NOJA Power’s RC-10 Ushers in Smarter UPS Battery Condition SCADA Monitoring

AustraliaReclosers are a key technology for overhead distribution network reliability. NOJA Power’s RC-10 Recloser Controller has long been a cornerstone of dependable grid operation, but a quiet revolution is underway in how its internal battery health is monitored. The legacy “Battery On” SCADA point, once a standard for indicating battery presence, is now being superseded by a more intelligent and actionable approach: the RC-10’s Automatic Battery Test.

Traditionally, the “Battery On” SCADA point served a simple purpose—it confirmed that a battery was connected and delivering voltage. However, this method falls short in one critical aspect: it does not verify whether the battery can sustain a load when called upon as an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). In emergency scenarios, this oversight can lead to unexpected failures, compromising system resilience.

NOJA Power’s RC-10 now offers a modern solution. The Automatic Battery Test feature actively applies a load to the battery and monitors its ability to maintain voltage under stress. This dynamic testing method provides a far more accurate representation of battery health and readiness. Importantly, the results of these automatic tests are SCADA-reportable, enabling utilities to remotely monitor battery performance in real time. Tests can be scheduled to run automatically, without disabling protection or functionality of the installation.

Concerns about battery wear from frequent testing are unfounded. The RC-10’s test is designed to be non-invasive, ensuring that battery life is not meaningfully reduced. This innovation allows utilities to shift from time-based battery replacement cycles—which often result in premature disposal of healthy batteries or missed detection of early failures—to a condition-based maintenance strategy.

The benefits are clear:

• Improved reliability UPS events.
• Reduced maintenance costsby replacing batteries only when necessary.
• Enhanced visibilityinto battery health via SCADA integration.

As utilities continue to modernise their infrastructure, NOJA Power’s RC-10 Automatic Battery Test stands out as a smart, sustainable upgrade. It’s a small change with a big impact—ensuring that when the lights go out, the backup power is truly ready.