructive diagnostics is turning the battery into the weakest link in a system. The main cause is capacity fade that goes unnoticed.

Cadex has advanced the charger into a Battery Ecosystem to fully use each battery with call to replace before failure. These chargers serve all batteries but instant diagnostics are limited to smart packs.

Central to the Battery Ecosystem is the Target Selector that secures Minimum Operational Reserve Energy (MORE). Commonly defaulted to a capacity of 80%, MORE is user-adjustable and follows leftover charge shown by the Fishbowl when connected to a host.

Typical charge reserves on ordinary days should be 10-20%. Increasing the target raises leftover charge; relaxing the setting keeps batteries in service longer. Fine tuning by the Target Selector enables an optimal balance between reliability and economy.

Fishbowl 924 — *Fishbowl makes battery SoF transparent*

The outer ring of the Fishbowl reveals state-of-charge while the black ceiling in the dome tracks capacity fade that gradually moves to the Target Selector redline with aging.

Life Indicator 924 — *Remaining Useful Life indicator*

Touching the Fishbowl displays Life Prediction by observing capacity fade that gradually moves towards the Target Selector redline with cycle count.

The Fishbowl derives its data from data stored in the smart battery. Of interest are the Target Selector; digital capacity in FCC; and cycle count, values circled in red.

Newer batteries also reveal cell balance in delta-V. The specifications column further lists manufacturer settings, serial number and other data.

A capacity drop below the Target Selector prompts calibration. If restoration of the digital capacity is not possible, the battery must be replaced or assigned to lower duties

Plug-and-Play

The Battery Ecosystem in Level 1 involves a diagnostic charger featuring SoH Lights. Green is a go, amber calls for calibration. Level 2 reveals battery state-of-function (SoF) by Fishbowl on a host connected by USB, and Level 3 stores battery data to share with fleet supervisors.

Targetselector 924 — *Weak batteries are identified with spares on hand*

Purchase Assist (Level 3)

CadexCloud in Level 3 classifies batteries reaching retirement by entering a fringe capacity threshold. Battery Inventory lists the number of packs that are close to retirement which the diagnostic charger will identify during service.

Battery Endurance Loop (Level 3)

The charger calls for replacement when calibration can no longer restore a battery to enable just-in-time replacement with minimal user-interaction. The system improves reliability, lowers total cost of ownership and reduces environmental harm as fewer batteries are discarded prematurely.

Loop 924 — *Battery Endurance Loop utilizes each battery fully with replacement before failure.*

Last Updated: 12-Apr-2026

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Batteries In A Portable World

The material on Battery University is based on the indispensable new 4th edition of "Batteries in a Portable World - A Handbook on Rechargeable Batteries for Non-Engineers" which is available for order through Amazon.com.

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