Powersonic "Smart Battery" tested

It seems like a nice concept and I was recommending others try so I thought I should too.

https://www.power-sonic.com/batterie...etooth-series/

I bought the 12120 which is 12.5AH to replace my StarkPower 12AH (which after 6 years use still tests at 11.9 AH). The Powersonic is available in the typical glider sizes. You can find them at almost any price, I purchased the 12120 at Battery Web for $106. Could be had elsewhere for over $400. So shop.

What is "smart" about it? It has a BMS with shunt and Bluetooth radio, a free app for iPhone or Android gives you some basic info: voltage, current, and State Of Charge. Each battery has a unique address and the app will let you access several so multiple battery installs are possible.

I tested it though a couple of cycles with the Western Radio battery tester and some lab equipment. The voltage and current reported by the app were accurate (both reported in tenths). The SOC (reported as a percentage of capacity) was also accurate compared to actual AH drawn or delivered from/to the battery. This SOC is not a guess from voltage, but a real measurement from Coulomb counting. The AH capacity was at least as claimed (my battery ran 501 minutes at 1.5A draw, terminated at 11.5V). I flew a few days with it as well.

Why would you want this? They are no more expensive than others (perhaps less). With a couple of clicks on your phone you can determine the SOC. Also current draw, which can be useful for in situ diagnostics. One day I flew, I noticed that the voltage (reported on other instruments) was low, brought up the app on my phone and confirmed that I had taken off with it at 54% SOC - due to an operator error in charging overnight. But I at least knew I could fly the rest of the day, guessed what I'd done wrong, etc. More information is always better than less. It would be even better with a more sophisticated app, like Victron has for there stuff, but it is interesting as it is.