Testing deep cycle batteries by using different tools are very easy, but it can be very dangerous if you don’t know how to test a deep cycle battery? First we should know that what is deep cycle battery?
What is Deep Cycle Battery?
We must have heard the name of deep cycle battery sometime in our life, but what is deep cycle battery, is it also a car battery or a normal battery? Well, the answer of is it. Deep cycle battery is also a type of battery, where car battery is used to give a jerk of power to start the car, it provides constant power. Deep cycle batteries are mostly used in golf carts, trolling motors, where we need continuous power for long periods of time.
Things to do Before Testing Deep Cycle Battery:
Before we go for how to test a deep cycle battery, We should learn about the things to do before testing a deep cycle battery.
Check for Safety
Testing a deep cycle car battery is a can become a dangerous process for us, if we compromise on safety, so don’t compromise for safety is that types of processes. You should wear Gloves which protect your hands from acid or chemicals and also wear Safety Glasses which protect your eyes from sparks of power and other gasses which can be harmful for your eyes.
Battery Inspection
After wearing all the safety equipments (Gloves & Safety Glasses), now we inspect the battery. Check all the sides of battery is there are no leakage, But in the case of AGM battery, you don’t need to check for leakage because AGM battery requires no water or acid. But for other batteries you must be checked for leakage and also check for any damage on the body of battery. Last you must be checked the battery terminal, is there are no corrosion on the battery terminals, If you see any corrosion and dust on the terminals clean them by dropping hot water
How to test a Deep Cycle Battery?
We can test a deep cycle battery by load tester, by using a multimeter and a hydrometer. These three ways a most commonly used to test the deep cycle battery:
By Load Test:
Load tester is a tool which is use for testing the health of deep cycle battery. It is a very simple way to test a deep cycle battery, you can simply connect the pin wires of load tester to battery terminals for at least 15 seconds and check the battery health. If the voltage of battery is below then 9.6 volts it indicates low battery and if it’s above then 12 volts it means your battery is in healthy condition.
By Multimeter:
Testing deep cycle battery by using multimeter is a very common and easy method if you know how to use multimeter. But if you don’t know how to test a deep cycle battery by multimeter, then don’t worry.
Take the multimeter in your hand and connect the red wire pin with battery positive (+) terminal and connect the black wire to the negative (-) battery terminal. After connecting the wires, you will see some readings starting showing on voltmeter. If multimeter showing reading about 12v then your battery is still healthy but if the reading below then 9.6 volts then it’s indicate a dead battery cell problem.
By Hydrometer:
Checking the battery by hydrometer is also an easy method, but it also can be dangerous, so you should wear all the safety equipments. If you have AGM battery then you are not able to use this method because it uses acid and water to test the battery and AGM batteries have no water inside itself.
If you have other deep cycle batteries like lithium-ion, you can use this method. The hydrometer check acid strength and water level. If the level is low then1.200 then the battery needs to charge, and if it’s above 1.300 then it’s overcharge.
Conclusion:
After reading this blog you also can be able to use the load tester, multimeter, and hydrometer. And if you’re going to test your deep cycle battery after reading this article, make sure to wear all the safety equipments and I recommend you for reading again this blog for doing the methods in better ways.
