PTE Brake Fluid Tester - calibrated for DOT 4 Brake fluids

I purchased this brake fluid tester after comparing several types of testers on the market. Price can range from less than $10 for test strips to over $150 for a professional test kit.I live in the Pensacola Florida area, and the high humidity greatly impacts the life of brake fluid due to the hygroscopic nature of DOT3, DOT4 and DOT5.1 bake fluids (this is specifically a DOT4 fluid tester). In the past, I resorted to changing out the fluid every 12-18 months in order to combat the negative effects of high humidity. This interval essentially ensured the fluid was not water saturated, but the effort (especially on my Honda S2000) tended to be time consuming and messy, even when using a positive pressure bleeder. This repetitive cycle based on an educated guess was too ambiguous, and the sense of not knowing the actual condition of the fluid eventually drove me to invest in a fluid tester to dictate the appropriate time to change fluid based on the actual condition of the fluid, not by a relatively arbitrary time interval based on an educated guess.I personally use ATE TYP200 fluid, which is currently the best DOT4 fluid readily available - for the broadest range of applications. I found through years of use that ATE TYP200 lasted longer than any of the other fluids I have used, and covered conditions ranging from light track use, severe hot weather use and in cold winter conditions. I've used TYP200 in ambient temperature ranges from -25F in Oklahoma to 129F in Bahrain with reliable, consistent and durable results.I do not have professional brake fluid testing equipment, but I decided to sample a variety of brake fluids covering the spectrum of new to neglected, to see how well the tester would measure the differences between samples. The first fluid I sampled was my S2000's fluid. It has been 18 months since the last brake fluid change in my S2000, and this tester showed the fluid had approximately 1% water saturation, which is still reliably serviceable. I then tested unused fluid that has been stored in a pressurized container for 18 months and it tested at 0% saturation (which is what you would expect). I then tested my neighbor's car, which hasn't had the fluid changed in ever 3 years and it showed 4% saturation. I then shamed him into taking it to the dealer to have the system flushed with fresh fluid. Given these results I was confident the tester was actually measuring what the manufacture claims it should.With regard to determining when you should change your brake fluid, I would say it depends on the type of car and the type of brakes the car is equipped with to determine the acceptable saturation level. My threshold for my S2000 is 2% saturation due to the fact the car is equipped with custom forged aluminum calipers - and I'm not willing to run the chance of internal corrosion damaging the brakes. 2% saturation limit also ensures the brake fluid will still provide the highest level performance in both street and track conditions. I believe 2% saturation in my daily driver (and in any standard street car) is acceptable for continued use. A 2% saturation level provides a comfortable threshold of performance, but also provides a good benchmark for a maintenance reminder; putting you on notice that the brake fluid will need servicing within a 3-6 month window. A saturation level of 3% is not acceptable for extended use (even though this tester shows 3% in the 'caution' range), and the brake fluid will begin to show degraded performance at this level (you're solidly in the wet boiling point temperature range at this point). Fluid discoloration is also an important measure of fluid condition, but water saturation can occur before the fluid turns dark.I believe this tester provides a simple, relatively accurate and easy to distinguish measure of the water saturation level of your car's brake fluid. This can provide piece of mind knowing that your fluid is still serviceable, that you need to start planning to service your brake fluid, or a fast indication you need to flush the system to ensure reliable operation and longevity of your brake system. I believe the tester is priced reasonably, but there are a few improvements that would bring it to 5 stars.There are a few reasons I only rated this tester at 4 stars. First, the cheap 4 LED 'display' belongs back in the 1980s and adds to this tester's cheap appearance and feel. A simple LCD display (similar to the one used on the ZeroWater TDS meter) would provide a much more accurate presentation of information. Even if the LCD presented information in 0.5% increments, the information would be twice as resolved as what the meter currently shows. Secondly, this tester could provide more than one "calibration" setting and could be designed to provide saturation levels for DOT3, 4 and 5.1 fluids. The switch between calibration settings could be done with a simple press of a button, and the calibration designated on the LCD display. Lastly, this tester is made with very cheap materials and the fitment of the parts is not very good. Subsequently, the battery door is extremely hard to open (required prying).I think it goes without saying most customers would be willing to pay $5-$10 more for a better built tester with the mentioned options - and, it would earn a 5 star rating.

