METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FAULTY CONTACTS IN BATTERY PACKS

Method and apparatus for contact detection in battery packs are disclosed. The battery pack (100) may comprise at least a first battery cell (210-1) and a second battery cell (210-2), and a power bar (202b) for coupling a first electrode (C) of the first battery cell to a second electrode (D) of the second battery cell. The first battery cell comprises a supervisor (212-1), which comprises a transmitter/receiver (328-1) for signal communication with the second battery cell via a communication wire (206b), and a voltage difference detector (312-1) coupled to the power bar and the communication wire, for detecting a voltage difference between the power bar and the communication wire. The supervisor may indicate degraded contact of the power bar if the detected voltage difference is out of a predetermined threshold range. A battery cell and a method for monitoring a battery pack are also disclosed.