TORKEL 900-Series Battery Load Unit

Battery Load Unit (Megger TORKEL Capacity & Discharge Tester)

A battery load unit is a controlled discharge tester used to prove the actual capacity of a battery system, not just its open-circuit voltage. The Megger TORKEL 950 battery load unit is the test equipment Irish utilities, substation engineers, and electrical contractors use to discharge a stationary battery against a known constant current, constant power, or pre-selected load profile, capture the voltage profile through the discharge, and prove whether the battery will deliver the autonomy its data sheet says it will.

An open-circuit voltage check tells you the battery is "there". A load test tells you whether it can actually carry the load when the mains drops. For protection and control DC systems, UPS banks, and telecom batteries, that is the only test that matters.

What the TORKEL battery load unit measures

• Battery voltage through the discharge, with end-voltage threshold for automatic test termination.
• Discharge current in constant current mode, or constant power and pre-selected load profile modes for site-specific test plans.
• Test time and delivered Ah / Wh, the actual battery capacity proven under load.
• Per-cell or per-block voltage when paired with the Megger BVM (Battery Voltage Monitor) accessory, so you can spot weak cells before they fail the string.
• Pass / fail against acceptance criteria defined for the battery system, with logged data for the maintenance record.

The TORKEL Viewer software handles the recorded data, generates the test report, and trends results across return visits. That is what turns a battery test into a defensible capacity test that satisfies asset owners, insurers, and audit trails.

Scaling to large battery systems

A single TORKEL 950 covers a large fraction of substation, UPS, and telecom battery work in Ireland. For higher capacity strings or large data centre UPS banks, two or more TORKEL units can be paralleled with extra load units to deliver the discharge current the test plan demands. The same control software, the same data file, the same pass/fail logic, just more current.

Specifications: what to confirm before you order

Target users and applications

• Utilities and DNOs running substation DC systems and protection / control battery banks
• UPS and data centre teams carrying out acceptance and periodic battery capacity testing
• Telecom operators verifying autonomy of DC plant batteries
• Renewable power operators testing BESS support batteries and starting batteries on standby plant
• Electrical contractors performing commissioning and maintenance battery discharge tests on behalf of asset owners

Typical applications include acceptance testing of new battery systems, periodic capacity testing under IEEE-style test schedules, post-replacement verification, and fault investigation when a battery system has failed an autonomy expectation.

As authorised Megger distributor in Ireland, Powerpoint Engineering supports the TORKEL battery discharge test systems with in-house calibration and repair, BVM accessory supply, and operator training for capacity testing on substation, UPS, and telecom battery banks.

FAQs

Why use a battery load unit instead of an impedance tester?

Impedance testing is fast and useful for screening large fleets of batteries, but it does not directly measure capacity. A battery load unit performs an actual discharge against a controlled load and records the voltage profile, which is the only way to prove the real Ah or Wh capacity of the string. The two tests are complementary, not interchangeable.

Can the TORKEL 950 test a 12V battery?

Yes. The TORKEL range covers low-voltage DC through to substation system voltages, so 12V batteries, 24V telecom plant, and higher-voltage substation strings are all within scope. Send us your battery system voltage and string size and we will confirm fit.

Does the TORKEL battery load unit need calibration?

Yes. As a precision test instrument used for acceptance and capacity reporting, the TORKEL should be recalibrated periodically. Powerpoint Engineering's calibration laboratory recalibrates Megger TORKEL units in-house and supplies a traceable certificate.

To match the right TORKEL battery load unit configuration to your battery systems, discharge currents, and reporting requirements, request a quote or speak to our team for compatibility advice.