| Frequently Asked Questions | |
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My NiMH batteries sometimes won't test 100% capacity after charging. Why? |
| There are several possible reasons for this:
1) If your NiMH batteries are new, they may first need to be put through at least 4 charge-discharge cycles. This conditions the battery, and enables it store its maximum capacity when fully charged. 2) Older NiMH batteries may no longer be able to achieve full capacity due to age and excessive charge-discharge cycles. 3) The charger may not be fully charging the battery. Try running a second charge cycle on the batteries, after they sit for an hour. 4) There may be contamination (oil , dirt, oxidation) on the tester's contact terminal, probe tip, or on the battery itself. This can cause poor electrical contact during the load test, resulting in low or erradict test results. Contamination is more common with rechargeable batteries (vs. non-recchargeable) because they are handled more frequently when inserting/removing from the charger. We recommend periodic cleaning of all battery, charger, and tester terminals with a soft cloth and 91% isopropyl alcohol (Never use abrasives, such as a pencil eraser, to clean terminals.) When testing, make sure to maintain firm contact throughout the entire test cycle while LEDs 'run'. |
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Do I need to know battery voltage? |
| Battery voltage (no load) is not a reliable parameter for determining remaining battery capacity and condition. Also, battery voltage does not indicate whether the battery will actually be able to deliver power under operating load. ZTS Multi-Batery Testers™ determine a battery's remaining power capacity by precisely measuring the battery's ability to maintain specific voltage levels while delivering current (under load). This also verifies the battery's ability to deliver power (volts x amps).
ZTS Multi-Battery Testers display the test result as a percentage of remaining capacity. This eliminates the guesswork of estimating battery capacity from a voltage reading. |
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Is there any maintenance required for my tester? |
| The only maintenance we recommend is periodic cleaning of the tester's contact terminals, including the negative probe tip. Clean all tester terminals with a soft cloth and 91% isopropyl alcohol (Never use abrasives, such as a pencil eraser, to clean terminals). Isopropyl alcohol will not harm the tester's faceplate or enclosure.
Clean contact terminals help insure a good electrical connenction during the Pulse Load test cycle, which is important for accurate test results. |
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Does the MBT-1 have an On/Off switch? |
| No. The MBT-1 is always on - ready to test batteries. It remains in a low-power 'sleep' mode until it detects the presence of a battery on one of its terminals. After the test cycle is finished, it returns to low power mode. Internal battery life is approximately two (2) years with daily use. | |
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The power 'On' switch/button on the Mini-MBT turns the unit on, but won't turn it off when pressed again. Why? |
| This switch is used only to turn the unit on. The unit will turn off automatically after two (2) minutes of no testing activity. | |
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How do I know when the tester's internal batteries (AA or AAA) need replacing? |
| All ZTS Multi-Battery Testers run a self-check on their internal batteries prior to each test. When the internal batteries need replacement, the tester will give a low-battery indication and will not proceed with the pulse load test. | |
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Why is the Lead Acid Multi-Battery Tester (MBT-LA) larger in size than the MBT-1 or Mini-MBT? |
| The MBT-LA is used to test SLA batteries that are generally much larger in size (capacity) and higher voltage than the battery types that can be tested with the MBT-1 or Mini-MBT. The combination of the MBT-LA's greater test load and higher battery voltage means more power and heat must be dissipated during the test cycle (in this case, up to 110 watts). The MBT-LA's size is necessary to accomodate the power resistors used to load the battery under test. | |
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Can I test lithium coin cells on the Mini-MBT's 3-volt lithium terminal? |
| No, this terminal is for high current cylindrical batteries. The MBT-1 has a designated test position for testing lithium coin cells. | |
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Will my MBT-1 or Mini-MBT test cell phone Lithium-Ion batteries? |
| No. The MBT-1 does have a terminal that is programmed to test 3.6v Li-Ion batteries (single cell), but not for cell phone battery packs. | |
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