Testing a Battery With a Carbon-Pile Load Tester

A carbon-pile load tester draws a large amount of current from a car battery so that we can determine if the battery has enough current capacity to maintain a sufficient voltage to start the car.

[moparnut]

I like this test cause the gauge tells you right away what's going on ..and the testers are cheap at harbor freight I've had one for 20 yrs still going strong. You can also load the charging system and watch alternator output.

[jeffreyherbert]

There are many other uses for the carbon pile tester such as starter cable and alternator / cable testing would be cool if you could do examples of those

[UnTamedMustang]

I normally just go to walmart and load test it in 5 minutes .
But good video for ppl who have one of these .

[notfound.....]

Question, why is it on a lot of these carbon pile load testers the buzzer is going off way before the 15 seconds at the end of the test?

[Galicia]

Hello, so ypu mentioned smoke coming out the battery what about smoke voming out of the tester way before the 15 seconds, even before i get to the desired CCA? I have the exact same one you have 500amp from solar.

[nickayivor]

Justin Miller Good evening 🙏 ✨
Have a great day 👍 Take care Justin Miller
Great tutorial thank you 👍
From Nick Ayivor from London England UK 🇬🇧

[Wdthyfdo]

You said the test should be half the cca of the battery, what if the battery states 800cca but tests 1000cca, should the load applied be half of 800 or 1000?

[vicpaar]

Surface charge on the battery plates need to be taken off before the atual load test is preformed. The battery is loaded for 15 sec at half the CCA. Battery is allowed to rest for 15 sec. Load test is reaplied for 15 seconds and the voltage cannnot drop below 9.6 volts. This is what is written in the Bible!