Car battery tester)

[wv109323]

There are several car battery testers that are around $20.00. Does anyone have experience with them? Will they accurately load test a battery?
My car would not start about 3 weeks ago. I jump started it and no problems until this last cold snap. I jumped it and ran it 15 minutes. Tried to start it it 2 days later and no start. I bought a new battery. Voltage was low and alternator was putting out 14.5 volts.
Just for kicks I put the old battery on my charger. It has charged and maintained 12.5 volts for three days. My experience is a bad battery will not hold voltage when setting. Did I buy a battery I did not need.
The old battery was a 24 month warranty battery and lasted 27 months.. Anyway what are the testers like for cars and lawnmower batteries.

[slownsteady22]

O'Reillys auto parts test batteries for free. I bought a cheap battery charger/tester off Amazon and im not exactly sure how trustworthy it is for testing batteries. Although it does charge 12v batteries ok.

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[Winger Ed.]

I get the biggest and baddest batteries I can close the hood on for our car & truck.
Then change them out after 3 years.
Of the battery problems I've had, they are always away from home when it's super hot, real cold, raining,
or at the farthest point of a long trip.

I used to know a guy that worked at the old Dallas Lead Plant.
He said that by the different alloys & such that went into making a certain type or size battery,
they could predict within a few weeks how long it would last in different climates with average use.
The price and warranty period is adjusted accordingly.

Sometimes they go out like a light bulb, sometimes they just get weaker and weaker for their storage capacity.
Then, like a bucket full of gravel: It doesn't take much water to fill it, but it doesn't really hold much either.

[country gent]

The newer cars trucks have a constant draw on the battery even when turned off. computers lights clocks some of the newer radios also have a constant draw.

Now the remote starter, anti theft, remote door locks, clock, computer, possibly the fuel system, the dash instruments all draw with the car not running. This lowers how long they can sit with out starting and being ran.

[Winger Ed.]

It may just be a vicious rumor, but I've heard from a couple places that Ford vehicles have more draw
when they're 'off' than other cars & trucks, and will 'eat' a battery sooner
if you don't crank 'em up & drive them fairly often.

[Walkingwolf]

Load testers cost more than 20 dollars.

[wv109323]

Walkingwolf
That was my thoughts also. But there are several units on Fleabay that claim a load test around $20.00 bucks.

[Bogart]

I bought this last yearfrom Amazon. I just checked and they are still in stock. I have only used it twice to check questionable batteries and have had good results. It's $54.00 though.

2 in 1 Car Battery Tester, TOPDON BT100W 12V Bluetooth Battery Tester Automotive Supported Battery Library, 100-2000 CCA Alternator Tester Digital Battery Load Tester Charging Cranking System Tester

[Hannibal]

As mentioned above, if you don't want problems replace your batteries every 3-4 years. Or wait until you're stuck somewhere and throw a fit. Then replace your battery.

Your choice.

[rbuck351]

A good battery load tester will put a 150 to 250 amp on a battery. You need to put the approximate starter draw amperage on the battery for 15 seconds. The battery voltage needs to stay above 11 volts for the 15 sec time. The battery needs to be fully charged before the test.

A $20 tester doesn't have the ability to load a battery to that high a draw for that length of time. A good tester will have a carbon pile in it that will handle that much load. There are several 500 amp carbon pile testers listed on Amazon in the $65 to $100 range.

[reloader28]

If your battery only lasts 3 or 4 years I would hope common sense would tell you to change brands.
Between work and personal, we have 10 trucks and only change a battery maybe every 5 or 6 years. Usually more.
Ive had my personal truck for over 17 years and only changed the battery once

[lightman]

It may just be a vicious rumor, but I've heard from a couple places that Ford vehicles have more draw
when they're 'off' than other cars & trucks, and will 'eat' a battery sooner
if you don't crank 'em up & drive them fairly often.

This may be true! I just bought a 2023 Ford Truck, to replace my 2012 model and it has all kinds of electric stuff!

I'm another that buys the biggest battery that will fit the battery box when I have to replace one. I've been getting 5 years or so out of the original batteries in the last several vehicles that I've owned.

[deces]

You can find the old battery testers that service techs used about 20 years for a reasonable price on ebay.

[Tatume]

My car would not start about 3 weeks ago. I jump started it and no problems until this last cold snap. I jumped it and ran it 15 minutes. Tried to start it it 2 days later and no start.

