Dude, thought you might like to know that eight years after you made this video, it's still helping people. Thanks man, I found it really useful this evening.
I’m a 44 year old women and I’m trying to learn how to do as much of my own vehicle maintenance as possible but didn’t want to ask for help with the volt meter- Thank you for helping me swallow my pride a little :) Now to check the alternator video out!
Until I started actually shopping for them, oh my - the choices and variations! I decided I wanted the thermocouple and no touch sensor - couldn’t make up my mind so I purchased one made by Ames instruments from harbor freight for about $44 and then I found a similar device at Walmart made by ever start maxx that cost just under $30… is one of those any better than the other, if you’re going by brand?
Personally, I like the ever start because it’s a slightly thinner profile whereas the Eames is a little chunky, but I plan on returning one of them and I just want to choose the right one..
@@elementalraven27 If your goal is just to measure battery voltage, brand shouldn't matter that much, I have some unbranded chinese multimeter, that is a few years old, I compared it to the professional "fluke" brand we have at work, the measurement is the same.
Great video presentation was informative, detailed, and easy to understand ❤ the cam view was perfect and your voice sounds friendly real clear thank you sir❤
I dont care what anyone says here that is negative. Bud, you really gave a professional and clear explanation on this subject. One of the things I ask myself is, does this give someone who has no knowledge or limited knowledge a clear and detailed explanation on how and why things are done. Chris, good job!!!!!!! One of the best videos regarding on training.
Thank you for confirm that. When you said someone no knowledge, that is me. And I need this video. I will make a handy note and put it in my car. Thank you and Thanks Chris.
R Gon I agree, made me feel comfortable checking my daughters car battery just now. Battery is good. She was just used to a smaller engine shorter cranking time for ignition.
Concur/ I didnt know how to test my battery but now I do because of this video. I feel like I know everything I need to know to do it without screwing something up... so thanks ;)
Yes for a young lad he has more knowledge than any of the mechanics at any of the garages I know but one my good mate John in East Kilbride he truly is a genius - Lotus, Ferrari he can fix anything even managed to sort my Lotus when the authorised Lotus dealership hadnt a clue! Chrisfix , Scottykilmer and Ericthecarguy are the best car mechanics on youtube for sure!
As a woman I so appreciate this video! I had a mechanic tell me the battery he sold me was fine even tho I’ve been having issues with the car starting for a week and a brand new alternator. He tested the battery with a charging unit on it and tried to explain to me that’s how it’s done. 🤔 this video confirms my suspicions were right and he is shady af! You have a new subscriber! Happy I’ll be more educated about my car now! Thank you!!!!
Hey Chris, I’m watching your video from 5 years ago, I gotta say man your videos have always been detailed but your recent videos are even better. I can really see how you’ve put in your all in making these for us. You’ve given me confidence to do small projects on my car and for that I’m really thankful ! Thank you !
Me being a self proclaimed DIY car guy I have avoided using a multimeter for years. After watch your battery and alternator videos I’m able to check for a flat battery, alternator and parasitic draw like a pro. Excellent video!
@@chrisfix I am in South Africa, also first time, your video helped, was always intimidated by multimeters, just a quick one make a note for people to use DC current reading and not AC reading as there are options on some multimeters
@@stevemanuel8373 I have a 3 part series. Here is part 1 and each other part is on the description : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pCv7rCdcXsc.html
Chris, this video is old but it is always so handy for anyone that wants to learn from such a terrific teacher! We need so may more Chris around USA and in our schools to keep our youths interested and occupied in car mechanics just because we depend so much on cars in our daily lives to survive.
Even the free Harbor Freight meter comes with a basic instruction sheet, often printed in more than one language. If you couldn't take 5 minutes to read it, I'm guessing that you probably never read the hundreds of pages of your car's owner's manual, and don't truly know how to use all of its capabilities properly. (Most people don't RTFM. )
Dude thank you so much. I got my car back from the dealership where they were supposed to do a full inspection and had battery problems the next day. The positive lead was totally corroded! You gave me the knowledge to not only fix the issue but also raise hell with them.
