Battery Load Testing Ottawa

Battery load testing in Ottawa answers one question: can your battery still start your car on the coldest morning of the year? A voltage reading tells you how much charge is in the battery right now. A load test tells you whether the battery can deliver that charge under the heavy demand of cranking a cold engine. These are two very different things. A battery can show a perfect 12.6 volts at rest and still fail a load test because its internal plates are degraded and cannot handle the surge.

How a battery load test works

Our technician connects a professional electronic load tester to your battery terminals. The tester applies a heavy electrical load that simulates the demand of starting your engine. This load runs for about 15 seconds. During those 15 seconds, the tester measures how well the battery maintains its voltage under stress.

We also measure the battery's actual CCA output against its rated CCA. A battery rated at 700 CCA that only delivers 400 CCA under load has lost nearly half its starting capacity. That battery might start your car on a mild day but it will not start it at -28C in January.

When to get your battery load tested in Ottawa

Load testing vs. voltage testing

A voltage test is like checking your gas gauge. It tells you how full the tank is right now. A load test is like flooring the accelerator on a hill. It tells you whether the engine actually has the power to perform when you need it. Both tests take under a minute but they measure completely different things. A battery can pass a voltage test and fail a load test. That is why voltage alone is not enough to know if your battery is healthy.

We perform battery load tests at your location anywhere in Ottawa. Your driveway, your office parking lot, a condo garage, or wherever your vehicle is parked. Call (613) 619-4545 to schedule a test. If the battery fails, we replace it on the spot.