Few things in life are as frustrating as having a dead starter battery on your hands – especially if you’re not expecting it. Things take a truly bleak dimension when your vehicle is an automatic and must start on its own. That is why this Foxwell BT705 Battery Tester Review is very important: periodic testing will alert you of a pending failure, help isolate issues, and importantly, assist with purchases. This review will help you decide if the BT705 is the right battery tester for those all-important tasks.
On the surface, the unit looks quite solid: it comes with a case, feels durable to the touch, and appears to be what a typical DIY mechanic, professional mechanic, and regular vehicle owner will be happy to have around.
However, how does owning the unit feel? Does what the tester looks like on the surface translate to a solid and exciting time with it?
This and more are the issues I’ll be treating in this review. And importantly, I’ll be deciding if you should consider this battery tester or alternatively, will be suggesting others you’d be best served by.
However, first things first: let’s take a look at the Foxwell BT705 on Amazon.
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Article Outline
First Look at the Foxwell BT705 & What’s in the Box
I’ve always had a soft spot for tools that are properly packed and protected, especially hand tools that are secured in a hard case. Although I already have a battery tester from another brand, I was excited to see what the BT705 offered and I couldn’t wait to unwrap it.
Immediately I got the unit, I was impressed with its light weight (less than 4 lbs) and the sturdy design of the case itself, even before opening up the unit.
The case looked solid – and appeared to be something that would take a beating in the years to come and still serve, brilliantly (not that I’m planning to make it take a beating).
Excited, I tore off the paper label and was greeted by three things inside the hard, protective case: the battery tester itself, a quick start guide, and a user manual – each tucked neatly into its place (to avoid shuffling around when closed).
I removed the quick start guide and spent a few minutes reading it. I then proceeded to the user manual and finally, picked up the battery tester and hooked it to my starter battery.
I had a voltage reading, immediately. I looked at the Foxwell battery tester before me, its case, quick start guide, and user manual, and smiled.
Everything looked good!
Functions & Abilities
Holding the Foxwell BT705 battery tester firmly in my grip felt light, powerful, and assuring. I was confident the unit in the case would handle its tasks in a manner as reassuring as the case itself.
But, what is the tester itself up to? What can it do when hooked up?
As it turns up, it does three major things:
1. Battery Testing
The cardinal job of the Foxwell BT705 battery tester is to test batteries – and the unit does this in very detailed and meticulous steps.
When hooked to a starter battery, it demands and is fed vital information such as whether the battery is in or out of the vehicle, the type of battery in question, voltage system, whether the tester clamps are attached to the top or side of the battery, and the starter battery’s rating.
With the above information, the 705 runs a series of tests, benchmarking the ideal values with what it finds. The summary usually pops up in about ten (or less) seconds – which is supremely fast, going by the speed of other battery testers available on the market.
The summary is usually what every driver or car owner can easily understand. It consists of the volts, measured (rating) and the standard rating entered earlier against which the battery is tested.
The verdicts are usually: ‘Good Battery’, ‘Good – Recharge’, ‘Charge & Retest’, ‘Replace Battery’, and ‘Bad Cell – Replace’.
With the above self-explanatory verdicts, it doesn’t take any technical knowledge to make both an informed and valid decision.
In addition to the summary, the Foxwell BT705 also measures and displays the battery’s internal resistance (Res), state of health (SoH), and importantly, state of charge (SoC).
2. Starter Test
Sometimes, a great battery can easily be held back by a faulty starter – which will also leave a no-start condition, sooner than later. When this happens, the overall effects will be the same as with a faulty (starter) battery.
With the 705, the starter can be tested to see if it’s working within its set parameters, which are usually summarized in volts and time. If there’s anything wrong with the starter in terms of its volts or time used, the battery tester will summarize and present its findings in summary.
The results here usually read: ‘Cranking Normal’, ‘Low Voltage’, ‘Charge Battery’, ‘Replace Battery’, ‘No Start’, and ‘Cranking Skipped’.
These summaries are (also) self-explanatory and point exactly, in very fixed words, the condition of the starter.
3. Alternator Testing
Finally, the BT705 also has the unique ability to test the alternator; after all, if the alternator does not recharge the starter battery as it should, there would be a challenge, sooner than later.
With the alligator clamps firmly connected to the battery and any surface change discharged (by way of powering on the headlight and firing the blower to max for some few seconds), the output of the alternator is also read by the battery tester both at idle and when loaded – which is essentially when the vehicle is revved.
The summary usually comes out as shown below:
‘No Problems’, ‘No Output’, ‘Low Output’, ‘High Output’, and ‘Excessive Ripple’.
These summaries, like the others, are equally self-explanatory and leave no room for confusion and ambiguity. They also lend themselves to easy understanding, even for those who are not versed in the internal workings of a vehicle.
But, there are more exciting things to consider – things that make this battery tester worth a second look. And even, a third.
