CPFReviews.com: Vencon UBA5 Ultimate Battery Analyzer & Charger

[ViReN]

Vencon UBA5 Ultimate Battery Analyzer & Charger
www.vencon.com

General Description:

Vencon Ultimate Battery Analyzer UBA5 is professional grade, very versatile, PC controlled, dual channel, battery analyzer, charger and data logger with networking capability. With its extensive flexibility, UBA5 is a single unit that will cater all your battery analysis requirements. UBA5 enables you to virtually test any kind of batteries with any kind of battery chemistries. Be it small button cells, big batteries; Alkaline battery chemistry, NiMH rechargeable batteries (both standard and LSD), NiCd rechargeable batteries to Li-ion & Li-polymer batteries; anything as long as it falls under the acceptable power, voltage and current range of UBA5 can be tested using Ultimate Battery Analyzer UBA5.

The first UBA version was introduced in 1992; back then, UBA was the first low cost PC controlled battery analyzer in the world. Introduced in 2007 with multiple enhancements and improved capacity, UBA5 is fifth and latest revision of the legendary (Ultimate Battery Analyzer & Charger) UBA Architecture. UBA5 is a result of more than 15 years of extensive analysis, study, continues research and evolution of the UBA series. Notably, Marc Venis, founder of Vencon Technologies, built his first automated analyzer in 1981. The latest UBA5 easily caters needs for the most advanced and demanding battery users. Be it for military equipment batteries, medical equipment batteries, RC enthusiasts, Flashlight enthusiasts, battery manufacturers, caver's, divers you name it UBA5 has got everyone covered.

Anyone who needs to ensure that their batteries perform with utmost reliability must have UBA5 for the ultimate analysis and testing. UBA5 console software offers unlimited potential and flexibility to engineers & researchers for testing multiple types of batteries simultaneously. With networking features of UBA5 and UBA5 Console Software, You can connect many UBA Analyzers together, the possibilities are endless. Best of all, Single Console Software controls ALL the UBA's in the network. UBA5 is available in various configurations and combinations including UBA combo packs. You also can order custom configuration directly at www.vencon.com. A host of accessories such as temperature probes, external loads, relays, etc. are readily available. Vencon, a company with a team of highly experienced professionals is dedicated to offer the very best in terms of product options, technical help & customer support. Reviewed here is the UBA5 General Purpose (GP) Combo Pack. UBA5 GP Combo Pack includes UBA5, Software installation CD, 19 Volts 4.5 Amp universal power supply, serial & battery cables and operating manual.
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Vencon UBA5 Ultimate Battery Analyzer & Charger (UBA5 GP):

UBA5 Technical Specifications:

• Batteries Supported: All types of primary & secondary batteries. Primaries including Carbon Zinc, Alkaline, Primary Lithium, Silver Oxide etc. Secondary batteries including NiMH, NiCd, Gell Cells, Lead Acid, Lithium-ion and and Lithium Polymer batteries. UBA5 can accept Single cells or battery packs either in series or a combination series parallel cells.
• Battery Voltage: Ranging from 0 to 18 Volts.
• Battery Capacity: 20 mAh to 120 Ah or more
• Internal Load: Two electronic loads, one per channel
• Internal Load Type: Programmable, Constant Current/Constant Voltage
• Internal Load Current Capacity: 12 mA to 3000 mA in 12 mA increments. Power capacity limit of 45 Watts per channel.
• Internal Load Accuracy: 0.5% reading ± 2mA
• Internal Load Resolution: 0.1 mAh
• Load Cycle Termination: Cutoff Voltage, maximum time, maximum capacity, any combination of maximum time and / or capacity, temperature termination with optional temperature probes.
• Internal Charger: Two, one per channel
• Internal Charger Current Capacity: 20 mA to 2.0 Amp in 20mA increments.
• Charge Termination: Peak (delta V), maximum time, charged capacity, any combination of maximum time and / or charged capacity; temperature limit, dT/dt with optional temperature probes.
• Power Input: DC, accepts 15V to 26V, 4.5 Amp max current input
• Battery Input: Two pairs, banana connectors
• Ports: Two, Standard 9 pin RS232 connectors, one male, one female
• Other Ports: Total Four Accessory input output ports. Two programmable digital outputs and two analog inputs
• Input Protection: All inputs and outputs are reverse polarity protected
• Other Protection: Internal temperature sensor
• Indicators: 3 LED, 2 Red for battery, 1 green for power
• Size: 130mm x 170mm x 75mm (WxLxH)
• Weight: 820 gm

UBA5 Software Features:

• UBA Console can control multiple UBA's simultaneously
• UBA Console has professional graphical & visual user interface
• Excellent context help and online manual
• Built in Tools: UBA Network Viewer, Battery Analysis Routine Designer, Battery Analysis Results Viewer
• Database Tools: View Battery Database, Add / Edit Battery Database, Find Battery Wizard
• Software Compatibility: Win9X/NT4/2000/XP/Vista/Linux-Wine

Pictures:

Vencon UBA5: The UBA5 Ultimate Battery Analyzer & Charger package includes the UBA5 pictured below with host of other accessories. UBA5 is a small box with electronic goodies packed inside. Externally the box measures 130 mm in width, 170 mm in length and about 75 mm in height. The box has a beautiful black colored anodized matt finish. All labels over the box are printed in bright yellow color making it easy to look and clear to identify. On top of the box you will notice square shaped attractive design created by a combination of circular and rounded wide rectangular perforations placed for easy airflow. Just below the perforations, you can see through a cooling fan installed for forced air cooling. The temperature controlled variable speed cooling fan dissipates heat generated during high current charge and discharge.