One thing to note, the green residue seen on corroded terminals is sign that the corrosion is eating up the copper. You will see pitting in that area after you have cleaned the connectors. This occurs occurs when you have tin or lead plated copper connectors and do not use any rust inhibitors. A special conductive grease used extensive for station batteries is a product call "NO OXIDE A". A thin film is used on the post and in the inside and outside of the connector. Please note in your video you suggested using sand paper and the terminal shown at 3:40 show that the lead coating of the connector was exposed which can introduce corrosion problems later on. Most battery terminal connectors are tin or lead coated for this reason.
Effective video Chris! What I like so much about it is: - You explain things perfectly by showing what we SHOULD experience versus what we SHOULDN'T. - You explain WHY things happen in a simple way that we, non-mechanics can understand. - At least mention (if not, you show) the tools we need. - You speak clearly and purposeful. - Great camera positioning quality. - Great video editing; nice fades, cutting to the right spot without wasting time, great voice overs. I will surely be looking at more of your videos. Thank you every very much!
To anyone with a multimeter with a min/max setting: When testing to see how low the voltage gets when you start the engine, set your multimeter display option to "min" (minimum) and it will keep the lowest voltage it reads on the display for you. Super handy, especially if you are performing the test by yourself!
@@EatSleepShift Not bad, no, but heading that way. Keep checking it semi-regularly and if it falls to 8 or something then start to think about changing it if you haven't already
Mine hit 8v very briefly whilst starting just now. It's been a bit sluggish to turn over the last week or two, and flattened after about 36 hours of no use yesterday. Mains charge over night and tested this mornign per this video. Charge outta the alternator seems good and consistent in the low 14.0-->14.4v range, even with/without accessories and lights going. Considering the battery is 7 or 8 years old.. I think I might give it a dignified retirement and replace it. It's had a good run, so I think I'll stick with the same brand too.
You are a lifesaver. This made perfect sense for my non-mechanic self. I was able to test my battery and determined that it was an actual battery issue. Thank you.
Got my first multimeter today… I’m suck at electricity. This helped me out a lot to know how to test my battery as I am suspecting it is not that good, since having the doors open for about 15 minutes drain it enough for the car to not start Thanks!
We took it to Sams Club and they said it was a little low and probably need replacement. Its got a 7/12 sticker on it so I assume thats just under 4 years old. I just received my new multimeter and did this battery test just like you said. It registered 12.46 after the 2min lights on and when we started up it drop to 11.65. I guess I'm going to keep my battery and add it to our monthly maintenance check, but your video just saved me from buying $100+ battery I didn't need to get just yet. Thanks a lot for your time and efforts. Keep posting those videos for newbies like me.
@@paulgeneslapining1655dropping to that when cranking isn't bad at all though. My drops to 9.78 V when cranking on a cold day and it's no biggie. Most any place trying to sell you a battery is going to say that's bad and while it is starting to go, that's not bad especially if you get 2.5 more years out of that battery they said was bad. If you are in extreme cold or extreme heat that battery is going to go a lot more quickly than that though.
Love your vids Chris .... a couple of things though: To clean battery posts you should remove the terminal and clean the terminal inside and the post outside with a battery post cleaner tool - just spraying the outside with WD-40 doesn't get into the electrical contact area of the connection. A little Vaseline on the connection after assembly will keep corrosion down. When adding water to a battery you should use distilled water, not bottled water. Bottled water has dissolved minerals & salts but distilled water doesn't.
same happened to me running late and then couldn't start the car in the morning, after i finish work i tried to start it up, and it started up like how it used to -,-
Thumbs up on this video, with one suggestion: Battery terminal corrosion pads (chemically treated green & red felt washers) provide protection without gunking up the top of the battery the way WD-40 (or any non-evaporating spray) does. A light grease layer over the terminals provides an extra layer of protection. Oh - it's nice to see someone else who likes that simple and cheap Cen-Tech multitester! Mine has lasted and lasted.
