Answers to Battery Testing Questions

Question: When testing my battery with a multimeter, why do I get a low voltage reading?

Answer: Batteries do not show their correct voltage unless under a load. Battery testers are designed to provide this load; however, when testing batteries with a multimeter, you must have the meter set to measure DC voltage and place the battery under load by using a resistor in parallel with the test leads of the meter (see illustration at right). If the voltage reads the same on a multimeter with the resistor or without, then the battery is either low or dead and should be replaced.

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