Battery Megastore - five year battery guarantee?

[Ric]

I bought new domestic batteries three years ago from Battery Megastore, and they are already knackered. I am very careful with my batteries - I have a battery monitor, and never let them discharge below 50% of total capacity, and indeed until the last week or so I have never let them go below about 35%. My last domestic batteries lasted seven years so am very disappointed that I only got three years from these batteries.

So, since one of the reasons I bought from Battery Megastore was their "five year guarantee" I decided to see what was involved in making a claim. Well there guarantee is a joke! They sent through a form that I have to get a local garage to complete - but they are not asking for a drop-test - their "test" is to simply get the garage to charge up the battery completely, and measure the voltage! Well obviously even a completely knackered battery will briefly show 14v after a full charge - so in their view this is still a good battery...

 

[LadyInBed]

A garage will know that.
They should charge, leave to stand, check terminal voltage, do 'discharge test' then check terminal voltage under load.
If battery fails, mail report to supplier and ask for a replacement and disposal instructions.

 

[Barbican]

Which brand did you buy?

Just got two Optima blue top from them, seem fine at the moment but of course they're new so I hope they last.

 

[VicS]

I bought new domestic batteries three years ago from Battery Megastore, and they are already knackered.
.................. their "test" is to simply get the garage to charge up the battery completely, and measure the voltage! Well obviously even a completely knackered battery will briefly show 14v after a full charge - so in their view this is still a good battery...

Maybe I misunderstand but even a good fully charged, nearly brand new, barely used battery falls below 14 volts within a couple of seconds when the charger is disconnected.

 

[Topcat47]

This probably isn't much help, but I get my batteries from Furneaux-Riddle. I usually use the old service battery as a starting battery and replace the service battery whenever buying new. My current starting battery is 9 year old and is their own "budget" range "Solent". I'm restricted in space for my batteries so my current service battery is an Exide, also sourced from F-R as it's got a slightly larger capacity. It's four years old and doing fine. Never needed the guarantee.

 

[sailorman]

The OP should send Batterymegastoe a link to this post.
many of us here use & recommend their ( Batterymegastore`s) service.
I will watch with interest as my DC31 batteries from them are now 14 months old

To date i have bought from Batterymegastore
7 x DC31`s for the boat
2 x Lawnmower batt
1 x car batt

 

[RAI]

Maybe all garages have those new battery testers (I forgot the name) not just a volt meter or a load tester, something more like the Smartgauge.

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/testing_deep_cycle_lead_acid_batteries

 

[Plevier]

A garage will know that.
They should charge, leave to stand, check terminal voltage, do 'discharge test' then check terminal voltage under load.
If battery fails, mail report to supplier and ask for a replacement and disposal instructions.

A garage will do a short duration high current discharge test.
This is OK for checking that a battery can still start an engine.
It is useless for checking the capacity of a battery used on long duration loads. You cannot get a valid prediction from it. Many batteries will still be OK for starting with very little real capacity left.
If the batteries were not sold as starter batteries you must insist on a capacity test at a realistic discharge rate - say 10 hours.
If they have failed after 3 years you might manage to get a credit of 40% of their original cost against new ones at current price, that's the normal basis. Don't spend too much having the testing done!

 

[Plevier]

Maybe all garages have those new battery testers (I forgot the name) not just a volt meter or a load tester, something more like the Smartgauge.

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/testing_deep_cycle_lead_acid_batteries

It's not realistic.
Did you notice this bit "Measurement devices, such as the Spectro CA-12, are not universal instruments capable of estimating the capacity of any battery that may come along; they require battery specific matrices, also known as pattern recognition algorithm. A matrix is a multi dimensional lookup table against which the measured readings are compared."

 

[RAI]

It's not realistic.
Did you notice this bit "Measurement devices, such as the Spectro CA-12, are not universal instruments capable of estimating the capacity of any battery that may come along; they require battery specific matrices, also known as pattern recognition algorithm. A matrix is a multi dimensional lookup table against which the measured readings are compared."

I bet they can spot a truely duff battery anyway. Maybe BatteryMegaStore only want the little paper printout to confirm dud battery to save the cost of sending them back.

 

[mezereon]

Its worth calling them on the 'phone. I bought a pair of batteries from them, one of which was duff from new and they replaced it with no argument on my say-so.

 

[[10753]]

I too buy batteries from them, only this year a starter battery but still guaranteed for 4 years.

 

[Barleycorn]

We buy a lot of batteries for farm machinary, and have never yet had a successful claim under warranty. So I ignore the warranty offers now. If its a machine which will be sold in a year or two I buy the cheapest, something I'm going to keep it will be Varta.

 

[maxi77]

I must admit that I place very little faith in long term battery guarantees, how do you establish that you have not maltreated it. Having said that my experience with their batteries has been good, I will buy from them again

 

[Richard10002]

I waited all day on Friday for Battery Megastore next day delivery. I even called them at midday to be told they would be with me by 5pm. Eventually got hold of the transport company at 6pm to be told that Battery Megastore paperwork said delivery on Monday. So I wasted a whole day that could have been spent on the boat. I also lost the chance to fit them over the weekend.

To add insult to injury, they sent me two emails over the weekend asking me to provide reviews on their service and the product!

Am I confident that they will arrive today? Not really

I actually wish I had never heard of Battery Megastore, and will not be using them again.

 

[colind3782]

I've bought various batteries from them over the last four years and I've never had anything but excellent prices and service and I've never had cause to claim on the warranty.

 

[peteK]

Are you sure you are charging them properly unlikely they will all fail at the same time.

 

[Cantata]

I've bought various batteries from them over the last four years and I've never had anything but excellent prices and service and I've never had cause to claim on the warranty.

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