Automotive
The main duty of a car battery has always been to crank the engine and in this respect, the conductivity check is useful. In newer vehicles, however, starting the engine is less of a concern. The importance of the battery is shifting to steering and braking. With these and other critical auxiliary loads added to a vehicle, it is becoming increasingly more important to ensure that the battery can carry enough energy. The Spectro CA-12 reads capacity (RC, Ah), CCA and state-of-charge with a 30 second test.
Spectro Product Page
Spectro CA-12 Automotive Battery Rapid-Tester
The biggest advance in battery testing
Batteries cause 60% of all car problems. The ability to start the motor tells little about battery health; the secret lies in the capacity.
Measures Capacity, CCA and SoC
Tests batteries in 15-seconds
Identifies hidden battery faults
Prints reports; interfaces with PC
The main duty of a car battery has always been to crank the engine and in this respect, the conductivity check is useful. In newer vehicles, however, starting the engine is less of a concern. The importance of the battery is shifting to steering and braking. With these and other critical auxiliary loads added to a vehicle, it is becoming increasingly more important to ensure that the battery can carry enough energy. The Spectro CA-12 reads capacity (RC, Ah), CCA and state-of-charge with a 30 second test.
Spectro Product PageSpectro CA-12 Automotive Battery Rapid-Tester
The biggest advance in battery testing
Batteries cause 60% of all car problems. The ability to start the motor tells little about battery health; the secret lies in the capacity.
Measures Capacity, CCA and SoCTests batteries in 15-secondsIdentifies hidden battery faults Prints reports; interfaces with PC
Why car batteries fail
Electrical accessories place a heavy burden on the battery. The extra load often prevents full charge and the battery is replaced as being faulty. A luxury carmaker says that half of all failed warranty batteries have no factory fault. Battery breakdown, perceived or real, has become the largest single complaint by new car owners. Cadex has developed a hand-held battery tester that reads CCA, capacity (Ah) and state-of-charge (SoC) in 15 seconds. The Spectro CA-12 is based on multi-model electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (Spectro™), a technology that opens the future to an entirely new way of battery testing.
Electrical accessories place a heavy burden on the battery. The extra load often prevents full charge and the battery is replaced as being faulty. A luxury carmaker says that half of all failed warranty batteries have no factory fault. Battery breakdown, perceived or real, has become the largest single complaint by new car owners. Cadex has developed a hand-held battery tester that reads CCA, capacity (Ah) and state-of-charge (SoC) in 15 seconds. The Spectro CA-12 is based on multi-model electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (Spectro™), a technology that opens the future to an entirely new way of battery testing.
How is the Spectro CA-12 different?
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Conventional Testing Single frequency excitations, a method most other battery testers use, operate on one level only. Many pieces of the puzzle are missing and critical battery information remains hidden. |
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Advanced Testing Spectro™ uncovers the missing pieces and enables an in-depth performance analysis. Surface charge and difficult load conditions do not pose a problem. |
| More information from the battery means a better diagnosis. The Spectro CA-12 provides some of the best failure detection in the industry. |  |
Why was this not done earlier?
Collecting data is easy; making practical use of the information is the difficult part. During the 15-second test, the CA-12 completes 40 million transactions. The heart of the instrument resides in the algorithm that calculates the results. The algorithm is unique to Spectro™ and is protected by patents.
Ease of use
The CA-12 shows results in numeric and graphic format. You can also check the alternator and measure the resistance of the battery cables. The test is non-invasive and safe. Simply connect the Spectro CA-12 to the terminals without disconnecting the battery cables. The batteries do not need to be fully charged.
The CA-12 shows results in numeric and graphic format. You can also check the alternator and measure the resistance of the battery cables. The test is non-invasive and safe. Simply connect the Spectro CA-12 to the terminals without disconnecting the battery cables. The batteries do not need to be fully charged.
Why is Spectro CA-12 superior?
Fast: A 15-second test enables more frequent battery checks. This minimizes unexpected down time and enhances customer confidence.
Safe: The non-invasive test does not generate heat, sparks or fumes. No cool-down is needed for continued use.
Simple: Requires minimal technical knowledge. Reverse polarity protection safeguards against misuse; rubberized housing prevents breakage.
Economical:: Hidden faults, such as low capacity, can be detected early and the battery replaced before a problem occurs.
