Battery / Alternator tester

[ClickClickBoom]

Are their any affordable / reliable tools that will allow you to test a battery to see if it is good, as well as check the output of the alternator to see if it is preforming as expected?

looking at maybe this one, but not sure they test alternators:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015PI7A4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Any experience with something around $50 that will fit the bill?

 

[Craddosk]

A basic multimeter will do both... I used a $19 dollar one from Napa.

 

[Goobzilla]

My mega awesome Christmas Gift battery charger has it all built in

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V5Q2D0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[ConnerSmith]

Harbor freight sells a tool that does just that, but like previously mentioned, a multimeter will work too. Here it is: http://www.harborfreight.com/alternatorbattery-tester-69018.html

 

[Mowerpan]

For the battery you need a load tester. Midtronics makes one for 150-200. A multi meter will only tell you voltage not the CCA. Ex: a 12 volt drill battery and car battery both have 12 volts. Drill battery does not have the strength to start your car. The midtronics unit will also test voltage for the charging system.
http://www.midtronics.com/shop/prod...tem-testers/midtronics-pbt-100-battery-tester

 

[TreePointer]

I've been using an old school Schumacher BT-100 load tester. Works just fine.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AMBOI0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[itwnexus]

Watch this video before buying:

 

[unslow1]

You can't test CCA with a multimeter as already pointed out. You also can't test alternator output with one. The voltage output is often good but low amperage. 14v and 15amp would test good but wouldn't run much. I test several charging systems a week and this is a common problem. Car is fine during the day but at night the additional draw of the lights will result in a battery draining.

 

[t100]

that's what I have:

 

[ClickClickBoom]

You can't test CCA with a multimeter as already pointed out. You also can't test alternator output with one. The voltage output is often good but low amperage. 14v and 15amp would test good but wouldn't run much. I test several charging systems a week and this is a common problem. Car is fine during the day but at night the additional draw of the lights will result in a battery draining.

Thanks, this is what I thought.

To be honest, I'd rather have a simple, easy to use, accurate tool than a multimeter anyways. I don't test batteries/ alternators often enough that i'd remember how to do it, and i'd rather just spend $50 to make it a simple process.

 

[ClickClickBoom]

that's what I have:

Thanks, but at $650 that's way more than i'm looking to spend.Also really have no use for a printer.

 

[ClickClickBoom]

For the battery you need a load tester. Midtronics makes one for 150-200. A multi meter will only tell you voltage not the CCA. Ex: a 12 volt drill battery and car battery both have 12 volts. Drill battery does not have the strength to start your car. The midtronics unit will also test voltage for the charging system.
http://www.midtronics.com/shop/prod...tem-testers/midtronics-pbt-100-battery-tester

I see that the unit will test the batteries, however it shows that it only gives you the volts of the charging system. Wouldn't you really need a way to measure the amps to make sure that the alternator is putting out the required power?

 

[ConnerSmith]

You can use a multimeter to check in circuit current draw.

 

[richfinn]

The closest you can get at your budget would be a DC current clamp meter, so you can check charge current/drain (with a bit of experience you can use it to see if a battery is taking a charge). You can also use it as a conventional voltmeter. Approx $50.

Next step would be a conductance tester or a load tester Approx $100-$700.

If your going to use it 3 or 4 times a year, I would just get a local shop to do it they probably wont even charge you if they retail batteries.

 

[t100]

Thanks, but at $650 that's way more than i'm looking to spend.Also really have no use for a printer.

I paid $125 shipped off ebay.

 

[Danglerb]

One of the many $5 to $10 checkers with a handful of leds will do a decent quick check, same for a meter.

Engine off, battery voltage needs to be above 12.5v
Engine on, battery voltage needs to be above 13.5v
Engine off and battery reads low, charge the battery and retest.

This catches 95% of problems, beyond that I would get something like a Solar BA7, about $60 on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015PI7A4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[GTO]

I paid $125 shipped off ebay.

You stole that, wow !

 

[devan7815]

Has anyone tried doing a resistive load test (battery fully charged) followed by a conductance/CCA test with something like a midtronics tester to see what's left after removing the surface charge? Would this be recommended or be of any value?

 

[bobcatdan]

A carbon pile tester is the only true way to test a battery in my book. The hand held are good, but some time are indecisive. Nothing funer then testing a battery, it fails, but wait you forgot to to print the slip. You then retest it 10 times and it passes. I have a vat 33 and use it often.

 

[devan7815]

A carbon pile tester is the only true way to test a battery in my book. The hand held are good, but some time are indecisive. Nothing funer then testing a battery, it fails, but wait you forgot to print the slip. You then retest it 10 times and it passes.

I had a late model 1500 Silverado in the shop recently with a no crank/ no start complaint. This was only 2 days after we had replaced the Alt. According to our expensive Midtronics tester (ED-18), the battery was fine. However, with the headlamps left on for only a few minutes it failed to start. Only after this did it test faulty on the ED-18. I don't think I remembered to hit print either!

