Battery Load Tester - Midtronics

[chefwong]

Got a 4 year 2 month old AGM Autozone Battery on the charger right now.

It's been quite some time since I've ever done this. How accurate or not is this Load Testers that Autozone uses - if I recall, those MidTronics were fairly accurate. Man, like everything, Looks like the same like battery went up $100 from the last time I bought it

 

[atikovi]

Autozone and Advance are the most overpriced places to buy a battery. They assume you aren't going to comparison shop and that you needed a jump start to get there in the first place, and couldn't leave to buy elsewhere without getting another jump.

 

[chefwong]

I'd spring for a Dekka but on my current local, no dealer around. H8 AGM pricing is on par by a quick google search

 

[atikovi]

How much at the dealer? $170 at Walmart.

Robot or human?

 

[bullwinkle]

Or $190 for a Duracell Deka AGM at Sam’s Club?

 

[researcher]

Got a 4 year 2 month old AGM Autozone Battery on the charger right now.

It's been quite some time since I've ever done this. How accurate or not is this Load Testers that Autozone uses - if I recall, those MidTronics were fairly accurate. Man, like everything, Looks like the same like battery went up $100 from the last time I bought it

I've found those MidTronics testers are accurate. Sure you'd get a "true" result with a carbon-pile load tester but the calculations the MidTronics perform are just as accurate. I have an Ancel battery tester from Amazon that was like $45 or so, compared it to the $2000 MidTronics at Advance auto.. same exact results! cool..

Last time I was over at Autozone I saw they did not have MidTronics but some joke of a tester, red light and green light, seriously! No data, nothing.. I could get one of those testers for $10 at Harbor Freight! I know Advance Auto had the MidTronics. Prints out a report too.

 

[spackard]

The MidTronics with a printer used to be mandatory for warranty replacement at dealers.
The Chinese aftermarket has come a long way in the last 10 years for these testers.

 

[SubLGT]

....The Chinese aftermarket has come a long way in the last 10 years for these testers.

By reverse engineering the MidTronics?

 

[bullwinkle]

I've found those MidTronics testers are accurate. Sure you'd get a "true" result with a carbon-pile load tester but the calculations the MidTronics perform are just as accurate. I have an Ancel battery tester from Amazon that was like $45 or so, compared it to the $2000 MidTronics at Advance auto.. same exact results! cool..

Last time I was over at Autozone I saw they did not have MidTronics but some joke of a tester, red light and green light, seriously! No data, nothing.. I could get one of those testers for $10 at Harbor Freight! I know Advance Auto had the MidTronics. Prints out a report too.

By the time one overpays for a leaky, junk, overpriced AAP or AZ Clarios/JC battery or two, he/she could buy a Clore carbon pile tester, a cheap HF impedance tester, and a Battery Minder and recharge/rehab batteries the right way. Auto parts store batteries can be a massive ripoff…

 

[Donald]

The Midtronics do temp compensation. Or some do. Maybe the higher priced ones.

My HF carbon pile tester has different scales so you can look at the proper scale for the battery temp and get a good idea of the condition of the battery.

 

[f355spider]

How much at the dealer? $170 at Walmart.

Robot or human?

Any of the H8 AGMs with a white "made in Germany" sticker on top is presumably made by Varta. They are sold by AC Delco, Walmart (some locations), Interstate (just switching over to them now). The AC Delco was the first Varta private labeled AGM offerred in the USA, and was tested by Consumer Reports four or five years ago as the top performer. I have one that is just over four years old. It is rated at 900 CCA, and for the first two years, tested at over 1000CCA. I tested it yesterday and it was 945 CCA after sitting overnight in my driveway. Surprised it made it through the Covid lock down with only minimal attention to a battery tender.

Not surprisingly, they are all sold for a similar price:

Costco Interstate H8 AGM $179.99
Walmart $170 https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Platinum-AGM-Battery-Group-Size-H8-12-Volt-900-CCA/40647529
AC Delco H8 on Amazon $180 https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-49AGM-Professional-Automotive-Battery/dp/B006N91BLY/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3UUW31SZT5PD9&keywords=H8+agm&qid=1679601174&s=automotive&sprefix=h8+agm,automotive,146&sr=1-2

 

[researcher]

Any of the H8 AGMs with a white "made in Germany" sticker on top is presumably made by Varta. They are sold by AC Delco, Walmart (some locations), Interstate (just switching over to them now). The AC Delco was the first Varta private labeled AGM offerred in the USA, and was tested by Consumer Reports four or five years ago as the top performer. I have one that is just over four years old. It is rated at 900 CCA, and for the first two years, tested at over 1000CCA. I tested it yesterday and it was 945 CCA after sitting overnight in my driveway. Surprised it made it through the Covid lock down with only minimal attention to a battery tender.

Not surprisingly, they are all sold for a similar price:

Costco Interstate H8 AGM $179.99
Walmart $170 https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Platinum-AGM-Battery-Group-Size-H8-12-Volt-900-CCA/40647529
AC Delco H8 on Amazon $180 https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-49AGM-Professional-Automotive-Battery/dp/B006N91BLY/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3UUW31SZT5PD9&keywords=H8+agm&qid=1679601174&s=automotive&sprefix=h8+agm,automotive,146&sr=1-2

Nice to know about Varta.. I always thought they were good quality from what I remember hearing. Plus I think I mentioned the new Walmart everstart maxx I just got for the tC is a Varta battery and it's holding it's charge better than I remember others in the past.

 

[Chris142]

I've got another brand of tester that's similar to the midtronics one. Paid about $30 from eBay. Works fine