Topdon Battery Tester (BT200, BT100, AB101, BT300P) Review
You know us at Car Battery Geek, we just love looking into the various markets surrounding car batteries – this time it’s testers. Most specifically, the Topdon battery tester.
You may have been seeing Topdon’s testers (and maybe their diagnostic equipment, such as the impressive Topdon ArtiDiag BT800 or their market-busting Topdon jump starter) around for a while. They’re certainly a growing player in this market.
But is their stuff any good?
That’s what we’ll be looking into today. We’ll look at the company themselves. We’ll break down the pros and cons of their testers and discuss which one might be the right one for you.
The models we’ll be looking at in today’s analysis are: the BT100, BT200, BT300P and AB101.
TLDR – the winner was the BT200, keep reading for the review or check out price and specs here.
Topdon Battery Tester – The Lowdown
Let’s check out what these batteries are all about then.
In the table below, you’ll see the basic specs of the models in this range.
Then, read on for full reviews, giving our likes and dislikes about each model. And for our rankings and info on everything these testers can do.
| RANKING |   |  |  |  |
| BATTERY TESTER | BT200 | BT100 | AB101 | BT300P |
| BATTERY TYPES IT CAN TEST | 100-2000CCA | 100-2000CCA | 100-2000CCA | 100-2000CCA |
| BATTERY VOLTAGES IT CAN TEST | 12V & 24V | 12V | 12V | 12 & 24V (except no 24V health test) |
| WEIGHT | 700g | 482g | 290g | 870g |
| DIMENSIONS | 25.1 x 15.5 x 8.2 cm | 25.5 x 23.3 x 4.9 cm | 24.8 x 16.5 x 4 cm | 25.9 x 21.7 x 6.1 cm |
| RATING (TEST ACCURACY, BUILD QUALITY, FUNCTIONALITY) | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| PRICE (£ to £££) | ££ | ££ | £ | £££ |
How good are the Topdon testers?
Let’s take a look at what the Topdon battery testers are capable of…
What do their battery checkers measure?
Their primary purpose is to measure the health and state of the vehicle battery.
These battery testers by Topdon have a few things in common.
They all measure:
- State of Health (SoH)
- State of Charge (SoC)
- Voltage
- Internal Resistance
- CCA Rating
Some of the lower cost testers on the market don’t measure Internal Resistance, for example, so this already places Topdon testers above them.
Some battery voltmeters can be very inexpensive, but they tell you only the voltage – that’s not enough information for you to judge battery health.
State of Health (SoH)
This is a measure of the true health of a battery. You can use this to judge how much longer a battery will last.
Topdon battery testers accurately work out the health of the battery and tell you exactly what action to take – whether you need to Replace or the battery, or if its Good.
Battery health is calculated by comparing the measured CCA rating (computed by the tester during the test, at that time) compared, to the CCA rating of the battery (the CCA value of the battery when it was new).
State of Charge (SoC)
This refers to the current level of charge of the battery. In other words, how much energy does the battery currently have stored at this particular moment.
It’s calculated by comparing the voltage measured during the battery test to the voltage it should be when it’s fully charged.
What’s the difference between SoH and SoC?
You may think of State of Health in this way: the condition of the battery at this point in its life, and therefore how much longer it will live. State of Health slowly falls over time, depending on how well you treat the battery. And it’s difficult to get SoH to increase (though desulfators / battery conditioners can do this).
State of Charge is simply the current level of energy in the battery at this particular moment. SoC can move up or down very easily by charging or discharging the battery.
Voltage
Simply a measure of how much charge is in the battery. It’s measure in Volts (V). The more charged a battery is, the more power it has available to deliver – therefore the higher will be the measured voltage.
Internal Resistance
This refers to the opposition to the flow of current within the battery cells. A 12V battery normally has 6 cells inside.
So the higher the internal resistance of a battery, the lower the current.
Internal resistance within a battery gets higher over time, which inhibits the ability of a battery to both store and deliver charge to the engine or electronics.
