I have 8 car batteries hooked up in series and want to load test them. I was thinking about using oven heating elements or something. Any helpful suggestions? I will be powering a 20HP series wound motor. The motor controller is rated for 400 amps. I will probably up the voltage to 120V as I go. Thanks.

I have a clamp meter, I need a safe load.

Look into water resistors.

I believe that most household oven heating elements are only rated at maximum 40 amps. What you are suggesting would likely have disasterous results.

Personally, I would load and voltage test each cell, then use mathematics to answer the question. If you are building a voltage pack for a vehicle, you will be using a high amperage breaker to safeguard the motor controller.

Ideally, you might look at making all of your cell connectors (bus bars) fusable as well.
I would have to do a bit of calculation to tell you the thickness of copper strip to use for this.

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I think this is going to work. Thanks.

Salt water resistor for a load - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

I am working on an EV but just trying to do an assessment for now. I like the fusible bus bar idea. If the project goes that far I will probably incorporate that idea. I would like to go out on a limb and build a LIPO pack. This was a factory built EV so the engineering is already done but the batteries are are stone age and should be upgraded.

I am individually testing the most questionable batteries but I want to see some serious clean current flow at high voltage before I try the motor and controller.

I will use a light bulb to test the controller before I hook it up to the motor. I will do a preliminary test of the motor with a 12v battery also.

If you use NaCl as an electrolyte, make sure to do your testing outside. Electrolyzing an NaCl solution produces chlorine gas(!). NaOH or KOH may actually be safer.

I built a load tester for my generator out of 3 4500 watt heating elements, each with its own breaker so I could ramp the load up in stages.

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