Batteries have a limited life and will eventually require replacement. When a battery fails, the vehicle will not start, and could leave you stranded, requiring a tow or battery boost. If you have ever gone to the ferry and seen the one stranded car from the previous sailing that could not survive 20 minutes with the radio on without killing the battery then you have seen the effects of a weak battery on day-to-day island life.
We do them when you want to determine if your battery is still able to provide enough power to get your car started reliably. When a battery is 5 years old or beyond, or you suspect that your vehicle is having a hard time starting it is a good idea to have it checked for its load capacity. We only do them during inspections if we are concerned that the battery might not be able to perform. We check the battery for its age and based on how the car starts we can tell if we need to go one step further to do a battery load test. We don’t do it at each inspection, but when a customer complains of trouble starting their car we know it is the next logical step.
What’s involved in a load test? First we run an AVR test of the battery to determine its capacity to take a load (i.e. cranking the engine over). According to its size and design it must meet a certain level of performance to provide the customer with confidence that the car will start reliably. We follow with a visual inspection of the battery mounting brackets as well as battery cables and terminals to ensure good electrical connections.
How should I maintain my battery?
That is a good question, and we covered it extensively in our article on charging systems. Follow that link to get an in depth look at everything you can do to keep your charging system going strong.
In need of a load test? We have you covered, just send us a note right here.