Testing Batteries w/ a Multimeter

[PawNtheSandman]

Is there any kind of FAQ on how to test how much juice is left in say a AA battery by using a multimeter?

 

[Aristarchus]

It depends strongly on the battery chemistry and the application. Most Manufacturers websites have technical info on their products, including cell voltage curves as a function of discharge.

 

[Soldier Prime]

you need to set your multimeter to 2DCV and it will give you the right reading, just make sure you hold the red and black on the right ends lol

 

[E4g1e]

you need to set your multimeter to 2DCV and it will give you the right reading, just make sure you hold the red and black on the right ends lol

Not quite. Most multimeters do not apply any load at all whatsoever (or a load that's far too small to affect the battery much) upon the battery being tested; as a result, a multimeter will only show you the initial open-cell voltage (for AA NiMH rechargeables, this amounts to about 1.4V) regardless of the charge level or battery condition. The only way to correctly check the voltage of a battery is if you use a battery tester - one which also applies a typical amperage load upon the cell as it's being tested (a multimeter applies an amperage load that's far too low to be meaningful).

 

[joecool234]

You could use a multimeter to test the battery while its being used. This should provide the necessary load and give you an idea of how dead the battery is.