Warranty Claim
Warranty Procedure
At Batteries & Solar, we pride ourselves on providing high quality products. However, sometimes things outside our control can go wrong, which may lead to you needing to claim a warranty.
To process a warranty claim, you will need to follow these steps:
· Complete the below Warranty Claim Form
· Our team will require your Proof of Purchase, so please have this available!
· One of our team will contact you to run through your claim.
· When requested, you will need to send the items to us for testing. Please be aware that you will need to arrange the shipping of this product. If the product is liable for a warranty claim, we will refund any reasonable shipping costs. If the product is not applicable for warranty, you will be charged for the bench test and item return which is payable before the goods are dispatched to you. You can find the costs of this below in Fault Finding Pricing.
Before proceeding with a warranty claim, we would ask that you have checked the following things first:
- Have you checked that the problem is not being caused by something external to the product?
- Is the product within its warranty claim period?
After making a Warranty Claim
One of our technical team will carry out a full bench test of the item, covering all aspects of the unit to determine the fault. Once we have completed this, you will be advised of the outcome and whether a warranty claim can be fulfilled.
Please be aware that this is a chargeable service, which is removed if the item is a valid warranty claim. The pricing for this can be found below:
Fault Finding Pricing
Battery Test Only
If faulty: Free of Charge
If not faulty: Free of Charge
Battery Charge and Test
If faulty: Free of Charge
If not faulty: £7.50
Bench Test - Small Electrical Equipment
If faulty: Free of Charge
If not faulty: £15.00
Bench Test – Large Electrical Equipment
If faulty: Free of Charge
If not faulty: £30.00
You will be required to provide a proof of purchase for a claim to be initiated. If you do not have this information, we cannot proceed with a claim. All warranties are non- transferable.
Battery Warranty Procedure - FAQs
Before proceeding with the battery warranty procedure, we would ask that you have checked the following things first:
- Have you recharged the battery with the correct battery charger?
- Have you checked that the problem is not being caused by something external to the battery?
Fully charging the battery may solve the issues that you are having. Please be aware that a battery that has been discharged below 10.5v may not accept a charge from a range of standard battery chargers; this is not a fault with the battery. If, after you have fully charged the battery, it is still not working as it should be, please read our below warranty conditions and complete a Warranty Claim Form.
Once you have completed the above steps, we would ask that you bring battery to us in-store to test further. This will help us to find any fault present in the battery, along with working out what is causing the battery failure and determine if this is covered by the Manufacturer’s Warranty.
The most effective option at this stage is to bring your battery to us in-store. This will allow us to test your battery using our modern testing equipment, generating full reports on the battery, allowing us to better determine where the fault is with the battery. Once we have completed our tests on the battery, one of our technical staff will run through the results with you.
Once the test has been completed, if the battery is covered by the warranty, we will issue you with a brand-new replacement battery. Please be advised that no other refund, credit, or exchange will be accepted as part of the warranty process.
If the battery is not covered by the warranty, or is not faulty, a charge will be made for the battery test as outlined below if required. We will then return the battery to you.
What can void my Battery Warranty?
All our batteries carry a minimum standard limited one-year warranty, from date of first purchase, unless otherwise specified; this is not transferable and runs from the original battery purchase date. This warranty covers defects in workmanship and/or materials unless otherwise specified.
The following situations can void a batteries warranty. Please be advised that this list is an example of situations and is not exhaustive:
- Abuse, misuse, improper installation, improper maintenance, and modifications. This also includes removing the battery lid.
- Incorrect application.
- Physical damage. This includes broken or melted terminals.
- General wear and tear.
- Unserviceable because of improper charging.
- Failure due to overcharging, deep cycling, sulphation, and undercharging.
- Voltage is less than 10.5v (battery fully discharged).
More information for each of these elements can be found below.
Battery warranties do not cover batteries that have been incorrectly installed or used for purposes they are not designed for. Removing the battery lid forms part of improper maintenance, especially with AGM and Gel batteries, as removing the lids of these batteries will cause them to fail. Once AGM and Gel batteries have been sealed, they should never be opened as they do not require refilling. Please be advised that battery warranties also do not cover failure caused by using liquids other than distilled or deionised water.
Incorrect application of a battery is the primary reason that most batteries fail prematurely. Using a battery that is smaller or less powerful than required, or using a battery that is not the right type for the system will cause the battery to have a shorter lifespan and more likely to fail early. This does not constitute a manufacturer fault and so will not be covered by the battery warranty.
Battery warranties do not cover situations where the battery, battery case or terminals have received physical damage. Physical damage to the battery can be caused in a range of ways; improper fitting and poorly fastened connectors, dropping the battery, and the connectors being hammered onto the terminals. Please be advised that improper terminal connections can cause electrical arcing between the terminal and connector, resulting in the lead portion of the terminal melting. Please also ensure that that the battery terminals do not get shorted (connecting both terminals together) as this will cause the terminals and connection to get very hot very quickly. If the short circuit is not removed, this can lead to a fire hazard along with potentially breaching the battery (which can include gas emission from the battery).
When charging and discharging a battery, material from the battery plates (active mass) is in motion (because of the electromechanical reaction that produces electricity). Each time a battery undergoes a charging/discharging cycle, a small amount of this active mass is lost from the plates. Every battery has a limited number of charging/discharging cycles that it can go through before it loses its active mass, and in turn, its capacity. Vehicles with high usage will often go through these cycles over a much shorter amount of time, causing a battery to decline after only a couple of years. This is not a manufacturing fault.
When a battery is subject to a deep discharge, and/or a rapid rate of recharge, the above process is accelerated. A battery that is deep discharged regularly or is often discharged below 50% (12.1v) in the case of leisure batteries, will rapidly lose its active mass, and capacity. The loss of active mass, and therefore capacity due to over/excessive cycling is not a manufacturing fault.
Batteries can overheat when they are charged at an excessive voltage or current. Overcharging will cause the active mass in the plates of the battery to rapidly breakup, and battery performance will be permanently affected, along with the life of the battery. This is normally obvious to spot; for example, during charging there may be a pungent smell of rotting eggs. When off charge, the battery will have low levels of acid, and there may be a black coating on the filler caps. This is not a manufacturing fault.
It is worth noting that under normal operating conditions a battery cannot become discharged on its own (unless left for a long period of self-discharge). A battery is 100% discharged when showing a resting voltage of 10.5v and is 100% charged when showing a voltage of 12.73v +.
The reason for this discharge is normally caused by one of the following:
- malfunctioning alternator, regulator, or starter motor.
- electrical fault.
- excessive use of electrical items such as heated seats, air conditioning etc.
- long standing time without recharge.
- boot light/glove box malfunction.
- vehicle lights being left on.
A battery showing a resting voltage of less than 10.5v will have become discharged through one of the above points, this is not a manufacturing fault.
Request a Warranty Claim
In order for us to process a warranty claim, please complete the below form as accurately as possible. Once we have received the form, one of our team will be in contact to discuss the next steps.