Can anyone recommend something that is a cut above the el-cheapo offerings manufactured in the Far East (and which I'd be hit with an import duty charge if I were to purchase one)?
The battery I have is actually a 205 AHC HGV vehicle battery in excellent condition and which I picked up for a song. Looking for something that can tell me when it's getting close to it's 50% charge level.
Any old voltmeter will give you an indication of charge state (used against a charge state chart or coloured scale), but will give no indication of the capacity or health of the battery! A completely wrecked battery can show a full voltage charge but have no capacity to do any useful work, and die immediately any load is applied!
A few years ago I bought a battery CONDITION meter which does a load/discharge test to analyse the battery and report on its general state, it's not a permanent in place device, but a clip on one off test device.
As to anything not being Chinese, good luck, there may be but likely to be VERY expensive commercial grade! Plenty of UK based suppliers that should avoid customs duties etc.
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Thanks guys. I already have a (Exide branded) C-TEK which is a fab trickle charger for all sorts of batts. I have found something that I was looking for, but it looks to be something you'd permanently wire into a caravan or similar. Think I'll go with the battery tester option, as that looks to cover a multitude of sins.
One of these will do the job, DIGIFLEX Volt Testing Digital Multimeter Voltmeter Ammeter AC DC Meter OHM for DIY, get on amazon or your local screw fix, £8.
For general day to day use I have a digital multimeter and an analogue one. Neither cost more than £12. If I want real accuracy I still resort to my 1960s AVO meter. Back then it was the meter against which all other meters were tested and compared.
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Topic: 12V Leisure Battery status/charge meter.
