Best electrical battery testers according to redditors
We found 59 Reddit comments discussing the best electrical battery testers. We ranked the 29 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 59 Reddit comments discussing the best electrical battery testers. We ranked the 29 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
As I didn't really know what exactly was in that kit either I held off ordering extras until I knew what I needed, based on that and what /u/Hard_Max said in another thread, I've ordered the following:
Other stuff:
I hope this helps!
Get one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013U1CP08/
It will beep when you need to land.
Make sure they're Alkalines, I forget what the old style is called but you don't want your bass to die in the middle of the gig because you saved $1 on your battery. I get the Duracell Pro Cell packs from Amazon, they come out to $1.50 each. They're just normal Duracells but they're good quality and I like the labeling, it's easier to write the installation date on the side of the battery with a sharpie.
It's worth getting a basic multimeter or at least a tester, alkaline batteries don't die all at once, the voltage gradually sags, they read about 9.5V right out of the package and over time they'll droop to 8V, 7V, etc. I've had a lot of basses that are much punchier with full voltage and gradually lose punch and just sound kind of thin and weak until I put in a new battery again. I've had other basses that don't seem to care as much.
Also make sure the fuse holder is rated for the fuse. Some are only 100amps or 150a etc.
Check the max discharge rate on the batteries too. You don't want to go more than they can handle either.
I also find this battery monitor very handy and it's Bluetooth. It's not cheap, but if you're going with victron (is the charge controller Bluetooth? If not, get the smart version! It's way easier to monitor and program and only a few $ more usually) it may be a worthwhile addition and doing it while you cut the cables is more efficient than later in terms of materials.
I have been using this $16 boost converter successfully to boost 24VDC to 42.5V to charge my 10S battery, with this $15 watt meter to monitor the output. The adjustable voltage and current work great for me, I've charged up to 5A @42.5 volts for a bit but went down to 4A because I don't need that much current for my application as a range extender bolted to the board.
You could probably combine those with a cheap $20 power supply like this or this, or something else that can push even more wattage, make yourself an enclosure of some sort and have an adjustable DC power supply that could charge up to 600 watts anywhere from 12-80v DC.
Fun project, and depending on your needs if you don't need the watt meter, $35 with prime shipping and you could probably meet your needs.
What you could do is just use a common multimeter to check voltage, time how long it takes to get your bike charged to a certain point, and then get one of those wall timers.
If it takes 4 hours to charge your battery to 100% you could set your timer to shut off the charger after 3 hours or something like that.
Right now I am running a watt meter inline between my battery and the controller.
It's pretty trashy electronics-wise as any of these really cheap things are and it's 100 amp rating is a obvious lie, but it's worked ok so far. So this way I can keep track of how much life my battery has. I expect it to die eventually, but it can be removed pretty easily.
If you want something high quality then CAv3 will do all this and much much more.
Keep in mind that occasionally you will need to charge to 100% to get the BMS to balance the cells.
3-5 hours? I'm concerned that your "properly cycled" isn't quite proper. Do you soft charge each time with the occasional condition? Hard charging affects their lifespan, I recommend never doing it.
Additionally, depending on how heavily they get used, you may want to get new batts more often than once a year. I recommend purchasing the ZTS Pulse Load battery tester that reads NiMH, it's been great for when I work at theatres that run their rechargeables into the ground. Do an occasional check of your batts right off the charger for a better read on their lifespan at your theatre.
> https://www.ebikes.ca/tools/simulator.html
I've looked at this simulator and I have no fucking idea what I'm looking at here when I use this.
I put in the numbers I have and I might as well be reading chinese.
I'm just looking for a rough estimation of power draw at cruise.
When I mess with the simulator and the speed goes up the power draw goes down? That doesn't make any sense.
How does an ebike only get 25miles of range at 20mph and uses 53wh/mi but get 47mile range and 28wh/hr consumption at... 38mph? That doesnt make any sense at all.
I don't have an idea what I'm looking at.
I'm just looking at a basic estimation.
EG at 20mph an ebike will use say 20watts per mile or something like that.
I don't understand how to use this sim.
>Watt meter stuff
I apologize but after looking around i realize that a watt meter isn't what I'm looking for. I'm looking more for something to just passively tell me the capasity in the battery, and it's current voltage.
Basically this thing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MAZIQXX/
But for LiFePO4, and how do I wire it in? Just parallel it between the discharge port and the controller?
Also, how much are you using while the sun is out? if you limit your use of "expensive" devices to during sunny days you may be able to get away with less batteries and more panel.
My advice? your math seems pretty close, but sometimes in practice things don't work out. get a battery monitor.
