Battery Council International Testing Standards

Battery Council International (BCI) is an advisor group composed of the major industrial battery manufacturers to create and maintain standards for the manufacture and testing of batteries to be used in motive traction applications.

BCI Capacity Standard

The BCI Standard specifies that a new motive battery shall deliver at least 90% of its rated ampere-hour capacity within the first three cycles of charging-discharging, and 100% of rated capacity by the tenth cycle when subjected to a Capacity Load Test. The “flooded”, deep-cycle, lead-acid batteries used in lift-trucks, pallet jacks, aircraft ground equipment, railroads and automated guided vehicles are included in these standards.

In order to assure that new batteries meet this standard before acceptance, it is imperative that new batteries be Capacity Load Tested after the first three charging cycles, and again after ten cycles. Occasionally, some batteries will not pass the test.

BCI load test parameters require that a battery be measured at one sixth of its ampere-hour rating for a maximum of six hours. The standard also specifies that this type of battery shall deliver 80% of its ampere-hour capacity during the life of the warranty, typically 5 years.