Today we will be looking at Battery Management Systems, what they are and how they can help manage your battery room. A battery management system (BMS) can be looked at as the brains of the battery room. Primarily it will tell operators which battery is the best one to take next but will also monitor the whole system. Many record important battery performance data as well as tracking any potential safety hazards or service problems.

A more advanced battery management system gathers the battery performance data through and uploads it to a web portal that can be customised for every fleet. The insights that the BMS provides can help you to fully optimise your entire operation for efficiency, getting the maximum performance out of the lead acid battery.

Why is a battery management system important?

A BMS such as the iBOS can help to protect against some of the common causes of battery failures such as sulphation from underuse and inadequate cooldown times. Our iBOS system is the most widely used battery management system in the industry and eliminates the guesswork and worry involved with managing your battery room. iBOS enables the most cost-effective utilization of your fleet of batteries as it ensures proper battery rotation, which is critical to longer battery life and maximum run time. It knows when a battery has finished charging and will let the user know exactly which battery to use next.

The iBOS features a touchscreen display monitor and a bright scrolling LED sign that tells the operator which battery to use next. The brains behind the iBOS system is the iBOS Controller which takes data from the Sentinels and tells the operator the correct sequence of batteries to use next. If an operator chooses the wrong battery, the shouter lets them know instantly that they have picked the incorrect battery.

What protection does a BMS like iBOS offer?

• Under and overcharged batteries – The iBOS protects your batteries from being over or undercharged. This stops any damage to the battery cells.
• Easy to use – The iBOS features a simple read and react system whereby the monitor clearly tells the operator which battery to choose next.
• Reduction in mispicks – If the operator tries to pick the wrong battery, the shouter alarm will sound thus stopping the operator from using the incorrect battery.
• Realtime monitor – The iBOS gives you all the information you need in order to manage your battery pool as effectively as possible.
• Optimized battery life – Battery life is optimized when using an IBS system as they are allowed to cool down.
• Pick up problems sooner – Your iBOS will detect any issues within your battery room such as broken equipment or issues in the battery room via a management report in the battery data.
• Fewer charges – the iBOS system saves two to five minutes per charge which results in a thirty-minute longer battery run time.

iBOSWorld is an internet-based system that visualizes the battery data recorded by an iBOS system so you can quickly and easily review key metrics such as battery utilisation and availability.

This vital battery data can be used to track any long-term changes in the battery so that they can clearly see any problems and are then able to plan for replacements when needed. This data can then be used to help fleet managers to make informed decisions about things like budgets and performance predictions based on clear and factual battery data.

Battery management systems are technology investments

Many warehouse, plant and fulfilment centres are only using their battery data at the highest level when diving into your battery data information can help your business in so many ways.

Using all aspects of your BMS will allow you to save money in the long term. The data capabilities along with an improved performance of the lead acid batteries offer an appealing investment that will also help to streamline your operations in the materials handling business.

If you would like more information about the iBOS and its capabilities for your battery room, please get in touch at sales@phlsci.com / sales@phlsci.co.uk