[Started as a new thread, to avoid disrupting my thread on the batteries themselves]
I have frequently mentioned the usefulness of a proper battery tester for the owners of cars like ours which have expensive batteries, and which are prone to all sorts of maladies if their batteries are in poor condition. I have been particularly impressed by my own little Sealy BT102 tester which also tests starter system performance and charging system performance - not all battery testers do. This charger is currently available from Amazon for £44.11 including delivery - rather cheaper than the price I paid.
However I have just discovered the Sealey BT01 battery tester [note the exact model number carefully!] which appears to be almost identical and is available from Amazon for just £32.08. I reckon that is a real bargain! It, too, also tests charging and starter system performance - the instructions can be seen at
http://www.mackay.co.uk/media/manuals/sealey/BT01.pdf
Note: be wary of anything much cheaper which purports to be a battery tester. Many of these are in effect little more than voltmeters and only indicate the state of a battery (how fully charged is it?) rather than the condition of the battery (How worn out is it? Never mind how fully charged it is; how much charge can it accept, how much of this charge will it retain and for how long? And how much current can it churn out when needed to start the engine?)
I have read a review somewhere which gives an excellent description of how these newer electronic testers measure actual battery condition. Can't find it at present but I will post a link when I do.
I have frequently mentioned the usefulness of a proper battery tester for the owners of cars like ours which have expensive batteries, and which are prone to all sorts of maladies if their batteries are in poor condition. I have been particularly impressed by my own little Sealy BT102 tester which also tests starter system performance and charging system performance - not all battery testers do. This charger is currently available from Amazon for £44.11 including delivery - rather cheaper than the price I paid.
However I have just discovered the Sealey BT01 battery tester [note the exact model number carefully!] which appears to be almost identical and is available from Amazon for just £32.08. I reckon that is a real bargain! It, too, also tests charging and starter system performance - the instructions can be seen at
http://www.mackay.co.uk/media/manuals/sealey/BT01.pdf
Note: be wary of anything much cheaper which purports to be a battery tester. Many of these are in effect little more than voltmeters and only indicate the state of a battery (how fully charged is it?) rather than the condition of the battery (How worn out is it? Never mind how fully charged it is; how much charge can it accept, how much of this charge will it retain and for how long? And how much current can it churn out when needed to start the engine?)
I have read a review somewhere which gives an excellent description of how these newer electronic testers measure actual battery condition. Can't find it at present but I will post a link when I do.
