Who still believe in a battery tester?

[Benzerari]

Have tried several times using a battery tester and a meter, to test batteries, according to the battery tester the batteries always shown flat or nearly flat even those recently installed, say a year or so. But when using the meter it shows the right readings in terms of volts and Amps...

Would the battery tester need to be re-qualibrated from time to time like any electronics measurement instrument and how often?

[Wiz]

All testing equipment should be checked against a known parameter on a regular basis.

The equipment manufacturer should confirm how regularly this should be.

In all circumstances the period between checks should not normally exceed twelve months.

What sort of battery tester are you using? I have previously described on this forum a proven method of testing most batteries with a multimeter and a suitable load.

If new batteries have failed within a year it is almost always certainly due to a fault with the charging circuit or is temperature related.

[David Rooney]

I must have missed that Wiz... I used to do a "10 minute" test on batteries with big old resistor.... used to get so hot it'd take your finger prints off......!

Have to say i'm not a fan of the electronic testers... and yes they need to go back annually for re-calibration...

[nearlythere]

Can you not use your tongue like a real man would?

[Allen Higginson]

Im lost when it comes to 12aH and above when it comes to that - can't reach both posts!
The meters certainly increase your battery sales1

[GregC]

Resistors are ok but a better load is a lamp, gives you a visual indication and makes it easier to see inside the control panel.

just be careful they aren't halogen 500w 12v items you find lying on the side of a bench in a garage, I couldn't see for about 5 minutes after it lit up and burned out in a split second when I put it across a set of 24Ah batts, I wonder how many lumen's it put out  

I think the rating is a 20th for 30 minutes?