I'm wondering if anyone has ever had there battery tested at like Marshall Batteries or the like? And if you have do they just say the battery is stuffed and try to sell you a new one?
I'm asking as I've got a starter motor problem and want to check if it could be my battery before I go and get a new starter motor. I don't want to spend over $150 for a new battery and find it was not the issue.
Thanks
Nice. I didn't know Supercheap did it. I'll get it done tomorrow.
Repco also do it they may even offer a trade-in on a dead battery.
Thanks. I'll keep it in mind if I need a new battery. I don't reckon it's the battery, I just want to check before I get another starter motor.
Do Repco offer trade in cash on dead battery?
Marshall was great for me. They offer a free jump start service and got the car going again. Guy said the battery was on it's way out (which was true) but there was no hard sales pitch. I had to ask him if he could look up a price. Ended up purchasing from somewhere else cheaper when the battery finally died about 9 months later.
It may have changed, but it used to be called a 'load test'. Some people put multimeter probes across their battery terminals, and think there's about 12-14 volts, so it's ok. But that doesn't tell how much cranking current (amps) the battery can supply. A battery that cannot crank a car can show still the right voltage on a multimeter.
A basic explanation is, the load test puts a high resistance load on the battery, to simulate cranking a car starter motor. The device may show there's not much 'grunt' left in the battery. Which could, for example, mean the plates are heavily eroded, or calcified over so there's not much surface area actually touching the electrolyte. The person testing may also notice a cell in the battery that is dying, produces bubbles during the test.
Anyway, it's still hard to impossible, to tell if they're exaggerating to try to sell a battery - or that a 'good' one won't die anyway two weeks later. It's best to just change them when recommended.
So how to tell… Well, if the guy doing the test says it's no good - or good for the moment but suspect - AND it's past the recommended replacement date… I'd change it. (Says the guy whose car battery is two years overdue, and car stereo security-locks itself because the voltage drops so low.)
And keep in mind they fail more in times of cold weather. Which we've been having.
I work for one of the large battery companies and modern day load testing devices can not only see the voltage, but also the cranking amps and general health of the battery. The ones we use even print out the receipt we can give to the customer that shows the entire test results.
If you wanna check yourself, for lead acid batteries there are a few things you can do, if you can be arsed.
Could be the alternator, if you have a clamp meter slap it on the red+ cable to the battery. Switch to DC amps and you should see a charge in Amps.
If you don't have a clamp meter (buy one) , use DC voltage test. With the car off measure the volts in DC. Then with the car running (jump or bump if need be)and all electrics off check the volts. They should be higher than the off state, usually you can leave it running for thirty minutes and the volts will creep up.
If I didn't have the tools and know how I would just get a battery check, batteries cost peanuts compared to breaking down at some awkward time.
I don't have a DC multimeter, and no way to test the CCA.
My starter clicks once and wont turn until after 5 to 6 key turns. Sometimes more, sometimes (rarely) first try.
I crawled under today (it's a V6 MK Triton 2000 model so the starter is in an awkward spot near the firewall) to try and check the wires and connections to the starter. They were coated in heaps of leaked oil.. massive oil leak somewhere, the alternator was coated too. So I sprayed a shipload of degreaser then used the high pressure hose to rinse off all the residue. Still no improvement. I'll probably get under tomorrow afternoon and take out the starter and clean the terminal where the wires attach.
If the battery is okay, and I can't find any problem with the wires etc I'm assuming the solenoid is on its way out?
Free car battery test is genuine. It doesn't take much to test it for free. In return they get a chance of you buying a new car battery from them if you feel it needs to be replaced. Provided the technician is honest and tells you the true state of your car battery but there are always dodgy salespersons.
i had mine tested at supercheap auto.
They said it was still good just need cold crank amps charged so they offered to charge it up overnight for free.