A METHOD OF OPERATING BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, CORRESPONDING DEVICE AND VEHICLE

A method of operating a control device (10) in a management system for battery cells (C), for instance for electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), comprises performing, for each odd-numbered (C0, C1; ...; C12, C13) pair of charge-sensing pins and the subsequent even-numbered pair (C1, C2; ... ; C13, C14) of charge-sensing pins in an ordered sequence of odd- and even-numbered pairs of charge-sensing pins a self-test procedure comprising: - sensing: - i) a first voltage drop between the charge sensing pin (C12) of the subsequent even-numbered pair (C11, C12) other than a common charge sensing pin (C11) and a common charge sensing pin (C11), - ii) a second voltage drop between a charge distribution pin (S2, S4, ..., S12, ..., S14) coupled (R) to the charge sensing pin of the subsequent even-numbered pair (C11, C12) other than the common charge sensing pin (C1, ..., C13) and the common charge sensing pin (C11), - calculating a difference between the first voltage drop and the second voltage drop sensed, - comparing the absolute value of the difference calculated with a threshold, and - declaring a faulty condition as a result of the absolute value of the difference calculated exceeding the threshold.