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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

HF Battery Load Tester

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Glenn FitzGeral

05-15-2006 17:56:42




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Looking through the HF flyer just prior to tossing it in file #13....100 Amp 6/12 Volt Battery Load Tester, lot#90636....I know little about load testers but it sure would be nice to be able to test my own batteries. What can I expect from such a unit? Is it any good? Thanks, Glenn F.




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jeffcat

05-18-2006 08:02:53




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 Re: HF Battery Load Tester in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 05-15-2006 17:56:42  
About two years ago the freight store had the 50 amp unit on special. If I remember it was the rediculous price of TEN bucks! I have two very old units from the 50s that have the round meter with an exposed load. Won't use them for four or five months and then use them almost ten times in one week. On cars and tractors a 50 amp is plenty of a load. The older units from the 50s are only 35 amp. If you know how to use them and understand how a battery works they are a great tool. The harbor unit at 50 amp with analog meter is a very good unit but learn how to use it. The battery needs an over night trickle charge. Should read at LEAST 12.2 volts. Throw the load switch at let the load cook for about 30 seconds. The meter should only drop one volt or just a bit more. Eleven volts is a real good battery. You can also check out your altinator and generators with it. All in all a very handy tool if you learn how it works. Good deal! Jeffcat

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Nolan

05-17-2006 04:43:01




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 Re: HF Battery Load Tester in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 05-15-2006 17:56:42  
Load testers are wonderfull things. You don't use them often.

This particular unit has small looking leads. So small I'm suspicious of the ability of the unit to work right. While it appears to be a common load unit, and has the analog display I personally like, I'm skeptical of the units ability to generate a heavy load to truly test the battery with.



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davpal

05-16-2006 21:11:36




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 Re: HF Battery Load Tester in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 05-15-2006 17:56:42  
My dad bought a nice one at a car swap meet. I just used it the other day to load test the two batteries in my big tractor. It is about a foot long and five inches wide and is chrome steel with two very heavy duty leads and a switch to load test and a sweeping dial that tells you what voltage the battery is holding. It worked very well and also got pretty hot while I was using it. It was the first time I used it and it did tell me the batteries were ok. It was the starter that was bad.

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Gary Schafer

05-16-2006 09:28:33




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 Re: HF Battery Load Tester in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 05-15-2006 17:56:42  
I bought one a few years ago and promptly returned it. Not built very well. The biggest problem is that the cables on them and connectors are too small. There is too much voltage drop in the cables and connectors when testing. The meter will read lower than actual battery voltage.
If you compare the voltage right at the battery post with a digital meter to the reading you get on the load tester meter you will see quite a discrepancy. So you really don�t know what you have with the load tester.

Regards
Gary

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fepo

05-16-2006 08:57:18




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 Re: HF Battery Load Tester in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 05-15-2006 17:56:42  
I got one last year, the digital one, it works ok. I might prefer the analog one though.

Most cars and pickups the starter pulls about 100 A, I tested a few starters with an ammeter and shunt resistor. But if your testing batt on big diesels then the 100amp load is not enough and not worth even trying it.



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jdemaris

05-15-2006 19:59:25




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 Re: HF Battery Load Tester in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 05-15-2006 17:56:42  
I think your money is better spent getting a genuine, old-fashioned, full load carbon-pile load tester - if you really want the capability of checking batteries properly. We tried several different types of "simulated load" testers at our tractor dealership, and "partial load" testers such as the 100 amp unit mention you mentioned. In my opinion, something that barely does half the job is not worth buying. If you have a cranking problem, and the starter normally draws 400-700 amps - it's nice to be able to simulate that condition with a proper load tester. You can load-test the batteries, and also hook it to the battery cables and check the circuit and connections. Back in the 80s and 90s, the 500 amp carbon-pile testers were pricey - but not so bad anymore. We used to pay over $200. I see them now advertised often at places like Harbor Freight and Northen Tool and they're around $90.
They will put up to a 500 amp load and register volts at the same time. The tester is sensitive and adjustable enough so you can also load-check small-load circuits and circuit breakers which can be a real assest to identifying problems. I just used mine to check a couple of 30 amp breakers. Northern's are listed at: Link

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TimV

05-15-2006 19:24:02




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 Re: HF Battery Load Tester in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 05-15-2006 17:56:42  
Got one a couple of years ago at one of the Cummins travelling tool shows for $20. Saved it back in a couple of months by charging suspect batteries overnight, then testing them. The ones that didn't hold up got pitched, but I easily saved $20 by not pitching three or four that I would have otherwise. It's a whole lot more convenient than putting the battery into a vehicle only to find out it's flat the next morning!

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Rockyhawaii

05-15-2006 19:06:48




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 Re: HF Battery Load Tester in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 05-15-2006 17:56:42  
I bought one some years back. I still use it to test batteries and charging systems. Depending on your shipping costs, you may be better off picking one up locally.



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