Langtian Blog

In the fast-paced world of battery development—from smartphones to electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems—reliable performance and safety are non-negotiable. But how do engineers ensure a battery can handle daily use, avoid overheating, and deliver consistent power? The answer lies in targeted charging tests—and that’s where CC, CV, and CC–CV modes come in. These modes aren’t just “different ways to charge”; they’re powerful tools to uncover a battery’s hidden strengths, weaknesses, and real-world behavior. And with our SCT-12A-16CH battery cell testing equipment small current test equipment, you can execute these tests with unmatched precision and efficiency. Let’s break down why each mode matters—and how our product supports them.

🧩 Why Different Charging Modes Matter for Battery Testing?

Batteries don’t behave the same way in every scenario: a fast charge for an EV on a road trip is very different from a slow “top-up” for a smartwatch overnight. To validate a battery’s performance across these use cases, engineers need to simulate specific conditions—and each charging mode (CC, CV, CC–CV) is designed to isolate and test critical characteristics:

• How does the battery handle high current (e.g., fast charging)?

• Is it safe when nearly full (to prevent overcharging)?

• Does it mimic real-user charging habits without compromising lifespan?

Without these modes, testing would be one-dimensional—missing risks like overheating during fast charges or capacity loss from poor “topping off” protocols. Our SCT-12A-16CH battery cell test equipment addresses this by supporting not just CC, CV, CC–CV, but also constant power, constant resistance, and pulse charging/discharging modes—covering all key test scenarios for comprehensive battery validation.

🔋 1. Constant Current (CC) Charging: Test Fast-Charge Stability & Voltage Response

Core Concept: The charger supplies a fixed, unchanging current to the battery, while the battery’s voltage gradually rises as it stores more energy. This continues until the battery reaches a pre-set “cutoff voltage” (the maximum safe voltage for that cell chemistry, e.g., ~4.2V for lithium-ion).

Key Purpose: CC mode is all about evaluating a battery’s ability to handle high-current scenarios—the kind of fast charging users demand. Engineers track two critical metrics here:

1. Temperature rise: Does the battery overheat (a major safety risk) when charged at the target current?

2. Voltage consistency: Does the voltage increase smoothly, or does it spike unexpectedly (a sign of internal damage or poor cell quality)?

How Our SCT-12A-16CH battery cycle tester Supports CC Testing:

• With three current ranges (1mA~1A, 0.6A~6A, 6A~12A), our equipment covers small to medium current needs—ideal for testing consumer devices (e.g., smartwatches) and industrial tools alike.

• Its ±0.03%FS±0.03%RD current precision and 16-bit AD resolution ensure accurate current delivery, so you get reliable data on voltage curves and temperature rise.

• For long-term tests like battery life cycle testing (a key requirement for battery lifespan validation), the equipment’s 1GB offline storage and power-off protection let you run unattended CC charge/discharge cycles without data loss.

Practical Use Cases:

• Testing EV fast-charging capabilities (e.g., can the battery handle 150A charging without exceeding 45°C?)—paired with our system’s DCIR testing (direct current internal resistance) to measure resistance changes during high-current charging.

• Validating industrial batteries for high-power devices (e.g., power tools that need quick recharges) via C-rate charge/discharge testing.

Simple Analogy: Imagine filling a water tank with a fire hose—you’re using a steady, powerful stream to fill it quickly. CC mode (supported by our precise current control) lets you check if the tank (battery) can handle the pressure without leaking (overheating) or cracking (voltage spikes).

Pro Tip: CC mode is not meant for fully charging a battery—stopping at the cutoff voltage prevents overstress, as continuing to push high current beyond this point can damage cells. Our equipment lets you set custom cutoff conditions (voltage, current, time) to avoid this.

⚡ 2. Constant Voltage (CV) Charging: Test Safety & Efficiency When Near Full

Core Concept: The charger maintains a fixed voltage (equal to the battery’s cutoff voltage, e.g., 4.2V), while the charging current slowly decreases as the battery nears full capacity. As the battery’s internal voltage matches the charger’s fixed voltage, less current is needed to “top up” the remaining capacity—until the current drops to a tiny “termination current” (e.g., 0.05C), signaling the battery is fully charged.

Key Purpose: CV mode solves a critical problem: overcharging risk. Once a battery is ~80–90% full, its ability to accept high current drops sharply. Pushing high current here would waste energy as heat (inefficient) and damage cells (shortening lifespan). CV mode tests:

1. Current decay rate: Does the current drop steadily (a sign of efficient charging) or stall (a red flag for cell imbalance)?