 

[3798j]

I'm about to pull the trigger on CTEC's battery analyzer. I'll let you know if it's worth the $85.00: www.ebay.com/itm/56-925-CTEK-12V-Ba...t=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item4d15406340&vxp=mtr

 

[joecon]

If you want to save money learn how to test the systems with a volt meter.
voltage, current and resistant are all related to each other. Learn how the
systems work and you will know how to test them.
I would say use a multimeter that has min./max. Hook it to the battery read the
voltage a good battery at rest will read about 12.6[agms higher].Press min/max
start the car, rev the eng. let it idle for a minute. read the min voltage it is the
cranking voltage it should be about 11v, read the max voltage it is the max alt.
out put it should be about 14.5v. if not look for a problem.

 

[Lexus]

A carbon pile tester is the only true way to test a battery in my book. The hand held are good, but some time are indecisive. Nothing funer then testing a battery, it fails, but wait you forgot to to print the slip. You then retest it 10 times and it passes. I have a vat 33 and use it often.

+ 1 carbon pile testers have been proven for a long time and thats what I use

 

[Midnight_America]

Has anyone tried doing a resistive load test (battery fully charged) followed by a conductance/CCA test with something like a midtronics tester to see what's left after removing the surface charge? Would this be recommended or be of any value?

I did that using a Schumacher BT-100 and a Solar BA7 on a failing battery I recently replaced. Suprised the hell out of me when both devices indicated "fail" and the same exact CCA's (expected the "Fail" but didn't expect the same CCA reading on both devices).

 

[nehog]

I see that the unit will test the batteries, however it shows that it only gives you the volts of the charging system. Wouldn't you really need a way to measure the amps to make sure that the alternator is putting out the required power?

Because current, resistance and voltage are all inter-related if an alternator puts out the requisite 13.8 to 14.6 volts it must be putting out the current that the load is demanding. You can test any alternator with a voltmeter. You can no-load test any battery with a voltmeter. Load testing a battery is more difficult but not impossible--one way is to turn on the headlights for a few minutes (with the engine off so the alternator is not charging) then measure the battery voltage. Best test I've found for batteries takes a little effort: charge the battery, measure the open terminal voltage. Let the battery sit for 12 hours (overnight, typically) then measure the voltage again. Compute how much the voltage drops and that tells you the self discharge rate. High self discharge rates: bad battery, shorted cell. Testing for an open cell is to charge the battery and measure battery voltage while cranking again voltage will tell you what's up.

 

[bobcatdan]

A multimeter is no way to test a battery. It can give you an idea, but not much. Take a battery with a bad cell, with no load it can easily show over 12 volts. Apply a load, it will fall on its face. Remove the load and it bounce right back. A customer brings a battery in and sets it on the counter, per your multimeter, it is fine. As for checking an alternator, 99% of the time, checking with a multimeter will be fine. Then you will get that one that can do 14 volts, but barely kicks an amp out.

 

[Shopteacher]

You can use a multimeter to check a battery, but you need to use your head a little bit, load the battery by disconnecting fuel and then crank the engine for 15 seconds...how low did the voltage drop..did you start with 12.4 or more and stay above 9.6?

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Heavy tech]

+2 on carbon pile load tester. Worked great for years and still do. Snag one for around $100


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bobcatdan]

You can use a multimeter to check a battery, but you need to use your head a little bit, load the battery by disconnecting fuel and then crank the engine for 15 seconds...how low did the voltage drop..did you start with 12.4 or more and stay above 9.6?

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

A multimeter is better then nothing, I carry one in my pick up at all times because you never know when one will be handy. That said, if I have access to any form of a real battery tester, including a hydrometer for maintance batteries, a multimeter is the last thing I'm grabbing.

 

[Danglerb]

I use a meter to check alternator function, but to test batteries I bought a Solar BA5 (doesn't do the starting test) because I wanted more than go no go, more a guess on how much life is left and more importantly the BA-5 or 7 will test a partially charged battery and when it fails, it will also fail the similar meter at the store I return it to for warranty.

 

[lilredex]

My present interest is only Mopar, so I made up a test box to suit my needs. It would probably work on others too.

This DIY device will not check battery condition, but will allow you to analyze the alternator's condition, both on or off the vehicle.



That simple box contains the charging circuit shown here...ignore the ignition part on the LHS.



In use, on the vehicle, you disconnect the field wires from the alternator and clip on the wires from the box and also attach the battery clips. You can check voltage, regular output current and maximum current output by pushing that red button, to bypass the regulator. This test will show the condition of the diodes.

I had a box full of alternators (given to me) that were of unknown condition, so I needed an easy way to check them, without mounting them on a car.

I took a page out of an auto wrecker's book when I saw the commercial version they were using to bench check their used alternators. I made up a bracket to fit the rear of my table saw to use the existing motor. Just add a battery and slip on the test alternator.