Battery Testing › Test methods
Four families of test, grouped by the question they answer. Each method page states what is measured, what it does not measure, and the standard that governs it.
Related: standards index · testing overview
Start from the claim you need to verify, not from the test name. A capacity claim needs a controlled discharge at a stated rate and temperature; a cranking claim needs a CCA test at −18 °C; a safety claim needs abuse and propagation tests; a life claim needs cycling at a defined depth of discharge. If the claim does not name the standard, the test cannot confirm it.
Two reports with the same headline number can describe different tests. Compare the method before comparing the result.
What the battery delivers under a defined load and temperature.
| Method | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Capacity testing | Discharge at a specified rate to a cut-off voltage |
| Capacity rates | How the C-rate changes usable capacity |
| CCA testing | Cold-cranking current at −18°C |
| Reserve capacity | Minutes at 25 A to 10.5 V |
| Load testing | Voltage response under a real load |
| C-rate testing | Charge and discharge at multiples of capacity |
| Charge acceptance | How quickly the battery accepts charge |
What happens beyond the normal operating envelope.
| Method | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Abuse testing | Overcharge, over-discharge and mechanical abuse |
| Short-circuit testing | External short and its containment |
| Thermal shock | Rapid temperature cycling |
| Pressure testing | Altitude and internal pressure behaviour |
| Cycle safety | Safety through repeated cycling |
Resistance, conductance and the electronics around the cells.
| Method | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Impedance testing | AC impedance and what it reveals |
| Resistance & conductance | DC resistance versus conductance |
| Conductance vs load test | Which method predicts failure |
| Insulation resistance | Isolation in packs and systems |
| BMS testing | Protection, balancing and state estimation |
Temperature, vibration, leakage and the slow loss of performance.
| Method | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Temperature testing | Performance and safety across the range |
| Vibration testing | Transport and service vibration |
| Leak testing | Case, seal and vent integrity |
| Self-discharge testing | Standby loss over time |
| Degradation testing | Capacity and resistance over life |
| Acceptance testing | Incoming inspection that catches real defects |
Reference information; the published standard and the accredited laboratory report are authoritative.
A controlled discharge at a stated C-rate and temperature to a defined cut-off voltage. The label capacity is a nominal figure; only the test result, with its conditions, is evidence.
Only when it states the standard edition, the test conditions, the raw data and the laboratory's accreditation. A summary page without those details is a claim, not evidence.