Something like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Victron-BMV-702-Battery-Monitor-Black/dp/B01N22BS1P/ref=sr_1_4?crid=10BAUR1XYQCQR&keywords=victron+battery+monitor&qid=1574877913&sprefix=victoron+ba%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-4
It'll let you answer questions like: "It's not sunny out today, am I consuming too much?"
"If i add a coffee maker and run two pots, how much battery will it drain?"
With this you can make educated decisions on where your money is best spent to expand, and also what you can do to get more out of your existing system.
I always recommend three stages.
> 10000 mAh.
10 Ah.
OK.
https://www.amazon.com/Lithium-Battery-Capacity-Indicator-Display/dp/B071PBVRD8
FPVKing RC CellMeter-7 Digital Battery Capacity Checker Controller Tester for LiPo LiFe Li-ion NiMH Nicd https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074W13Y13/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wehtDbV1SVGAH
Something like this is what you need. Very handy tool. You can see each individual cell.
I believe you are wasting money. The 3 lithium batteries at 100AH each are great. Is there a reason you need 300AH worth of batteries? Have you done an energy audit (easier than it sounds). I would look at the Life Blue batteries. The battery management is built in, it is bluetooth capable for monitoring. Essentially they replace your existing batteries and just work. The VictronBMV-712 is available on Amazon for $200. A Samlex PST-3000-12 runs ~$1,000.
Whether you buy from Larry at Starlight Solar or not, it is worth a call to him to get his opinion on your proposed system as well as his thoughts on a Life Blue system. There is a good chance that a small Honda or Yamaha generator hooked up to your trailer will allow the converter built in to your trailer will charge the Lithium Life Blue batteries without needing to buy a separate charger made for Lithium.
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With a 3000 watt inverter you will be able to run microwave, hair dryer, and air conditioner. The amount of batteries will be what limits the length of time you can run those items. I would be very surprised if you need more than 200AH worth of Lithium. Remember that you get to use almost all of a Lithium battery, not 50% like lead acid batteries. Lithium batteries also charge up a lot faster than lead acid.
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And you should really think about solar being integrated. You don't have to buy fuel for panels.
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If you have any questions, DM me and I can go into further detail.
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Where you need to be careful is in choosing how to charge the batteries.
You're not rolling your eyes? ;-)
Cheapest monitor that's worth anything... https://www.amazon.com/AiLi-Battery-Monitor-Voltmeter-Motorhome/dp/B07CTKYFTG
Here's one more option... I installed this and am happy with it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FGFFHC6/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_7zIUDbKFCN0HZ
From what you describe, sounds like battery sag. It could also be the LVC on the 48v controller not being setup to register the 52v when it's running low.
Did you buy a 13s or 14s BMS? A 13s could be issue.
Easiest way to be 100% sure is get one these. https://www.amazon.com/Multifunction-Battery-Monitor-Multimeter-Voltmeter/dp/B07T8GN61Z/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=Digital+Voltmeter+Ammeter+dc+shunt&qid=1572907603&sr=8-13
Using a shunt will give you real time data while riding.
I use a big ass 200v/300a version with a wireless touch screen display as my "fuel gauge".
yep, batteries fail differently than the old flashlight cells. Its an 'all of a sudden' type thing.
You should get one of those battery checkers, it checks the individual cells and overall charge of the pack.
ETA: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battery-Tester-Voltage-Buzzer-Alarm/dp/B009LW48LK/ref=pd_vtph_60_bs_lp_tr_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=C3WYSJD7ANBT5A3XTH56
A multimeter can tell you if something is definitely bad, but won't always tell you for sure it's good. It's best to test batteries under a load using a device like this: http://www.amazon.com/ZTS-MINIMBT-Multi-Battery-Tester-Battery/dp/B0002EH4YO/ Also it's suggested in the manual to test each battery 2-3 times (it takes a matter of a second or so per test) to verify for sure the reading is consistent.
To tag onto this, one of the best "cheap" purchases I've made for my gig bag is a battery tester. Make sure you get one that actually puts a load on the battery (more accurate). I can't tell you how many times I've had a set of AAs on the drum riser for my in-ears, we Soundcheck, I go to replace them, and I see that my rhythm guitarist has put two dead ones right next to them. Same brand.
I also use it to check rechargeables that have been sitting for a long time. Here's the one I've got (takes AAAs)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002EH4YO/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?qid=1398183473&sr=8-15&pi=SY200_QL40
My BT module crapped out a few months back.
