Battery Load Tester

[lefty]

I recently picked up an Irontron 12v Battery load tester from Northerntool. https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200611634_200611634

It will test from 200 amp to 1000amp but only in increments of 100. The battery I'm testing is 340. My guess is that I'm supposed to set it at 300 or 400 but I don't know which. It's digital.

Thanks

[SUKI]

The instructions for the unit is vague about operation.

Now what I have been using for a couple years is the CEN-TECH Digital Battery Analyzer from HFT. It seems to works very well; although, it has been improved to add Amp/Hour results. Mine don't have that function just shows battery resistance, charge level, and CCA levels. It is selectable to within 5 CCA of battery rated capacity. When testing with it you must wait 15-20 minutes after charging the battery for accurate test results and a later test the next day in case the battery has a charge leakage problem.

[lefty]

Thanks. I'll check that one out as well.

[KE4AVB]

I have one of those HFT battery testers too. One problem that has develop and it happens to anything that is made with plastic. The positive clamp is now after two years nearly broke in two. As usually poor quality engineering of the clamps. The tester itself still works so I got to figure a way to replace that clamp as it has two leads that are separated and insulated from each other. I don't it matters as there can't be that much resistance across the battery post.

I will wait until the next HFT sale and buy another one if I can't repair the lead.

[bgsengine]

I have one of those HFT battery testers too. One problem that has develop and it happens to anything that is made with plastic. The positive clamp is now after two years nearly broke in two. As usually poor quality engineering of the clamps. The tester itself still works so I got to figure a way to replace that clamp as it has two leads that are separated and insulated from each other. I don't it matters as there can't be that much resistance across the battery post.

I will wait until the next HFT sale and buy another one if I can't repair the lead.

Doesn't Mcmaster-Carr carry alligator clamps in different sizes? I'd think they'd be fairly common I had no trouble finding replacement clamps for jumper cables, and noticed I could get them in smaller sizes as well (depending on wire gauges) , found mine on Amazon..

[KE4AVB]

I'll take a look but don't know if they got a pair that each side is insulated from the other.

The HFT unit is a four wire unit and each clamp is two separate contacts as it is currently designed.

[KE4AVB]

Well I am retiring the Centec Tester and going with the Viking tester with better test clamps. I initially trying to a TopDon tester with printer but apparently UPS destroyed it due to Amazon lousy packaging. It is useless trying to deal the Amazon customer service.

If wasn't for the bad clamps the Centec would still be in use.