It’s measure in ohms (Ω)
CCA Rating
CCA stands for Cold Cranking Amps (what CCA means on a car battery).
It refers to the number of Amps (A) that a battery can deliver for 30 seconds at -18ºC (0ºF).
Therefore, CCA is a measure of how much power the battery has to start the engine from cold.
CCA drops over time as the battery gets older. A battery tester’s measure for CCA shows how much power the battery is currently able to deliver to start the engine.
If it falls too much, the battery will no longer be able to start your car.
Topdon’s battery testers have an advanced formula which uses the currently measured value for CCA, and compares it to the battery’s rated CCA value (its CCA rating when new). This results in the State of Health (SoH) advice, letting you know whether you’re okay to continue with the battery or if you need a new one.
What types of batteries do these testers work with?
Any 12V lead-acid battery, 100-2000CCA.
Lead-acid battery means…
Any Flooded (Wet), AGM batteries (any kind), Calcium (Ca-Ca), Gel, EFB, deep cycle battery will be fine.
FYI, if your vehicle has a start-stop system that means your battery is EFB or AGM, both are fine.
It doesn’t work with Lithium batteries.
What does CCA rating from 100 to 2000CCA mean?
If that doesn’t mean anything to you, our advice is this:
- if you have a car, then this tester will work on it
2000 CCA is huge. You’ll only need to investigate further if your vehicle of choice is a tank or some kind of colossal industrial vehicle. If so, you’ll need to investigate and make sure CCA is not above 2000. And 100CCA is very small, no car would have a battery with CCA below 100.
What type of vehicles do they work with?
Cars, trucks, vans, lorries, boats, yachts, ride-on lawnmowers, golf carts, SUVs, ATV, campervans, RVs.
Pretty much any vehicle with a 12V battery.
What are Topdon like, as a company?
Topdon are a respected manufacturer of battery accessories.
Their support is also pretty good, you can get in touch with them if there’s any problems or questions, and you’ll get a response.
What information do these battery testers give me about my vehicle?
We mentioned the Battery Test earlier.
Apart from that, they can all perform two additional tests:
- Cranking Test
- Charging Test
What does the Cranking Test measure?
The Topdon battery testers’ checks can help you to identify several problems with your vehicle. This can potentially save you hundreds or thousands of pounds in garage fees.
The Cranking Test analyses the state of your car’s starting system. It checks if the electrical system has enough power to start your engine.
It does so by identifying the lowest voltage the battery can maintain while the starter motor is working. A voltage below 9.6 volts indicates a problem with your starting system.
What does the Charging Test measure?
It measures the ability of your alternator/charging system to give your battery enough charge.
This can be an important test – sometimes what has been assumed to be a battery problem is actually a charging system problem.
If the charging system has not been giving the battery enough charge, the battery will potentially have sulfation and may be storing less charge than normal and delivering less power.
Similarly, overcharge can cause your battery problems. This test can help identify the underlying issue (it would show that charging voltage is too high) and you can take corrective action, like reconditioning your batteries.
Reviews: Topdon BT200, BT100, AB101, BT300P
Here are our rankings with the pros and cons of each model.
Topdon BT200
This is the best Topdon battery tester in the UK.
It’s has the best functionality, reliability and value.
Here are our likes and dislikes in our testing.
What We Liked
- Large, colour screen is significantly easier to use than the BT100, especially in sunlight or darkness
- More clear diagnosis for actions to take than the BT100
- Higher quality Copper clamps, allows for best connection and more accurate results
- Works for 24V batteries
- Easy push ergonomic keys (important for glove wearers)
- 2 year guarantee
What We Didn’t Like
- Though its testing accuracy is very good, there is one tester on the market which is more accurate.
- No printer (if that’s what you need, the BT300P is better).
Verdict: It’s our winner because it tests your battery very accurately and gives you the clearest advice on what action to take. And we like that it stores your test data from the last test, so you can check for changes over time.
