Got this Ancel BA101 to test my car battery. The unit uses the car’s 12V battery to power itself. All you need to do is connect the positive and negative clamps to the car battery. The tester has 4 buttons on the front, and a backlit LCD display. On the side, there is a mini USB connector used for connecting to a PC to print the test data. You can easily navigate through the menu to test the battery in vehicle, or test the battery if it’s outside the vehicle. The testing takes only about 8 seconds to perform and will display the test result showing the CCA (cold cranking amp), internal load resistance, and the voltage. The bottom of the screen shows an easy to read status for GOOD, or GOOD RECHARGE, or BAD REPLACE. All the information is found in the user guide. The LCD display is also backlit, so it’s very easy to read even at night.
You can also test the cars starting system, and the charging system. When you test these parameters, you will be instructed to start the vehicle and rev the engine to 2500 rpm for 5 seconds. Then the tester will begin the testing. After a few seconds, it will tell you if your starter or alternator is in good working condition.
I was able to test my battery quickly and found that I will need to recharge it before use. The tester is compact and I will leave it in my glove box so if I ever need to test the battery, I will have this tool on hand.
