Do i have a Bad Battery?

[agutowski3388]

i just had my battery in to charge. I brought it home and it reads exsactly 12 volts on my handheld voltmeter. isnt it suppose to be higher then 12 volts??

 

[JB]

Re: Do i have a Bad Battery?

It should read 12.6 volts or more, depending on how long it has rested after the charge, but a cheap meter might show 12volts. You may have a bad cell. There are only two reliable tests for a battery: A load test, which most auto shops can do, and a hydrometer test, which measures the specific gravity of the electrolyte in each cell.

On my Mercedes E300D diesel car My battery would measure 12.2V after charge, but wouldn't start the car (diesels require a lot more power to start than gas engines). My hydrometer said I had a bad cell and a load test confirmed it. New battery, no more problems.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Do i have a Bad Battery?

have the battery load tested at the auto parts store.

 

[Bigdaveaz]

Re: Do i have a Bad Battery?

Harbor Freight sell a load tester,very low price, good thing to have and easy to use!

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: Do i have a Bad Battery?

Yep, load tester is the way to go. I bought one about three years ago and I have never regretted the decision. I can test batteries without taking them out of the boat or the car. The particular one I have gives an indication of GOOD, WEAK or POOR. This is good because I can tell when the end is coming BEFORE it actually arrives. (One more thing you can eliminate before it causes trouble for you, or your wife, or your daughter....) It's become my primary decision maker on battery replacement.