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Jump To: Description - UBA5 Features - Pictures - Safety Instructions - UBA Console Software - Tests - Applications - The Verdict

 

[ViReN]

just completed first battery analysis results look very promising .... endless possibilities with BAR designer. will post results soon

 

[Bones]

Many thanks for this admirably detailed review ViReN, and I look forward to your upcoming posts.

I am also curious about the nifty little clamp depicted at the bottom of your image page. Any details you can provide as to its manufacturer and where it might be available would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mr Happy]

I am also curious about the nifty little clamp depicted at the bottom of your image page. Any details you can provide as to its manufacturer and where it might be available would be greatly appreciated.

It's a "Standard Mk I home-made battery clamp".

To make it you get one of those quick-release clamps cheaply from Harbor Freight Tools and attach wires to the clamp pads. If the clamp arms are made of plastic you can drill through them and use small brass bolts to make the contacts and then solder the wires to them. To clamp more than one battery in series you use a rolled paper tube or something to keep the batteries lined up.

 

[ViReN]

Many thanks for this admirably detailed review ViReN, and I look forward to your upcoming posts.

I am also curious about the nifty little clamp depicted at the bottom of your image page. Any details you can provide as to its manufacturer and where it might be available would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for kind words ... I will be posting the results after reconfirming the findings in a couple of days.
It's a standard 4 inch wood working Quick Grip Bar Clamp as Mr Happy :thumbsup: has explained

I picked it up at local carrefour store for about $5 (a set of 2 clamps). You can get it online from ebay 1, 2, 3, 4 ... I do not have personal experience for buying from them but their feedback is 100%

 

[Bones]

Thanks for your responses Mr Happy and ViReN, these nifty little clamps have now been added to my must have list:

 

[Bones]

I was just reviewing the testimonials on the Vencon site, and unless they're making them up whole cloth, they have garnered some impressive fans in the engineering world, and that's even with this systems predecessors.

 

[ViReN]

I don't think they are making it up. The UBA5 is indeed impressive...

Here is why...
For example... it can do a simple discharge analysis.. this may not look as impressive.. does it?

Now have a look at these....

I designed a test to simulate intermittent flashlight operation at regular intervals until battery runs out...

Or take for instance a Simple AW Battery Charge cycle that first checks voltage, based on it, it first discharges the battery to 2.75 volts, waits for 10 minutes and then performs the Li-ion charge routine. All this without any manual intervention.

How about having 'forming' AW Battery with 3 charge discharge cycles?

Or say you want to have an advanced routine that has 'include' BAR files?

The tool is very impressive. I am not sure if there are any analyzers at this cost performing analysis with this flexibility....

While I am posting this, in background I am doing another battery test.. in fact using both the channels with different battery settings....

The point is, its so flexible... you just dream of a test... create a BAR and get it through....possibilities are simply endless...

Engineers love this flexibility and this level of full control over battery analysis.

Impressed ? .....I am :thumbsup:

 

[Mr Happy]

I must pretend I didn't see this thread ... I must pretend I didn't see this thread ... I must pretend I didn't see this thread ...

 

[Bones]

I must pretend I didn't see this thread ... I must pretend I didn't see this thread ... I must pretend I didn't see this thread ...

Do I ever commiserate.

There has been a significant chunk of change clamouring to get free ever since I glanced this way ...

 

[ViReN]

I must pretend I didn't see this thread ... I must pretend I didn't see this thread ... I must pretend I didn't see this thread ...

Do I ever commiserate.

There has been a significant chunk of change clamoring to get free ever since I glanced this way ...

If you need to get detailed analysis and love the flexibility, I believe this investment is some thing that you will never regret.

Just completed a couple of tests. Here is the completed simple discharge test.

The alkaline battery capacity is 1.007 Ah at 500 mA Discharge. So if a flashlight is drawing continuously 500 mA of current, light will last for about 2 hours.

The uba data analysis file is standard csv so you can further analyze the data mathematically.

One of the features I discovered while testing was that it has inbuilt test lead calibration. So it will take care of leads and connectors resistance.

Another good thing was the quick test... it quickly determines the battery condition as well as the batteris internal resistance. (will post screenshots soon) ...

 

[Mr Happy]

If you have a 2700 mAh NiMH cell, I'd love to see the charging profile of voltage vs time, or voltage vs mAh.

 

[ViReN]

If you have a 2700 mAh NiMH cell, I'd love to see the charging profile of voltage vs time, or voltage vs mAh.

I can do the test. I have energizer 2500 but not 2700. Are you specifically are you looking for a particular brand and at particular charging current?

I have some tests scheduled ... just give me some time to complete some of the pending things in the review

 

[Mr Happy]

I can do the test. I have energizer 2500 but not 2700. Are you specifically are you looking for a particular brand and at particular charging current?

I thought in particular of the Powerex or Sanyo 2700 cells. The reason being to see whereabouts on the charging curve the 1.47 V cutoff limit of the C9000 occurs. A charging current of 1 A would be fine. But only if you had some to hand.

When I do this test with Eneloops I find that stopping at 1.47 V and then doing a discharge measurement without top off leads to about 90% of the maximum possible capacity. A question is whether the result is more or less than 90% when doing the same thing with higher capacity 2700 cells? Do you get short-changed by the 1.47 V when charging such cells?

I have some Energizer 2500 cells myself, but unfortunately my C9000 says their actual capacity is only about 2250 mAh. I don't know if there is much to learn from testing them. I don't have any 2700 cells to test because I don't have any application for them.