A Battery indicator is a device which gives information about a battery. This will usually be a visual indication of the battery's state of charge. It is particularly important in the case of a battery electric vehicle.

Automobiles

1966 Dodge Charger dashboard, note ammeter marked "Alternator" Some automobiles are fitted with a battery condition meter to monitor the starter battery. This meter is, essentially, a voltmeter but it may also be marked with coloured zones for easy visualisation.

Many newer cars no longer offer voltmeters or ammeters; instead, these vehicles typically have a light with the outline of an automotive battery on it. This can be somewhat misleading as it may be confused for an indicator of a bad battery when in reality it indicates a problem with the vehicle's charging system.

Alternatively, an ammeter may be fitted. This indicates whether the battery is being charged or discharged. In the picture on the right, the ammeter is marked "Alternator" and the symbols are "C" (charge) and "D" (discharge). Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Both ammeters and voltmeters individually or together can be used to assess the operating state of an aumobile battery and charging system.

Electronic devices

A battery indicator is a feature of many electronic devices. In mobile phones, the battery indicator usually takes the form of a bar graph - the more bars that are showing, the better the battery's state of charge.

Computers

Computers may give a signal to users that an internal standby battery needs replacement. Portable computers using rechargeable batteries gernally give the user some indication of the remaining operating time left on the battery. A Smart Battery System uses a controller integrated with an interchangeable battery pack to provide a more accurate indication of the state of battery charge.

See also

• Battery Management System
• Smart Battery Data
• State Of Health