Works good & priced good

This started when my dealer said “Hey! You need bring in your car for an oil change and to flush the brake fluid.” NOTE: my car is still under warranty, which includes all service; so I brought my car in because it was something I did not have to do myself this time. Anyway, I am also one of those people who does most of the service when I can. I admit, I am kind of old school and never flush the brake fluid out unless it’s dirty or smells bad. With that said, I came across this nifty gadget. Basically, you turn it on and dip the leads into the brake fluid and it immediately provides a break fluid reading. It lets you know the condition of your brake fluid – if it needs to be changed or not. Obviously, this brake fluid tester provides a more accurate reading than looks or smell, and for the $7 you cant beat this tester that simply works.If your one of those people who does not work on your own car and you have to rely upon someone being honest, this is a good idea for you too. It really is simply to use. Like I said, unscrew your brake fluid reservoir (which is under the hood), turn the tester on, and dip it into the fluid; you will have an instant reading and know if you have been provides honest information. Keep in mind that many vehicle manufactures are putting brake fluid on routine maintenance every two years of so.

This brake fluid tester gets the job done and is a bargain compared to the more sophisticated meters. I was hesitant to buy this due to the reviews about the sensitivity (or lack of) of this meter but my experience extinguished these fears. The meter has led dots on it that range from 0% to >4%. You dip the prongs into your brake fluid reservoir to check its condition. I'm not an engineer so I don't have all the terminology to explain how this meter works but I do know from using it that the meter measures the electric conductivity of the fluid because of the presence of water/moisture. Brake fluid itself is non-conducting. Now, the LED's and probably the circuit board on this meter are "built" such that if the amount of water is in between the values (borderline) of the LED readout values then you can see the next LED faintly light up. This tells me that the meter's LED's are able to show me the moisture level in a finer "gradient" fashion than what is spelled out by the LED's. In short, this tester is worth the $7 bucks that I paid for it.

Seems to do what I need it to do. Accuracy is repeatable.

Dire warnings from the main dealer about water in brake fluid gave cause for concern that could so easily have been answered by spending more money. With professional brake fluid testers at over £50, here was a product for well under half that price that would let me know if I needed to change the fluid or not. When it arrived within a couple of days of ordering I was pleasantly surprised to see the tool appeared to be robustly and thoughtfully designed and manufactured. A glance at the instructions and a bit of a trial in removing the battery cover soon had the device operational. Use was found to be very simple and the indicator lights gave an easy to see and understand statement of the water content in the brake fluid. So, not only did the device meet and surpass expectations in terms of quality, it saved me a shed load of cash by showing that my brake fluid was not in need of change. Thanks for an economical tool that does the job!

This product is great! I can test the brake fluid easily, and gives me an accurate reading. Great Product!

I was in some doubt about the brake fluid in both my vehicles and was about to go through the process on changing the brake fluid in both. But during a browsing session on Amazon I came across this brake fluid tester from Beanworthy, so I placed an order. The tester arrived within a day or so, it was well packaged and undamaged. Upon opening I found the battery which I inserted, I then proceeded to follow the tests that Mr Moss (another reviewer) had carried out,and obtained the same results, the tester is easy to use and clear instructions are stamped on the body, although the LED indicators are self explanatory. The LED's are bright and clear, the tester is the right size for the pocket or tool box and comes with a pocket clip. Overall a valuable addition to the tool kit and excellent service from Beanworthy. Both my vehicles did not require a brake fluid change.

Quick and easy to use, just dip into brake fluid reservoir to get an instant result. Seems accurate on its test results, tested on my car which the fluid has not been replaced for about 3 years and showed one red light(needs changing). Tested on a friends car where the fluid was very dark and he had no idea when it was last changed, it went straight to 2 red lights(replace immediately). Dipping it in a fresh (ish) bottle of fluid showed just one amber light(ok), another bottle that had a couple of inches of fluid left in it that has been in my shed for many years went straight to 2 red lights when tested, showing that the colour of the fluid is no indication of the water content as it was still clear and golden. The design is neat and smart. A great addition to my automotive test equipment.