BATTERY WARRANTY INFORMATION

The lifespan of a battery will vary based on several factors, these include duration of use, temperature, and application. The two most common causes of premature battery failure are incorrect application, and insufficient charge.

All of our batteries carry a standard limited one-year warranty from date of delivery against defects in workmanship and/or materials unless stated otherwise.

However batteries can fail for reasons not covered by warranty. Some of these are as follows:

What Voids the Warranty:

1. Abuse, misuse, improper installation, improper maintenance and modifications.
2. Physical damage, including broken or melted terminals.
3. General wear and tear.
4. Unserviceable due to improper charging.
5. Failure due to overcharging, deep cycling, sulphation and undercharging are not covered.
6. Voltage less than 10.5V (battery fully discharged).

Abuse, misuse, improper installation

The warranty does not cover batteries that have been incorrectly used or installed.

Physical Damage

The warranty does not cover any physical damage that occurs to the battery case or terminals due to improper fitment, from being dropped, or if any connectors are hammered on to the terminals. Connectors that are not properly fastened, may cause the battery to fail rapidly.

Further to this, improper terminal connection can cause electrical arcing between the terminal and the connector, resulting in the lead portion of the terminal melting. It is also paramount that the battery terminals are never shorted (no conducting object should be placed across the terminals), as this will cause the terminals and the conducting object to get very hot, very quickly.

This intense heat can then act as a source of ignition for any flammable items near the battery, as well as any of the gases that are naturally emitted from the battery. This is not a manufacturing fault.

If in the unlikely event your battery is damaged when it arrives with you, please let us know within 24 hours of receiving your delivery. Any claims made after this time may not be accepted.

General wear and tear

When a battery is charged and discharged, material from the battery plates (active mass) is in motion, through the electromechanical reaction that produces electricity. Every time a battery goes through a charge-discharge cycle, a small amount of this active mass is lost from the plates. Due to so many factors impacting on the life of a battery, it is impossible to stipulate a minimum or maximum life expectancy.

Every battery has a finite number of cycles that it can go through before it loses its active mass, and in turn, its capacity. High usage will often put a battery through this finite number of cycles over a much shorter amount of time, causing a battery to show the above symptoms after only a couple of years. This is not a manufacturing fault.

When a battery is subject to a deep discharge, and/or a rapid rate of recharge, the above process is accelerated. A battery that is deep discharged regularly, will rapidly lose its active mass, and capacity. The loss of active mass, and therefore capacity due to over/excessive cycling is not a manufacturing fault.

Improper Charging

If a battery is charged at an excessive voltage or current, it can overheat, and the electrolyte will start to evaporate. Overcharging will cause the active mass in the plates of the battery to rapidly breakup, and battery performance will be permanently affected, as will the cyclic life of the battery. This is normally quite obvious to spot when examining the battery. This is not a manufacturing fault.

Sulphation occurs when a battery is allowed to stand in a discharged state for an excessive amount of time. When a battery voltage drops below a certain level, a chemical reaction known as sulphation takes place. In most cases this voltage is at or below 12.06V. Sulphation is normally irreversible, and can permanently impair performance of the battery, causing reduced performance and premature failure. Sulphation can be seen as a fine white/grey coating on the plates.

This damage can be caused if a battery is stored for long periods without charging, or installed in applications that are not frequently used. Over time, sulphation will build up on the plates, and hinder the performance of the battery. As sulphation is easily avoided by simply keeping your battery charged, this is a non-manufacturing fault.

Voltage less than 10.5V

It is worth noting that under normal operating conditions a battery cannot become discharged on its own (unless left for a long period of self-discharge). A battery is considered to be 100% discharged when showing a resting voltage of 10.5V and is 100% charged when showing a voltage of 12.73V +.

Sulphation occurs when a battery is allowed to stand in a discharged state for an excessive amount of time. When a battery voltage drops below a certain level, a chemical reaction known as sulphation takes place. In most cases this voltage is at or below 12.06V. Sulphation is normally irreversible, and can permanently impair performance of the battery, causing reduced performance and premature failure. Sulphation can be seen as a fine white/grey coating on the plates.

A battery showing a resting voltage of less than 10.5V will have become discharged due to a lack of charging - this is not a manufacturing fault.

Pre-assembly process

At Brian James Trailers all batteries are checked with a voltmeter and recharged if a voltage below 12.60V is displayed. A Battery Life Notice label (P-LAWL-1510-P-N) is attached to the battery as well as a sticker showing the tested voltage (P-LAWL-1500-P-N).