Other Exciting Functions
The options shared above are the basic, battery testing options. However, when I review any auto product, the other features, away from the standard features/functions are what I normally look forward to.
It is what also excites me. So, what are those options in this case? It turns out, there are many:
1. A Hard, Solid Case
One of the greatest selling points of this battery tester, one this Foxwell BT705 battery tester review won’t be complete without, is the presence of a case.
Now, this isn’t just any case: it’s a hard, solid case, designed in the form of a briefcase and easy for transport, protection, and storage purposes.
After purchasing the battery tester, you won’t have to worry about its storage, transport, or any third-party case.
The best part? The case is solidly built and will last a long time.
2. Smart, Voltage Test
Right after clamping the battery, the voltage of the battery displays on the screen of the battery tester, even without any further input.
This instantly shows you the state of the battery’s charge (or discharge as the case may be) without needing to do anything special.
This smart voltage test turns the battery tester into one hell of a ‘dedicated volt meter’ – much to the joy and utility of the user.
3. 12 & 24 Volts Reality
The Foxwell BT705 battery tester is a versatile unit and this is shown clearly by the battery types it can handle.
Granted, most vehicle battery types today are powered with a 12-volt system; however, as a user, you may have a system somewhere that relies on a 24-volt system to do its thing.
With such a system, you’ll be able to smartly check it up without as much as breaking a sweat or even thinking about it, consciously.
4. A Protected Body
When I reviewed the Foxwell NT301 code reader, one of the things I adored about it was its awesomely coated and protected body.
What this meant was that the unit wouldn’t be damaged by any minor issue; it also wouldn’t be scratched unnecessarily.
Fortunately, the BT705 follows that design language and also has extra padding all around it, which is a refreshing thing to see.
5. An Extra Long Cord
Further, there’s an extra long cord, measuring over 2 meters. This makes it easy to sit in the cabin of the vehicle as the tests run or, access the accelerator when you need to rev the vehicle and still have need to see what’s happening on the display of the scanner.
Generally, this eliminates the need to have a second party help with battery tests.
If you’re alone (or don’t like working with others), this is one feature you’d passionately like.
6. The Unit Is Very Fast!
Finally, it’s worth noting that the unit is very fast!
Running ALL the tests, the tester never lagged nor did it slow down in any sense: instead, the unit CONSISTENTLY loaded in a few seconds and delivered results in a manner that got me wondering how Foxwell managed to pull off its speed…
…most battery testers I’ve been blessed to use aren’t usually half as fast!
What Battery Type Is the BT705 Compatible With?
The Foxwell BT705 is generally compatible with regular flooded, AGM, and GEL batteries – which means these battery types will easily give themselves to be tested without any challenges.
From the menu, lithium-ion batteries aren’t included. This may pose a challenge as to the reliability of a test if lithium-ion batteries are to be tested.
So, there you have it: regular flooded, AGM, and GEL – reliably. Lithium? Maybe. Or, maybe not.
Limitations
Despite all the awesome things that I’ve typed in this Foxwell BT705 battery tester review, the unit isn’t without its flaws or shortcomings (which in my opinion, aren’t deal breakers).
That said, it’s important to take special note of these limitations before commitment:
First, the input style could be more sleek. When you’re interested in entering a figure, for instance, the values on the screen change in an increment of 5 points, and do so (either up or down) till you have your point.
A better design would have been to press and hold while the values rise or fall (as needed). It would also have been faster.
Secondly, more testing standards could be added such as the Ampere-hour (Ah) metric. For some batteries and regions, this remains the most popular battery metric. Unfortunately, it’s completely absent among the selectable options.
Its addition, especially for regions that rely very much on it, would have certainly made a difference.
Finally, there’s no lithium battery option. Adding the option to test the newer lithium-ion starter batteries would have been a welcome development.
Alternatives to Consider
If you’re not interested in testing 24-volt battery systems and won’t be bothered/impressed with a hard case, the BT 100 Pro is a good option to consider, especially if you’re looking to save/are on a budget. It’s a basic unit that is as ‘straight to the point’ as they come.
If you’re looking at a battery tester that also doubles as a code reader (to save on cost), then, you should consider the NT301 Plus – a unit that is an OBD II code reader and a battery tester, all in one. Though the battery testing functions are limited, it serves in a basic manner.
Finally, if you’re a shop, full-time mechanic, or a car owner who doesn’t want to be limited, then, consider the Foxwell BT780 – a battery tester that comes with its own power, printer, tests all battery types and can easily test from 6-24 volts!
Should You Buy the BT705 Battery Tester?
Yes – without a shred of doubt.
The solid build, reasonable price, smart design, and ergonomic hard case are compelling enough reasons to buy and keep the unit.
However, the other options from Foxwell (shared as alternatives above) are equally impressive in their respective rights and worth considering.
Thus, before buying, (here’s the direct purchase link, if you’re interested), make sure that you’ll need its vast prowess before your decision…you may just be served equally by an option that is not only cheaper but easier to use and store.