2. Safety at full capacity: Does the battery stay stable (no overheating, no voltage drift) when held at the cutoff voltage?

How Our SCT-12A-16CH industrial battery testing equipment Supports CV Testing:

• Its ±0.025%FS±0.025%RD voltage precision ensures the fixed voltage remains consistent throughout the CV phase—critical for accurate current decay measurements.

• The 100Hz recording frequency captures rapid current changes, so you can analyze even subtle fluctuations in decay rate (a must for detecting cell imbalance).

• For advanced analysis, pair CV testing with dQ/dV differential capacity curve—a feature of our equipment that reveals battery health (e.g., electrode degradation) by mapping capacity changes against voltage.

Practical Use Cases:

• Validating “trickle charge” phases for consumer devices (e.g., smartwatches that charge overnight at low current) via our equipment’s low-current range (1mA~1A).

• Ensuring EV batteries don’t overcharge when plugged in after reaching 100%—using pulse simulation testing to mimic real-world “float charge” scenarios (e.g., EVs plugged in at home overnight).

Simple Analogy: When your water tank is 90% full, you swap the fire hose for a garden hose on low pressure. You keep the pressure (voltage, controlled by our precise equipment) steady, so water (current) trickles in slowly—no overflow (overcharging), no splashing (waste heat).

🔵 3. Constant Current–Constant Voltage (CC–CV) Charging: Simulate Real-World Use

Core Concept: CC–CV is the “best of both worlds”—it combines the speed of CC with the safety of CV. Here’s how it works:

1. CC Phase: The battery is charged with a fixed high current until it hits the cutoff voltage (e.g., 4.2V). This gets the battery to ~80% capacity quickly (the “fast charge” phase users love).

2. CV Phase: The charger switches to fixed voltage, and the current drops gradually until the termination current is reached. This tops up the last 20% safely.

Key Purpose: CC–CV is the most important mode for battery testing because it mimics how users actually charge their devices. Engineers use it to:

• Validate the full charge cycle (fast + slow) for real-world performance.

• Measure critical metrics like charge time (how long to reach 100%) and capacity retention (does the battery hold its charge after 500 CC–CV cycles?).

• Ensure consistency across batches (e.g., do 1,000 EV battery cells all take ~30 minutes to reach 80% and 10 minutes to top up?).

How Our SCT-12A-16CH lithium battery test equipment Supports CC–CV Testing:

• The equipment automatically switches between CC and CV modes based on user-set parameters (e.g., cutoff voltage), simulating real-world charging without manual intervention.

• With 16 independent channels, you can test multiple batteries simultaneously—ideal for batch validation in battery factories or research labs.

• For materials research (e.g., optimizing electrode materials), pair CC–CV with GITT Testing (galvanostatic intermittent titration technique)—a feature of our equipment that measures diffusion coefficients and reaction kinetics during charging.

Practical Use Case: Every consumer device and EV on the market uses CC–CV charging by default. Our SCT-12A-16CH high precision battery test equipment ensures you can test this cycle with precision—whether you’re a battery manufacturer validating production batches or a university researcher studying new battery chemistries.

Simple Analogy: Filling your water tank with a fire hose (CC phase, fast) until it’s 80% full, then switching to a garden hose (CV phase, safe) to finish. Our equipment controls both phases seamlessly—exactly how most people charge their phones or EVs.

📊 CC, CV, CC–CV: At-a-Glance Comparison (With Product Support)

🎯 Final Takeaway: Our Product = Precision + Versatility for Battery Testing

CC, CV, and CC–CV modes are the foundation of reliable battery testing—but they’re only as effective as the equipment powering them. Our SCT-12A-16CH small current test equipment is designed to turn these modes into actionable insights, with:

• Unmatched precision (±0.03% current accuracy, ±0.025% voltage accuracy) for reliable data.

• Versatile testing capabilities (cycle life, Rate charge and discharge，GITT, DCIR, dQ/dV) to cover all your needs.

• Safety features (Power failure protection, overheat protection, data security) to protect your batteries and data.

• Compatibility with PC control and environmental test chambers for integrated testing workflows.

Whether you’re a battery manufacturer ensuring production quality, a materials researcher developing next-gen chemistries, or a university lab studying battery performance—our SCT-12A-16CH battery cycle tester bridges the gap between charging modes and real-world battery reliability. With it, you’re not just testing batteries—you’re building confidence in every charge.