That sounds like a pretty good test to me.

[.429&H110]

My dad taught me to turn on the headlights, start the car, headlights dim brown, there's your starting amps.
Headlights should dim a little but not much. Cheapest battery test.

[KenH]

I bought this last yearfrom Amazon. I just checked and they are still in stock. I have only used it twice to check questionable batteries and have had good results. It's $54.00 though.

2 in 1 Car Battery Tester, TOPDON BT100W 12V Bluetooth Battery Tester Automotive Supported Battery Library, 100-2000 CCA Alternator Tester Digital Battery Load Tester Charging Cranking System Tester

That looks like a neat tester - I just ordered one, should be here Friday.

[jrayborn]

I've been pretty fortunate, never HAD to change a battery. Current vehicle is a 2013 F150 with the original battery. The spare, a 2008 Focus, also has the factory original. Before that, 1994 Pontiac went 14 years with the factory battery and a 2008 Dodge Caravan went 12 years.

Replacing a battery after 3-5 years is good insurance for sure, but I just keep a jump-pak in every vehicle. They work great to help people out, and no way to mess up my vehicle when I do. Probably need to use it on a vehicle I own (other than the riding mower...) at some point.

I know I've been lucky though...

[Hossfly]

Summer kills a battery and winter burys it. Shouldn’t have over 50 ma. Draw while sleeping, if you have more then wont last more than a few days. Like battery tenders that keep em charged.

[ascast]

Is not your car starter motor a pretty good "battery tester"? My truck is in your boat right now. It may not start today as I've not run it in 4 or 5 days. But if I start if every day, it is very dependable. It is a mystery to me how one day the terminals are loose and moving all around and no connection. I always get the biggest CCA that fit under the hood. I hate side mounts
Once bought a battery for my lawn tractor -1970 JD 112. It takes a smaller but full size car battery. I always get the biggest that will fit in the box so in a pinc I can use it in the car/truck. Girl manager t the car place could not understand why I was measuring the battery with a tape. It was not what her little book said. Limited life experience.

[Half Dog]

I’ve had AAA check a battery and the technician said it was good. I ended up buying a new battery and concluding the testers they use aren’t perfect.

[rbuck351]

When testing a battery, you need to put approximately the starter draw amperage on the battery for an extended period of time. This tests the reserve cranking capacity of the battery. Normally a 15 second load time is used. A 15 second continued cranking on a started is not at all good for the starter. A carbon pile load tester can simulate this load without damaging the starter.

In order to properly test a battery, you have to put a heavy load on the battery for a given period of time to see how much cranking power the battery actually has. As batteries get older they can still hold a bit over 12 volts but as soon as a load is put on them the voltage drops below what it takes to start the engine.

[Hannibal]

Why would an individual want to invest in a testing tool that will only get used every few years? A good one will cost close to $100. Depending on the application thats half the cost of a new battery. Starters don't fail like they used to because engines start faster and easier thanks to fuel injection and electronic ignition.

If you're that worried about it take the battery to a parts place and have it tested.

[czgunner]

Why would an individual want to invest in a testing tool that will only get used every few years? A good one will cost close to $100. Depending on the application thats half the cost of a new battery. Starters don't fail like they used to because engines start faster and easier thanks to fuel injection and electronic ignition.

If you're that worried about it take the battery to a parts place and have it tested.Well, I think some of us like to be ready to diagnose and fix anything, and as a result have a nice collection of tools.

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[pworley1]

I have been using one of these for years and have been very pleased with it.
https://www.harborfreight.com/100-amp-612v-battery-load-tester-61747.html?_br_psugg_q=battery+load+testers

[atr]

get a battery with at least a 5 year life and during the cold, cold winters when the car is parked hook up a self regulating charger. Don't invest in cheap batteries.

[Jadkins87]

As others have said the newer cars and trucks draw power 24/7 and when the temps drop quick they have a hard time stabilizing.. A good load tester will run well over $100 in my experience..

God Bless

JDAS

[Handloader109]

No one posting has told you the one thing that is significant. You charged the battery and it now shows 12v. The battery is bad. If it is much at all below 14v it is going bad. You don't need a tester.

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[shaggybull]

Is your alternator bad and not charging the battery?

