Battery Tester

[key-z]

Can anyone recommend a good battery tester? Need an easy read type for dummies.

Thanks , Key-z

 

[rbh]

Re: Battery Tester

Any multimeter will tell you how many volts are being charged into the battery and how much charge they have when the engines off, are you looking for a load tester?

 

[JB]

Re: Battery Tester

The simplest cheapest and most accurate tester of battery condition is a hydrometer, Key-z.

It might be a bit tough for dummies, but dummies wouldn't have enough sense to ask, so you shouldn't have any difficulty with one.

 

[madgadget]

Re: Battery Tester

can you get these in the US?

http://act.gcwweb.com/Gold-IBT-2.php

 

[ThumbPkr]

Re: Battery Tester

The simplest cheapest and most accurate tester of battery condition is a hydrometer, Key-z.

It might be a bit tough for dummies, but dummies wouldn't have enough sense to ask, so you shouldn't have any difficulty with one.

The hydrometer will be fine for batteries that allow access to their cells but many of todays batteries are sealed/gell etc. which precludes using any specific gravity device for testing.As mentioned,a load tester can be purchased at most auto parts stores and a digital multimeter can be obtained these days for very little money.Just measure the voltage at rest then again while charging.If there is no difference then the charging system is probably bad.Ron G

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Battery Tester

What kinda battery are you testing?

 

[JustJason]

Re: Battery Tester

this is the tool your looking for...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00921019000P?keyword=battery+load++tester

 

[Pascal]

Re: Battery Tester

I have a volt meter, a hydrometer and this....

http://www.midtronics.com/home/products/transportation/batterytesters/pbt100.aspx

They are a plug and play simple tester. all you need is the CCA rating of the battery and it shows the condition.

Not sure where you are in Florida but NAPA and O'Reilly's are listed as handling them...

 

[alumi numb]

Re: Battery Tester

head to walmart and get a new charger, father in law just got one.
turn it on and it does an analysis then lets you know if the bat is good or not.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Battery Tester

For what type of battery?

auto starting battery?
d-cell?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Battery Tester

Ayuh,.... This is what I use,...

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Battery Tester

Ayuh,.... This is what I use,...

I've had one similar for years. Think I paid about 20 bucks for it at Northern Tool.

 

[DaleT]

Re: Battery Tester

I'm with the "what type of battery" crowd. Assuming you are speaking of auto type batteries any of the above suggestions will work. If you are speaking of Li ion, NiCad, alkaline, or smaller lead acid batteries more information is needed. Also, what type of testing do you want. Not all batteries can be tested the same way. For example, my occupation uses a large number of rechargeable batteries (Li Ion, NiCad, and Lead Acid) we spent about $2000 on a battery tester and then many hours setting up the tests (honestly we should have opted for a better, more expensive model as this one doesn't work 100%). For home use this would obviously be overkill but we needed to know many factors to properly gauge when to replace batteries.