Fast: A 15-second test enables more frequent battery checks. This minimizes unexpected down time and enhances customer confidence. Safe: The non-invasive test does not generate heat, sparks or fumes. No cool-down is needed for continued use. Simple: Requires minimal technical knowledge. Reverse polarity protection safeguards against misuse; rubberized housing prevents breakage.Economical:: Hidden faults, such as low capacity, can be detected early and the battery replaced before a problem occurs.
What are typical battery problems?
Conventional testers often cannot determine the cause of a battery failure. The Spectro CA-12, in comparison, discloses them with consistent accuracy. Here are examples of deficiencies the CA-12 detects.
Is there a correlation between CCA & capacity?
Conventional testers often cannot determine the cause of a battery failure. The Spectro CA-12, in comparison, discloses them with consistent accuracy. Here are examples of deficiencies the CA-12 detects.
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Low Charge Short-distance driving and heavy electrical load often prevents full charge. The CA-12 indicates low charge. Charge recommended. |
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Low CCA High capacity but low CCA. Cranking is poor and motor may not start. The CA-12 indicates low CCA. Replacement recommended. |
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Low Capacity High CCA but low capacity. Good cranking but battery may fail suddenly. The CA-12 reveals low capacity. Replacement recommended |
Is there a correlation between CCA & capacity?
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This chart illustrates the discrepancy between CCA and capacity of car batteries. With a correlation of only 55%, CCA cannot be used to estimate capacity. |
Prints reports, interfaces with PC
| The printer interfaces to the CA-12 by an infrared link. A label sample is shown on the right. |
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Comes with PC-Companion software. RS232 or optional Bluetooth transfers test data to a PC
Clamps and Probes
The Spectro CA-12 connects to the battery by:
Heavy-duty clamp, for large automotive batteries
Compact clamp, for most automotive batteries
Contact probe for hard-to-reach batteries.
The Spectro CA-12 connects to the battery by:
Heavy-duty clamp, for large automotive batteriesCompact clamp, for most automotive batteriesContact probe for hard-to-reach batteries. State-of-Charge under Load
The Spectro CA-12 can be configured to read SoC with parasitic loads of up to 30A. Battery surface charge does not affect the reading.
The Spectro CA-12 can be configured to read SoC with parasitic loads of up to 30A. Battery surface charge does not affect the reading.
| SoC based on voltage (BCI) A load distorts voltage-based SoC readings. Voltage recovery takes 4-8 hours. |
SoC based on impedance spectroscopy (Spectro™) The CA-12 accurately measures SoC with loads of up to 30A. Voltage recovery and surface charge do not affect the reading |
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Specifications
Spectro Product Page
| Application Battery types Test conditions Tests Test Time Power Source Physical Dimensions Weight: Ports Environmental Safety Warranty PC-Software |
Non-invasive hand-held rapid-tester for lead acid batteries. Based on multi-model electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; excitation frequency 20-2000 Hertz. Patented algorithm. Flooded lead acid, AGM, spirally wound, gel; starter and deep-cycle,12V 40-100% SoC tolerates steady parasitic loads of up to 30A. Each battery group requires specific matrix; stores up to 5 matrices; additional matrices can be stored on PC-Companion software. Maximum test voltage 16V - Capacity; 10 -120Ah, 10-165 min - CCA, 50-1250 CCA - State-of-charge in percent - Alternator test, continuity test Approximately 15 seconds Li-ion battery provides ~150 tests per charge; charge indicator; 3-hour charge. ABS housing with rubber over-molds. 172 x 248 x 60.5mm (6.75” x 9.76" x 2.38") 1.10 kg (2.45 lbs) RS232. Infrared port for printer, optional Bluetooth for wireless data transfer Operating temp: 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F); Storage temp: -20°C to 70°C (-4 to 158°F) UL3101, CSA 1010, EN61010 EMI/EMC: FCC part 15 Class A, EN55011 Level A, EN61000-6-3:2001 for EMC One (1) year from the original purchase date. PC-Companion on CD-ROM, provides PC-interface to update firmware, download test results, print data, store and review historical data, provides Nyquist and Bode charts. |
Spectro Product Page
Reads capacity, conductivity and state-of-charge without discharging; reduces test time to seconds and finds hidden battery faults.
Find out more about how Cadex Battery Rapid Testers can help in these applications:
Find out more about how Cadex Battery Rapid Testers can help in these applications:
