Constant current loads are easy.  Like to have a data logger that does not need 
to be connected to a pc.  I can download the logs, make graphs etc.  but I 
might want the graphs to appear on the logger.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 19, 2019, at 8:12 PM, Forrest Christian (List Account) 
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> If you can make a *constant current* load, then it's as simple as graphing 
> voltage over time, and probably adding a low-voltage cutoff at the 
> appropriate voltage.   If you take the measurements at a regular interval, 
> then you can also apply math to come up with a reasonable version of power in 
> addition to load.   Lots of voltmeters have PC based loggers.
> 
> The advantages of all of the loads I linked to are that they're well designed 
> constant current loads.   As to the advanced software from West Mountain 
> radio, that probably isn't needed.   What I was referring to was the $1K per 
> 1000 watts of load cell once you get above 150W, but compared to a brand new 
> dc load at those same wattages it isn't all that pricey.   
> 
>> On Thu, Sep 19, 2019 at 8:03 PM Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I can make the loads.  I like Mtn west but they want too much for the 
>> advanced version of the software.
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Sep 19, 2019, at 6:01 PM, Forrest Christian (List Account) 
>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> 
>>> The west mountain radio CBA IV can't really be beat for price and 
>>> functionality.
>>> 
>>> For around $200, you get a little USB-attached unit which can discharge up 
>>> to the lower of 150W or 40A, at a constant current.   So you can set the 
>>> discharge to the 20 hour rate for a battery, and an app on the PC will will 
>>> log and graph.   For newer batteries, this almost always matches pretty 
>>> well with the datasheet voltage.   I use this fairly regularly to verify 
>>> the smaller batteries I have around.  If you stick with the 20 hour rate @ 
>>> 12V, you're good up to around 250AH (250AH at the 20hour rate = 
>>> 12.5A/150W).   
>>> 
>>> If you're looking at an entire array you're probably going to need more 
>>> power - they have add on 'amplifiers' but they aren't cheap.   Another 
>>> option is to go get a real DC load with appropriate software.   See 
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y7mFXD8wII for an example.   The rigol 
>>> illustrated is good up to 350W, other manufacturers have pretty much any 
>>> size you want, if you can afford it.   There are also usually a few 
>>> floating around ebay of older types, if you can find or write suitable 
>>> software (i.e. write a python script to pull the data out at regular 
>>> intervals).
>>> 
>>>> On Thu, Sep 19, 2019 at 7:32 AM Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>> Discharge and logging.
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>> 
>>>>> On Sep 18, 2019, at 7:12 PM, Forrest Christian (List Account) 
>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Are you talking about doing a discharge test on a battery and logging it? 
>>>>>  (Aka West Mountain Radio CBA IV, or the output from any of several DC 
>>>>> loads w/data ports)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Or are you looking for current in/out graphing over a long period of time 
>>>>> on a system?   This is pretty common and I *do* have solutions for this.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Or battery state of charge measurement?  A victron BMV-700 series, or a 
>>>>> trimetric battery monitor /w some sort of logging?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Or...?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Also, if this is monitoring a live system, what are you charging it with 
>>>>> and does it have a data port on it?
>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Tue, Sep 17, 2019 at 7:35 AM Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>> Just graphical discharge records.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Sep 17, 2019, at 4:33 AM, Forrest Christian (List Account) 
>>>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Nope, never got around to it.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I've recently become aware of several products which do something 
>>>>>>> similar to what I had in mind.  What were you looking for?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On Mon, Sep 16, 2019 at 5:09 PM Chuck McCown <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Did you ever build that battery tester characterizer thingy?
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>>>>>>> 
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>>>>> 
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>>> 
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> 
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