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Battery Life Calculator
Calculate estimated battery run-time based on current draw, system efficiency, and battery count.
Battery Life Estimation projects the operating lifetime of an embedded system, factoring in battery configuration and circuit efficiency.
Formulas:
- Parallel Capacity:
Total_Capacity = Single_Capacity * N_Parallel - Estimated Runtime (hours):
Total_Capacity * (Efficiency / 100) / Load_Current - Self-Discharge:
Capacity_Remaining = Initial * (1 - Rate_per_Month)^Months - Avg Current (duty):
I_avg = Σ (t_k / Σt) × I_k - Modes: Simple (single I), Advanced (Sleep/Active), Most Advanced (Sleep/Collect/Process/Transmit)
Usage: Input battery capacity, average load current, regulator efficiency, and parallel count to estimate operational life.
When you need it: Estimating how long a battery lasts from its capacity and the load's average current, including derating for high-drain loads and duty-cycled MCUs.
Worked example: A 2000 mAh pack at a 50 mA average draw lasts 2000 / 50 = 40 h in the ideal case. Real runtime is capacity × derate / I_avg, so include sleep current in the average.
Tips & gotchas:
- Use a true duty-weighted average current — a device that sleeps 99% of the time is dominated by sleep draw.
- Peukert's law cuts effective capacity as discharge rate rises; a "2000 mAh" cell delivers less at high current.
- Cold temperature and end-of-life ageing both reduce usable capacity — budget margin.
- For long standby, self-discharge and the regulator's quiescent current can exceed the load itself.