Author	[Modern View]
toolz 08-17-2012 07:56:17 206.221.154.149 Report to Moderator	A friend brought this over last night- he found it hanging in a barn at a place he just bought. I've been a tool distributor for 23 years (as of yesterday!) but have never seen one of these. As you can see in the second pic, the "charged" range is from 1.4 to 1.8. The two pointed posts are adjustable for width maybe an inch. Figured it was for testing individual cells of some sort of battery, possibly forklift? It has a light over the guage, and it's old. What is it? [Reply]   [No Email]
toolz 08-17-2012 19:22:33 206.221.154.149 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   Thanks for all the replies! We pretty much knew it was a battery tester, but the voltage was wrong for a common lead-acid battery. Since it was hanging in an old barn, the battery lighting systems seem to be the logical use. Thanks again. [Reply]  [No Email]
pete 23 08-17-2012 18:37:43 74.32.238.2 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   Battery cell load tester. I had one but haven't seen it for a long time. No use anyway with when cell lugs are not exposed. [Reply]  [No Email]
sotxbill 08-17-2012 17:59:19 69.152.252.160 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   old batteries had exposed connectors or the battery had an asphalt top. [Reply]  [No Email]
Bobcatz 08-17-2012 12:37:21 67.72.98.45 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   Here's mine had this a long time! It has 2 different coils with knurled knobs. Does anyone know how to use it? I know it's for testing batteries but what about the 2 knobs? [Reply]  [No Email]
GUIDO 08-19-2012 11:55:32 71.168.247.138 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to Bobcatz, 08-17-2012 12:37:21   HEllo Bobcats. The two knobs are to put the two resistors in series with the cell. You only need to check the resistance to find out how much load the put in the circuit. By the picture the right resistor is on while the other knob is backed off. Guido. [Reply]  [No Email]
GUIDO 08-17-2012 11:58:10 71.168.199.20 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   Hello toolz, It may be old but it is no mystery. Tool is used to check lead acid batteries. The old style batteries there is, where the cell post could be accesed above the battery top. Guido. [Reply]  [No Email]
PJH 08-17-2012 10:43:42 50.40.249.239 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   Well - the one I used when I was a young man was similar to that one, but with different voltage range on the dial. Unscrew the knurled knob near the bottom in picture 1, and it would read battery no load voltage. Screw the knob down tight and it would test under load. Good for making bad cells show up. And yes, the coiled strip got hot real quick. Branded myself several times with the darned thing. Might have been used with the old glass radio batteries? The dial on the one I used was pointed up - this one seems to be pointed sideways. Mebbe it will twist in it's mounting bracket. [Reply]  [No Email]
Mystery 08-17-2012 09:39:16 96.53.210.246 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   It looks like a "Handy" thing to have around. [Reply]  [No Email]
Galen-ks 08-17-2012 09:27:16 69.254.241.209 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   It is a tester for a nickle-iron battery. Voltage per cell with out load, was 1.4. The battery was used in electrical vehicles and standby power. The meter was probably used to test cells on a electrical vehicles. [Reply]  [No Email]
tech4 08-17-2012 09:19:07 72.15.69.39 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   My first thought was that it is an old cell tester for the old automobile batteries that had exposed cell connections. Then it hit me that those cells are 2.2 volts when charged. It is a battery tester, but I believe for the Edison Cells that were used in the old farm 32 volt lighting system. They used individual cells connected in series. That curly connection is nichrome or some other resistive metal to provide a load for the cell. It gets hot if left on very long. [Reply]  [No Email]
Bob/Ont 08-17-2012 09:41:00 174.94.50.173 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to tech4, 08-17-2012 09:19:07   A few things seem to be coming together here. Looks old enough to be from the old Delco days, they would be set up in an outer building(found in a barn). Looks like an ammeter and would be great for finding a bad cell while charging or drawing power. Delco used glass tubs with the plate assemblies hung into them. Later Bob [Reply]  [No Email]
Bob Bancroft 08-17-2012 08:45:37 97.73.64.145 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   Seems like I recall someone years ago(in my youth) using one of them to test the cells of an old battery- where the lead cell connectors were exposed right on top of the battery case. The points were poked into the lead. I don't know, but possibly it would work the same dipping the points into the acid? I have a tester left over from my AC dealer days, with two probes for immersing in the acid, in the cells, to test individual cells. They would go bad because the plastic cover went down almost to the ends of the probes, would hold acid in after use, and corrode ends. I was able to salvage this one by cleaning, re-attaching probes, and making short covers. [Reply]  [No Email]
clayton kramer 08-17-2012 08:31:53 107.10.27.139 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   It's a battery cell tester.I have one. Clayt in Ohio [Reply]  [No Email]
Bob/Ont 08-17-2012 08:10:51 174.94.50.173 Report to Moderator	Re: Mystery tool in reply to toolz, 08-17-2012 07:56:17   It's a battery tester,Canadian Tire sold a more modern one years ago. Don't know how to use one though. Later Bob [Reply]  [No Email]