Professional Distributor - 8

COVER STORY
he says. "The easiest way to do that is to
put a power supply on it and hold the
battery's voltage at a set level. Now I can
command a relay or other components
inside that system and diagnose their
function without worrying that I'm
draining the battery."
The need for stable power is also
required when performing a reflash, the
process of updating the vehicle's software. The vehicle must be connected to
a battery charger or power supply made
specifically for this event. The process
may take up to 12 hours, and it's important that the battery voltage doesn't drop
below a certain threshold, otherwise the
process will stop and possibly damage
the module.
Clore Automotive's 12V 100A Flashing Power Supply and 60/40/10A Battery Charger, No. PL6100, is designed to
provide stable power to a vehicle electrical system. The unit is ideal for diagnostic efforts related to the electrical system,
repairing of an electronic subsystem,
support for module reprogramming, as
well as ADAS recalibration.
Having a means of retaining the
memory in the vehicle during a battery replacement or electrical service is
also greater now than in the past. With
more electrical components coming
standard on vehicles, disconnecting
the battery cables without providing
backup power to the electrical system
can be very costly. It may even require
a complete computer reflash.
Loss of presets including clock, radio
stations, seat positions, preprogrammed
navigation settings, and even alignment,
electric windows, sunroofs, and steering
angle are just some systems that may be
affected if a memory saver was not used.
Associated Equipment offers an
Intellamatic Smart Battery Charger
and Analyzer, No. IBC6008MSK,
that is designed to charge all battery
types, including Li-ion, and has an
adjustable reflash power mode. It also

features a 12V power port for use with a
memory saver.
In vehicles that have smart charging
systems, if a battery is fully charged the
alternator does not put out any amperage
to charge the battery in order to reduce
load on the engine to improve fuel economy - the system needs to be reset when
the battery gets replaced, Mackey says.
As the vehicle's battery ages and
degrades, the smart charging system
adjusts its output in order to compensate and keep the battery at an optimal
state of charge.
If a reset is not performed, the new
battery's life may be shortened, the vehicle won't start, or additional electrical
issues may arise.
Some scan tools currently have the
functionality to complete this reset/
registration procedure for some vehicle
models. Associated Equipment will be
introducing a universal tool (Battery
Registration Tool, No. AEC200) capable
of performing this procedure for most
makes and models.

AND THEN THERE'S TESTING
From a charging standpoint, a start-stop
AGM battery will charge the same as a
standard AGM and an EFB will charge
the same as a flooded battery. However,
from a testing standpoint they are not
the same.
"When we go to test them, specifically with an electronic tester, they're
not the same because when we send that
pulse through the battery to diagnose the
battery's condition, the way that pulse
reacts with the battery and the signal
that's sent back can be different," says
Clore Automotive's O'Hara. "So, we need
to have different testing methods."
O'Hara suggests having an electronic
tester that can test the different judgement map, or internal construction, of
each battery. Each battery type is constructed differently, and therefore will
react to the electronic pulse differently.

8 Professional Distributor I May 2020 I VehicleServicePros.com

The Digital Battery and System Tester with
Integrated Printer, No. BA327, from Clore
Automotive, offers a complete testing solution
for six battery types: flooded, AGM flat plate,
spiral wound, gel cell, start-stop AGM, and EFB.

The BA327 from Clore Automotive is a digital battery and system tester capable of testing six battery types:
flooded, AGM flat plate, spiral wound,
gel cell, start-stop AGM, and EFB. It has
a 1.5-30V operating range and 40-2,000
CCA testing capacity.
"It is always best to have an accurate,
dedicated battery tester in the shop, but
you can still perform many of the tests
with just a voltmeter or circuit testers,"
says Gerald Tabas, sales and marketing
manager at Power Probe Tek.
Power Probe Tek's line of circuit testers (PP3, PP3EZ, PP4, and Maestro) are
all capable of measuring voltage and are
normally already connected directly to
the vehicle's battery terminals, so measuring battery voltage can be as simple
as pressing the rocker switch and reading the battery voltage on the display,
Tabas says.
The new 3EZ and Maestro from
Power Probe Tek include built-in guided
diagnostic functions that take the technician step-by-step through battery and
charging system tests and provide an
instant pass/fail result.
O'Hara and Tabas agree direct battery
connection is best. However, as vehicle
designs and technology evolve, some
batteries are no longer commonly

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Professional Distributor

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