Are there members here who use a Carbon Pile Load Tester (the gold standard) to test their vehicle’s battery performance? Is there anything to be aware of to not damage the battery (if it’s already good) as well as personal safety. I want to make sure I don’t do anything stupid.
I've used resistor-type battery load testers for decades, but I think the inexpensive ones use nichrome heater wire or power resistors instead of a carbon pile. Never had a problem without taking any unusual precautions.
This article ( https://autoedu.info/en/auto-electric/battery/battery-load-test/) mentions:
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“Some manufacturers emphasize that their batteries should not be load tested, but instead tested for conductivity. They claim that load testing can damage the battery. Therefore, always check the service information for a given battery before performing a load test.”
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That doesn’t make sense, right? Battery should be capable of handling high loads. The Carbon Pile Load Testers use a load with current that is half of the battery’s rate CCA.
Doesn't seem to make much sense given how much current a starter will draw in normal operation, especially starting a cold engine on a cold day. I've never had a problem but also never had a newer type battery like AGM.