Nice job, clear and concise without a lot of unnecessary fluff. One other comment, I was always told to use distilled water, bottled water or spring water or mineral water may hurt the life of the battery by causing corrosion. I’m not an expert on at $.80 a gallon I would buy distilled. Thank you.
Thanks so much Chris! I've been having some issues with my battery, but it's been hit and miss, so I was just about to head out to buy a multimeter to test my battery before I purchase a new one. I didn't know about turning the headlights on to get rid of "surface charge", so thanks I definitely learned something. You make excellent videos, nice attention to detail, and a good step by step process. I really appreciate it!
Great video, just like to add a couple of things; 12V is the nominal voltage of a 12V battery, the actual normal voltage is 12.6V. When fully charged it should be in the range of 12.6 - 13.2V for a very good condition battery. If your battery is under 12V when fully charged it may be on the way out. I am a little sceptical of maintenance free batteries. They seem like a normal battery with easy access to checking electrolyte levels blocked off. When my Mazda 3 battery seemed bad, only 3 years old, I removed the panel covering these and found that the levels were very low. I topped up with distilled water and used a smart charger to resuscitate it. The battery lasted another 4 years, just gave it some TLC every 6 months or so.
Fully charged lead acid is between 12.7 and 12.8. it cannot be more than that. Also. Voltage is measured after proper rest time of 12-24 hours. If you measure it right after charging thats the reason it shows more but that voltage cannot be used to determine state of charge or battery percentage
Yeah, I have mixed feelings about 'maintenance-free' batteries. I do use them, and they do tend to stay nice and clean, without the corroded terminals you get with flooded batteries.
Hi Chris ... I have watched many of your excellent training videos and passed them on to my son. We both agree that yours are the best in what is a pretty crowded field. Thank you very much from us both and I know from the comments many others feel this way. Quite an accomplishment .. congratulations!
This was a awesome peace of information. People tend to ignore the battery maintenance and run into starting problems. This is a basic need for a driver and a owner to have a joyful drive. Thanks mate
Thanks so so so much man. It’s 8:30 and I have jobs and contracts lined up but my pressure washer stopped working and cranking. Just checked and it drops to 0v when trying to start. That explains why I needed an external battery pack sometimes and why it’s not running. You just saved me a ton of time. I’m off to pick up a new battery in the morning.
Thanks for the video, Chris! Just used this the other day to save my car because it wouldn't start. I love your clear, concise instruction on each topic you post. Keep up the great work!
Just bought the same multimeter and searched how to test battery, I know nothing on how to. Came across this video and what a FATASTIC visual and verbal showing of how to use it. MAJOR KUDOS TO YOU saved me from electrocution and the headache of dealing with a 2 year old battery that was dead 2 different times when starting my car. Many thanks Chris and needless to say I subscribed to your channel 😀
WOW! Thank you so much for your insight. I have been troubleshooting my 2005 Chrysler T&C Touring 3.8 for a month now and nothing seemed to work. The symptoms were as you described erratic dash panel, headlights inconsistently browing-out, vehicle turning of while at low revolutions, multiple error codes including cylinder misfire P003. I changed the alternator, cleaned battery terminals several times, checked each relay in the PCM box, took out dash panel an re-solder it, check al fuses, and the list goes on... and on. Until I came up to your idea of checking the battery and changing the battery terminals for Marine type. Wow! my battery was going bad, but my terminals were bad too. No more problems. Thank you!
Another good one. I've used a baking soda and water mixture (1/4 cup baking soda to 16 ounces water) to neutralize the acid on top of the battery and around the terminals. It does a great job of killing that corrosion, but the mechanical action of the sandpaper is still needed to remove all the residue. That WD-40 suggestion is a great idea. Thanks, Chris.
