load testing a battery.

[Northern Bongolow]

i was thinking of buying a proper drop/load tester for testing iffy batteries, but there is another way which may help some,and save money if you have a good fluke meter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsJUuLu1cw0.

[Bob]

Useful Ady, thanks.

[scanner]

A conductance tester is said to be the better way of testing the true strength of a battery.
Volt meters, drop testers and even hydrometers can give misleading readings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi8sUE9XCgA

[Dodgey]

Nice tip NB - and you don't need a fluke. My £19 meter has min max function.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VC97-3999-AUT ... 4ac5067ecb

A great meter. Gone are the days where you have to pay £100's for a good meter.

[Northern Bongolow]

A conductance tester is said to be the better way of testing the true strength of a battery.
Volt meters, drop testers and even hydrometers can give misleading readings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi8sUE9XCgA

they look very good mate, but a tad expensive for the home user.

yours looks too clever for me dodgey i cannot see a min/max button. .

the point really is that most of us lecky messers have a mid priced meter in our tool box, so an easy quick test with the tools we have is always good eh.

[BashTheBongo]

very handy thanks

[Dodgey]

I linked the wrong one .. Oops

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VC99-6999-AUT ... 4ac5212485

Not nearly as complicated at they look. I might so a tutorial...

[Diplomat]

Coincidentally, I've just found myself developing my own testing regime in a similar vein.

I've been charging the battery, during my winter lay up, using a switched mode charger from Aldi. When the charge cycle finishes it goes on to maintenance with a reading of 12.8 volts at the cigar lighter socket. I haven't looked to see what it reads at the battery terminals, and that's using a digital battery tester from.... Aldi, of course (not a precision meter).

Turning the key to the glow plugs on, pre start, condition, i get a drop to 11.7 volts. I then put the headlights on as well and it drops again and stays at 11.4 volts. That reassures me that I haven't got an iffy cell, which is all I really need to know. After a while, with everything switched off again, the reading is back up at 12.8 volts.

Remind me to read the voltage tomorrow with just the headlights on. I would expect it to be more than 12 volts.

They are big batteries and take a lot of hours to charge to full capacity with a nominal 5 amp charger.


Frank

[dobby]

I picked up my bongo yesterday from Ian Taylor it had been in for rust and repairs etc, he was going to swap over my battery as it seemed low but it still cranks the motor so didn't, his view is that batteries now are often calcium now and not lead and cannot cope being discharged too far. Guess w need need to find a good spec lead battery?

[g8dhe]

The Calcium is only an additive to the mix of lead to give the plates better mechanical integrity.

[dobby]

Ah, any preferences on a decent brand i.e. not the cheapest etc?

[scanner]

I've used Varta batteries and found them to be as good as any.

http://www.puredrivebatteries.co.uk/g7- ... wgodDmsAWg

That one should be the right size.

[dobby]

Cheers, fair price as well. Going to keep an eye on mine for a bit

[Diplomat]

The Calcium is only an additive to the mix of lead to give the plates better mechanical integrity.

Isn't calcium one of those elements from school laboratory lore that whizzes around spitting flames when added to a bowl of water?

Perhaps the acid keeps it calm inside a battery.


Frank

[g8dhe]

Nope that's Lithium! Which is why you here of various laptop / phone batteries catching fire!
Normally the lithium is not in a metallic form within the battery, but its quite easy to cause the metallic form to occur
at which point moisture in the air getting into the battery is enough to cause a fire to breakout!