Title: Module 3: Battery Testing - Video Script
Course: ASE A6 Battery Service

Video Overview

Detail | Value
Title | Battery Testing — Three Methods Every Technician Needs
Target Length | 12-15 minutes
Format | Hands-on demo with 3D battery + real test equipment
Props | 3D battery, multimeter, carbon pile load tester (or image), conductance tester (or image)

Shot List & Script

Opening (0:00 - 0:30)

SHOT: 3D battery on bench, test equipment laid out

NARRATION:

"A battery can look perfectly fine and be completely dead inside. The only way to know is to test it. In this module, we'll cover three battery test methods — voltage, load, and conductance. Each one tells you something different, and knowing when to use each is what separates a guessing technician from a diagnosing technician."

Scene 1: Pre-Test — Visual Inspection (0:30 - 1:30)

SHOT: 3D battery, walk around showing case, posts, top

NARRATION:

"Before you connect any test equipment, do a visual inspection. Look at the case — any cracks, bulging, or acid leaks? A cracked case means replace, not test."

SHOT: Point to terminal posts

"Check the terminals. Corrosion buildup adds resistance and makes your test readings inaccurate. Clean them first."

SHOT: Point to top/vent area

"On flooded batteries, check the electrolyte level through the vent caps. If it's low, add distilled water before testing."

"Think of it this way — you wouldn't run a compression test on an engine without checking the oil first. Same principle."

Scene 2: Test 1 — Open-Circuit Voltage (1:30 - 4:00)

SHOT: Multimeter set to DC volts, connect to 3D battery posts

NARRATION:

"Test number one — open-circuit voltage. This tells you how much charge is in the battery. It does NOT tell you if the battery is healthy — just whether it's charged."

SHOT: Close-up of multimeter leads on posts — red to positive, black to negative

"Set your meter to DC volts. Red lead to the positive post, black lead to the negative post. Make sure nothing is drawing current from the battery."

SHOT: Point to meter display

"What are we looking for? 12.6 volts or higher means fully charged. 12.4 — 75 percent. 12.2 — 50 percent. 12.0 — 25 percent. Anything below 11.9 — the battery is dead."

SHOT: Whiteboard — write "Surface Charge Warning"

"Here's the critical step most people skip. If this battery was just charged or just driven, it has surface charge — a temporarily inflated voltage that makes the battery look better than it really is."

"To get an accurate reading, either wait 12 hours — not practical in a shop — or turn on the headlights for two to three minutes to burn off the surface charge, then wait two minutes and read again."

"Skipping this step is the number one cause of misdiagnosis in battery testing."

Scene 3: Why OCV Isn't Enough (4:00 - 4:45)

SHOT: 3D battery, camera at eye level

NARRATION:

"So if the battery reads 12.6 volts, we're good, right? Not necessarily. Voltage only tells you the battery is charged — it doesn't tell you whether the battery can deliver current under load."

"Think of it like a fuel gauge. A full tank tells you there's fuel in the tank. It doesn't tell you if the fuel pump works. We need a load test or conductance test for that."

Scene 4: Test 2 — Load Test (4:45 - 8:30)

SHOT: Carbon pile load tester (real equipment or clear image)

NARRATION:

"Test number two — the load test, also called a capacity test. This is the industry standard for determining if a battery can actually deliver current when it matters — like cranking a cold engine."

SHOT: Show load tester clamps

"First requirement — the battery must be at least 75 percent charged. That's 12.4 volts or higher. If it's below that, charge it first. Testing a discharged battery will always give you a false fail."

SHOT: Point to CCA label on a battery (or write on whiteboard)

"Find the battery's CCA rating on the label. CCA — Cold Cranking Amps. For our example, let's say it's 600 CCA."

SHOT: Write on whiteboard: "600 CCA ÷ 2 = 300 amps"

"Calculate your test load — 50 percent of CCA. 600 divided by 2 equals 300 amps. That's how much load we'll apply."

SHOT: Connect clamps to 3D battery posts (demonstration)

"Connect the tester — positive to positive, negative to negative. Set your load to 300 amps."

SHOT: Whiteboard — draw timeline

"Apply the load for exactly 15 seconds. Not 10, not 20 — 15 seconds. Watch the voltage the entire time."

"At the end of 15 seconds, read the voltage and immediately remove the load."