[deces]

for about $50 something like this might be worth a try.

https://youtu.be/dW67gTWGTj0

[atr]

if you want to check your alternator start the car let it warm up then take a simple volt meter and connect the leads to the battery posts. You should read 14.5 +- 0.5 volts for a 12 volt battery.

the other thing to remember about the battery is that the connections at the battery terminals to the ground and starter motor have to be CLEAN

[crandall crank]

I've got a Solar brand battery tester and it works well. Tests different types of batteries and also checks the charging system. Was also about $55 and available on Amazon.

[uscra112]

It may just be a vicious rumor, but I've heard from a couple places that Ford vehicles have more draw
when they're 'off' than other cars & trucks, and will 'eat' a battery sooner
if you don't crank 'em up & drive them fairly often.

That's certainly true of my 2009 Explorer. I can't leave it 10 days without having to jump it. Even with a new battery installed in October. Since I prefer to drive my Odyssey except in bad weather, I've had to install a permanently mounted maintainer and plug it in like Alaskans do with their block heaters.

[georgerkahn]

"My" approach" is a tad different... With age I seem to drive my truck less and less, and after the second or third needing a jump this really got tiring! So, I purchased a replacement battery, and soon had similar dead battery when I wanted to go somewhere. I took truck to dealership and they claimed battery is good; charging system is good; and, what they call the parasitic draw (alarm, remote starter, etc.) is in specs.
My solution? I went to WallyWorld and bought a Stanley brand jump starter. It set me back all of sixty U.S. dollars, and I've had it and used it when needed for at least a decade! And :) :) :) I've been a "hero" providing jumps for a good many folks who discovered their dead batteries at stores, the range, et cetera.
Just a thought -- the newer jump starters are smaller and even less expensive that mine. I never "need" to get anywhere in milli-seconds; to open the hood and clip on the Stanley; start the Tacoma's engine; slam the hood and be on my way adds but a very few minutes. AND, it provides reassurance that -- wherever I've driven -- I can start my truck for the return trip.
Just MY approach...
geo

[elmacgyver0]

My dad taught me to turn on the headlights, start the car, headlights dim brown, there's your starting amps.
Headlights should dim a little but not much. Cheapest battery test.

Your dad was right... back then.
With the new LED head lights, probably not so much now.

[Hannibal]

Your dad was right... back then.
With the new LED head lights, probably not so much now.

Excellent point. Amperage draw is significantly different.

[Tatume]

We have a truck we seldom drive, so I got a 2A trickle charger and installed it under the hood. It was $12, and the truck always starts immediately. I like it so much I did the same with the tractor.

[Winger Ed.]

We have a truck we seldom drive, so I got a 2A trickle charger and installed it under the hood. It was $12, and the truck always starts immediately. I like it so much I did the same with the tractor.

It is or was common to put a small solar charger on boats there were in storage or set up for Winter.

[Tatume]

It is or was common to put a small solar charger on boats there were in storage or set up for Winter.

I have one of those too. It puts out 7.5 watts. But how does that compare to a 2 amp charger and why did they switch units. The reason is it looks like a bigger number. Watt = volt x amp, which means that at 12V the 7.5 watt charger is putting out 5/8 of one amp. That's on a clear sunny day. It turned out to be insufficient to maintain the battery in a modern vehicle. The 2 amp charger keeps the battery up, and does it at night and on cloudy days as well.

[BD]

I don't know if all NAPAs do this, but around here if you can drive it to NAPA they will put a real analyser on it and test the battery, charging system and voltage regulation for free.

[Tatume]

Most auto parts stores will test batteries. I bought two new batteries for my F250 7.3L diesel truck and one went bad right away. Advance Auto tested both batteries, found one defective, and replaced it. The truck has been fine ever since. All I had to do was stand there and watch.

[phantom22]

If you are the patient type you can try and find used (sometimes even new) equipment like this at estate auctions or even yard sales. I've probably even sold a few on eBay over the years. You would be amazed at some of the deals you can get at auctions. I sometimes have to resist the urge to keep things that I don't necessarily need for myself but are pricey and will likely never be found again for the price I paid. It will require patience and active searching (mostly online, for auctions at least).

Maybe get it tested at the parts store and keep an eye open for a deal for future use.

[wv109323]

I took the battery in question by an Advanced Auto and had it load tested. It was about 85% of rated CCA. I am going to keep the core as it will fit in an old car I have. The tester they used was a solid state unit not the old analog units I am familiar with from my past.