SIMPLE - ACCURATE BATTERY CAPACITY TESTING - MAKERHAWK 150W ELECTRONIC LOAD TESTER WITH LVD ADDED

✩✩Links to the items I use in this video along with more info located below - check it! Purchasing your items from my links helps me do what I do and create more content - Your help is appreciated!✩✩
LINK TO THIS LOAD TESTER:
amzn.to/4axYOv0
LINK TO THE LOW VOLTAGE CUTOFF:
amzn.to/3WK4MWx
In this video, I take a look at the makerhawk constant current electronic load tester. Rated at 150W, this unit will get the job done and tell you with ease the capacity of your batteries. From RV, Travel Trailer, Drill batteries, RC cars and more... this unit will get the job done CHEAPLY! Talking sub $60! But for big batteries, it make take a good part of a day to complete a test or even DAYS. But the great part is - just plug it in, set it up and walk away.
For this device, I added in a relay controlled programmable low voltage cutoff I also sourced on Amazon. This will cut off the battery from the load test device when the battery reaches a voltage you determine.
During the video I run through 4 Ryobi 18V 4AH packs - seems my old packs have held up excellent over the years.
If you like the laser cut chassis for this combo, email me at [e-mail] to order one. With thumb screws, feet, standoffs acrylic and laser time - looking at approximately $45 + shipping.
For those modificators out there... this unit can be water cooled! It will support just south of 300W which is double the stock capacity. Absolutely amazing for the price.
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[@petewoodhead52]

Nice Video! And a super snazzy mod you did. BTW, while my capacity tester appears extremely similar to yours (minus the addons), fan color, controls, etc., mine DOES automatically turn the fan off (so I'm assuming the heater as well) at the low voltage limit I set. As a matter of fact, once the low voltage limit is set it will NOT run until I connect it to something with a higher voltage and it would beep and flash the screen with 11.9V! every several seconds (I didn't time it). The battery I was testing is just an old AGM 12V, not recently charged, and it was barely over 12V like 12.2 by my multi meter and the Capacity Tester reading was 12.1 when I connected the battery to it. Anyway, it's the battery is definitely weak because as soon as I turned the Course Pot. for the heater, around 1A, the drain was enough to cause the discharge voltage to drop below the 11.9V I'd set the LV limit to and it alarmed and stopped running. It was a couple second test at most. ;) I just thought you'd find this interesting. I bought it in June for $29.40 including shipping from AliExpress and it took about 3 to 4 weeks. Faster than I expected.

[@rmoby]

Pete you are correct, I wish I had read your comment before ordering the low voltage cutoff.

[@SiriusSolar]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It certainly saved me a lot of time messing around with trying to do similar things. I can just watch your video and know that you've already figured it out and done the legwork. Thanks

[@MR_Garage]

Right on man - have fun testing! Is it weird I rather enjoy this sort of thing? HAH!

[@SiriusSolar]

@@MR_Garage nope not weird at all. I can hear it in your voice and I can tell that you're like me when it comes to this stuff so I can relate.

[@mostlypostie1]

Very neat work!

[@MR_Garage]

Thank you very much!

[@kirkanos3968]

idk why but i love the way it looks, great video

[@jaymclemore9497]

Excellent demonstration and a sweet setup! I’m researching to make sure there isn’t something new on the market but if not I will order this one. Do you still sell the chassis?

[@Bonjour-World]

I note the Low Voltage Cut Off is limited to less than 36 Volts (with a 20 Amp relay). Now some people are saying "so what". Well if one is trying to verify the capacity of a Battery Pack for something like a-bike, those voltages commonly go up to 60 volts. FYI: I note another offering on Amazon that is supposedly rated at 60 volts: www.amazon.com/dp/product/B07V3PWC23

[@jasonbrown467]

damn it, only 11.5 amps? i just got mine today and thought i'd learn how to use it..good info though. edit: hey i just connected my load tester to a 12ah agm and slowly ramped up the amps. i got to about 20 amps and it started beeping and showed me a screen that implied i went over 185 watts. i removed the battery from the load tester, let the fans run while it maybe still was beeping and flashing on the screen about being over 185 watts, i let the fans spin all the way down and then i hit the only button i know of and it seemed to reset and was good to go. i am liking this little unit, i cant wait to learn from it, for example the test leads i was using was creating considerable voltage drop down to 10 volts at just 6 amps, so i doubled up on the leads and got the voltage back up. also it shows the resistance which is something i have been ignoring and its about time i get my head wrapped around that.

[@backkraker11]

Hi thanks for the video, I ordered the voltage cut off and would like to know how much for your chassis?