SHOT: Write pass/fail criteria

"Pass or fail? If the voltage stays above 9.6 volts at 70 degrees Fahrenheit — the battery passes. Below 9.6 — it fails."

"If it fails, here's what you do: charge the battery fully, wait for it to stabilize, and retest one more time. If it fails the second time, replace the battery."

SHOT: Temperature chart on whiteboard

"One more thing — temperature matters. At colder temperatures, the minimum acceptable voltage is lower. At zero degrees Fahrenheit, the minimum drops to 8.5 volts. Always account for the ambient temperature in your shop."

Scene 5: Test 3 — Conductance Test (8:30 - 11:30)

SHOT: Conductance tester (Midtronics or similar)

NARRATION:

"Test number three — the conductance test. This is the modern alternative to load testing, and it's becoming the standard in many shops."

SHOT: Show small AC signal graphic or animation

"Instead of pulling hundreds of amps from the battery, a conductance tester sends a tiny AC signal through the battery. It measures how easily current flows — which tells you the condition of the plates and electrolyte inside."

"Lower resistance means healthier plates. Higher resistance means degradation — sulfation, corrosion, plate shedding."

SHOT: Tester screen showing CCA input

"To use it, enter the battery's CCA rating and type — flooded or AGM. This tells the tester what numbers to compare against."

SHOT: Connect leads to 3D battery posts

"Connect positive to positive, negative to negative. Press test."

SHOT: Show tester results screen

"In seconds, you get one of three results: GOOD — the battery is healthy. CHARGE AND RETEST — the battery is too discharged for the tester to evaluate. REPLACE — internal resistance is too high, the battery has failed."

SHOT: Compare both testers side by side

"Some testers also show a measured CCA value. If a battery is rated at 600 CCA and the tester measures 450, the battery has lost 25 percent of its capacity. It still passes, but it's on borrowed time."

Scene 6: When to Use Each Test (11:30 - 13:00)

SHOT: 3D battery with Testing & Diagnosis label visible on back panel

NARRATION:

"Let's look at the Battery Testing and Diagnosis label on the back of our 3D battery."

SHOT: Close-up of label

"It covers these same three methods. Now let's talk about when you'd use each one."

SHOT: Whiteboard — three columns

"Quick charge check before a service? Open-circuit voltage. Customer says the engine is cranking slow? Load test or conductance test. Warranty claim? Load test — that's the industry standard the warranty company wants to see."

"Fleet shop screening 50 trucks? Conductance test — it's fast, you can do one in 30 seconds, and you don't have to wait for each battery to recover between tests."

"Battery is partially discharged and the customer needs an answer now? Conductance test — many testers can evaluate batteries at lower charge states."

Scene 7: Decision Tree (13:00 - 14:00)

SHOT: Whiteboard — draw decision flow

NARRATION:

"Here's the process. Battery complaint comes in. Visual inspection first. Then measure open-circuit voltage."

"If it's 12.4 or above — go straight to a load test or conductance test."

"If it's below 12.4 — charge the battery first, then retest voltage. If it comes up, test it. If it won't hold a charge — possible sulfation, possible dead cell."

"If the load test fails — charge fully and retest once. Fails again — replace."

Closing (14:00 - 15:00)

SHOT: All test equipment beside 3D battery

NARRATION:

"Three tests, three different pieces of information. Voltage tells you charge state. Load testing tells you capacity under demand. Conductance tells you plate health."

"Use the right test for the situation, and always — always — check for surface charge before you read voltage. In the next module, we'll cover battery charging — slow charge, fast charge, and when not to charge at all."

B-Roll Shots Needed

Shot | Description
B1 | Multimeter leads connecting to battery posts
B2 | Multimeter display showing 12.6V
B3 | Carbon pile load tester — front panel and clamps
B4 | Conductance tester screen showing GOOD/REPLACE results
B5 | Battery Testing & Diagnosis label close-up (case back panel)
B6 | CCA rating label on a real battery (if available)
B7 | Headlights on (surface charge removal demonstration)

Equipment

- Digital multimeter
- Carbon pile load tester (or high-quality image/graphic)
- Electronic conductance tester (Midtronics, SOLAR, etc.)
- 3D battery (assembled with labels visible)
- Whiteboard + markers
- Lavalier microphone