need a new battery tester - recommendations?

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Originally Posted By: Farmer
I have a Solar BA5 tester. Its a small compact electronic one. It has never failed me yet.


I have one of those too, I would be curious to test it against a more professional tester. It seems very poorly constructed to me and feels flimsy. It was cheap, it has that going for it.

I would spend more for a nicer one if I had it to do over.
 
If you have no issue throwing a battery on a plug-in charger overnight before testing then the HF carbon pile load tester is best.

If you want to test a battery regardless of charge state, the Solar conductive one previously mentioned is fine.

Midtronics is better but more $$. You you have to have even more $$ for the Midtronics one that is temp compensated.
 
Since that midtronics is around 600$ I doubt its worth it for non-commercial use.

The HF model is pretty accurate.. sometimes though you do need a load tester.

HF has 100amp and a variable upto 500amp load testers.

http://www.harborfreight.com/500-amp-carbon-pile-load-tester-91129.html
is good if you get one that was assembled correctly.. they have horrible QC.

http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-automotive-battery-analyzer-66892.html
also has its place..

combined they should be near 120$ total with coupons.
 
I have the Solar BA7 and Midtronics PBT300.
The Solar don't get much use. It can't test a charging system with over 14V.
Midtronics is more pricey, but it's the one I depends on for my daily work.
 
Either a carbon load or else the HF tester. Why?

If you use the carbon load, you can calculate the battery impedance based upon voltage drop.

The HF tester provides impedance.

Without impedance (and optimally Ah capacity), testing a battery is pretty useless.

Carbon pile is most foolproof. Vc=Voc-I*R; do tge math to calculate R.
 
I emailed Clore about the Solar BA9, asking if it measured actual internal resistance. Their reply was "Solar BA9 measures the V and I, then calculates the internal resistance upon an algorithm."

Is this different than the HF model?


FYI, there is a lengthy thread about budget battery testers at GarageJournal forum if anyone is interested: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324792
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
I emailed Clore about the Solar BA9, asking if it measured actual internal resistance. Their reply was "Solar BA9 measures the V and I, then calculates the internal resistance upon an algorithm."

Is this different than the HF model?


FYI, there is a lengthy thread about budget battery testers at GarageJournal forum if anyone is interested: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=324792


Exactky what current is that solar tester dissipating and how?

Carbon pile burns energy. That solar does not. There is no way for I to be flowed at a meaningful rate.

Typically theres a tiny peturbation at some frequency, often 1kHz, from which impedance can be taken.

That solar one doesnt even report the value that i cantell. Does it?
 
Hi...i am a new user here. As per my knowledge if you are going to use storage batteries, it is best to use 12 VDC on devices that operate on 12 VDC. Some items must have 120VAC such as my microwave and toaster. Then a inverter changes the 12VDC from storage battery to 120VAC. Heating and cooking I use gas stove and heater.
 
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