Battery testing - how reliable?

[icefisherman]

I have two Die Hard deep cycle batteries 10 years old. Greatest batteries I ever used. One of them gave me problems starting the main motor last fall on Erie....used jumping cables and started it from the other one....Decided back then I'll buy two new ones this spring but I've been charging them on the smart trickle charged all winter just to see what happens. When I check with my voltmeter they show 12V+.

Took them to local Canadian Tire an hour ago to test them on their load battery tester....the girl there tested and said they are good...I questioned that, so she left them charging there overnight and will test again tomorrow and call me to go pick them up.

My question is how reliable are those load battery testers? Last thing I want is to assume batteries are good go fishing and they don't start in the middle of lake O. or Lake Erie. Some people here know a lot about batteries...would appreciate your comments.

 

Thanks,

Ice Fisherman

[irishfield]

The Load Tester itself is pretty dependable.. the operator is the only deciding factor. There's no rocket science involved, not since douG left us anyhow, hold the load switch for 10 seconds and see if they're still pulling 800 CA or what ever the battery is listed at.

[icefisherman]

Hmmm I was hoping you'll comment Wayne...I could see the girl pushing buttons from a distance but can't tell what exactly was pushed and what it showed her....she came back and said both are good but not sure how much I can count on that for another season....on the other hand why spent $200-$300 if these are good.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[Old Man]

Should be showing more than 12 volts after a complete slow charge IMHO.

[irishfield]

10 years is starting to push the clock, no matter how you look at it. I've had some batteries make it to 12, but it doesn't happen very often. Leah's truck battery made it to 11 and while still functional wasn't dependable anymore so I put a new one in so she wouldn't get stranded.

 

See what they say tomorrow when you go back to get them... if they're good, then go for it... just never shut off one motor before starting the other. That should always be standard procedure anyhow!

[irishfield]

Definitely Old Man.. he said 12v+. Right after you take the charger off the battery, you should be around 13.6 volts. After it sits overnight a good battery settles in at about 12.7 / 12.8.

[Salmonidstalker]

so they may last another year maybe 2. Big deal. Dont be cheap, upgrade to something reliable . I notice you fish with your kids often; why risk being stranded somewhere because you want to save $20-$30 (an estimated amortized battery cost for a year).

[Sinker]

The load test puts a draw on the battery, and if the voltage drops too much with a load on them, they are pooched.

 

Even a bad battery will charge up to 12+V most times.

 

For what they are worth, id take the piece of mind and get 2 new batteries. Get stranded on any great lake and you'll be kicking yourself in the butt for sure!

 

S.

[icefisherman]

Yeah...they both showed me 12V+ ...I think about 12.32V or so....before I took them...and that was after they sat for a while in the boat since I last connected the charger to them. But then it bothers me one wasn't enough to start the big motors last fall...granted the big motor does use a lot of starting power but....

I use on of those CTek chargers and usually leave it all winter changing from one to the other battery couple times. Will try to measure again after I take them back tomorrow and see what they say....hope I can get someone who knows more about the charging part than that girl....

And yes I never shut both motors at the same time...old habit ;-)

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[Salmonidstalker]

Like Sinker said, bad batteries can still be charged to 12V; except they do not hold any charge once unplugged from a power source. But, if that is the case, you most certainly have a bad battery.

[icefisherman]

Right...but if they are fully charged...then disconnected from charger for say....week or more....and they still show 12V+ does that mean they are good and I could use them another year?>

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[irishfield]

Voltage means NOTHING Emil! They can APPEAR to charge just fine and hold a voltage all winter long, but have no LOAD capability. Is what the load test is for.. if the needle doesn't falter and stays up high in the CA scale they are still good.. if it quickly goes lower and lower thru the CA scale, they are done.

[icefisherman]

Alright....lets see what CT says tomorrow after double load test.

But if they say again both batteries are good....should I go with them for another year? Will you Wayne?

 

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[lew]

Just by asking the question I'd guess your concerned, as mentioned above invest the money and have peace of mind.

