What do you use? Battery/Alt. Tester

[JASTECH]

There are so many out there and a lot of junk. What do you use/suggest for accurate results?

I have seen this one under different names.
Astro Pneumatic 7765 12 Volt Onboard Battery & Alternator Load Tester

 

[theoldwizard1]

All you really need a digital volt meter and a decent battery charger.

The easiest and quickest way to test a battery and charging system is as follows:

• Clean the outside of the battery including connections. Make certain all connections are secure.
• Connect battery charge and let run at least overnight. 24 hours would be better (very LARGE batteries, might take 48 hours).
• Disconnect battery charger.
• Check voltage with no load. Should be about 13.2V. If less than 13.0, the battery is not fully charged or you have a bad cell.
• Turn on headlight and wait 15 minutes.
• With lights still on, check voltage. If below 12.0V the battery is questionable.
• Start engine and hold at high rpm (about 2000 rpm). The voltage at the battery should be between 14 and 15V.

IMHO, the best tester is a SUN VAT28 !

 

[Techniker]

Midtronics Micro500XL- It's worked well for me.

 

[JASTECH]

Wizard, that VAT-28 is time honered indeed. But for the Optima & Odeysee batteries I think newer technologies are in order?

 

[Gary S]

All you really need a digital volt meter and a decent battery charger.

Agreed. Most people have little or no understanding of electricity so they want to overthink it and try to find that magic expensive "tool" that will tell them what is happening.
Instead, some knowledge of electricity and a simple voltmeter will take you farther and a lot cheaper and faster than anything else.

 

[JASTECH]

Techniker, The Midtronics Micro500XL is $675-$1200, that may create a tool sale for the money to buy it, ouch!

 

[shampoop]

$12 and very useful for testing alternators and starters.

http://www.tooltopia.com/kd-tools-2423.aspx

 

[magova1104]

Midtronics EXP 1000!

 

[t100]

this
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140675

 

[2JZGTESC300]

I used a Snap On EEBC500 along side a OTC OW181 Battery Load Tester that was bought from Cornwell.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...682779&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all

http://www.cornwelltools.com/webcat/products.php?product=OW3181-%2d-130-Amp-Battery-Load-Tester#

 

[richfinn]

Agreed. Most people have little or no understanding of electricity so they want to overthink it and try to find that magic expensive "tool" that will tell them what is happening.
Instead, some knowledge of electricity and a simple voltmeter will take you farther and a lot cheaper and faster than anything else.

Thats great for DIY or if you have a loan car to give customers, but your right a clever man with simple tools can get by. On the other hand pro techs dont have 48hrs to charge a battery (who has time to leave the car at the shop for 2 days for a battery test?).

We also need to be able to test AGM/spiral cell/and conventional flooded cell batteries with one piece of equipment and keep records and generate warranty codes (dealer techs)

I would say a Midtronics with a current clamp is about the best option nowadays (manufacturers tend to agree)

 

[JASTECH]

I have a 200 amp. alternator comming for my f-350 diesel, so a higher reading for amperage is required.

 

[richfinn]

I have a 200 amp. alternator comming for my f-350 diesel, so a higher reading for amperage is required.

I use a UEI DL49 current clamp for alternator testing, cheap and easy to use.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Wizard, that VAT-28 is time honered indeed. But for the Optima & Odeysee batteries I think newer technologies are in order?

Why ?

A "good" battery is only required to put out a reasonable voltage at a reasonable discharge rate for some period of time.

Thats great for DIY or if you have a loan car to give customers, but your right a clever man with simple tools can get by. On the other hand pro techs dont have 48hrs to charge a battery (who has time to leave the car at the shop for 2 days for a battery test?).

We also need to be able to test AGM/spiral cell/and conventional flooded cell batteries with one piece of equipment and keep records and generate warranty codes (dealer techs)

I don't care what the battery chemistry is, you can not do a reasonable test unless you know that the battery is fully charged. With AGM/spiral there is no electrolyte to check with a hydrometer, so the only way to know it is fully charged is to place it on an appropriate charger for as long as it takes. (The 48 hrs was referring to something like an 8D size battery.)

I would say a Midtronics with a current clamp is about the best option nowadays (manufacturers tend to agree)

Measuring current is great for starting and charging system health.

The only way to test a battery is to 1) charge it (or know for 100% certain that it is fully charged which impossible if the charging system is in question) , 2) put an appropriate load on it, 3) observe the voltage as the battery discharges.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have a 200 amp. alternator comming for my f-350 diesel, so a higher reading for amperage is required.

You really think that the battery could accept 200A without boiling/exploding ?

200A is the (theoretical) output of the alternator, sized to satisfy all power requirements on the vehicle.

 

[JASTECH]

Wizard, I never said the battery would accept a 200a charge rate. Just stating what items are in my system. I use 2x Optimas in each vehicle and a higher output alt. so when testing the system other meters/tools are needed.

 

[2JZGTESC300]

Snap on EEBC500. End of story.

 

[raross]

I have great luck with my Snap On Microvat but it to is pretty pricey!

 

[bobcatdan]

I have a mac hand held, but who really makes it escapes me. I find it very handy, but only give the PASS/FAIL a grain of salt. If I have a battery I think is bad, I check the acid with a battery hydrometer. 90%+ of batteries I deal with are still maintance.

 

[richfinn]

Why ?

A "good" battery is only required to put out a reasonable voltage at a reasonable discharge rate for some period of time.



I don't care what the battery chemistry is, you can not do a reasonable test unless you know that the battery is fully charged. With AGM/spiral there is no electrolyte to check with a hydrometer, so the only way to know it is fully charged is to place it on an appropriate charger for as long as it takes. (The 48 hrs was referring to something like an 8D size battery.)


Measuring current is great for starting and charging system health.

The only way to test a battery is to 1) charge it (or know for 100% certain that it is fully charged which impossible if the charging system is in question) , 2) put an appropriate load on it, 3) observe the voltage as the battery discharges.

We simply do not have time to bench charge batteries, we have to have a system that will test a fully discharged automotive battery of any type within 30 mins, we are also one of the top 5 battery suppliers in the UK.

All 1600 techs carry a midtronics unit/clamp meter. I checked my counter today and I have tested around 2000 batteries since 2005. The charge and retest result is under 50.