Load test the battery.

[dodge man]

I see it over and over, a person has a starting issue. It just clicks, turns over slow or other weird electrical issues. They say “the battery is good”. The first thing to do is load test the battery. These also give you the voltage of the battery but that alone isn’t enough. The picture I’ve attached is a cheap on, $20 from Harbor Freight. All it does is heat up a toaster type grid on the back to see how well the battery holds up. I often see advice on a new starter, check your ground, new cables, new solenoids. LOAD TEST THE BATTERY FIRST.

 

[scootr]

I see it over and over, a person has a starting issue. It just clicks, turns over slow or other weird electrical issues. They say “the battery is good”. The first thing to do is load test the battery. These also give you the voltage of the battery but that alone isn’t enough. The picture I’ve attached is a cheap on, $20 from Harbor Freight. All it does is heat up a toaster type grid on the back to see how well the battery holds up. I often see advice on a new starter, check your ground, new cables, new solenoids. LOAD TEST THE BATTERY FIRST.
View attachment 1123094

When I was in the battery service side of my industry that tester proved to be not good. Maybe it would work on a starting battery but it darn sure did not on a deep cycle. Wouldn't the starter draw just as much juice while you watch the voltage drop?

 

[careyo63]

My understanding Cold start is Amps. CCA.. You may show fair amount of Volts but the Amps. are low. Voltage + Discharge + Temperature Factor. Basicly when it's really Cold out !!!! Warm outside and low amps it's trash.

 

[Mike1955]

Sounds like good advice. I’m 70 and never had a need for one. If you do yourself a favor, and clean the connections you most likely will eliminate most of the problems. Besides, you can put your vom of the battery posts, not the cables, try to start it and if voltage falls to zero then the battery needs charging or replaced. But that tool be fun

 

[number two]

My "toaster" finally died.after 34 years.
I now have a Solar BA9 battery tester-about $65-70.
Check it out!

 

[BravoXray]

I still have my Snap-On carbon pile load tester from the 70s.
Still works fine.

 

[grsthegreat]

The harbor freight unit you showed in first post only applies a 100 amp load test. You need to provide at minimum a 50% load from posted CCA rating. The unit i use can supply up to 500 amps. The load should be applied for about 20 seconds, than see resulting voltages available. I always first test a battery this way, than hook up my midtronics battery analyzer that checks for shorted or bad cells, and electronically gives available CCA readings.

 

[ultrarunner]

My Silver Beauty does 10 amp, 150 and 300 amp load test.

Standard procedure on the lot was to charge the battery and then load test…

 

[MMC]

The harbor freight unit you showed in first post only applies a 100 amp load test. You need to provide at minimum a 50% load from posted CCA rating. The unit i use can supply up to 500 amps. The load should be applied for about 20 seconds, than see resulting voltages available. I always first test a battery this way, than hook up my midtronics battery analyzer that checks for shorted or bad cells, and electronically gives available CCA readings.

Your points on Midtronics (and similar) are certainly valid. I have a Midtronics and several others, along with carbon pile units, and they do accomplish more discrete battery testing. But for a cheap tool, the "toaster" types can point to where to start (no pun intended).

Kinda' like the older and even cheaper test..."see if the lights dim when I hit the key switch." Everything helps.