Your car is making a grinding noise, you know it’s time to look at replacing it. The dish washer is leaking, you know it’s time to service it. Your UPS powers down during a power outage and drops the load, you should have replaced it, but what were the signs that there was an issue?
Whether its swelling, venting, displaying residue, or cracks batteries have a few external signs that indicate they are near end of life.
5 Signs Your Batteries are at End of Life
Swelling
Chemical reactions create gasses that expand and push on the outer shell of the battery. As a result, this causes the current to be too high.
Residue
Pools of vented gasses that condensate on top of the battery can dry into a white dust. Subsequently, this dust vents out of the vent caps. This problem can be remedied depending on the severity. A certified technician should clean this and verify if battery is still ok. At times, this dust can be from a neighboring battery so routine preventative maintenance is key.
Corosion
The acid that was venting out of the battery can create a gel substance that will have to be removed. Once removed, the service tech will determine if the battery can continue operating or needs to be replaced. This substance can also be coming from another battery. It is best to check all surrounding batteries.
Cracks or Openings
Cracks or openings on the outer shell of the battery are a serious matter. If cracks or openings exist, seek immediate assistance from a certified service technician.
Age
The standard lifespan of a battery is 3-5 years. If your batteries are within this time range, it is time to factor replacement. In addition to the aging battery the performance and runtime of the battery can deteriorate.
Meanwhile some batteries at end of life exhibit no external signs of wear or damage until they drop a load. The only way to be certain a battery if nearing end of life is by performing routine preventative maintenance on your batteries.
Did you know? Preventative maintenance can extend the life of your batteries by a few years and extend the end of life from 3-5 year to 4-7. In turn, saving you money on replacement and getting more life out of your batteries.
Service vs. Replace
Swelling
Swelling is a telltale sign your battery is at end of life however, there may be more problems below the batteries surface causing the issue. For instance, the uninterruptable power supply (UPS) could be outputting too high of a charge, not charging long enough, the rooms ambient temp could be high, it could be discharging too often, and vibration is occurring. With swelling, it is best practice to get a service tech to your site to verify causes and determine solutions.
Residue and Corrosion
Have a service tech come out to clean and verify the battery is in operational condition. After that, a service tech may determine it is time for replacement.
Cracks and Openings
Contact your service tech team to come and inspect the battery. If the crack is superficial the battery may be deemed operational however, it is likely it needs replaced.
In conclusion, we’re here to help with the install, service, and replacement of your batteries. Schedule a call with our engineering team to find a solution that is right for you.
