Topdon BT20 - Wireless 12V Battery Tester Manual

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

SAFETY IS ALWAYS THE FIRST PRIORITY!
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING

For your safety and the safety of others, as well as to avoid any damage to the product and your vehicle, carefully read and make sure you fully understand this manual's safety instructions in its entirety. You must read the vehicle's service manual, the battery manufacturer's specific safeguards, and observe the stated precautions or instructions before and during any test or service procedure.

ONLY OPERATE TESTS IN A WELL-VENTILATED AREA since the vehicle produces carbon monoxide (a toxic, poisonous gas, and particulate matter) when the engine is running.

ALWAYS WEAR APPROVED SAFETY EYE PROTECTION to prevent damage from sharp objects and caustic liquids.

ALWAYS BE AWARE OF MOVING PARTS (such as coolant fans, pulleys, belts) since they spin or turn at high speeds when the engine is running.

DO NOT TOUCH HOT ENGINE PARTS to prevent severe burns. The motor parts can get extremely hot when the engine is running.

TURN THE IGNITION OFF BEFORE CONNECTING OR DISCONNECTING THE TOOL FROM THE BATTERY to prevent damage to the tester or the vehicle's electronic components.

DON'T SMOKE NEAR THE VEHICLE when testing. Fuel and battery vapors are highly flammable.

DO NOT WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING OR JEWELRY WHEN WORKING ON AN ENGINE. Loose clothing can easily be caught in the engine's fan, pulleys, belts, etc., and jewelry is highly conductive, which may cause severe burn or electric shock if it contacts electricity.

DO NOT CUT THE PRODUCTS CORDS OR SUBMERGE THEM IN WATER. The product is an electrical device that can cause shock and severe burns.


Battery acid is extremely corrosive. If acid gets into your eyes, RINSE THEM THOROUGHLY WITH COLD RUNNING WATER FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES AND SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. If battery acid contacts your skin or clothing, WASH IT IMMEDIATELY WITH A SOLUTION OF WATER AND BAKING SODA.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?

• BT20
• Quick User Guide

PRODUCT OVERVIEW

Explanation of LCD Display:

	Bluetooth icon. A flashing icon indicates the tester is not connected to the App; a solid icon indicates the tester is connected.
	This symbol indicates NOT to test twice within 10 seconds.
	This symbol indicates voltage is too low. Charge the battery first.
	This symbol indicates an over temperature. Wait until the temperature is normal, and then test again.
	This symbol indicates a poor connection between the battery and clamps. Please reconnect.
	This symbol indicates the tester reset failed. Please reconnect the battery and clamps.
	This symbol indicates the tester is abnormal or the battery capacity is beyond the test range. Please reconnect the battery and clamps, and try again.

GETTING STARTED

Where is the battery of a car located?

Let's take the following picture as a reference:

1. Most models hold the battery in the engine bay, under the hood, in one of the front corners. See battery location and in Figure 3.1.1.
2. To balance uneven weight distribution, some manufacturers hold the engine in the trunk. See battery location , , and in Figure 3.1.1. In this case, the battery may have a plastic cover that should be removed prior to any testing.
3. For some models, the battery might be stored underneath the rear seat. See battery location in Figure 3.1.1.
4. For other vehicles, the battery can be located underneath the passenger seat. See battery location in Figure 3.1.1.

DO NOT TEST THROUGH THE JUMPSTART POSTS. For models that hold the battery under the seat or in the trunk, the manufacturer usually includes jumpstart connector conductor posts under the hood (see Figure 3.1.2) to make jumpstarting easier. However, to ensure data accuracy and operation safety, DO NOT CONNECT THE BATTERY TESTER TO THE JUMPSTART POSTS.

How to Identify What Type of Battery You Have?

Let's take the following picture as an example:

1. Reserve Capacity: 80Ah
   The Reserve Capacity is a time measurement that explains how long a fully-charged battery can deliver a 25 amps current in an 80°F- environment before the battery is discharged and drops to 10.5 volts.
2. Voltage: 12V
   When fully charged, automotive batteries should measure at 12.6 volts. However, this measurement should be from 13.7 to 14.7 volts when the engine is running. If the battery tester reads less than this standard, it means that the battery's resting voltage is weak. In this case, typically, the battery needs to be charged or replaced.
3. CCA: 650A (SAE)
   The CCA rating refers to how many amps a 12-volt battery can deliver at 0°F in 30 seconds while maintaining at least a 7.2V voltage. This means that the higher the CCA rating is, the easier the engine can be cranked in cold temperatures.

Connect the Clamps to the Battery Terminals
(See Figure 3.3.1)

1. Before connecting the clamps to the terminals, please use sandpaper to polish off the corrosion on the battery terminals. With this, you can avoid inaccurate test values.
2. Attach the red clamp to the positive (+) terminal, and connect the black clamp to the negative (-).
   • ALWAYS KEEP THE RED & BLACK CLAMPS FROM TOUCHING.
   • ALWAYS DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE CABLE FROM THE BATTERY FIRST AND RECONNECT IT LAST.
3. Once the clamps are properly connected, the battery tester will power on automatically and be ready to conduct tests.
   

TEST THROUGH THE TEST BUTTON

Soon after the battery tester is powered on, the real-time voltage of the battery will be displayed on the screen, and the Bluetooth icon will flash.