 

Your not gonna have much fun on the water with your kids if your worried your gonna be stranded in the middle of the lake with night fast approaching.

[icefisherman]

Just by asking the question I'd guess your concerned, as mentioned above invest the money and have peace of mind.

 

Your not gonna have much fun on the water with your kids if your worried your gonna be stranded in the middle of the lake with night fast approaching.

 

Interestingly enough Lew....I know exactly how it feels, hence my concern....the night in the middle of the lake with my then 2 year old son....8 years ago on my old boat....it was pleasant evening back then...but not a pleasant experience at all I agree with you there ;-)

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[2 tone z71]

My peace of mind is worth more than 300 bucks ..the last thing I wanna be concerned with is are my 10 yr old battery's gonna make it another season

[spincast]

Just out of curiosity - are you confident relying on a CT C, minimum wage untrained part time staffer to determine if your battery is gonna start when you're in the blue zone with (or without) your kids, humming along with the fishfinder, riggers, radio and who know what draining the cells, and you see a front coming?

If you are determined to max the life out of the battery, at least take them to to a battery specialist.

The danger in an old cell is not that it wont start at the beginning of the day, but rather that it won't in the middle.

[porkpie]

Alright....lets see what CT says tomorrow after double load test.

But if they say again both batteries are good....should I go with them for another year? Will you Wayne?

 

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

My name isn't Wayne, but I fish with my kids. I just bought a boat, the trolling motor battery is 1 year old, but the starting battery is an unknown. I am yanking it out and putting in a new one straight away. I don't take chances on things like that. I also wouldn't trust 10 year old batteries for a second, especially if I had a problem once already. Edited March 14, 2015 by porkpie

[Fisherman]

Ok, there's also the possibility that a "bad start" is not the battery fault, connectors at both ends must be shinny clean and tight. Load testers don't lie and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to operate one. Most of the newer digital models are temperature compensated, along with entering the batteries rated capacity, they give you a pretty good reading.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Fisherman

[icefisherman]

Just out of curiosity - are you confident relying on a CT C, minimum wage untrained part time staffer to determine if your battery is gonna start when you're in the blue zone with (or without) your kids, humming along with the fishfinder, riggers, radio and who know what draining the cells, and you see a front coming?

 

 

No, I am not confident....hence we are discussing it here.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[DRIFTER_016]

I don't know what load tester they are using at your CT but the one they have here in Yellowknife is automatic.

Turn it on, push the test button and it does the rest including printing off a report.

 

So easy even a caveman could do it!!!

Edited March 14, 2015 by DRIFTER_016

[Bernie]

I have experienced on a couple occasions using an electronic battery tester where it passed the battery but it clearly wasn't any good.
I like using a tried and true carbon pile tester. This will put an actual load on the battery to test its amperage output.
In a case where a battery is 10 years old I wouldn't waste my time testing it to be honest. Especially in a boat.

[icefisherman]

Picked the batteries from CT...according to them "nothing wrong with both and they are in very good condition"...they even showed me the readings...it actually reads more Amps than the battery says on the side....took them home...they sat for few hours....just measured them with voltmeter...12.35V on one and 12.53V on the other....will measure again in a week.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[davey buoy]

Just checked mine sitting since September.All 3 vary between 12.7 and 12.9 volts.Not sure 12.35 will start your motor?. I may be wrong but was told if it won't hold minimum 12.7 after 24 hours,get rid of them.

[Mister G]

I have experienced on a couple occasions using an electronic battery tester where it passed the battery but it clearly wasn't any good.

I like using a tried and true carbon pile tester. This will put an actual load on the battery to test its amperage output.

In a case where a battery is 10 years old I wouldn't waste my time testing it to be honest. Especially in a boat.

I agree with Bernie..........I'm not going on any of the Great Lakes with a 10+ year old battery......a car / truck is different.

 

Why don't you at least buy one STARTING battery of the big motor and save the extra battery for your trolling motor..........either keep switching it our or use 2 batteries for the TM.