HF Battery testers

[subcamper]

I have a bunch of car/truck batteries sitting around in my shop and I want to test them so I can recycle the bad ones and use the good ones for a rare non-electric-hookup 3 day campout with our TT.

I am looking at two Harbor Freight battery testers:

1) Carbon-Pile tester

500A Carbon-Pile Tester

2) Digital Analyzer that uses impedance

Digital Battery Analyzer

Both are pretty inexpensive with the 25% off coupon.

I am looking for suggestions/experiences on which one to buy.

Steve

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Replace it with a temperature compensated unit.

subcamper wrote:
I do have a battery hydrometer (with the 4 floating balls) so I can also check that way.

[subcamper]

I forgot to mention that there are a couple of deep-discharge batteries also in the mix. These are the ones I want to use on the TT (if they are good)

Later today I am going to HF and buy the carbon pile tester ($40 with coupon) and then charge and test the batteries. I do have a battery hydrometer (with the 4 floating balls) so I can also check that way.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Usually I buy new batteries for our cars and trucks if there is any question, but I have a few golf carts (gas) that I would put a battery in that was not in top condition but they are only driven around the property so no big deal if the battery fails down the road.

Steve

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Find the CCA of the battery

The LOAD you apply will be one half that.

Test only a fully charged battery

Use a clock or a watch

Load battery for 15 seconds

It must not sag the voltage below nine point six volts

Hold amperage steady meaning twist the dial more if necessary

If amperage then voltage sags on its butt the battery is unrecoverable

If voltage slowly sags below 9.6 volts check cells with a hydrometer

Test Golf car batteries in 12 volt 6 cell series
Load to 200 amps for THIRTY SECONDS. Must remain above 9.6 volts.


Results from a Carbon Pile test trumps anything gotten from an impedance teste but not the other way round.

[ksg5000]

I own the HF carbon pile tester which I bought many years ago - use it once a year and it seems to work fine but I don't consider myself a battery expert.

[RJsfishin]

Don't buy the HF impedance tester. I bought one a year ago, and it failed miserably the tests I put it thru on known to be weak low voltage batts.

The carbon pile tester works good.

[Gdetrailer]

subcamper wrote:
A few of the batteries are from vehicles that we got rid of and removed the battery. Some of the batteries are only a few years old. Right now I need to weed them out.

Steve

Doesn't matter, really.

You ARE spinning your wheels in the first place.

YOUR "goal" that you stated was to "camp" for THREE DAYS.

To do that with AUTOMOTIVE STARTING BATTERIES you WILL need to drag along at least THREE of them and that most likely will not be enough.

Do yourself a huge favor, SCRAP them by using them as a core towards BETTER SUITED batteries.

Alternately, advertise them on Craigslist for $25 each then put the money towards getting deep cycle batteries..

Yes, you can use a tester, but still in the end you will have batteries designed for a high current draw (starter)for a few seconds then quickly recharged. These types of batteries tend to do a very poor job for lower and longer discharges.. A typical group 24 size starting battery will only have 60ah-70ah of capacity, but using more than 20% of that battery WILL destroy the capacity, especially if that battery sits for three days partially discharged..

I understand the idea of being frugal, but sometimes you have to pony up and get the RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB.

[grizzzman]

wa8yxm wrote:
I have the carbon pile tester but to be honest neither does a COMPLETE test. both together.. Now that is getting downright close to a Complete test

The Carbon Pile unit though does a good enough job for me It has identified several Sub par batteries over the years.

Ding Ding Ding we have a winner! Both tools have there place.
If I had a choice of one of the other (and not much testing) I would choose the toaster. The real tester should be what others suggest. Specific gravity tester charged voltage tested then a toaster(check that the voltage after the toaster test rebounds quickly)
Good luck with your adventure!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Impedance tester = Handy analysis by algebra

Carbon Pile = Absolute proof analysis by work

Charge old battery until it is both bubbling in the cell and 25 degrees warmer than when you started.

Clean battery posts bright.

Connect cables to battery

Twist load knob to get 250 amps draw.

Voltage needle must stay above nine point six volts for a full 15 seconds.

Amperes must stay at 250 the whole time.

Shut off load
Volt needle must not jump back to 10 volts then slowly rise to 12.

This is a gentle load less than what is applied to a new battery

If the battery fails this test it is a goner.

There is no question a carbon pile load test is more reliable than an impedance measurement. It you want to futz further, a hydrometer can tell you which batteries may benefit from a full equalization.

[time2roll]

If you really must carry all that dead lead around.... Just charge them (14.4+ volts) for 8 hours. Those that get hot or have excess 'boiling' just recycle. Then let the rest stand resting and disconnected 24 to 48 hours and see what holds 12.6+ volts. Low voltage, leave them at home. Dip them with a hydrometer if you have one.

[MrWizard]

i have the carbon pile tester

charge battery to full

then use the Carbon Pile tester for a load test

if it carries the correct load, per the "battery rating"

then capacity is still in the usable zone

[wa8yxm]

I have the carbon pile tester but to be honest neither does a COMPLETE test. both together.. Now that is getting downright close to a Complete test

The Carbon Pile unit though does a good enough job for me It has identified several Sub par batteries over the years.

[pianotuna]

subcamper,

Any of the batteries that have sat dead for more than a year can more or less be eliminated.

For the newer ones, charge for 168 hours, wait 24 hours, check specific gravity.

[j-d]

Battery testing came up recently on a boater forum. Testers there were all electronic (not carbon pile) from $100 and WAY on up.
In HF, the electronic has the higher ratings.
I think carbon pile can be misused.
That said, the wording of the carbon pile ratings seemed stronger.
So for me, if buying one today: Carbon Pile.
With a warning: NOT down in the bilge of a boat, or where flammable fumes can accumulate. I don't think carbon pile is as "Spark Safe" as electronic.
I have no such tester. Given the choices here, I'd get Carbon Pile but I'd lift the boat batteries out before testing.

[subcamper]

A few of the batteries are from vehicles that we got rid of and removed the battery. Some of the batteries are only a few years old. Right now I need to weed them out.

Steve