Read the Fine Print on Forklift Battery Warranties

August 02, 2017

As a user of industrial batteries, you may know that batteries are an expensive yet necessary investment. If there is an issue with a defective battery, a warranty is normally the first thing customers want. Let us explain battery warranty to help you manage your fleet to avoid any costly downtime that may or may not be covered under warranty.   

Most battery manufacturer warranties seek to define three common objectives. The first objective is to define the responsibility of the manufacturer as well as the end user over the entire life of the battery system.

Secondly, they will outline the battery life cycle from installation all the way through to the end of its useful life of the battery.

Thirdly, to establish battery value at various stages of its life, especially in event of total battery failure and replacement. Warranty terms will be defined differently depending on the battery manufacturer and model of the battery. You may see something like “full replacement warranty or prorated replacement for ‘X’ number of years etc”. This is where things can get confusing for most people.

fineprint_warranties_explainedCommon Prorated Forklift Battery Warranties Explained

Most battery manufacturers offer limited time full replacement with a prorated warranty period which begins after the limited full replacement period. After the full warranty time limit is reached, the purchasers prorated value starts to diminish. You can calculate the prorated warranty value using age depending on battery manufacturer. 

All battery warranties require specific conditions to be met to receive consideration for warranty. Every individual battery manufacturer will set operational limitations for what their warranty covers. For instance, limits for warranty might include operation over a range of ambient temperatures, depth of discharge, regular equalization charge condition and so forth. Not complying with these conditions and guidelines may void your warranty.

fineprint_fine_printReading the Fine Print On Forklift Battery Warranties

Remember that each battery manufacturer offers warranties that will generally have specific terms and conditions to be met. They will describe what is covered, what is not, and how to get your battery serviced or replaced. You may not realize that if your battery was “short life” replaced by the manufacturer the warranty on the new battery you receive only carries the remaining years of warranty of the original battery. For example, a new battery with a 5 year warranty, short life replaced after 2 years would only have 3 years remaining.  Make note that most warranties are only honored by the retailer where you originally purchased your battery. Make sure you purchase from a manufacturer authorized dealer. Also, you may not know that discharging battery below the specified minimum voltage, even by accident may void your battery’s warranty. Using a battery charger not approved for your batteries specific make and model will also most likely lead to a voided warranty. It’s recommended to make sure to check your warranty after your purchase and talk with one of Southern States Motive Powers battery experts.

Below find a real example of the “Fine Print” of some battery products we warranty.

Talk to our warranty experts today to get the most out of your battery warranty before you buy. Have questions about our warranty? Call us at 855.564.9595

fineprint_warranty_example

AMP Motive Power

Subscribe
to the Blog