Battery tester deal

[Tx J]

OK, not sure about this, but I'll put this interesting device, an electronic battery checker, out here for y'all since it's going on sale [for a 24h period, 20210630].
Always lots of battery related stuff hereabouts, right? If anyone's got anything similar, or advice/crit, pipe up.

Disclaimer and explanation: I have no interests in Newegg except as a 'usually' satisfied customer, and they really compete against the 'big A' [my 'Prime' ain't much anymore..]. I buy stuff from them fairly regularly and most products are usually worth it, often exceeding expectations. Looked for a guideline, if this post isn't ok, quash it.
Was looking at the 'West Marine' thread and it's sad, the nearest one closed hereabouts. According to Wiki, WM was acquired by a 'private equity firm' a few years ago, so a 'vampire squid's' got it now which probably accounts for the slide.

Back on topic--- Got various VOMs, meters, instruments, o'scopes, etc. And a Sterling 'battery load tester', which seems to work ok for what it does [gets damned hot]. I end up with too much electrical/electronic stuff, the curse of an old nerd.

But I'm going to bite for one of these "Ancel BA201 Battery Tester 12V Auto Battery Analyzer's' anyway.
Not the equal of MaineSail's rigorous tests, but it might be as good or better as dragging a battery to an auto parts place or Wally's auto dept.

It looks like it may be useful [see below], and it's going on sale tomorrow; even the regular price seems reasonable [which will appear until the sale begins at 0000hr PDT, 20210630, then reduced, probably 10-40% as usual for this daily NE promo scheme].
The descriptions on NE are often under-descriptive, but extrapolating, this appears to have a number of useful functions. It's a 'new' product listing for NE, first listed 20210518 [from 'Spec' info tab].

Was going to post a picture, but ng. It's a small handheld meter much like a VOM with battery clamps; just check the NE item page below.

Ancel BA201 Battery Tester 12V Auto Battery Analyzer [see the other similar ones, different colors/models if this sells out; as some of these NE sales items do in minutes/hours]:

https://www.newegg.com/p/0AF-01BX-00...quicklink=true

[tkeithlu]

The sale price is not out of line with the routine prices of similar electronic battery testers.

I use both the Topdon electronic tester and a simple resistance voltmeter of the old fashioned type. Yeah, the Topdon runs more "tests" and gives digital results, but the voltmeter/resistance coil give charge, ability to carry a load, and whether the alternator is putting out, which is adequate for general purposes. I have not tossed the old fashioned tester.

See:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=automotiv...f=nb_sb_noss_1

[Lake-Effect]

That looks like a useful unit.

I have something similar, except that its output is mostly text, no sexy graphics. But it does the same set of tests.

At one point, these sorts of testers, especially the more expensive Midtronics units, were considered to be the last word for battery testing. More recent study, including research by CF member Maine Sail, has led to questions about their accuracy. So be warned.

Having said that, I use my cheap battery tester as a quick on-the-boat confirmation of battery health, and I don't treat its estimation of capacity as gospel. If it fails a battery, I would then take that battery to a reputable battery shop and have them test it with their better gear.

[wsmurdoch]

You might take a look at a West Mountain Radio Computer Battery Analyzer. West Mountain Radio - Computerized Battery Analyzer I have a CBA IV. The device is connected to a PC and a fully charged battery. It discharges the battery at a constant amp draw monitoring the battery voltage as the battery slowly discharges to a chosen minimum voltage. It reports a graph of battery voltage vs amp-hr withdrawn and total amp-hr available in the fully charged battery. It essentially does what MaineSail did in his battery testing.

I have used the CBA IV to determine the individual capacity of my boat's batteries to handle the normal instrument, autopilot, radar, radio, AIS, and lighting loads during a period of not charging. I also test the individual ability of my batteries to provide a high current engine starting load with a standard CCA battery tester. https://amazon.com/Schumacher-BT-100..._t2_B07FQ1G327

Based on the results of the testing, I replace all the batteries as a group rotating the best to my other boats before recycling the worst.



Bill

[Tx J]

tkeithlu, lkeff, wsm, Thanks for info, your links are helping with my 'due diligence' that I do before buying almost anything.
tk's 'big A' link led me to the Ancel store, where there are various other models, Newegg has more too.
Their BST500 looks interesting, but double the dinero...there's a BA301 model too [which NE could also put on sale]. A's got hefty promo discounts though.

Pricing varies, but that's why I posted, Newegg's 'deals' sometimes has amazing pricing, free shipping etc; so I'm waiting for the sale posting to pop up [after 0200hr tomorrow here] to see before deciding.

These type products are 'commodized' nowadays anyway, with many identical or similar designs and brands, so checking it all out and factoring in the variables is a PITA.
Have a couple of questionable batteries, so I guess I can rationalize getting one of these ...