Choose this one if you want wide-ranging, accurate and trackable battery test data.
If it’s the right Topdon tester for you…
Here’s the best place to get it, on Amazon.
Topdon BT100
This is the second best of the Topdon analyzers.
Here are our likes and dislikes in our testing.
What We Liked
- Much higher quality clamps than AB101, made from Copper. These provide good connection.
- Better build quality than AB101 model
- One of the lowest priced battery testers that has accurate battery health, cranking and charging tests.
What We Didn’t Like
- Old-fashioned LCD screen, can be a little difficult to see in sunshine or darkness
- 12V only (though for most people, that’s all you need.
Verdict: It’s not quite up to the BT200 for functionality, storage and ease-of-use, but it’s still a high quality tester.
Choose this one for more accurate testing and better build quality than the AB101 at a slightly cheaper price
If this Topdon battery analyzer is the one you like…
Here’s your lowest priced place to get it on Amazon.
Topdon AB101
This is the third best option out of the Topdon battery checkers.
Here are our likes and dislikes in our testing.
What We Liked
- Lowest cost option of this tester range
- Provides all the information described earlier in the article – the Battery Health Test, Cranking Test, Charging Test.
What We Didn’t Like
- Build quality is lower than for the BT range models
- Some people have experienced the buttons sticking after a fairly short time of use
- Clamps are much poorer design (this can lead to some inaccurate results, since clamp-terminal connection is a highly important area).
Verdict: It’s fairly accurate, with decent functionality. Build quality is not on par with the other models in the Topdon range.
Choose this one if you want the lowest cost Topdon tester..
If it’s the right one for you…
Here’s where you’re best to get it, on Amazon.
Topdon BT300P
This is the fourth best tester in the range.
It’s got everything the BT200 does, with the addition of a printer. Expensive though…
Here are our likes and dislikes in our testing.
What We Liked
- It’s basically the same as the BT200, except with the addition of a printer so the Pros are the same! In addition to…
- Simply, the best printer tester on the market
- Thermal printer – means no need to replace ink
- Problems with the printer are very rare (this is unusual for printer testers)
What We Didn’t Like
- Much more expensive than the other models in this battery tester range
- 24V mode is only for charging and starting tests – there is no 24V battery health test
Verdict: If you need a printer-tester, this is the best one on the market. But the vast majority of people don’t, that’s why it’s no.4 on our list.
Choose this one if you need a printer-tester. Simple as that.
If this Topdon tester is the one you like best…
Here’s the lowest priced seller on Amazon.
Topdon BT100 vs. BT200
For most people, the choice will boil down to the BT200 or the BT100.
| Reasons to choose BT200 | Reasons to choose BT100 |
|---|---|
| Better build quality | Cheaper (normally around £5 cheaper) |
| More accurate testing (High quality Copper clamps) | Lighter (by around 200g) |
| Colour screen | |
| 12V and 24V | |
| More clear advice on action to take |
For those choosing between the two models, we advise the following:
For those with the most basic needs, the BT100 will do the job but given the fact that the BT200 has several clear advantages and costs just a little more, the BT200 will the battery checker of choice for most people. That fact is borne out in the sales records of the two products.
Topdon Battery Tester Summary
As you’ve read, Topdon’s battery testers are of excellent quality (matched by the burgeoning reputation of their diagnostic equipment among automotive professionals in the UK). They provide all the tests you’d want from a battery tester, and most importantly, do so accurately.
The BT200 and BT300P models have better build quality, are easier to use and have more functions. They’re likely to last longer. That said, if you just need a lower cost tester that will give you accurate results, the BT100 and AB101 models are solid.
You’ve made the right choice, to stay on top of your battery’s health. It will help the battery last longer, prevent possible breakdowns (50% of all breakdowns are battery related!), and even saving you mechanics fees.
By the way, you can also check out our list of the best car battery testers UK, Topdon’s testers rank very highly.
Happy testing!