Tool Review: Cen-Tech Battery Analyzer

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IMO depends upon the nature of the failure. If the battery had a growing presence of unreactive lead in a cell, it may just show as something like a 60% capacity battery. However, as soon as enough lead drops off or creates a short in the battery, which can be near instantaneous, then it may have the ability to drop like a rock.

We had this experience once. We were driving to Chicago, were doing just fine, had stopped maybe five or six times for eating, gas, bathroom, etc., no issues. Stopped for gas in Gary, Indiana, and all of a sudden the car wouldnt start. Nothing. Super-low voltage. Even the towtruck couldnt get the car to start until he used a screwdriver to short the starter!

But it was totally out of the blue.

This was long before I ever had a battery analyzer, but IMO showing a battery at 60% is probably indication that it has something going on...

So IMO it is all about the failure mode. If it is a shorted cell (does the battery read something like 8V?) then Im not sure nay test can forewarn of it...
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

So IMO it is all about the failure mode. If it is a shorted cell (does the battery read something like 8V?) then Im not sure nay test can forewarn of it...


Actually, I think it was down to 3-4 volts. I've already returned the battery so I can't retest.
 
I just use mine to keep track of the internal resistance.

It's a convenient tool for measuring that - assuming it's accurate.

I confess I have not tried to cross check mine for accuracy.
 
I think the tool was designed to be a easier tester for the "kids" that work at AZ or AAP or Walmart. Kind of idiot proof. Does not need to be fully charged is a big plus.

But a hydrometer (if it fits) or a carbon pile (variable) load tester are better in my opinion.

Ten years ago the guy who owned a rebuild shop told me he bought a new fancy tester. I assume it was similar to the HF now sold for under $100. He stopped using after a few months and went back to a load tester. He said it did not give a high percentage of readings he trusted.
 
In case anyone is interested, I have plotted all of the resistance vs cca values from youtube videos and posts from various forums and have found a very close formula for calculating either of the two:
uOhm^0.5=a+b/CCA^0.5 where a=-0.02619139 and b=54.87169871
 
Here's a bone for those of you that use the testers for agm storage batteries. I plotted all of the 12v agm batteries from PowerSonic's data sheets for internal resistance vs AH@20hr rate and used tablecurve 2d again to find the best linear equation of the data plot. I then entered in AH values to calculate the approximate internal resistance. I made a small chart that will fit in the label area on the centech:

mOhm Ah@20hr mOhm Ah@20hr
34.62 5 10.34 30
30.57 6 9.33 35
27.53 7 8.53 40
25.15 8 7.88 45
23.22 9 7.35 50
21.63 10 6.89 55
20.28 11 6.50 60
19.13 12 6.17 65
18.12 13 5.87 70
17.24 14 5.60 75
15.76 16 5.37 80
14.56 18 4.96 90
13.57 20 4.62 100
12.73 22 4.34 110
12.01 24 4.09 120
11.38 26 3.88 130
10.83 28 3.69 140

Not guaranteed to be 100% accurate but should be close for an unknown battery
 
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Good idea. I'd look at some sportier starting batteries and maybe some high rate ups (genesis xe and C&d high rate) to see how they all fall.
 
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Originally Posted by JHZR2
I called HF and they confirmed that the unit is good for use on AGM batteries, not just flooded batteries as is stated on the unit. I was concerned with this, but HF stated that it had been tested to properly operate.

My primary complaint, being technically-minded, is that they dont use the algorithm built in to provide an Ah capacity, but rather the bar shown across the top (0-100%) is percentage capacity of the battery. Interesting that the claimed capacity is so high. Not sure if it is correct.

Is it possible the measured CCA value is incorrect because it's an AGM battery?

I know HF told you it can be used on AGM batteries, but normally these types of testers have a different setting for AGM batteries, otherwise they give incorrect results.

BTW, yes, I know, this is an old thread. Apologies for reheating it.

I just bought this Cen-Tech, without realizing that it states it's for lead-acid batteries only, but then I came across your thread.
 
I have my doubts on that. Fundamentally, the resistive and capacitive subcomponents don't change. The fundamental chemical reactions don't change. The relative amounts of electrolyte does, but that really relates to the capacitive component (not capacitive in terms of charge between plates, but in the concept that there are more ions stored in the electrolyte ready and waiting).

Unfortunately it's somewhat of a black art as to how these work. Some believe there's a frequency where the actual dc impedance can be evaluated without a full sweep. My suspicion is that they measure a 1kHz small signal, multiply by 2 and call it roughly a dc impedance, which is about correct.

Honestly, if you want to know impedance, but a real carbon pile tester.

Vt=Voc-I*R

Remove the battery from the vehicle, charge it, let it rest, put a good multimeter on it, set the carbon pile current, and observe conduction voltage. You should be able to elucidate a voltage drop, and this since I is known, R can be calculated.
 
Originally Posted by Coventry
What would be a better battery analyser than this?


Ancel BA101. Tests batteries and starting/charging. The charging detects ripple so you will know if a diode is bad in the bridge.

It does not have temp compensation. That only comes in very expensive battery testers.

If you are willing to fully charge a battery before the test, then the HF carbon pile tester is the one to get. You can verify the accuracy of its voltmeter and as for the carbon pile load, when you dial a load of 200 amps where it's 190 or 210 does not really matter. And you could verify that with a clamp on amp meter.
 
Originally Posted by Donald
Ancel BA101.

Based on what I've seen on my own cars, I don't trust this Ancel's results at all. I returned mine.

I'm thinking of checking out the Solar BA9, which has similar functions.
 
Old school types are best bang for the buck here. I own both a Snap On MT 552 and a Sun VAT 40. Picked them up cheap on ebay and CL. Check them out. Be sure the current pick up (green) is present on the Sun.

Test both battery and alternator with a real load.
 
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