Vattery tester>
 

I'm thinking of buying one for our two cars. I'm confused after a net search has prices from $500 to well under $100. Guess I looking for a "learn me about" thread.

Not talking multimeter for measuring volts...but a complete battery tester. (sorry about the title typo.)

Like testing load, charging system, cca...? I bought this a couple years ago and it does what I need it to do. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NCJFERU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I’d get a Fluke Multimeter with the Max/Min feature. I want one.

You can load test a car battery.

I like this type.

https://www.amazon.com/Actron-CP7612-Battery-Load-Tester/dp/B0009XQUJI

It ain't complete but it clearly tests the battery. It's basically a toaster.

The spiffy ones at the FLAPS for testing your battery/charging system have more goodies that ferret out charging anomalies that take the price much higher.

I love this one and not just because it's fairly cheap...

https://www.amazon.com/BA9-40-1200-Digital-Battery-System/dp/B00IZFNJ6Y

I've had a few testers from simple multimeter to the smoking load testers - and all have lied to me in a fashion...
This one requires you enter the type and CCA of the battery, it tests it and tells you how many actual CCAs are "left" and gives you a pass/fail on whether it's worth recharging on not... It has allowed me to troubleshoot and toss a problematic battery that other testers had passed and which I had ruled out as the problem (and a new battery fixed all issues), and to resurrect one other testers had failed, and it was right each time...
I loaned it to my neighbor and he liked it so much he bought his own after the same experience..

Vat looks like the way to go!

After watching youtube unitl my eyes fell out
 

Decided I wanted a tester giving a conductance test with a milliohms readout. The gives you an idea of the amount of sulphation.

Strangely, it seems a Harbor Freight unit gives a good bang for the bucks...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtWflJTp_mM

Paul, edit your first post, then "go advanced" and you can edit the title

Post Title
 

That just edits the post title, not the thread title.

You know, I might start trolling some day and leave a hint in the post title.

In OT, it will edit the displayed title

Who actually needs a rester for yer vattery? I made it this far without one!

Hey Paul....ya only go 'round once man....buy ya a coupla new vatteries every other year....you've earned it ;). Or a standby spare....

Well, FWIW, new battery installed today. Optima digital 1200 "smart charger" wouldn't bring the old one past 11.4 volts, gave a readout "cannot charge this battery". Last optima 35 only gave me 6 years. Hmmm. Probably the Ford Mustang design with the battery on the passenger side firewall...perfect spot for high underhood heat. Most optimas have given me a decade at least.

Still going to buy a vattery tester though...

Battery's should last one day past the warranty.

Check the battery location...talk about a heat sink!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1553130951.jpg

Of course, I "needed" a billet battery hold down for it's looks. Why keep things simple when more complicated looks better?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1553131118.jpg

A solar installer was repairing part of a client's system. He didn't know what he was doing and disconnected the feed for the inverter system. So of course it flipped to battery mode and it zerod out the batteries. The client didn't know. I went to help him, but all of the battery chargers were "smart" chargers. none would try with the voltage low. I had to go buy an old style dumb charger to get his batteries back.

Damn! Maybe I should have fired up my old Sears charger. Oh well, live & learn...

I had to do that with my mom's (momz?) car.
The smart charger code indicated a bad battery and my old century charger put 6 amps (the highest setting) for a long time before it started to drop the amperage.
The smart charger then would do its job and topped up the charge.