Battery tester that test batteries under load

[GVCCRLM]

I am confused about battery testers for house hold batteries, AA, AAA, 9V, etc.

Recently my smoke alarms started chirping so I changed the 9V batteries and no chirping.

However, the replaced batteries tested good using GBT-500a battery tester.

I was told that batteries need to be tested under load, not sure the above tester did that.

Anyway, you would think there would be a lot of testers that provide a load for testing all types of batteries.

Can't seem to find that product, or I am not understanding what tester I need.

Why would perfectly good 9v batteries cause the alarm to chirp.

Comments, suggestions

Thanks

 

[nicebutdim]

Unless I'm mistaken, the battery tester you mention gives only an approximate indication of battery capacity. It definitely does not test under load.

The batteries you replaced may still be capable of powering certain devices, but this does not mean they are perfectly good as demonstrated by your smoke alarms. For avoidance of inconvenient chirping from smoke alarms, and maximisation of time between replacement, it's worth investing in good quality alkaline cells.

I can't determine anything about the accuracy of your battery tester from the manufacturer's information, but (at a glance) it appears to be on a par with the sort of cheap testers widely available from online marketplaces.



Tl;dr: I'd be more inclined to believe the smoke alarm's indication of battery capacity, than this tester's.

 

[davesparks]

You would test a rechargeable battery under load because you can then re-charge it after testing.

With a single use battery testing it with a load will tell you that the battery was in good condition until you discharged it to test it but now it is scrap.

 

[DPG]

You would test a rechargeable battery under load because you can then re-charge it after testing.

With a single use battery testing it with a load will tell you that the battery was in good condition until you discharged it to test it but now it is scrap.

Even a single use battery should be tested with a load. If not you could have the correct open circuit voltage but it may well collapse under load.

I speak as someone who has tested many batteries (both primary and secondary) in a production engineering department.

 

[Other_Tucker]

Your smoke alarm battery has to be one of the longest lived 9v battery jobs. 24/7 for 5-10 years drawing minimal power.

They sell high power good name batteries next to the long life good name batteries in ASDA. I didn't think it made a difference until I bought 6x appalling 1.5v AA's from poundland and my MFT crashed just trying to continuity test. The difference is real.

Have you considered hardwiring in an LD2 fire/heat/CO system instead of the battery tester?

 

[nicebutdim]

Have you considered hardwiring in an LD2 fire/heat/CO system instead of the battery tester?

OP is located in the US.

 

[Other_Tucker]

OP is located in the US.

Thanks, I didn't catch that. Are US alarms all radio linked instead?

 

[nicebutdim]

Thanks, I didn't catch that. Are US alarms all radio linked instead?

No idea, but I don't imagine they'll use our LD2 classification.

 

[jozefbehr]

Really It is very important o know , i don't have any idea regarding the battery testing and underload testing. Thank you for the information.

Jozef Behr