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❤
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!
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!
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.
@@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
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. )
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!
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.
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.
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 -,-
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.
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.
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 😀
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!
10 yr later I came across this and got the multimeter out for a F150 battery. Went down to 9.7 volts so I took it up and swapped before winter just in case. Still helping people! Thanks
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
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.
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!
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!
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!
LOVED IT. You have the same multimeter I use (I have no idea how to use it, but it’s the same one in the picture). Found a 3-year old battery that was sitting on a hidden shelf and it’s working perfectly!! Clear, concise, and straight to the point info, it saved me close to $300 !!!! 😊
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.
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.
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.
Thank You for the great idea - to have voltmeter connected during cranking! I've had the exact same problem You discussed in Your video - my battery was over 12,6 V in (almost) no-load situation, so I thought it was ok, but my car wouldn't start. After checking everything else (and preparing my desperate soul to have my car towed to the mechanic), I searched the internet and found Your video, tried to hook up the voltmeter and turn the key... saw 9,2 V. I replaced the battery and my car is happy and running again. Thank You for the awesome work, Your car-maintenance and troubleshooting videos are the best! Regards from the Czech republic! :-)
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.
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.
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.
Much appreciation brother! I try to work on my car as much as possible and wanted to try to diagnose the issue on my own. My battery is dropping to 7-8 and I’m sure that’s why it’s struggling to start in the PA winter. 10 degrees this morning. You helped me save a lot of money!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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
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!!
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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
Chris… 12 years later… this video is super AAAA-MAZING brother… super duper thorough and informative…. i would like to bet money you have saved people millions if not billions of dollars bro. God Bless you always young man 😇🙏🏼🕊️
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.
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 .
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.
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.
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.
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.
Brilliant you deserve all your subscribers and more. I knew how to do all the tests except your improvised load testing by seeing a drop when you start it.
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 RUclips such as from Chris. So make sure ask them to do a load test on your battery when you want it checked.
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.
Agreed!!!
8 years 8months and counting 👍👍
agreed and we should understand it is true. it will last forever till a better invention happen
9 plus years now! ✋
Agree. 9 Years for me.
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!
I'm glad the video was able to help you with the multimeter!
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❤
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 !
atta girl.........go fix 'em.........
Thanks a lot! I keep trying to make them better and better
Still watching your videos, appreciate your time and effort!
If you have time to really get in depth with automotive, there are great home study courses with relevant up-to-date education for about $400
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!
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 ;)
R Gon
I never saw your comment but felt compelled to say simi.
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!
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!
Great tip.
Um hmmm
My . min is 9.5 or something. Is that bad?
@@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.
Chris, today I bought my first multimeter and I successfully tested my battery.Thank you so much, greetings from Bulgaria!
Nice work! Thanks for the support from Bulgaria!
@@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
@@chrisfix how to fix air Con
@@chrisfix I'm Steve
@@stevemanuel8373 I have a 3 part series. Here is part 1 and each other part is on the description : ruclips.net/video/pCv7rCdcXsc/видео.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.
There’s been a multimeter laying around my house and I never knew how to use it 😅. You’re great Thanks 🥳
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. )
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!
10 years later, video is helping me today chase down a bad battery or alternator. Thank you😁
I'm glad this video is still helping you out!
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.
I'm glad the video was helpful!
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.
I'm glad the video was able to help you!
I knew my battery was going bad when it started showing up late and smoking cigarettes.
I knew my battery was going bad when it pulled up on a Harley while listening to 'Bad to the Bone'
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 -,-
Lol
I blame the school system.
Bad battery.....badddd! Lol
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.
Andrew Nakamura They were probably talking about your cold cranking amps
Yes, 11.65 is a little low
@@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.
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.
I'm glad the video was helpful!
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 😀
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!
As always, you are precise, concise, very detailed instruction, but not a second wasted. Very clear video. All is top notch. Thanks a lot.
10 yr later I came across this and got the multimeter out for a F150 battery. Went down to 9.7 volts so I took it up and swapped before winter just in case. Still helping people! Thanks
Good thing you got a fresh one! Thanks a lot!
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
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.
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.
Couldn’t possibly thank you enough for all these videos
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!
Thanks a lot! I’m glad you and you’re son are learning a lot!
I’ve own and mismanaged several cars over the years and this guy has helped me maintain them so much better than I could have imagined. Thanks
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!
I never thought that I will remember that Chris uploaded a video 8y ago that I will need today
This guy likely makes the most helpful car videos. The BS is at a minimum and it is straight to knowledge. Thank you.
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!
Your video has a lot of charge. 9 years and still helping. Good information, to the point, clear. Thank you!
LOVED IT. You have the same multimeter I use (I have no idea how to use it, but it’s the same one in the picture). Found a 3-year old battery that was sitting on a hidden shelf and it’s working perfectly!! Clear, concise, and straight to the point info, it saved me close to $300 !!!! 😊
Awesome! Thanks a lot! Might be worth getting the battery tested just to make sure its still in good shape
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.
Great Tip! Thanks a lot! Glad you found the video informative!
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.
I remember long ago when I was young and owned so many beaters. This video wouldve really come in handy!
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.
Yes,. Please. Thank You!
Terminal grease = white petroleum jelly. Conductor.
@@30mAkills terminally gray but God's servant. Conduit without Yeshua. No charge.
yepp...............; I do it the same way (incl. grease)
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.