Press the Test Button, and wait for several seconds. The corresponding Battery Voltage Indicator (FULL / MEDIUM / LOW) and Battery Health Indicator (GOOD / MEDIUM / BAD) will light up to show the test result.

TEST THROUGH THE APP BT20

App Downloading and Installation

Search "BT20" in the App Store™ or Google Play™, download, and install it to your mobile device.

Home Page

Launch the App "BT20" to enter the home page.
Tip:
Please allow the App to access your Network and Bluetooth.

1. Settings

• Tap [Language] to select your preferred language.
• Tap [Login] to set up your account. (If you would not like to log in, just skip it.)
  Tip:
  If you already have a TOPDON account, please directly log in with it. If you don't have, tap [Register Now] at the bottom of the [Login] page, register an account with a valid email address, and then log in.

2. Bluetooth Connection
3. Battery Test
4. Cranking Test
5. Charging Test
6. Real-time Voltage
7. Test Results by Timeline

Bluetooth Connection

After connecting the tester to the battery properly and completing the account setup, tap Connect Bluetooth on the home page to connect the battery tester to the App.

After a successful connection, the Bluetooth icon on the LCD display will light up and not flash on and off.
Notes:

1. Only one tester can be connected to the App at a time.
2. Once the Bluetooth is connected, the Test Button on the battery tester will become unavailable.

Battery Test

Before the test, the engine and all other accessory loads must be off to ensure accurate results. The battery testing function only applies to 12V lead-acid batteries.

1. Select Battery Test.
   
2. Select a battery parameter (CCA or Ah), enter the value, and tap Next. The specific battery standard is normally listed on the battery label.
3. Tap Test.
   
   
4. The test result will display as below:
   
   1. Back
   2. Reference Tablet for Test Values
   3. Real-time Voltage
   4. Loaded Voltage: the voltage measured when turning on the on-board electrical appliances
   5. Unloaded Voltage: the voltage measured when turning off the on-board electrical appliances
   6. Jump to the page of the real-time voltage waveform
   7. The CCA/Ah you entered at the previous step
   8. Test result of Battery Status
   9. Test result of Voltage
   10. Tap Save to save the test result to your mobile device as an image

Cranking Test

Before the cranking test, the engine and all other accessory loads must be off in order to ensure accurate results. The battery testing function only applies to 12V lead-acid batteries.

1. Select Cranking Test.
2. Tap Next.
3. Follow the instructions and start the engine.
   
   
   
4. The test result will appear soon.
   
   1. Back
   2. Real-Time Voltage
   3. Test Result
   4. Cranking Voltage: the battery voltage while the engine is starting
   5. Cranking Time: the time a vehicle takes to start an engine
   6. Tap Save to save the test result to your mobile device as an image
   7. Tap Share to share the test result with your coworkers and clients

Charging Test

Always start the engine before performing the charging test. The battery testing function only applies to 12V leadacid batteries.

1. Select Charging Test.
2. Start the engine and tap OK.
3. Increase the RPM to 2500 and tap OK.
4. Turn on the electronics and tap OK.
   
5. The test result will appear soon.
   
   1. Back
   2. Real-Time Voltage
   3. Test Result
   4. Loaded Voltage: The voltage measured when turning on the on-board electrical appliances
   5. Unloaded Voltage: The voltage measured when turning off the on-board electrical appliances
   6. Ripple: A vehicle's battery operates on one-way direct current (DC) electricity, while alternators output alternating current (AC) electricity. In this process, the power needs to go through the diode rectifier to turn into a direct current - that's when the ripple occurs
   7. Tap Save to save the test result to your mobile device as an image
   8. Tap Share to share the test result with your coworkers or clients

Real-Time Voltage

Select Real-Time Voltage. You can check the real-time voltage and the recorded voltage waveforms.

1. Back
2. Display the real-time voltage by a certain time interval (second/ minute/hour/day)
3. Current Voltage: The voltage at a selected moment on the waveform
4. Real-Time Voltage
5. Selects the time interval of recording the voltage values
6. Displays the recorded voltage by a certain time interval (second/minute/hour/day)
7. Sets the start time of the recorded voltage waveforms

Check Test Reports

Tap Report on the Home Page. The test reports will be displayed by timeline, including battery test, cranking test, and charging test reports.
Select and tap one of the reports to enter the detailed report page.

FAQ

What types of batteries does the BT20 work on?

12V lead-acid batteries.

How to determine whether the battery is good or bad?

The larger the battery capacity, the higher the voltage value of the load test. Generally speaking, the load voltage should be above 10V for batteries above 50Ah (500CCA); above 9.5V for batteries above 20Ah (200CCA).

Why does the device get hot after running tests?

The device tests the battery by simulating the vehicle load. It is normal for the device to heat up.

What is the maximum battery capacity supported by BT20?

It is not recommended to test batteries with a capacity greater than 200Ah (2000CCA), because their output current is too large and may cause the device to overheat.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

WARRANTY

TOPDON One Year Limited Warranty
The TOPDON Company warrants to its original purchaser that TOPDON products will be free from defects in material and workmanship for 12 months from the date of purchase (Warranty Period). For the defects reported during the Warranty Period, TOPDON will, according to its technical support analysis and confirmation, either repair or replace the defective part or product.
Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitations may not apply to you.
This limited warranty is void under the following conditions: The product was misused, disassembled, altered, or repaired by unauthorized stores or technicians.
Damage caused by careless handling and/or using the product other than as directed.
Notice: All information in this manual is based on the latest