I was about to say the same. You don't need a solution, just sprinkle a teaspoon of baking sodium on the positive terminal, spray some water and let chemistry do its thing. Rinse. Don't let acid crystals get on your clothes or this will be the last time you're wearing them. Obviously rinse well from any metal parts our comes in contact with. Use only conductive grease or none at best.
My van didn't start this morning I wanted to check the battery with my meter but I wanted to refresh myself watching a video and I searched it and saw yours. It was very helpful. Thank you!
Good video. I would use a spark plug brush and electrical cleaning spray to clean the terminals instead of sandpaper, then apply a thin layer of battery terminal grease to prevent the galvanic corrosion. You can also buy a battery terminal post cleaning tool, this has steel bristles plug to clean the connectors, and a bristles hole to place over the battery terminals, this works well. Wd40 dries out and is a water displacement spray (hence the "WD") not a lubricant.
Very Helpful! Very detailed! Thanks for making such a great video for a layman like myself who is very interested in maintaining the car and not want to be ripped off by shops.
love this, my battery didn’t start up all lights are functioning but my battery level reading now is at the 8 level tried boosting with another car battery but to no avail.
Short, sweet, but thorough, perfect. Thanks again Chris, I just forwarded this video to my little cousin that was asking me how to check a car battery with a multimeter.
A good load test is the "cold flood crank" mode. Turn key on, floor gas pedal and hold. Turn it over and it should just keep turning over. Not all cars have this so if it starts immediately let off of gas. Generally I'll crank it for 5-6 seconds and see what the batt voltage levels off at. Most ford and GM use the clear flood crank to clear flooding condition. The ECM does this by either cutting fuel injection pulse width or ignition system or both. This is a lot of info but good to keep in memory. Also fun to mess with people lol. Love the vids Chris. Lot of great info!
Cranking the engine for a few seconds won't damage the starter. That's what it's designed to do. And the comment about damaging the engine by cranking it is completely ridiculous.
Great stuff, Chris. Even if viewers don't use this information to do the work themselves, they will have the knowledge to prevent someone from getting ripped off by an unethical mechanic.
Thank you. Been fighting with my Nissan Qashqai immobiliser, never thought for one minute it maybe the battery! I've a multimeter, just needed a good video to watch to see what needs to be done. this one is perfect! Thanks!!
Me too. I have several of them, one in the trunk of all the cars we have. The back light is useful, too, and I get some use out of the 1.5 / 9V battery test feature.
yeah ive got a few but most the leads are broken so i use other brands leads, plus i fabricated other ones for other purposes like terminal slot testing
this Chrisfix is always there with a video that I need I needed to check my battery in my car with a multimeter and looking for a video chrisfix video shows up first, thanks for helping
I took my lawnmower battery to a parts store and they put a meter on it and said it was no good. They wanted to sell me another battery. I told them the battery had been sitting for two years so asked if they could try charging it. The guy said, it was a goner. His exact words. I said ok, thanks, and took my battery and went to parts store up the street. They charged it and THEN tested it and said it was fine. Parts store are not always honest especially with older women so I found this video helpful so I can get a meter and test my own batteries.
Are you recording the multimeter in the engine while starting, then reviewing the video to see the numbers, then resuming recording? Didn't seem like any else was there. The amount of extra time you had to spend to do that shows how much you just want to share good info. Another winner from ChrisFix. Thank you for having a multimeter similar to mine. lol
I see a lot of people driving around with terribly corroded clamps. And I wish someone made the perfect battery terminal cleaning tool. I'd buy it, regardless of price. I use a pocket knife, scrape all around, then go at it with a wire brush, which tends to fling corrosive bit everywhere, like on my clothes. Slow, tedious work. I always use vaseline in and around my clamps, but I'll definitely try the WD-40 trick. Good video!
There are many dual wire brush purpose made tools for this. Amazon or Ebay. Does the job much better in seconds. Yellow sulphur and crystalline deposits easily dissolved and removed with a kettle of boiling water. There are special terminal sprays to keep air out and stop corrosion but vaseline will do the same job. WD40 will leach away over time and let the corrosion feeding oxygen back in.
