Are there any alternatives to battery testers?
Are there any alternatives to battery testers? |
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Battery testers have a very specific purpose, but there are other, multi-purpose tools, such as multimeters, which can also check the voltage in household batteries. There is also a way of checking cylindrical batteries which does not require the use of a tool. | |||
The ‘drop the battery’ test |
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Alkaline batteries can be checked by dropping them from around a 10cm (4″) height on to a solid surface. Hold the battery (plus side up) by its top and release it. If the battery bounces, it is empty, but if it simply drops and then falls to one side, it is working. It has not been proven how this works, but there are many theories, including the idea that an accumulation of gas, created as the battery discharges, is responsible for the added buoyancy. | |||
Voltmeters |
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A digital voltmeter is similar to a battery tester, but instead of a scaled indicator, it displays a numerical reading of the voltage. It is set to measure the voltage on the battery and then if the reading is below this, the battery is deemed ‘poor’. Voltmeters can be considered more accurate than battery testers, but are also more expensive.
Voltmeters are capable of testing more than just household batteries, and many can test car batteries and other electrical circuits. |
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Multimeters |
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Multimeters are capable of testing multiple things, including voltage, current, and resistance. On the correct setting, a multimeter works in the same way as a voltmeter. | |||
