Getting a battery replaced under warrantee?

[jimbouy]

Does anyone have any experience of getting an expensive AGM battery replaced under warrantee?

Here’s the story. In Sept 2004 I purchased a lifeline AGM battery (with 5yr warrantee) , as part of a whole kit of gear to rewire my boat. In hind sight I would do things differently but hind sight is 20:20 vision. So there I was, refitting my first boat and being sweet talked by the sales guy who asked about my requirements and possible usage patterns.


I installed all the gear…. VSR… shore power and after a few months a small solar panel to trickle charge the domestic battery.


BUT, through out this summer the battery has not held charge well and last weekend, having been away from the boat for 4 weeks the battery was as flat as a pancake! Nothing but a dim glimmer from the cabin lights.

Ok. So usage. The boat is used every 2 to 3 weeks in the summer. Whilst I do not have shore power on my own pontoon most trips involve a night on shore power and thus on charge. Failing that we usually engine a while or as a final resort I run petrol genny. I make a point of leaving the battery nicely charged…. Using the battery monitor also supplied to check this!

No fridge on board….. Nav lights, plotter, VHF, FM stereo and on occasion a DC to DC converter for a laptop…..

During the winter visits have been less frequent but again I run the engine or genny.


So a phone call to the supplier and they offer to have the battery back for testing. But it seems they have never replaced one under warrantee and problems are always down to miss use, such as rapid and prolonged discharge etc.

I have yet to take it back but am wondering…. Are there simple tests I can carry out to access the battery condition…. How can the blurb state things like “Excellent charge retention May be left for extended periods of time without self discharging” if in fact the supplier’s immediate reaction is that I have abused it…


So any hints on how to approach the problem?

 

[steve_cronin]

I think that the problem here is psychological...

.. in that you seem to have made up your mind that you are going to have trouble before you actually encounter it.

From your description, your usage is entirely typical and reasonable. Any battery specialist can test the battery (ies) for you and give an opinion. However I would take a positive attitude and accept your supplier's offer to test the batteries. If they claim that it is your usage and/or circuitry then you can put it back to them that you bought the whole kit from them under their salesman's recommendation. Look 'em smack in the eye, be polite but firm and if they do get obstructive, it is time to mention "Trading Standards Officers"

IMO they have no case and they will just have to replace the offending article under your statutory rights.

I don't know who you dealt with but in my experience of having taken several vehicle batteries back over the years, I have NEVER been refused a replacement as routine.

I have heard that there are one or two sharp dealers in the marine marketplace and I hope that you havn't encountered one of them but if you have then the local TS dept will already know of them.

Steve Cronin

 

[jimbouy]

Re: I think that the problem here is psychological...

Possibly a little, but only based on the reaction I got from their techy on the telephone.....

The attitude was ... bring it back if you must, but it'll be your fault.

Had it been "sorry to hear that, please bring it back" etc I would probably not have made this post.


I fully intend to give them a chance, I'd just like to arm myself with some knowledge first.


Jim

 

[VicS]

Firstly it was sold for the purpose you have used it for?

Secondly before going to the trouble of taking it back I think I would take it off the boat and charge it fully on the workshop bench, monitoring the charging with a digital voltmeter, and then let it stand taking a daily reading.

It should be possible to charge it so that is at least 12.8v after 24 hours resting, maybe even 12.9. It'll fall quite quickly over the first week to something between 12.7 and 12.8 then slowy but steadily to something between 12.6 and 12.7 after 4 weeks.

If you cant get it to charge properly or it falls faster than the above rates take it back. A really good one will still be at 12.6 after 8 weeks but 12.55 would be quite acceptable.

If you have a hydrometer and it is not sealed you could check the cells individually to see if there is a duff one.

Checking it away from the boat eliminates the possibility that there is a small discharge you do not know about. You could of couse check for that first with a meter on the current ranges but start at a high range and work your way down to the milliamp ranges.

Once you have checked it and proved to yourself that it does not hold its charge you have nothing to lose by taking it back. If they say it is ok get them to charge it and then let it stand until earloy next year and then check it. If has then lost its charge you take it back again.

 

[totopalm]

I am very impressed with the sound advice given by you
i did'nt know Dragons were that clever, You are obviously
a Welsh Dragon /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jimbouy]

Vic,


Yes, the reason I felt the attitude of the guy on the phone was poor, was that I bought a whole load of gear from them and yes.... it's been used for the purpose it was sold.


Your advice on charging etc sounds good.......

I'll be taking it!



Jim

 

[AlanPound]

I note that your battery is an AGM, and so is not a 'wet cell' that can be tested for SG with a hydrometer...

The cells on my own boat are big expensive Gel batteries, and (according to the boat log) the previous owner successfully replaced a number of the batteries under warranty - I cannot comment on the story he told (as I wasn't there), but I do know that he wasn't the 'shy & retiring' type...

I do think that it makes sense for you to charge the batteries off the boat, and do some discharge/self-discharge tests for yourself - mainly so you have a strong position to put to the supplier (if and) when you go back to him. You need to be facing up to that task from a position of knowledge - not depending upon him to hold his hands up for you...

In any event, this document is very useful...
http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/ElectricityonBoard_rev8_july2004.pdf

 

[pappaecho]

Dumb question: Have you got a battery isolator fitted?
It could just be possible that if you have not isolated it that there is a small current drain from somewhere.
If you have one fitted then you have duff battery, regardless of what the chap says. I had a new car battery fitted a couple of years ago, and it failed after about 3 weeks. When tested with a load coil it failed the test and was replaced without further comment. As you are based in the Solent, Barden batteries in Segensworth ( Fareham - Hamble area) are very helpful

 

[Col]

If you are Solent based, I have a battery tester that would show any fault

 

[Gunfleet]

It can be down to an individual. I had a very negative response from a local firm of marine engineers about a fault in some morse controls. Their chap had obviously been in the services in abt 1954 so he was full of 'we don't do that, we don't sell those and we never have.' Actually they had not only sold but fitted the Morse controls on my boat. I visited their office and met a director by chance. 'I've got the part you need at home. Come and see me after lunch.' He said, and he supplied what I needed, turning me from an irate customer into his personal fan club. It's all about attitude.

 

[jimbouy]

More good advice and some interesting reading...


Many thanks.

 

[jimbouy]

Yes, I have an isolator......... all part of the gear sold to me as a kit for redoing the electrics...


Nothing was left switched on but a test on the bench will show up if there is a drain that I am not aware of.