OTC 3180 100 Amp Battery Load Tester
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I have never been satisfied with any purchase I make at Harbor Freight. They sell seconds, so I think they do so.
I am very sorry to tell you but this product is not made in the United States. When I went to replace my old laptop, that was the first thing on my mind. In the United States there are only a few made over $300 and there are only few over $100. The manufacturer got us over a barrel with this! Buy this one for under $50 or you'll have to pay $300 for the next one. The word "nothing" is what they use to describe the country's inability to manufacture anything. Though we do make stuff, it is hugely expensive and out of reach of most people. I think the us government needs to take over and tax the crap out of these products so they are no longer $153. then the US could compete, since they could sell more at a lower price. but the us companies do not have those kind of sales numbers, so it's complicated. As a result, we have to say
It is spring-loaded and stays in the off position as the switch is used only to test how the battery is doing.
There is no way to measure amps with this. You can see how much the voltage drops when you apply a 100 amp load to the battery.
Selected User Reviews For OTC 3180 100 Amp Battery Load Tester
It's not the most expensive tool, but it's not the cheapest either. This is accurate for a simple "Yes or No", but when you are looking for more specific information, this is too complicated. The recommended time is printed on the device, so do not leave it on for more than that. This is probably 15 to 20 years old Even that is a long time. You're basically holding a really hot toaster for that long. Let's take a quick look at Take a look at the display - It is sufficient to turn the power off.
A correct reading has been made! The Voltage was checked on a Fluke 189 DVM at 6 volts, 12 volts, There were no errors on the meter at any of the three voltage levels. I have also set the battery load to be right. It wouldn't have been possible to get a better deal.
The notation of "6 -" caught my eye as I considered the purchase volts" is the voltage. I have a hunting cart that is kept at camp with six 8 volt batteries however, it does not work properly with 8 volts. My wife's cart has eight 6 volt batteries, and it works fine with them. own fault, but, it is far too late now to return the brand new tester I no longer want. It should be explicitly stated on the packaging that it is only compatible with 6 volt or 12 volt batteries. Living and learning are the best ways to grow.
You normally wouldn't expect that much from trash from China. I like the chrome finish, the clamps are okay, and the clamps are sturdy. Calibrate the meter on the tester with a volt meter using the "zeroing" adjustment adjustment on the meter. The most accurate calibration I was able to obtain was between 6 and 12 volts. Then you connect it to a battery, read the voltage from the battery with a decent volt meter, and adjust the meter on this tester to the same reading. There is one notable issue, the tester meter seems to be reluctant to work when the temperature is 50 degrees or below. The tester meter worked fine after it was warmed up by using the load coil. You might get very low readings or even a zero if it's cold when you connect it to a battery for the first time.
Since I was a kid one of these was in every car battery, and when a shop checked my battery, it looked almost exactly like this one. The repair shop told me that if it was good enough for them, I should be able to use it. The product worked flawlessly and according to its description. As soon as I connected the leads to the battery posts and flicked the switch, the battery backup for my sump pump indicated that it needed to be replaced. By not having to check the components of the Wayne backup system, I saved a lot of time. I need to get another battery now, and then I'll be all set. You may not use it often, but if you own one, it will pay for itself by giving you an idea of what your battery and charging system are doing without having to go to the shop or risk getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. You should always be cautious when working with lead/acid batteries, follow instructions and wear safety goggles.
Despite its shortcomings, the battery tester is generally well constructed with heavy cables (although they could be longer), solid clamps for the battery terminals, and a sturdy steel case. In spite of this, the volt meter died after only 5 or 6 uses, well within the 1-minute time frame This product is covered by a one-year warranty. When the meter is used with a known good battery, or any battery for that matter, it reads zero. My meter read 12V at the terminals, so I opened the case to verify. As with the rest of the unit, the meter was made of plastic in a sealed case, which was cheaply constructed. since the product is a Bosch, so I imagined it to be better, and the voltmeter is something that I consider to be incredibly critical and important. Returns must be made through Bosch. Set up an account with them if you wish to return a product. I will let you know how long it takes for a replacement to arrive and whether there are any other problems with this product or the process.
In addition to the other testers with RED YELLOW GREEN lights, I only have one other. I sometimes get the needle in the GREEN range on this tester, but often it's extremely close to it when the battery is freshly charged. I have a case to answer The clamps are nice and solid, and the clamps are attractive. It is enough for me to use long cables. Make sure to conduct load testing outside, the smell of burning plastic is overwhelming. Especially for those who do more work on their car than just washing it and changing the wiper blades, this is something every car owner ought to have.
The pros are The clamps are large enough to fit the battery terminals unlike many other tools that use the same process. The cons are I found the cables to be a bit short. As a result, it only worked three out of eight times There had been four occasions in the past when it had not worked reliably. I suspect the lack of an external box by Amazon and minimal postal protection caused this to happen as it was being tossed around by USPS didn't help. I tried to get the Schumacher version, but it was out of stock.
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