Home Testing Batteries

Willhound

I consider myself fairly knowledgeable and can't think of anything, but hey, maybe somebody here has a tip or trick I can use. I am wondering if there's any other test I can do at home with a multi-meter to test my house batteries?
I have one that is going on 3 years old that I think may be suspect. I can measure volts of course. And I have a battery load tester but I'm thinking that the sudden hard hit is more relevant for a starter battery, in fact I wonder if I could damage a deep cycle house battery since they really aren't designed for the sudden high amp draw that a starter battery is subjected to?
I know that some places like Auto-Zone offer testing services, but first of all I know nothing is free and they're hoping to sell me a new battery but I'd never buy there because I have a connection for Interstate batteries at 10% over cost. But that location has no testing. Any electronic testers out there that aren't a gazillion dollars?

Liberty44140

Ive taken my batteries to Walmart and Auto Zone many times for free testing. Sometimes they pass, sometimes they fail, they do it with me there so never a concern about the result and I've never had a hard sell to buy a new battery. Worth taking it there. From a home test standpoint if a battery holds 12.6v on my bench at home for weeks in the cold garage I am usually optimistic that its all good. But I like the Walmart or Auto Zone testers much better as they actually test for cranking amps. 

Handymans342

How do you know you have a bad or shorted cell?

PickleRick

Get you one of these

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/14097699124924651760?q=battery+load+tester&client=ms-android-cricket-us-revc&sa=X&biw=360&bih=518&tbs=vw:l,ss:44&prmd=sivn&sxsrf=ACYBGNQqzQDSaBo1Q-H_DRrb0OvWGFXFXQ:1575395470553&prds=epd:2711745342758989962,paur:ClkAsKraX83AJpDR1reku7cJhS17ThLcu-osiCnrw4Mc7J9VrGo--xGWWib1w-0kJ2zIQq5DJ3qu7Mi3OVQbT-MRKyZxM5rZBSa3Kr09i6PwUFKScnWtTlAgmBIZAFPVH736ejXKAz3X12NCUNJyRK_ScU2xAg,cdl:1,prmr:1,cs:1&ved=0ahUKEwjkr5q7hZrmAhVkZN8KHV08Cu4QgTYI7gY

Liberty44140

Yea that’s what Walmart uses 

Willhound

@PickleRick that link gives a whole page full of testers. The first one that shows up is just a dead simple load tester like I already have. But as in my initial post, does anybody know if it's a good or bad idea to put such a heavy load on a deep cycle storage battery? Isn't that meant to mimic the effect of a starter load? Or it doesn't matter?

PickleRick

I cannot tell you what load your engine has, starter wear, engine temps, engine size, engine wear, wiring condition can all add amperage draw to a starting system.  

The tester is made to load test a battery for x amount of seconds. 99.9% of the time if a charged healthy battery passes said test your batteries are good.  

Its not as good as the high dollar one that can read dead cells but a weak or dead cell should show a weak battery on the load test anyway.  

The 29.99 one is what ive had at the shop for over 15 years now.  We sell lawn equipment batteries.  

Just charge before testing.  I like to do overnight low amp charging.  Let it rest a few hours before testing.