Testing batteries

[supton]

How "good" is the testing?

Both my vehicles have original batteries, so 5-6 years old. Getting time I think--but Panasonic batteries sometimes last much longer--reading anecdotal stories here, these Panasonics might still be working after a potential replacement quits!

Problem is, we took a cold snap a few weeks ago, to -18F. Despite 0W20 in the sump the Camry did that thing where the lights on the dash blink off, and the starter did not keep spinning in a continuous fashion. Started first crank though. The following day at -8F wife said it spun slow but again started fine. Hasn't hit 0F since, and of course--it starts absolutely fine right now. The Tundra spun slowly at -18F but nothing slower than I would have expected.

If I take these batteries someplace for load testing, are they really going to tell me anything I don't know already? Can they really test cold cranking amps?

 

[HerrStig]

And that 0w 20 is a magic oil.

 

[Quattro Pete]

To properly test CCA, the battery would have to be cooled to 0F for 24 hours. None of the auto part stores are going to do that. You can probably do a similar test as they can with a $20 carbon pile tester. I'm actually considering picking one up myself, although the batteries on both our cars are less than 2 years old at this point, so I'm not expecting any issues for quite some time.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_measure_cca_cold_cranking_amp

http://amzn.com/B00316K61S

 

[WobblyElvis]

In my experience the testing done at the local parts store is almost useless. The real test is what you just did yourself. Your batteries are relatively old. Replace them.

 

[BurrWinder]

I will say this, newer capacitive testers do a good job of testing most of the time - BUT they won't find cells with a wonky/weak connection. Otherwise, they can be fairly accurate as a gauge for not just "put one in it" crowd... That being said 5-6 years old in NH.... Yeah, you're running on borrowed time unless U like to be caught somewhere when it officially gives up the ghost. Yes, I would put one in it before next winter at min. if it feels up to the task right now...

BurrWinder

 

[Nate1979]

Get a good quality trickle charge, get them charged up as good as possible. This will do wonders for your battery life and could allow you to get another year out of them. I also had a Panasonic battery on our Subie. Was about 5 years old and was tested as weak by some test by Firestone (no clue how good that was). Started putting it on trickle charger on regular basis and got another year out of it no problem. Next time it was tested at the store it was now showing strong but was starting to leak so I replaced it with an Interstate from Costco.

 

[Nick1994]

Since batteries last so long in your climate, sounds like a good candidate for the $48 Johnson Control Walmart batteries.

 

[spavel6]

I did a pretty extensive test of battery testers and a few different batteryMINDer products this year. What I came away with is that the ~$60 Cen-Tech Battery Analyzer (Harbor Freight) was very close to both the ~$300 Midtronics product (PBT-300) and the ~$300 AutoMeter (SB-300) units. The HF unit read about 20-30 cca higher than the more expensive units, but precision and StDev was just as good when looking test-over-test.

I had a long chat with the AutoMeter sales rep, who explained that their product looks at BOTH conductance and 40amp load, which supposedly gives a better reading. It also is the only unit I tested with temperature compensation. Midtronics told me that their unit's operating temp is 50-80F without need for compensation.

For me, the $250 price difference was not worth it, so I have stuck to my Cen-Tech unit.

The verdict is still out on the BatteryMINDer desulfinators. I have 3 charging various batteries right now. I have not seen a clear increase in CCAs in the batteries, but they do seem to hold their charge longer when resting after about a month of charging on the BatteryMINDer 1500 (~$50 on Amazon).

For locals, Everett's Auto Parts in Brockton, MA has used batteries for $25+$5 core, and I've had great luck picking good batteries from their selection. If you just need a battery it might be cheaper to just buy one of those rather than getting a charger and an analyzer only to find that your battery is bad anyway.

 

[supton]

Tempting to buy one of those testers.

At the moment my batteries see daily usage. The truck does tend to get short tripped on the weekends, 5 miles and shutdown; but is doing 50 miles then shutdown the rest of the week. Camry is doing either 5 or 9 miles then shutdown, multiple times per day, every day it seems.

I should have the shop test CCA tomorrow--dropping it off tonight so it can get its inspection tomorrow.

 

[CT8]

The cheap testers work pretty good actually I haven't had any battery over the past 15 years last over three years.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: spavel6
For me, the $250 price difference was not worth it, so I have stuck to my Cen-Tech unit.

Do you know how the CCA test accuracy of this type of tester compare to a carbon pile tester that actually does a load test?

 

[spavel6]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Do you know how the CCA test accuracy of this type of tester compare to a carbon pile tester that actually does a load test?


The non-load units test conductance/resistance and run the result through an algorithm to calculate CCA. Therefore, in theory you could keep testing and testing without recharging, or test a battery in any state (incl discharged).

The Midtronics units must have some smoothing algorithm, because I was able to do 10-20 back-to-back tests and get exactly the same CCA and resistance values. When I spoke with their customer service, they were not willing to share the proprietary algorithm.

The Cen-Tech I assume uses a more simplified algorithm because there is variance from test to test if done consecutively. The mean after 10 tests is what I was using to compare the two units.

Auto Meter uses both resistance and load, and they told me that BOTH are important in the final result.

 

[bvance554]

at -18F everything is going to crank slow.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: supton
Both my vehicles have original batteries, so 5-6 years old.


What's the rated lifetime of these batteries?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Get a good quality trickle charge, get them charged up as good as possible. This will do wonders for your battery life and could allow you to get another year out of them. I also had a Panasonic battery on our Subie. Was about 5 years old and was tested as weak by some test by Firestone (no clue how good that was). Started putting it on trickle charger on regular basis and got another year out of it no problem. Next time it was tested at the store it was now showing strong but was starting to leak so I replaced it with an Interstate from Costco.

Or get a cheap trickle charge - maintainer on eBay for less than $8-10. Hook up the charger overnight on weekend once a month. It may extend the life of battery some months or a year.

 

[901Memphis]

I'm all for charging the batteries, but I'd recommend a pro Logix, ctek, or Noco

 

[Vikas]

Keep a jump starter / jumper cable in the car. After the first time it needs a jump, go and replace the battery. That could be next year or year after that or year after that!

If you keep jump starter in the car, check it every 3 months or so.

In the past, I had nursed an OEM battery for couple of more years just because I could. In retrospect, that was a stupid decision as it was slowly leaking and eating the connectors.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: supton
Both my vehicles have original batteries, so 5-6 years old.


What's the rated lifetime of these batteries?


I'm guessing lifetime, just like the lifetime transmission oil. Good until it breaks.

Honestly no idea. I'll look later and see what is stamped on it.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
at -18F everything is going to crank slow.


Yeah but it did the "rrr" stop "rrr-rrr" stop "rrr" start, while the clock on the dash turned off and on.

 

[Blueskies123]

For what Costco charges for a new battery; backed up by a great warranty, just replace it every 4 years and be done with it. Some of the better battery rejuvenation cost more that a brand new battery from Costco.