Was thinking about commenting on some of the AGM threads. Had a vehicle battery die due to disuse [a Motorcraft SLA AGM VRLA], replaced it with an Odyssey Extreme TPPL AGM VRLA [ConsRpts ranked a lesser Odyssey near perfect, sooo duedil made me do it].

Then I started messing with the dead one for grins. Man, it was daaayydd, ~4.5V OCV, that is stake-in-the-heart dedded. One charger wouldn't touch it, so I alternated two other dumb and smart chargers, and after a week+ of short/long charge sessions brought that sucker back from the dead.
It now stays up, OC voltage holds, tests repetitively a-ok on the Sterling; and I just gotta check it with something else before putting it to work again in another vehicle [those are heavy batts, group 65].
Is it good now??
Anybody resuscitated a really dead battery before?

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

That looks like a useful unit.

I have something similar, except that its output is mostly text, no sexy graphics. But it does the same set of tests.

At one point, these sorts of testers, especially the more expensive Midtronics units, were considered to be the last word for battery testing. More recent study, including research by CF member Maine Sail, has led to questions about their accuracy. So be warned.

Having said that, I use my cheap battery tester as a quick on-the-boat confirmation of battery health, and I don't treat its estimation of capacity as gospel. If it fails a battery, I would then take that battery to a reputable battery shop and have them test it with their better gear.

Tks, saw the MaineSail article earlier, and the PS mag article; have to agree, but...those cheap things have improved and are likely 'good enough' att for me doing quick checks.

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

You might take a look at a West Mountain Radio Computer Battery Analyzer. West Mountain Radio - Computerized Battery Analyzer I have a CBA IV. The device is connected to a PC and a fully charged battery. It discharges the battery at a constant amp draw monitoring the battery voltage as the battery slowly discharges to a chosen minimum voltage. It reports a graph of battery voltage vs amp-hr withdrawn and total amp-hr available in the fully charged battery. It essentially does what MaineSail did in his battery testing.

I have used the CBA IV to determine the individual capacity of my boat's batteries to handle the normal instrument, autopilot, radar, radio, AIS, and lighting loads during a period of not charging. I also test the individual ability of my batteries to provide a high current engine starting load with a standard CCA battery tester. https://amazon.com/Schumacher-BT-100..._t2_B07FQ1G327

Based on the results of the testing, I replace all the batteries as a group rotating the best to my other boats before recycling the worst.



Bill

Tks, Those WMtns are sorta pricey, eh? nice though. So many tech goodies...
The Schumacher batt load tester is like a Sterling-lite version.
IIRC, my Schumacher charger 'choked' on the dead battery, so I played with some others until it revived, or has it?

https://sterling-power.com/products/...battery-tester

[EngineerRetired]

Guys I am as big a nerd as is humanly possible but, I think "old school" is often simpler. In the case of a wet cell battery, give me a good (accurate) hydrometer. Test each cell at full charge, half charge and full discharge (12 volts). You can tell exactly what is happening with each cell.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by EngineerRetired

Guys I am as big a nerd as is humanly possible but, I think "old school" is often simpler. In the case of a wet cell battery, give me a good (accurate) hydrometer. Test each cell at full charge, half charge and full discharge (12 volts). You can tell exactly what is happening with each cell.

...But that won't tell you the actual capacity or internal resistance.

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by EngineerRetired

Guys I am as big a nerd as is humanly possible but, I think "old school" is often simpler. In the case of a wet cell battery, give me a good (accurate) hydrometer. Test each cell at full charge, half charge and full discharge (12 volts). You can tell exactly what is happening with each cell.

"old school" hell. yes. I'm retired too. Remembering old telco battery rooms with the white tile walls and floors.
Gigantic strings of open top battery cells, just look down into those pools of acid, carefully. Remnants of AGBell's earlier hi-tech. Newer cells were closed of course, but still gigantic compared to any common SLI type, and hydrometer checked too.
I liked to tweak a lineup of rectifiers a volt or two and see dozens of giant clear cells start bubbling [monster equalization cycle], just for a moment. New plants, 'little' Solar gas turbines for the UPS backup gensets instead of huge Detroits, the cat's yowllll... :].

Now my lawn tractor is EV, with a 48V string of sealed VRLA AGMs under the seat.

A different world now. I'd like to go all LFP for everything, even vehicles; but waiting a bit longer for it all to settle out.

[Tx J]

Correction to the Ancel BA201 battery tester link.
Due to multiple vendors on Newegg (some US), the following link is for the one actually 'on sale', 45 clams for 4+ more hours, 10% off. Ships free from US/Calif. I ordered one.

https://www.newegg.com/p/0AF-01BX-00087