900-00264-01-001 Rev A
21
Troubleshooting and Maintenance
Table 1 Troubleshooting
Category Symptom Possible
Cause
Remedy
Performance
Reduced operating time
Normal life cycle
Replace battery bank when (or before) capacity
drops to unacceptable levels.
Defective cells
Test and replace battery as necessary.
Excessive voltage drop upon
applying load
Excessively cold battery
Carefully warm up the battery.
Undersized cabling
Increase cable ampacity to match loads.
Loose or dirty cable
connections
Check and clean all connections. Physical
damage on terminals may require the battery to
be replaced. Replace hardware as necessary.
Undersized battery bank
Add additional batteries to match loads.
Defective cells
Test and replace battery as necessary.
External
Inspection
Swollen or deformed battery
casing; “rotten-egg” or
sulfurous odor; battery is hot
Thermal runaway
NOTE
: A modest amount
of swelling (or concavity) on
the battery case is normal.
NOTE
:
Thermal runaway is a hazardous
condition. Treat the battery with caution. Allow
the battery to cool before approaching.
Disconnect and replace battery as necessary.
Address the conditions that may have led to
thermal runaway (see page 17).
Damaged battery casing
Physical abuse
Replace battery as necessary.
Heat damage or melted
grease at terminals
Loose or dirty cable
connections
Check and clean all connections. Physical
damage on terminals may require the battery to
be replaced. Replace hardware as necessary.
Voltage
testing
Fully-charged battery
displays low voltage
High temperature
Carefully cool the battery. An overheated
battery may contribute to thermal runaway.
Fully-charged battery
displays high voltage
Low temperature
Carefully warm up the battery.
Individual battery charging
voltage will not exceed
13.3 Vdc; high float current;
failure to support load
Shorted cell
Test and replace battery as necessary.
A shorted cell may contribute to thermal
runaway.
Individual battery float
voltage exceeds 14.5 Vdc;
failure to support load
Open cell
Test and replace battery as necessary.
Current
testing
Charging current to series
string is zero; failure to
support load
Open connection or open
battery cell in string
Check and clean all connections. If battery
appears to have an open cell, test and replace
as needed. Replace hardware as necessary.
Charging current to series
string remains high over time
Batteries require additional
time to charge
Normal behavior; no action necessary.
Charging current to series
string remains high with no
corresponding rise in voltage
Shorted cell
Test and replace battery as necessary.
A shorted cell may contribute to thermal
runaway.
