12. WHAT ARE THE COMMON CAUSES OF PREMATURE BATTERY FAILURES?
Last Updated on July 11, 2004
Normally, premature battery failures
are caused by one or more of the failures listed below.
Prior to 1980, plate or grid shorts were the most common
failure. Since then the manufacturers have significantly
improved the life expectancy by using improved separators,
plate alloys to reduce corrosion, and heat shields.
By relocating sealed AGM and Gel Cell batteries to
the passenger compartment (or trunk), also has considerably decreased premature
battery failures. Batteries that have been in use for
longer periods of time will typically fail from multiple
causes. All batteries will fail at some point in
time.
[Source: Interstate Batteries]
12.1. Water Loss! (Car) and Sulfation!
(Deep Cycle and Motorcycle)
12.2. Water Loss! (Car) and Sulfation!
(Deep Cycle and Motorcycle)
12.3. Water Loss! (Car) and Sulfation!
(Deep Cycle and Motorcycle)
12.4. For car batteries, high under hood heat or overcharging causes a loss of water (which account
for over 50% of the failures); accelerated positive
grid corrosion and growth; increased self discharge;
or plate-to-strap shorts.
12.5. Sulfation from water loss, undercharging,
excessive temperatures or prolonged periods of non-use
account for approximately 85% of the deep cycle and
starting (e.g. Motorcycle) battery failures that are
not in use. (Please see Section 16.) Data Power Monitoring Corp. reports
that 90% of the deep cycle VRLA battery failures are
due to the battery itself.
12.6. Deep discharges, such as leaving
your lights on.
12.7. Misapplication, for example, using
a starting battery in a deep cycle application, a motive
deep cycle battery instead of a stationary for a UPS,
an under sized battery (or battery bank) that causes
discharges greater than the battery was designed for
or a mismatch to the charging system.
12.8. Excessive vibration due to a loose
hold down clamp.
12.9. Calcium or magnesium sulfation from
using tap or reverse osmosis water.
12.10. Freezing a
discharged battery.
12.11. Undercharging which reduces capacity
due to incomplete conversion of sulfate back to lead
which causes plate, cracked grids and cell shorts.
12.12. Old age (positive plate shedding).
12.13. Fast recharging at rates greater
than C/4 (amp hour capacity/four hours).
12.14. Temperatures above 80° F (26.7° C),
especially above 100° F (37.8° C) causing VRLA
battery "thermal runaway".
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