BatteryBug
Battery Failure Warning System
Product review by:
    Bruce Bonebrake
  Argus Analyzers
     PO Box 203
  Jamestown, RI
          02835
    When it comes to caring for our vehicles, there is one area which we have little control of as far as preventing becoming stranded. Maybe this has happened to you before... your ready for work, maybe running close on time, and then it happens..you turn the key in the ignition, and nothing, or hear the starter solenoid make a  click-click-click sound....no start. Or maybe after shopping or going out to eat, same thing, no start. What seems odd to you is there was no warning of anything wrong with the vehicle. The last start, the engine started right up like it always does. What happened? Well if you have been in this situation, you already know..the battery failed. The thing is the battery can fail any time.
    The normal lifespan of a battery is three years. After that, you are on "borrowed time." Ambient temperature is a determining factor of when the battery may fail, as extreme heat conditions is when the majority of battery failures occur. Still, there is a chance that the extreme temperatures were a factor in a battery failure, but the battery can fail at any time, and at any temperature. So here we are back to having no control over when the battery needs to be replaced..BEFORE it leaves us stranded. Now I have some good news.. I had the pleasure of talking to Jim Hamann at ARGUS Analyzers about some of their products, and he mentioned the BatteryBug, and what it does, and I have to tell you folks, this is the answer!! I have been reviewing this product for a couple of weeks now and I am EXTREMELY impressed with it. I have written this review going into detail what the BatteryBug is and I think after you read this, you will realize that this is a MUST HAVE tool.
c2007-2008
Both images above show the front and back of the package. There are three items on the front of the package that I wanted to mention..
As seen on the package, the BatteryBug can be used on cars, trucks and even motorcycles. It is designed for use on engine starting batteries and not on a battery used for deep cycle service such as a marine trolling battery or an RV accessory battery
This states what the designed use of this tool is. It is designed to eliminate the risk of ever being stranded by a battery failure again.
The tool uses  advanced and  patented CrankCheck Technology  and you can also see where the tool recieved the AAPEX "Best Product" award.
When you open the package, the contents of the BatteryBug is the unit itself, and the user's manual. The user's manual is easy to understand and explains in detail how to connect the unit and how to use it, along with conditions that may appear on the testers LCD display. To give you an idea as to the size of the tester, I have taken a picture of the unit in the palm of my hand.
Phone   (401)-398-2959
MODEL #BB-SBM12
Connecting the BatteryBug to the vehicle is a very simple process. My review shows connecting the unit on two of the most common battery types. The first type, shown above, is a top post battery type. When attaching the BatteryBug, it is extremely important to properly identify the positive and negative posts. On our test vehicle, it is simple to determine which is which.
Attach the black lead to the negative (-) terminal
Attach the red lead to the positive (+) terminal. Be careful using a wrench on the positive terminal. If the wrench would contact metal (ground) a dead short will occur.
Within a few minutes, the BatteryBug is connected.
Attaching the BatteryBug to the vehicle is simple. Peel back the paper on the mounting pad and press into place.
The display on the Battery bug is active and the intial screen shows 100% Cranking Health.
The display automatically toggles back and forth from the battery life remaining to the battery voltage. This in itself is a handy feature as all you have to do is open the hood and take a look at the display to determine what the battery voltage is.
The photo above shows the voltage while I was cranking the engine. Another nice feature.
The charging voltage is displayed once the engine is running. As you can see by the reading, the charging system is functioning properly.
The image to the left is what the BatteryBug is famous for. The Cranking Health is the indicator of the condition of the battery. 100% (like new) to 0%(imminent failure). Another nice feature of the BatteryBug is when the reading falls below 10%, a 30 second audible alarm will sound along with a visual alarm indicating the battery should be replaced. That means that without opening the hood, you will know when the BatteryBug is alerting you of a battery failure.

The first vehicle shown in my review has a battery with 82% Cranking Health. You may be thinking that you have a new battery or a new vehicle so a tool such as this really isn't something that you need. Well here is something I want to share with you. The test vehicle is a 2008 Hyundai Sonata with 1,787 miles on it. The vehicle production date as shown below is Oct 11,2007 which was about two months ago. 
The second test vehicle that I wanted to show in this review is a 2003 Chevrolet Astro van. This is a different battery terminal design, side battery terminals.The BatteryBug is designed to attach on all battery terminal configurations by simply attaching the leads to the positive and negative posts.
The terminals attached to the BatteryBug leads could be placed between the battery cable ends and the battery teminals, but a better option is to install battery bolt extenders in place of the OE battery bolts. The battery bolt extenders will give us a good attachment point for the BatteryBug connectors. The extenders cost only a few dollars and are easy to install.
I start with the negative battery terminal.Remove the cable and with a pair of pliers, the OE bolt is removed. This is also a good time to inspect the battery terminals. With the OE bolt removed, place the extender in place and tighten. You can see in the last picture that we now have a good attachment point for the BatteryBug lead.
The positive battery cable extender attaches the same way as the negative. The images show the procedure and compare the extender to the OE bolt. The two pictures to the left show the BatteryBug positive lead being attached. With the BatteryBug installed, next we will test the battery. The date code on the battery reveals that the battery is 26 months old.
The Astro van's 26 month old battery still has 68% Battery Health remaining. The charging system is also healthy as shown in the top right photo. One nice feature of the BatteryBug is that it can be used on any starting battery application that is 12V, and that it can be used multiple times and on multiple vehicles. With the CrankCheck Technology, as soon as the BatteryBug is installed and the engine started, the battery results are given. Because the BatteryBug is a monitoring device, the charging system output is also shown, so at a glance you can determine if you have a malfunction with the charging system.
This has to be one of the smartest investments you can buy. This is a low cost tool, chances are less than the cost of having road service come and jump start your vehicle. The tool is well made and it works. The flexible leads and durable design of the case allow you to see that alot of time and engineering went into the BatteryBug. This is a must have item and would make a perfect gift for someone you care about. The BatteryBug as you can see in my review, is easy to install, easy to understand how to use, and can be transferred easily from one vehicle to another. The folks at ARGUS Analyzers know how to design tools that make our life easier. If you are a DIY'er or a professional you can find a product that that will fit your needs and budget.
Thanks for reading my review, and please check the links below to find our more about this company and the products they offer.

Check out my review on the ARGUS ANALYZERS AA500PWP....AMAZING TOOL!!

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Thanks,
Bruce Bonebrake

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