The meter
RC Electronics, Inc. "Watt's Up" WU100 DC Watt meter and Power Analyzer (Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B6N2WK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hamiDbQ507S7A
You could, because that's basically what a real charger does... I would lean towards an actual charger.
Also, it would definitely be worthwhile to throw one of these things in there. They're dirt cheap, super reliable, and make it very obvious if something goes wrong.
There are many things to look for. You need to balance the driver cutoff voltage to be less then the of the batteries, but by doing that you risk over discharging the batteries. So that would need to be monitored to not to discharge them too much, or bad things could happen. So a BMS would be the go to device there. If you areusing RC batteries, they will discharge below their minimum happily, and get damaged. You could use https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Monitor-Voltage-Checker-Indicator/dp/B013U1CP08 device, which will start beeping when a cell gets too low in voltage. They are commonly used by the RC community afaik.
Another thing to look for is the capacity of the batteries, but that depends on your runtime.
Then the C rating of you batteries, so not to take to much amperage out of them. So a 1.5Ah battery would need to be at least 5C to provide 8.3A@12V (3S battery).
Any more questions?
Never seen that quad in person (is it from helipal?), but you should pick up a lipo alarm voltage meter on amazon.
It will beep when your lipo is discharged, and that way you wont accidentally discharge and potentially damage your lipo.
If you are flying a 3 cell lipo your storage voltage should be around 11.1-11.4v. Your minimum voltage should be about 10-10.5v. You dont want to go below 10v period.
Hope this helps!
I just ordered the Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor, it seems to be almost perfect for my use case. I can then configure the DoD (Depth of Discharge) to whatever level I'd like and it'll flip a relay. From there, I can use a switch (and some other jazz) to 3D print an enclosure to contain a simple two position switch:
Low Battery (reached configured DoD). Either start generator, or turn off Inverter.
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It may be worth using a three position switch instead, which will turn off and keep the inverter off. I have a somewhat small 400Ah bank and I don't know if the fridge (the other large energy consumer) will make it through the night without switching over to propane. It may just be a nice feature to have anyway.
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Other considerations:
So in the end, I will need to use some sort of logic such as an Arduino, or a custom circuit to accomplish my goals.
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The Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor just allows me to monitor the DoD (which the inverter doesn't have, it only has a hard 10V low voltage cutoff) and flip a relay. I'll need to do something custom to get the automation I'd like! (I think)
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I'll have parts here this week, and the tinkering will begin! I'll have a more solid footing soon.
Every lipo user should have one of these at bare minimum. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013U1CP08/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_HC-PBbC9QQX5A
Thanks but I don't think this is something I am looking for (I do not want something that limits the discharge/charge current). My LIPO is 8000mAh with 30C (constant) 240A discharge rate. All I want is something which monitors the 4 cells and tells me the SOC and voltage.
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For example something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Battery-Capacity-Voltage-Controller/dp/B07RNPHJN6/ref=asc_df_B07RNPHJN6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=366430786295&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17151338302860672991&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031934&hvtargid=pla-800984124219&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=75985294733&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=366430786295&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17151338302860672991&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031934&hvtargid=pla-800984124219
But with the ability to talk to my Microcontroller
splice in one of these between your charger and battery....stop charging when at 80% voltage
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LVTST80/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_coFVCbD1VDC1Q
Wait, you said that the needle doesn't reach the red part on the scale, are you sure the batteries are fresh? Do you have anything to test the batteries, something like this?
How about a voltage / watt meter to measure electrical current drain on batteries etc. http://www.amazon.com/Watts-Meter-Analyzer-WU100-Version/dp/B001B6N2WK
There is also a cheaper version which is a little less accurate called GT Power 130.
http://www.amazon.com/Watts-Meter-Analyzer-WU100-Version/dp/B001B6N2WK/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1418088385&sr=1-2&keywords=rv+battery+monitor&pebp=1418088387577
This comes close to what you want for AH metering
If you don't already have one, I recommend picking up a cheap battery meter with a shunt. The one I bought was only $20, and it measures the actual current coming out of the battery over time as Watt-hours. Similar to how a home electrical meter works. It's the only accurate way to know how much battery power you've used. It can be reset each day in order to track usage per day.
You can even buy two of them and wire the second one so that it measures current going into the battery. Then you know exactly how much power your panels provided during the day, and therefore how much you can use over night.
Or there are intelligent meters that do both and have Bluetooth and a phone app, if you want to spend $200. I'm probably going to buy one eventually. Or design my own.
Here's the model I have for now:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KXCF8F8
That's not the exact brand I bought, but it looks identical, and I think they're all the same and just sold by different resellers. The exact one I bought is no longer in stock.
