Daly BMS offers framework for active battery balancing decisions

Daly BMS clarifies benefits of active balancing

Daly BMS, a manufacturer of battery management systems (BMS), has issued a decision framework to assist customers in evaluating the costs and benefits of active balancing technology for energy storage systems (ESS), forklifts, RVs, marine applications, and commercial battery systems. The company states that active balancing is not automatically a superior option, and its value is contingent on the specific application.

Historically, BMS marketing has positioned active balancing as an upgrade over passive balancing. However, Daly BMS emphasizes that while active balancing is more capable and operates across a wider state-of-charge window, its premium cost does not always justify the investment. The decision should hinge on whether the improvement yields sufficient economic return for the specific use case.

Four conditions that create a return on investment (ROI) for active balancing include: large-capacity systems, daily deep cycling, long expected service life, and high costs associated with downtime. Projects meeting three or four of these conditions generally justify implementing active balancing. Two conditions warrant a case-by-case evaluation, while one or zero conditions rarely merit the additional expense.

Large energy storage systems and forklifts operating in multi-shift environments, in particular, often benefit from active balancing. For RVs and marine applications, the advantages vary more depending on usage patterns. In low-utilization scenarios, passive balancing typically remains a sufficient and more cost-effective solution.