9 years later, i referrenced this video to make sure i did not need soemone on the accelerator while testing the running car battery. Thank you Chris! much aprreciated.
If you don't have an assistant or min/max setting on your multimeter, then thread the leads between the hood and the windshield and set the meter on the windshield or hood facing you (to read during start up).
A distinction should be made between bottled water and distilled water. Bottled (drinking) water is NOT distilled water. If you have a "wet" battery with caps, only add distilled water. Regular bottled drinking water does have minerals. I only mention this because you said to use bottled "or" distilled water. Only use distilled water, which is bottled, of course, but drinking water is also bottled.
Bob Miller hey... captain know it all destruction of good videos.. if you're in a emergency situation regular water can be used.. and he stated distilled water is what to use.
Great Videos Chris, have been watching for long, but this video was very helpfull, The battery guy told me my battery was gone this was in August 18, I had a cheap Multimeter and used it as per your instructions word to word, it was amazing the battery is as good as new on the readings, till today it starts with the first crank, just added battery water a week ago, we get a little acidic battery water here ( its not pure distilled water) my battery is 4 years 4 months old , Thanks for your informative and easy to understand videos .
Terrific video! Admittedly, I had never used my multimeter to check a car battery before, so this was extremely helpful. Car wouldn't start yesterday so it sat in a parking lot overnight, went back over this morning and jumped it, brought it home and it does show pretty discharged on my charger, but showing @14.5 volts when the car's running. No idea what's going on yet since it started fine yesterday morning but then a few hours later - nada. Wouldn't even crank, just clicked. I'm going to keep the charger on it and then go from there.
I just came to this video to make sure I had my wires right in my multimeter. Good to know others can miss that. Currently struggling with my 12v boat batteries.
Thank you sir! I freaked out a little bit after reading your post I had tested a battery earlier and everything was copacetic so I went out again look at my little harbor freight battery tester and wasn't sure if it was on the right one so I plug the red one into the other one what are those wires get hot I had it right the first time laugh out loud thank you.
I was interested in how to check the deep cell, which I was unsure of. I want to be clear, I have been wrenching (not professionally) on either my own heavy equipment or cars for probably twice as long as you;ve been alive. I cannot emphasize enough what a great job you did with this video. Absolutely outstanding, it's easy to see why you have 9 million subscribers. Well done lad!
Please do not put any crap on the battery terminals, just wire brush it and it's good for years or until next acid leak. In other words dont waste your time getting dirty every time you move your battery.
Hey Chris, is it just me or am I the only one that feels like car stores will MOST of the time recommend a new battery...even if you don't need one? Great tutorial btw....
I was told by Walmart service adviserthat my two year old max start battery was good by checking the voltage. I told him to do a load test on the battery sure enough the battery had a internal current draw and they had to give me a new battery under warranty. Thanks to all the good information on RU-vid such as from Chris. So make sure ask them to do a load test on your battery when you want it checked.
ChrisFix Cheap is correct. Why is it free? Cheap. However no one on this planet wants cheap. What you want is a good value. For example, I intentionally bought a 'cheap' IAC that was advertised as "High Performance IAC". There is no such thing. My response: www.ebay.com/itm/181344884708
i had one of those. gave it away. it worked ok but the leads broke right at the elbow. i fixed one side and then the other broke and since my brother gave me a good one i just passed this one off to someone else. so now i only have two, a digital and an analog one.
Extra "old timer's tip": Once those terminal posts are clean, lightly coat with petroleum jelly. Been doing this for our assortment of vehicles for over 45 years and have never seen an adverse effect. Keeps the posts from forming corrosion.
This was an informative video. The battery in my truck which I bought 2.5 years ago is still going strong. I will start checking it from time to time with the multimeter I use on the battery on my trailer. Thanks.
