You've got your coffee in your hand, a file for today's meeting in the other, and you're running 3 minutes late because you couldn't get your tie on. When you go to start your car, there's a faint whine you hear singing from under the hood. You won't be making that meeting today.

The first thing you should do is check the battery. It's an easy thing to do to diagnose problems right in your driveway. Hit the brakes and read below on how to test a battery.

How to Test a Battery With a Load Test

Performing a load test sounds more intimidating than it is. When technicians do this, they're checking the load amount of work a battery can perform. If the battery fails the test, the chemical in the battery is no longer efficiently moving electrons to the cathodes. 

To do a load test, you should use a visual representation of power in your car. Use your car's headlights or interior lights for a test of power. If they don't turn on, the battery is completely dead.

If they're able to start, leave them on for 10 minutes. Then turn on your car. The test fails if the lights dim. 

Consider replacing your battery immediately, as this indicates an impending dead battery. If you can't make it to an auto parts store, get a jump from a neighbor or friend's battery. 

Before Moving On ...

If a load test has failed, it's important to move on to more technical testing. It's not complicated, but most people lack the required tools. If that's the case, drive the car to an auto parts store -- they usually have free battery checks.

To test a battery, you must have everything drawing power and providing energy removed.

Turn off all electrical components in the car (drawing power). Then, turn off the ignition (providing energy). This will isolate the battery for proper examination.

Checking the Wire Components 

There's only a certain amount that you can do at home without technical tools. But, for those with a proper set of diagnostic equipment, there are still some tests to be done before splurging on a new battery kit.

Assuming you have a multimeter, you should check the voltage differential across the battery. This will require a helpful neighbor or a friend (or a long multimeter lead). 

Clip the reg probe to the battery's positive terminal. The black one should then be connected to the negative side. Don't worry if you get this backward; the voltage will read a negative number instead but assume it's positive. 

If the meter reads near a volt, that's a good sign. It's likely the battery's connectors that are leaking voltage. You should also check for corrosion around the terminals in this case. 

Start Your Engines!

Knowing how to test a battery is extremely useful. And by doing so, it can help diagnose a car's issue. 

Look for the signs of a dying battery by performing a load test. Then check the terminals of the battery to see if they're emitting any power. 

Wanna talk shop? Get in contact with us! 

Warehouse Battery Outlet's goal is to get you access to the battery you need. We stock batteries for almost everything, including common batteries such as alkaline batteries watch batteries, hearing aid batteries and dog collar batteries as well as more obscure batteries such as Bipower prizmatic batteries. Located in Quakertown PA, Warehouse Battery Outlet offers local delivery for specific items on business accounts. Our 13,000 square feet of warehouse and retail space makes for  WBO's superior buying power allows us to provide, to our customers, the most competitive pricing in the industry today. Servicing the areas of Allentown, King of Prussia, and surrounding areas daily!