Battery Tester 02 – Topdon BT200
by
, 23-05-2023 at 11:40 AM (1883 Views)
Just like many tools, I have been using several battery testers for years and got this one last year.
Topdon BT200.
It’s not like the ones from super expensive Snap-on, etc but for my purpose and the battery type, provided me with good reference point.
The absolute figure is not that important and I don’t think it’s accurate but by monitoring the changes in reading over many months/years, you will get good idea on the state of your battery.
You can test the battery while installed on the car and for the classic car like our NSX, it just works fine.
However, with the modern cars with sophisticated charging/starting/start-stop system, I don’t think it will provide you with the accurate info.
And for similar reason, although it states that it can handle the modern battery type such as the EFB, not sure it will provide accurate enough info especially if tested while installed on the car. You just need to try it.
It can also test the charging and the starter circuit but I just keep eye on the ripple and we already have volt gauge on the dash so keep eye on it while cranking as you should be above 10V with healthy battery. Again, it may not provide useful info for the modern cars.
There are much cheaper option available from Topdon and other manufactures and if you are not testing the battery for other people, just get the very basic one.
The test itself is very simple.
It will take much more time to find out the actual spec of your existing battery.
You could look up the spec over the web but the battery technology advances every time that even with the same battery model, the spec could be different.
For example, my Yuasa YBX5005 was rated at 550A (EN) for the cold cranking performance in 2019 but the latest one is now at 580A (EN).
Some of the examples from my NSX with 4 years old ordinary lead acid flooded battery.
The battery was tested while installed on the car.
Keep eye on the changes of internal resistance and the drop of CCA over the years.
I also tested some AGM and ordinary lead acid ones but all of them were removed from the car and from what I saw, all data were sufficient enough for my purpose.
You will see some of the deeply discharged lead acid ones can be rescued to a certain level by using the de-sulphation/recondition mode on some of the battery conditioners. It proactively encourage the chemical reaction to phisically remove the surface layer from the flooded cell.
Please do not use this mode on AGM. It's completely different structure from the lead acid one.
Most likely not for everyone but for some, useful tool.
Kaz