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Battery Warranty
Some manufacturers of industrial batteries provide
warranties of up to 18 months. A free exchange is offered
if the battery fails to meet 80 percent of the rated
capacity throughout the warranty period. (I hasten to mention
that these warranty policies apply to markets other than mobile
phones.)
But what happens if such a battery is returned
for warranty? Will the dealer replace the pack without hesitation?
Rarely.
With lack of battery standards, manufacturers
are free to challenge warranty claims, even if a genuine problem
exists. Many batteries reveal only the chemistry and voltage
on the label and do not make reference to the milliampere-hour
rating (mAh). How does the user know what capacity rating
to use when testing the battery? What performance standards
can be applied?
On battery packs that show the mAh rating, some
battery manufacturers may have used the peak capacity rating.
This is done for promotional reasons to make their packs look
better than the competitor’s. Peak capacity is based on a
lower discharge rate because a battery produces higher readings
if discharged slowly. For warranty purposes, a discharge of
1C should be used.
Regulatory authorities stress the importance
of marking all batteries with the average capacity rating.
Portable batteries with a capacity of up to about 2A should
be rated at a 1C discharge. Batteries above that capacity
may be rated at 0.5C. No true standard exists in term of capacity
rating.
With the increased popularity of battery analyzers,
battery manufacturers and dealers are urged to follow industry-accepted
standards regarding battery ratings. In an attempt to lower
warranty claims, some battery manufacturers have moderated
the published ratings of some batteries to be more consistent
with reality.
Manufacturers are concerned about the high cost
of providing free replacement batteries and disposing of returned
units. If a battery analyzer is used, failures due to fading
capacity can mostly be corrected. Warranty claims are exercised
only on those packs that develop a genuine failure. If fewer
batteries returned, the vendor can offer better pricing.
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