Battery Tester

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Apr 24, 2026 | 06:58 AM

#11

Rounders

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From: backwoods

Quote:

Originally Posted by chopper_man

Great way to be left on the side of the road!

If the bikes starts after a few days, in my garage, why would I be stranded?

Apr 24, 2026 | 07:18 AM

#12

LQQK_OUT

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From: East Coast, USA

Here is another battery tester option. I do own this one.
MOTOPOWER MP0515A 12V Car Battery Tester Automotive 100-2000 CCA Battery Load Tester Auto Cranking and Charging System Tester

Apr 24, 2026 | 07:20 AM

#13

nine11c2

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From:

Rube Goldberg

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rounders

If the bikes starts after a few days, in my garage, why would I be stranded?

Batteries have a certain amount of load to allow them to start a bike or a car in rough conditions. Theyre specifieded based on the engine and vehicle needs. The battery that you charged may start your bike in the garage. But then after being out and cycling on a ride for 2 hours (Cycling.. Being used and recharged during the ride) and then trying to start a warm motor that's harder to start than the cold motor in perfect conditions in your garage it may not have enough cold cranking amps to start it. You're much better off using a load tester like these are to make sure the battery can handle a load then to use your Rube Goldberg method..
A load tester simulates rough conditions. Your garage isn't rough conditions.

Last edited by nine11c2; Apr 24, 2026 at 07:23 AM.

Apr 24, 2026 | 07:34 AM

#14

Rounders

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From: backwoods

Quote:

Originally Posted by nine11c2

There is a thread right now where a guy wants to pull fuses so not to wear down battery.

At work we have expensive battery systems. They last 25 plus years. We chose to test each cell which is more expensive. But load testing is hard on batteries. You could argue it will reveal a bad battery. But you may have also gotten more useful life without it .

In my opinion if your bike starts after 5 days of sitting, not sluggish, you are ok. I typically get 7 years out a battery, no constant tender. I am not in a hot area, which is hard on batteries.

Road failures I have seen are internal. I don't know if load test would reveal that

I am just saying what I do and has worked for me. I am not saying it ts awful, but my way has worked for me and is simple

Apr 24, 2026 | 07:40 AM

#15

nine11c2

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From:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rounders

Dude you're load testing once. It simulates what a battery goes thru every day. I worked my dad's gas stations for 15 years and then I spent post my career working as a service writer and I'm cdjr certified. It is simply a fact that batteries will come back to us that were not load tested that were bad. You're load testing the battery once. But they go through that every day you use them. Particularly in warm and cold conditions. You should load test the battery it's better to determine the status of your battery then letting it sit. Sitting simulates sitting in 65°, that doesn't really hurt batteries. Load testing simulates load that hurts batteries, that causes batteries not to function. Fact.

You can say it as many times as you want. Load testing is better.

Last edited by nine11c2; Apr 24, 2026 at 07:41 AM.

Apr 24, 2026 | 08:09 AM

#16

Andy from Sandy

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From: England

A load tester only needs to draw a few amps in order to calculate its perceived internal resistance and therefore "guess" how good it is.

I have the tester that has a big solid resistor inside like the one linked to by nine11c2. It shows what the max voltage drop ought to be based on CCA of the battery.

Apr 24, 2026 | 08:12 AM

#17

Rounders

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From: backwoods

Do what works for you. No law saying you can't. Myself I leave them sit for a few days and see if they start. No fuss. As you say it is simulating a load. Isn't that what I am doing to some degree by starting it?

You are probably right not a big deal. As I saw at work we test cells that is more expensive. Granted these are big systems. A load test for will reveal a bad battery that are tracking can see it fail Sooner.. but it also reveals a bad battery. These are alsoore expensive systems. For us it fails just go buy $200 battery.

But again this has worked for me for many batteries. It is a lazy way to load test IMO