There are plenty of others to choose from. Some have "fuel gauge" style readings, too. Such gauges generally aren't very accurate unless they are programmed with the discharge curve of your specific battery type. They are probably tuned for 12V lead acid, and might be reasonably accurate for those, but then it wouldn't work for lithium ion, which is what I have. Then again, if they are smart enough, they might "learn" the behaviors of your battery, but at these prices, I doubt it.
Here's an example:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTKYFTG
Whatever you get, if you get one, make sure it has a shunt. The shunt is just a chunk of metal with a small, precise resistance value, and the meter continuously measures the voltage drop across that known resistance to determine how much current is flowing. The shunts are rated by maximum amperage, with 100A being quite common. The smaller the maximum amperage, the more accurate they are, but you need one big enough to cover your usage. 100A is a good bet.
And just for the sake of completion, here's the expensive one I mentioned:
Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RTSTKS
Check if the AC adapter has the same specs the the stock charger has, namely voltage. To check if its 100% good, you would have to get something like this that will measure the amount drawn from the plug.
Edit: using the N4 wall adapter wasn't a good idea as that does output lower power.
https://www.amazon.com/AUTOUTLET-Analyzer-Digital-Monitor-Battery/dp/B07C41SN97/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=battery+analyzer+48v&qid=1556267922&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
Would something like that work if I just hooked it up to my battery and to the bike and hold do the throttle and look at the mah?
If you've got a cheap charge controller that's already working, or one that will fulfill your needs, perhaps you'd be better off, as Syonyk said, building your own or using a stand-alone monitor that can communicate with your computer.
An Arduino can do most of that with some extra stuff and a little effort, or if you want a pre-built charge monitor solution, check out Victron Energy's battery monitor:
https://www.amazon.com/Victron-BMV-712-Battery-Monitor-Bluetooth/dp/B075RTSTKS/
This has built in bluetooth and I believe you can talk to it with a computer or smartphone fairly easily. It's not a very DIY solution for this part of the system, but if you're not comfortable with computer-electronics, it might work well for you!
I found these on amazon. I know it's rough to compete with bigger companies who do things cheaper, but if you threw on a voltage monitor and possibly one of those cat tracker buttons onto one chip that can easily attach, I would consider it.
Either your battery or your motor is lying to you. Probably the battery. It sounds like it has a quarter of its nameplate capacity. Go for a new one with warranty. You can buy a battery tester. Like this one. But it's probably undersized for your bike.
Yeeco 12V/24V/48V/60V LED Digital Display Battery Capacity Meter Tester Module Board, PWM Constant Current Discharging Electric Load Aging Power Voltage Current Time Testing with Buzzer Alarm https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B075577FK8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UQbkDbXWHRG7E
Heh. Amazon share needs a reddit markup button.
$8 shipped for 2 of them if you have Prime. They're adjustable and show the voltage for each cell as well. I've got them and they work just fine.
http://www.amazon.com/Floureon-Battery-Monitor-Checker-Indicator/dp/B00SCJOITA?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00
Hi friend - here's what I use for cloud storage/backups
And for battery organizing
Here is some good LiPo data so it doesn't sound like I'm fear-mongering by linking this vid after of someone stabbing a lipo:
http://www.tjinguytech.com/charging-how-tos/lipo-problems
https://youtu.be/AAZ62tUtc0w
They're safe enough, just make sure you take some simple precautions like not letting sharp things near the lipos. If you keep them in an ammo case make sure it is vented or you may have a bomb if one lights off in the sealed container. Don't charge them outside in the freezing winter and then bring them inside where it's warm either, the warmer temp will cause the batteries to go over voltage.
To use the syma for an example, when the lights start blinking to show low power if I land immediately it will be at 3.5v, if it takes me a minute it will drop to 3.4v, but that's the lowest I let mine go. The syma loses power at this point anyway to protect the batteries. As for a full charge, that's the weird part: the batteries say 3.7v but at full charge they should read 4.2v. DO NOT OVER CHARGE.
How can you tell? You can get these to do it by simply plugging the battery in to the pins:
2 Packs of RC Lipo Battery Monitor Alarm Tester Checker Low Voltage Buzzer Alarm with LED Indicator for 1S-8S Lipo LiFe LiMn Li-ion Battery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SCJOITA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_KAPPwb36DKCTC
Or just use a multimeter set to read DC Voltage and touch the red test lead to the red pin on the battery, black lead to black pin. Here's a couple pics, this battery has been sitting for a couple days because I wasn't able to fly, it'll be dead tonight tho :)
http://imgur.com/a/QmO5o
Clarity edit*