Battery load tester.

[Doug in Illinois]

I am thinking I should go ahead and get a battery load tester. I can take a volt-ohm meter to do a voltage reading, but that alone won't tell the story. From what I have been reading from sellers on Ebay, 100 amp load testers will test up to 1000 amp batteries. I have a couple batteries at nearly 1200 amps, so don't think the small tester will handle it. Would the next step up, 120 amp tester, handle the big batteries? DOUG

 

[JDemaris]

I'm not sure what you're looking at on Ebay, but you'll be way ahead to buy a real load tester, not an electronic tester that only simulates a load. Nothing beats a carbon pile load tester. You can test batteries, circuits, circuit breakers, etc. We used to buy the 500 amp testers for our Deere shop at $150 each. And, that was back in the 80s. Now you can buy them new for $50-$60.

Try:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91129

 

[whizkidkyus]

Never heard of this kind of bettery checker before . And I tinker with electronics , and I'm a big tool collector . Always seen the cheese grader type of checkers that my auto mechanics use , like the one listed below on harbor freight except these were silver that they used and made by a more trusted manufacture like schaumacker or however you spell it , but they always seemed to work for them . But in this case how good is Harbor Freight's or Chicago Electric's stuff ? Cheap like China's ? Here's a link to H. F .'s site that pictures one like they use , except their's was silver .


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93784

 

[edj856]

A 100 amp waffle iron load test is only good for a 200 amp battery. You need to load test a battery at half of its rated amp for 10 to 15 seconds. Like jdemaris said, get a carbon pile load tester, they're a lot cheaper than the electronic testers.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I've been seeing these in ads lately for some reason. Wondered why they suddenly started showing up in the place I was looking for a simple charger because my BigLots special from 15 years ago finally expired.
I'm one of them guys that has a mental block at things electrical but can connect black to black and know 6 volts work on some things and that ground can be positive....

 

[JDemaris]

In the case of worrying about electronics via HF? The carbon-pile tester isn't electronic. It's old technology and very reliable and been in use for over 100 years. It's a huge variable resistor, made of a stack of graphite disks - hooked to ammeter and voltmeter. You tighten a knob to put pressue on the disks making them pass more current and put more draw on the battery. Pretty fool-proof. It is just about the only type of tester that will really put a true load on a battery like a starter motor does. You put the load on the battery and check voltage at the same time. A 12 volt system needs to maintain 9 volts under load.

Most name brands now adays get their stuff made in China anyway. I've got a fairly new HF 500 amp tester here, also an Autometer I bought maybe 20 years ago, and an AC Delco I bought 30 years ago. Also an Allen Bradley load tester made in 1908 and it still works. As far as I can tell, they are all pretty much the same and all work the same.

From what I've seen, the other small draw - or simulated load testers that rely on electronics are just about useless and a waste of money.

 

[Doug in Illinois]

Just looked at it, 500 amp max. I used to be a parts manager at a Case-IH, we had a real carbon load tester, not like the electronic testers Autozone, Advance, O Reillys, uses. They are continually broke down, free battery testing is no good when they can't actually test them. The old carbon load tester would get mighty warm sometimes, if I remember right it was from the same place we got all our special tools, I think OTC. DOUG

 

[Glen D Anderson]

NO, NO to the el cheapo!

 

[three cs]

I just bought one last week from the snap-on dealer it will do all the batterys regular ones and gell cell and it has a setting to do car batterys and truck batterys(12 24 and 36). This thing is so easy to use you just clip it on and push a button.
Untitled URL Link

 

[GA Dave]

(quoted from post at 11:12:18 09/18/08) I'm not sure what you're looking at on Ebay, but you'll be way ahead to buy a real load tester, not an electronic tester that only simulates a load. Nothing beats a carbon pile load tester. You can test batteries, circuits, circuit breakers, etc. We used to buy the 500 amp testers for our Deere shop at $150 each. And, that was back in the 80s. Now you can buy them new for $50-$60.

Try:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91129

F 500 amp tester. David...........

 

[El Toro]

A good hydrometer will tell you the condition of the battery's elecrolyte. Should read 1.260 or better and each cell reading should be close to one another. Hal

 

[Anonymous-0]

There is a reason why a place still makes repo parts for the Sun VAT 40 carbon pile tester because it works! You can keep rebuilding them to last just google for the parts. Lots of VAT 40s on ebay at times going cheap and those with analog gages are much better than new digital junk. Snip off bought out Sun and quit making the good testers to sell their junk that won't last so they can sell you a new one every 2 years with their name on it but probably still some china junk. For the price of those HF ones if it quits won't be any repairs toss it and buy a new one probably okay for occasional use.

 

[JDemaris]

Nothing beats a carbon pile tester and none have any sensitive electronics inside. It consists of a large, heavy duty carbon-based variable resistor (that makes heat), an analog amp gauge, and an analog volt meter. Models with quick connect clamp-on cables are usually limited to 500 amps because anything beyond that - requires a bolt-on connection. All easily servicable, and all very rugged. The Harbor Freight model insn't much different inside then any of the rest of them - even the older US built, higher priced units. As far as good for "occasional" use? I use mine a lot. Not just for checking batteries - also for checking circuits, small circuit breakers, etc. Even small 20 and 30 amp breakers. Got a new battery but a car, truck, or tractor that don't spin fast enough in cold weather? With a carbon-pile tester, you can check not only the battery for proper output - or a good battery that's just too small . . . you can also check the battery cable lead with a load test to find out if the wire is the right size and/or connections any good.

I've worked in several shops and we had probably every sort of electronic battery tester on the market - from Mac, Snap On, Delco-Remy, John Deere, and Motorola. Basically, the electronic versions are useless and can give many types of false readings.

 

[guido]

Hello doug in illinois.
I agree with the other post, carbon pile load tester is the way to go.
I AM NOT A FAN OF CONDUCTANCE TESTERS!
(1) Load the battery at 1/2 the rated amps.
(2) Hold the load for 15 seconds.
(3) Reading voltage 9.6V at 80 degrees F. good battery, temperature adjusted if necessary.........DONE!
Easy as 1, 2, 3.
Guido.

 

[three cs]

the only thing wrong with carbon pile load testers is they cant test gell cell batterys and gell cells are becoming more popular just my 2 cents

 

[guido]

Hello doug in illinois.
You did not say HOW the 1200 amp batteries are
rated CA or CCA.It makes a difference.
CA cranking amps is for marine batteies, for one application,and are test rated at 32 degrees F.
CCA cold crancking amps are, for one application, automotive use and are test rated at 0 degrees F.
A battery will have about 20% less power it would have at 32 degrees F.That is why its important to know to properly test the capacity, and yes a marine battery will work fine for an automotive application, if it has enough capacity for the application.
A load tester will have to be able to load the battery on test 1/2 the rated capacity.
Guido.