Autool BT880 | Battery Tester

Application and functionality

A battery that's failing rarely gives warning. It starts normally right up until the morning it doesn't, and then the car is sitting on the customer's drive instead of on your ramp. Testing brings that moment forward. The BT880 goes further than a single measurement because it records current progression and so also makes visible what's draining the battery while the vehicle sits idle.

The Autool BT880 supports the following testing and diagnostic functions:

• Battery test: Assesses the battery's cold cranking capability, internal resistance, state of charge and overall condition with a diagnostic verdict.
• Starting test: Measures voltage drop at the moment the starter motor engages.
• Charging test: Checks the charging system, including ripple voltage that reveals a faulty diode.
• Load test: Measures battery output with all electrical consumers operating simultaneously.
• Current monitor: Records current flow from 15 mA to 5 A as a waveform, ten recordings of thirty minutes each.
• View results: Stored test results and recorded waveforms can be recalled at any time.
• Print: Sends the result to the built-in printer, with a chassis number that you enter yourself.
• Self-test and current calibration: The device performs automatic self-diagnosis; calibrate current measurement using a 20 mA reference.

What you see on the display

• Voltage: The current battery voltage, along with the minimum and maximum values recorded during the test.
• Cold cranking current: The measured value in amperes, alongside your set reference value.
• Internal resistance: The battery's internal resistance; this increases as the battery ages.
• State of charge and condition: How full the battery is and what percentage of its original capacity remains, both shown as percentages.
• Temperature and ripple voltage: Battery temperature via the built-in sensor, and ripple voltage in millivolts during the charging test.

How to use it

1. Clamp on: Red to positive, black to negative; the unit powers itself from the battery and starts automatically.
2. Select the battery type: Flooded lead, AGM with flat plates, AGM with wound plates, GEL or EFB.
3. Choose the standard and value: The standard printed on the battery, with its corresponding number.
4. Run the test: Battery, starter, charging or load, each with its own result.
5. Print the report: With chassis number, so the report belongs with the vehicle.

Special features and capabilities

Around the four tests sit features that keep the device reliable and make a measurement traceable.

• Self-test and calibration: The device runs a self-check, and you calibrate the current measurement using a 20 mA reference current. At values of a few milliamperes, that's the difference between measuring and guessing.
• Separate clamp for current measurement: It clamps around the earth cable, so you don't need to break the circuit to measure leakage current.
• View waveforms in retrospect: Not only does the reading stay saved but also the recorded trace, so you can compare a measurement to a new one later.

Where to use it

• For a car that won't start: To diagnose battery, starter motor and alternator all in one session.
• For a battery that's draining: The current monitor shows when consumption rises, not just that it's too high.
• For a warranty claim: A printed report with chassis number is stronger evidence than a figure from memory.
• For winter checks: Batteries fail on the first frost night, not during testing in September.

Package contents

• 1x Autool BT880 battery tester with test leads and clamps
• 1x Roll of thermal paper in the unit
• 1x User manual

Technical specifications