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Factors important in determining the cause of failure are application, installation, electrical service history and physical stress.
Proper Application and Installation
- Is the battery being used in the application for which it was designed? A standard automotive battery used in a recreation vehicle designed for a deep cycle battery is an obvious misapplication.
- Is the battery sized properly for the application? Both the cranking performance and reserve capacity rating must meet the vehicle’s requirements.
- Does the vehicle have excessive electrical accessories, particularly those which have been added to the vehicle? Examples of added accessories include winches, lights, amplifiers, etc. If additional accessories have been added, a battery with greater performance and/or a larger charging system may be required.
- Is the battery firmly secured in the vehicle? Have hold downs, heat shields, or battery trays been modified? Does the battery’s BCI Group Size match the vehicle’s OE requirements or equivalent?
- Are the battery connections clean and properly adjusted to fit the battery terminals? Have the terminals been converted from side to top terminals or vice versa? Has the battery been relocated close to high temperature sources?
Service History
- Question the owner regarding any past problems with the battery and/or vehicle.
- Was the vehicle’s charging system or other parts of the electrical system repaired or altered? Have lights or other loads been left on?
- Is the vehicle driven regularly or is it often parked for extended periods?
- Has the vehicle spent significant time in a warmer climate? High temperatures reduce battery life.
- Has the vehicle been difficult to start for any reason? Starting problems may have placed excessive loads on the battery or may indicate an undersized battery.
- Did the battery tray need to be washed free of corrosion or electrolyte? This may indicate overcharging or a shorted cell.
Battery Condition
An external inspection of the battery may reveal signs of the cause of failure:
- Do the terminals show signs of being hammered, twisted or driven down into the cover?
- Do side terminals show signs of over-tightening? Over-tightening or using bolts that are too long can cause internal damage that can’t be seen.
- Do the container or cover show signs of stress, damage or high temperature? Does the container or cover have worn areas indicating vibration damage?
- Are the ends of the batteries pushed out? This can indicate plate growth.
- Are the vent caps installed properly? Do they appear to be the original vent caps? Improperly installed or missing vents can be the cause of an explosion, leakage or contamination.
- If the vent caps are removable, check the electrolyte levels in all cells. Are they below the tops of the plates in any or all cells? Low electrolyte levels indicate overcharging.
- Draw some of the electrolyte into a hydrometer. Is it cloudy, discoloured or contaminated with foreign material? Cloudy or discoloured electrolyte may indicate material shedding due to overcharge, deep discharging or vibration. Electrolyte contamination may be from oil or other foreign substances being added to the battery.
Battery Age and Date Coding
- The battery’s age is important to determine if a battery has failed prematurely or has simply worn out. The newer the battery, the more likely it just needs charging. The typical expected life of a passenger car/light truck battery in Canada is 4.5-5 years.
- The date when the battery was put into service can usually be determined by examining the label on the top of the battery. Punch-outs indicate month and year purchased for warranty purposes. If this information is not available, check with the vehicle owner to see if the original sales receipt is available. If it is the original battery, it is the same age as the vehicle. As a last resort, a letter/number code often indicates the month and year that the battery was shipped from the manufacturer. “A8” would be January of 2008.
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