[@noblindholes]

I have one of these and have 2 problems. The back light won't turn on. The display beeps and shows this >1.00v! Can you help me out?

[@rogerlittlejohn475]

what size wire are you using to connect poer from load tester to low volt cutoff?

[@tombuickweber2708]

Hi I have the same tester I just wanted to know if this would work for 36 V battery that draws about 800 watts at full power, by the way it’s an electric scooter and I’m trying to check the milliamps hours for a cheap Chinese lithium battery I had bought. So do I need to get a tester that can put a heavier load than 150 watts?Please get back to me soon as possible. Thanks in advance

[@rgbii2]

I was worried the low voltage setting was just an alarm, but using an amp meter, when the alarm goes off, it does cut off the load. However, it's a pain to set and once it goes off, it keeps beeping and going back to the alarm page, while trying to read the other screens, which is annoying. I like your idea as it seems easier to set and work with. (Since there are a number of variations of this device, not sure if all have the low voltage cutoff, so you'll want to test yours.)

[@MR_Garage]

I do not trust the test to cut, I would rather have a backup device to truly cut things off.

[@eksine]

wait a minute, this device should have a automatic cutoff, thats what the description said on my 180 watt version. so unless they added that recently yours should have it user selectable *edit I found it, your device is discontinued the new design has no knobs and has automatic voltage cutoff, user selectable here is what i got : www.aliexpress.com/item/4000479624068.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.74e04c4d4Kecgd

[@markshader1483]

Hi very helpful video. Thank you. Please. Where can I get the low voltage cutoff and how much for the base? Again, Thank you.

[@whatmattersmost6725]

Thank you!

[@leblancexplores]

Did you do a video tweaking this to 300W? Trying to discharge a 310Ah cell (3.6V) at .2C so it seems I need 62A, seems at 180W you only get about 56W. I also think my tester is broken but that’s a problem I need to confirm. It maxes out at 6A at 3.6V.

[@Alanreaks35]

Cant get mine to go above 6-8 amps at ANY voltage. Did you manage to find a fix for this? Wanting to test some 3.2V cells at 5C draw but i can barely scrap 1C loads with this artificial limitation

[@mannyjr2912]

How can I order the chassis

[@markgilbert9930]

Hi, Do you still offer the enclosure for the chassis?

[@MR_Garage]

Hello, I do!

[@danielkleinman4683]

@@MR_Garage hello I would like to get more info for the chassis you make please let me know how to order one . thanks dan

[@HardRockinRed]

Do you sell this as a complete kit?

[@MR_Garage]

We do not, I just sell the chassis option.

[@michaelschmidtke9850]

from own experience a ">150V!"- overvoltage indication caused a freeze of the display, with just this message, on my 150W electronic load from Chinese production, which looks quite similar. I have not been able to create a RESET of this message with the one button on the board. The adjustable load itself still works, only the display constantly shows ">150V!" It's a mystery to me how the overvoltage message appeared, because I only tested USB Power-Bank's. Maybe a burst spark...no idea (?) In the case of the more frequent, and also understandable, operating case of the undervoltage message, this can be reset by applying a voltage above this setting value to the measuring input. With the key on the board, as far as I know, only the measuring value memory can be reset. The error or message memory is excluded from this. If someone has a TIP to reset this overvoltage message I would be very grateful ! - Greetings Michael/germany

[@MR_Garage]

I have not had this occur on mine - maybe one of the viewers?

[@andyagogo9713]

Michael, I have the same problem. Did you ever work out how to reset?

[@eksine]

the amazon link is out of stock or discontinued. I bought this off aliexpress or alibaba, can't remember which, $50 but mine is the 180 watt version, the other one which is yours is $40. the 180 seems better and bigger fan **edit I found it, your device is discontinued the new design has no knobs and has automatic voltage cutoff, user selectable here is what i got : www.aliexpress.com/item/4000479624068.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.74e04c4d4Kecgd

[@mediamonster4936]

you never explained how to wire the auto shut-off board to the load tester,

[@MR_Garage]

Hello, you can see it in the video. Very simple hookup as you take the output from the capacity meter and put it to the input of the shut-off. That's it!

[@mediamonster4936]

@@MR_Garage I should explain in case someone else gets stuck. I actually had it wired right, but it would not come on! I figured perhaps I missed something. I did. I was trying to test a 4 volt battery lol. As your video pointed out, it only works over 6 or 8 volts. I watched the video one more time and this time I picked that little bit of information. I have to confess, I sometimes fast forward thru stuff to get to what I'm looking for. Not advisable. Thx again.