Fred, Dak, need your input

[Alan]

I've got a plow that seems to be pulling a boatload of current. Tried another plow on that truck and everything seems fine so I'm thinking the problem is with the pump motor pulling high amps.

I've seen the hand held ammeters from Snap-On, they're not real expensive, online price comes up under $60.

Been watching eBay for one and found this little jewel (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sun-Vat-40-ANALOG-BATTERY-STARTER-ALTERNATOR-TESTER_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43989QQihZ013QQi temZ230222819907QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW). Is it worth having if the price was right? Will it test draw on the pump motor? When I saw "carbon pile" I remembered Fred talking about that.

Input from all pros welcome. I'd kinda like a real test setup so I don't have to diagnose by swapping parts.

[Plow Dak]

SWEEEEEEEEEEET
I just used our vat 40 today. Carbon pile is real world. Had a car come back for hard start. Passed with the POS manufacture required tool. Failed like a floating brick on the Vat 40. Showed the kid how that required tester can't be trusted. Oh it looks fancy and gives a print out and a code if it's bad but...............

Anyhow. Yeup you can test that motor NP.

If you can get it reasonable then by all means.
It looks cleaner than ours for sure... :wink

[Pickering Snow]

Thats a great dependable unit from Sun, like Mike said and i have said before screw Midtronics testers if i had a dime for everyone mine has tested good and later had to pull my pants on at 9 at night and jump start that same vech i would be Rich...

I use a AVR from Snap on that works the same with Carbon pile which is really the only correct way IMO to test a battery or check a motor for exessive amp draw the nice thing about the Vat40 listed Alan is it has no chip boards like the Snapon unit which i have had to buy twice in 9 yrs at 200 a pop.

The Midtronics scam has i called it started at the dealerships when i still worked there GM and then DC wanted the Midtronics units used has the final say on warr batterys, they only take averages off cell states and thats were there junk, they also had a message that would appear that said charge battery ok great tie up one of my stalls with a warr battery job recharging til the acid was boiling out of the vents only to say RECHARGE battery again what a POS.

Fluke also makes a clamp on inductive amp clamp has i call them that works with a DVOM of any kind i have two of those for field work and there good too, but again nothing will ever hold up to the standards of a good carbon pile load test.

[Wizard]

The VAT40 is the way to go. My old man (been fixing cars for 35+ years, ASE Master, taught at dunwoody, etc, yada yada) swears by them. Any time any of his techs ever had a charging/starting question, out came the VAT40. They hold up well too, his current unit has been around as long as I can remember...

[Alan]

Thanks for the endorsements, guys. I think I'm gonna see what it goes for. Problem is that I think the current high bidder (or he was a little while ago) has deeper pockets than I do. The sunumbitch is one of us too. :)

If you were closer, John, I'd say buy it and I'll come borrow it from you.

[Pickering Snow]

Alan

Heres the other option a Amp clamp i really recommend these over a Vat 40 for what your wanting to do it works with any DVOM. Mike might know what this one came from if he looks close i have two and here priceless for checking amp draw in the shop or field without tugging the Vat 40 around.

FYI to Alan and John watch how high you bid that machine i own several Sun pieces mostly Scopes i have bought 1215 Sun scopes for has little as 200 bucks in perfect conditon from high school auctions hell the kids today wouldnt know how to use one anyway so they sell cheap, i have been to garage auctions were the same Scope goes for 600 bucks so a guy can have a talking piece in his shop just plain foolish good deal if it stays around 125.00 bucks remember you dont know what the inductive cable conditon is in and Snap on bought out Sun so expect to pay threw the nose if its needed.

[Jerre Heyer]

FWIW, Got a combo meter from Sears for under $40.00

UEI AMC 6000 model with low amp clamp built in. Read 0-200 amp ac and DC as well as VOM and temp readings Works good for the vehicles and hangs easily on a hook or off of the shifter in the truck.

I have a carbon pile unit too and it was great to show the GMC guys the dead cells in the brand new batteries a couple of years ago:wink