What kind of tester is needed to check batteries. Want to know if there is a dead or weak cell and general condition of batteries.
What kind of tester is needed to check batteries. Want to know if there is a dead or weak cell and general condition of batteries.
How much are you willing to spend and how often will it be used
Thank You Leon Pugh
Hydrometer, but expensive for little use.
Harbor Freight has a Load Tester for 19.99 or a Digital Analyzer for 69.99
2009 ELITE 210
Hydrometer works fine for wet cells. Mine was less than 10 dollars, and that was in Canadian, which means 50 cents US
For deep cycle batteries though, run time on the water is your best indicator.
Last edited by catdude28; 10-01-2019 at 03:16 PM.
2019 BCB Classic
Merc V8 200 4S
I appreciate the response. I would probably use a couple of times each year on my boat like spring and fall.
The guys I fish with would probably use it to check their boat batteries too.
As for expense, I would like to limit the top end to $75.00.
Amazon. Battery load tester, should be under $50. You'll use on all kinds of batteries.
SOLAR BA7 100-1200 CCA Electronic Battery and System Tester
For the price a fairly good tester, fairly accurate, its no Carbon pile or Midtronics by any means but will do ok 90% of the time
Thank You Leon Pugh
I use both of these and they both work very well but I mainly use the digital tester. I like to keep an eye on my actual cranking amps.Originally Posted by BILL LO
When I see a drop off in my amps, I will throw the load tester on it. I use the 500 amp load tester instead of the 100 amp model, however, it’s $55 instead of $20.
Have a Blessed Day,
Mike
Hydrometers are generally useless as many cells are sealed. There are usually overhead clearance issues over batteries, add to that they can drop a Sulfuric Acid mix inside your boat plus there is eye danger. One is supposed to wear an apron, rubber gloves and eye protection to use a hydrometer. A simple digital voltmeter can tell you a lot.
Only way to accurately test any battery is with a carbon pile load tester. For most, it's cost prohibitive to own a good one. And no Harbor freight doesn't have one
Best option is to have one of the parts stores check it for free in the parking lot.
I thought the BBC rule was to just replace them every 2-3 years whether there good or not.
That's why we buy lottery tickets.I thought the BBC rule was to just replace them every 2-3 years whether there good or not.
Unless you want to get real nitty gritty just test them with a digital volt meter. Anything less than 12.5 volts for a battery that was been recently charged is showing that it is on the way down and will need to be replaced soon.
Checking volts on a battery only tells you what it has available at the time of the reading. Nothing else.
Very few parts men have any idea how to test a battery especially with a carbon pile. Completely agree in it being the best method
I cant even get experienced Auto repairs techs to consistently do it right
Thank You Leon Pugh
Harbor freight has one that looks exactly like the Schumacher. As stated above $19.99. Tests load on battery, alternator out put and starter draw.
2024 Phoenix 818, Mercury 175 (3B414035) Trick Steps, 3 Garmin 106 SV,s, LVS 34. BoatEFX dual bow mount. Ionic 12V 125AH, 2 12V 100 ah LiTime’s for the TM. Minn Kota 345 PCL charger,
The 500 amp carbon pile tester from Harborfreight may not be the best in the world like most of their stuff but it has worked just fine for me.
https://www.harborfreight.com/500-am...ter-91129.html
I also use the digital analyzer in addition to the load tester. Between the 2, I know when a battery is bad or going bad.
https://www.harborfreight.com/digita...zer-66892.html
I used one of their 20% coupons but if I remember correctly, the coupon doesn’t work on the 500 amp load tester. I got them several years ago so I don’t remember for sure.
Have a Blessed Day,
Mike
A 500 amp carbon pile will be short lived on many of todays batteries that have 1000 cca. Three consecutive 500 amps loads for 15 seconds will overeheat the seperator plates causing perment damage to the tester. If you are not doingconsecutive test with short recovery time, you are not getting accurate test results
Load battery to 1/2 of its rated CCA for 15 seconds, voltage must stay at or above 9.5 volts, If it will do this 3 times you can be assured the battery is in pretty good shape. I have seen many batteries hold up for one test and fall off rapidly on the second or third, indicating poor reserve capacity
Last edited by lpugh; 10-10-2019 at 08:34 PM.
Thank You Leon Pugh
A 500 amp carbon pile tester is what you want for a 1000 amp battery. Like you stated, you want to apply 1/2 of the CCA which is 500 amps for 15 seconds. This tester, which is rated for batteries up to 1000 CCA, requires a 1 minute cool down between tests and no more than 3 tests in a 5 minute period. If you hit a battery with 500 amps 3 times in a 3 minute period, you will see very quickly if the battery is any good. I know this one is probably not the greatest in the world but it has worked very well for a few years now. I have used it on batteries that had more than 1000 CCA. If a battery with more than 1000 CCA can’t hold up to a 500 amp load, then you know it is bad.
Have a Blessed Day,
Mike
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