Overheard in 1987 – “The problem with Fax machines is that the guy on the other end needs one too.”

Overheard in 1994 – “Paying for a cell phone is a waste.  If you need to make a call, find a pay phone.”

Overheard in 2010 – “Continuous battery monitoring costs too much as compared to my battery string.”

Innovation creates change.  Those who create it are said to be visionaries.  Those who embrace it are said to be ahead of the curve.  Those who resist it are…normal?

Pick an industry, any industry.  Have it?  Good.  Now, imagine you work in that industry and are responsible for staying up to date with its changes.  Naturally, you would spend a significant amount of time reading and watching, attending conferences, conducting online searches, speaking with manufacturers and vendors, and conducting trials whenever possible, right?  Right?  Are you sure?

I mean, if you were an auto specialist, would you be of value if you stopped looking at new models in 2003?  A barber who could only provide 1980’s styling?  A heart surgeon who stopped studying after getting your initial degree?  A football coach who relied on a playbook that was decades old?  An historian who stopped reading the news after the Cold War ended?

“Battery Monitoring” is a hot topic.  Why?  Mostly because battery backup power is more important than ever and battery failure remains a chronic problem.

Backup battery power is in place to perform a singular, incredibly important function; to work when needed.  However, like everything else, if they are neglected, they won’t perform.  They will fail.

With today’s need for reliable backup power, failure is not an option, and success is mandatory. The dark corner of the basement where batteries reside is now some of the most important real estate within the entire organization.  If the power goes off, and stays off, what is at stake?  Think about that for a moment.  The probable damage list is daunting, but the possible damage list is downright frightening.  Now, compare the cost of monitoring against the cost of power failure.  Business needs have made the term “Battery Monitoring” a hot topic.

It’s imperative to know what to measure, how, and why

If you get in enough random discussions, or are a good listener, you will sometimes hear people state, “If we pulled 10 people off the street and asked them their opinion on this topic, we would get 10 different answers.  And, so it is with “battery monitoring”.

Go ahead, search for it.  If you are able to find a link to a definition, it probably won’t help much.