Here is a quick guide to buying battery testers so you can carry out an effective battery management programme in your workshop. Rotronics offers PMM its top tips.
Before you make a purchase, make sure that you know exactly what you want from the tester. Do you want it to:
- Test the electrical system?
- Test batteries under warranty?
- Help as a sales tool?
- Measure the battery’s life cycle?
- Check for parasitic drains?
- Be upgraded if necessary?
- Be serviced and repaired?
- Test EFB and AGM batteries?
It is important to be able to rely on the team you have bought the technology from, so that they can give you support and training, if needed. Take a good look at the product pedigree, as the old phrase “if you buy cheap, you buy twice” tends to be true. The diagnostic kit must be able to deal with a robust busy workshop environment. The cheaper units tend not to last.
Does having a printer that is legible and easy to understand matter to you? You may need to personalise the printout and have it date and time stamped. These are all things to consider.
Once you’ve bought your tester, keep it in good condition. That means putting it back in the case when not in use, do not wrap cables around it, never hold it by its leads, keep it clean, and service it once a year.
For workshops that need updatable software and what Rotronics describes as the best handheld diagnostic technology on the market, the CPX900 is the one to look at. If an all-in-one diagnostic and charging combination is needed, the DCA8000 could be a good option for you. But more important than anything, do plenty of research, and make sure that you ask the right questions.
DCA8000
The DCA8000 Dynamic Diagnostic Charging System is an all-in-one test and charge option. If time and accuracy is your priority, this is an ideal option. It is the only diagnostic and charging technology on the market and will service almost any 12 V batteries.
Regardless of the battery type, in under two minutes, a defect can be identified. The DCA8000 will charge quickly, letting the technician know exactly how long it will take. A lithium charge mode is included, with 70- amp power supply features, and it has an intuitive touch screen interface. Any new software is wirelessly, making sure that it is future proofed.
CPX900
The CPX900 is a battery tester which will test the health and reserve capacity of a battery, it can test the cranking ability and the charge acceptance. It has full online connectivity to ROBIS, the Rotronics online dashboard and reporting system.
It will be able to test the cranking ability and the reserve capacity for 12 V batteries in start/stop, hybrid, and EV vehicles. It works from the most advanced battery testing algorithms and software diagnostic capability.
The CPX900 is futureproofed because it wirelessly uploads any new software updates. This means that your technicians will always have the most up-to-date software.
