A system that is usable with a stack of fuel cells that have cell terminals
includes a circuit and scanning units. The circuit provides a selection
signal that indicates selection of at least one of the fuel cells for a
voltage measurement. The scanning units are coupled to the stack to
establish different groups of the fuel cells. Each group is associated
with a different one of the scanning units, and each scanning unit has a
ground that is referenced to a different one of the cell terminals. Each
scanning unit is adapted to, in response to the selection signal, measure
and indicate a voltage of each selected fuel cell within the group of fuel
cells associated with the scanning unit.