Warranty Testing for Motive Batteries
Battery manufacturers provide warranties that batteries will meet or exceed the capacity standards as established by BCI. Even though a battery may pass the initial overall testing, it is possible that one or more cells may be substandard.
Qualifying for Warranty Coverage
In order to qualify for warranty coverage, evidence must be presented to verify that the battery performance is sub-standard.
A precise Capacity Load Test report produced by an automated MCBA Battery Analyzer will be accepted as certified evidence for warranty claims because it confirms that all criteria of the BCI testing standards have been met.
Warranty Testing Recommendations
- Conduct capacity testing semi-annually, or quarterly if subjected to “opportunity charging”, in order to determine if their capacity is within an acceptable range. Signs of premature aging may indicate the presence of defective cell(s).
- Measure the capacity of each individual cell. Failure of any individual cell may justify a claim for repair or replacement under the terms of the warranty.
- We recommend automatic capacity load testing using the MCBA Battery Analyzer over manual testing. Here’s why:
| Manual Testing | Automated MCBA Testing |
| Takes several hours of technician’s time. | Takes less than 10 minutes of technician’s time. |
| Can only perform one test at a time. | Performs multiple tests simultaneously. |
| Data is recorded by technician and may not be accurate to provide a sound basis for warranty claims. | Data is recorded automatically and quickly available for reporting with minimal technician input |
| More likely that substandard batteries are inadvertently accepted for continued use. | Accurate data identifies defective cells for sound warranty evidence. |
Extend Battery Life Beyond the Warranty
Many battery users simply expect to replace batteries within a year or two after the five-year warranty expires. If batteries are properly managed it is not unreasonable to expect that they will be serviceable for 25-35%, or more, useful life. Millions of warranty dollars are “flushed away” annually because batteries are not routinely capacity load tested to evaluate the batteries and perform corrective cell maintenance that will prolong their life.
