Load testing may be performed to determine the current capacity of a battery or battery bank. This is often done when capacity has shown a noticeable decrease or a battery may have been in storage or not cycled for some time.
To do so, a controlled load is placed on the battery or bank to measure voltage drop and time. It is important not to over-discharge the battery when running this test.
We recommend limiting discharge to the C/5 rate of the battery (see battery specifications) and <50% DOD if at all possible. Deep discharges (below 50% DOD) will shorten the life of a battery and are not recommended.