Testing AA, AAA, and 9v Batteries under load

I realize this may sound like a stoopitly simple question, but I've searched Google and haven't found a straight answer or schematic yet. So many of the threads go off on some tangent involving farads or henry's or what not ... I just want to test the frickin' batteries that have been used in a handheld recorder. or guitar pedal, or what not, to find out if they're still any good or should be relegated to the 'flashlight until the light goes out' or 'ready for the landfill' category.

Using a standard MultiMeter, how is a battery tested under load? What value resistor should be used, and should it be in series or parallel? This is a simple question and should have a simple answer.

[background] - I'm using a little Tascam DR-08 handheld to record band sessions and such. It uses 2-AAA batteries, and goes thru them quickly. The recorder goes for about 2 hours on a set of batteries before it cuts out due to battery exhaustion. I change the batteries and toss the 'exhausted' ones into a 'USED' container, but upon checking them with a voltmeter they still read 1.1v to 1.4v ... although they obviously can't drive the recorder any more.

So what's the trick?


Thanks,
Tommy V

Testing AA, AAA, and 9v Batteries under load