Thank You for the great idea - to have voltmeter connected during cranking! I've had the exact same problem You discussed in Your video - my battery was over 12,6 V in (almost) no-load situation, so I thought it was ok, but my car wouldn't start. After checking everything else (and preparing my desperate soul to have my car towed to the mechanic), I searched the internet and found Your video, tried to hook up the voltmeter and turn the key... saw 9,2 V. I replaced the battery and my car is happy and running again. Thank You for the awesome work, Your car-maintenance and troubleshooting videos are the best! Regards from the Czech republic! :-)
I was amazed at how informative this video was in the six minutes it lasted. Even more amazed when I saw the number of subscribers. HOly cow.
Step 1. Before testing the battery be sure the red wire of the multimeter is plugged to volt, not ampere. The black wire is plugged to com.
Thank you
Great idea. I made that mistake before, and I won't do it again.
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.
Was his red wire placed in the wrong one?
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.
@Hell's favorite NPC #69OU812 . exe The good thing is that those fuses cost about 15 cents each.
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.
I'm sure distilled water would be better, however, I have used plain old tap water for years without any adverse
effects.
Bob Miller I just use dehumidifier water pretty sure it's more pure than tap water
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.
adverse *effects
The calcium in regular and bottled water will deposit on the surface of the plates and prevent the passage of electricity.
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.
Much appreciation brother! I try to work on my car as much as possible and wanted to try to diagnose the issue on my own. My battery is dropping to 7-8 and I’m sure that’s why it’s struggling to start in the PA winter. 10 degrees this morning. You helped me save a lot of money!
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!
Common voltage-related gremlins.
Simple, Informative, clearly spoken. Excellent video.
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.
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!
HELL YES!!!FINALLY SOMEBODY WHO MAKES SENSE WHEN WALKING ME THROUGH MY CAR…thank you so much You made it so simple and easy thank you
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.
MAN! THAT WAS A GOOD VIDEO!!!
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
This channel is the best Car DIY channel on youtube period. I wonder however how many average Americans have a multimeter at home.
You’re my #1 consultant! I get frustrated, don’t check some obvious signs, watch you’re videos & regroup. This.
Legend has it that the "LEGEND" battery is still running...
This is such a clear helpful video. Thank you so much!
very good instructional video. Very relevant for the time of year.
Thanks
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!!
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!
That Truck battery is LEGEND!
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!
Brenndon McGill Thank you man and thanks for the tip! That is a great way to test the engine load!
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 video, really helpful for a noob, thank you.
You are just the best guy i have ever seen on the Internet in the car maintenance subject!
Lots of hugs from Portugal friend!
Thanks a lot!
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.
Everyone in Australia luvs Chris ☺
Excellent video! Quick and to the point and the WD-40 trick is new to me, thanks!
You got that high quality Harbor Freight multi meter like i do xD
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
You can’t hide money...
15 years I have owned a multimeter and never used it. That changed today. Many thanks.
Chris, you are one of a kind. Every time I learn something from you about cars. God bless you and your family. Stay safe.
Thank you Chris! You helped me again... I don't count how often you've helped me during the last MANY years! :-)
I'm glad the videos have been helpful!
Vaseline/Petroleum Jelly is good to put on the battery terminals to stop them rusting also...
lee major Thanks for sharing the tip!
I like the Permatex purple spray.
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.
Vaseline is good for masterbating also. My post is good and hard.
Nothing beats battery terminal protector..
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
Pretty much! Thanks a lot!
Chris… 12 years later… this video is super AAAA-MAZING brother… super duper thorough and informative….
i would like to bet money you have saved people millions if not billions of dollars bro.
God Bless you always young man 😇🙏🏼🕊️
And hundreds of videos later, Chris fix is still a legend !
Great video! I'm an electrician, and I found this educational.
Chris Fix, thank you for your most excellent wealth of knowledge.
Very well done, clear instructions, helpful info!
I'm glad the video was helpful!
Thank you Chris, I like your videos over the years, you don't waste our time talking crap or selling expensive equipment
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.
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 .
Awesome video Chris. Very detailed and informative. This helped a lot thank you.
Excellent video production, clear instructions, well done! Very helpful,Chris.
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.
0:25 wow, you hammered through a thorough list of bad battery/alternator issues
thanks brother, im going to test my battery.
Great video Chris I’m gonna subscribe just to help you out!
Keep it up!🙏🏻
Welcome aboard! Thanks a lot!
Thank you for doing your part to help tame mankind and saving us money..
I found that these videos helped me out big time. Thank you
So many garbage videos with expensive multimeters we usually don't have. It's really helpful. Good job Chris!
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.
Thanks for the tip!
Good video Chris
Great vid, I got the same free HF multimeter too.
Thanks! Yea, it is a good cheap multimeter!
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
Kevin Johnson lol, good point. Cheap and a decent product.
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.
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.
Brilliant you deserve all your subscribers and more. I knew how to do all the tests except your improvised load testing by seeing a drop when you start it.
liked, subed, understood clearly, learned and enjoyed, thank you.
+Jesus was a carpenter Thanks a lot! Welcome aboard!
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 RUclips such as from Chris. So make sure ask them to do a load test on your battery when you want it checked.
I agree! Often the " Bigbox Stores " want to sell you a NEW BATTERY ! PERIODDDD ! ! !
Why are you getting batteries at a “CAR STORE” ? Big hint,,,next time try an auto parts store.
@@2003evodave 10-4
5:02 batteries need Wooder? 🤣 Is that Canadian 🇨🇦 ?
Older ones did!
@@chrisfix thought you Wooder know I was joking. Lol
Maryland prolly
New Jersey.
Thanks for being succinct and not mansplaining in your video. You get right to the issue, and it's really appreciated!
I really like these people who make videos and give great suggestions to help people on the internet. Thank you so much!
Thanks!