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Battery Service Roundup

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We are back with a new roundup article, where we gather some recent resources related to battery service and vehicle electrical system service. Our goal with these articles is to do some of the homework for you, saving you the time it takes to sift through the trade publications and websites to find the needles in the battery service haystack. We hope that this provides value to you and that the resources are helpful in arming you with the knowledge needed to tackle your tasks more effectively and efficiently.

Battery Age Can Impact Performance and Capacity

This piece is a great starting point for this month’s roundup. In fact, it is first time since we started this blog that we’ve encountered an article addressing the topic of battery age and its impact of system performance, which is a very real phenomenon and one we’re glad is getting a bit of spotlight here.

In this article on underhoodservice.com, Andrew Markel reviews the impact age can have on a battery and its related impact of the vehicle electrical system. He notes how most modern vehicles, at a minimum, monitor the starting battery’s internal resistance and adjust system parameters and methods based on the determined State of Health (SoH) of the battery. Here’s are some good examples that he provides to illustrate the point: “By knowing the condition of the battery, it is possible to make a smart decision like using the stop/start system or running an auxiliary water pump to cool the turbocharger when the engine is turned off.

He also outlines more advance battery management methodologies used in today’s vehicles, some basic steps that can be performed to test battery health (though we’d suggest making it easy and grabbing our BA327 Digital Battery and System Testerfor a far more precise analysis of battery health and electrical system performance), and the critical role the battery plays in overall system performance. He ends by suggesting that technicians start with battery testing whenever they are diagnosing difficult vehicle issue, which we couldn’t agree with more. It’s a great read.

 

BMW Lithium Battery Service

As we all know, vehicle energy demands continue to increase, with ever more modules in each new vehicle generation, more complex electronic systems, advanced safety systems that that bring greater driver and passenger safety but at the cost of high electrical and electronic demand, and more. To manage this increased energy demand, OEMs have adopted many new battery technologies in the past 15 years, including lithium batteries in vehicle starting applications and more.

BMW, as is often the case with advanced vehicle technology, was one of the early adopters of lithium batteries as the primary starting battery technology in their ICE vehicles about 10 years ago. In this article on import-car.com, Brian Sexton briefly reviews the history of BMW’s deployment of lithium batteries and addresses the unique characteristics, benefits and service implications of BMW Lithium-Ion batteries.

As he points out, “These batteries didn’t gain a lot of attention [when introduced in 2014] and have ‘flown under the radar’ in the few years since. Customers likely don’t know which type of battery they have, and technicians likely won’t know either without learning how to identify them.”

He goes on to review the benefits of this battery type for demanding vehicle applications, provides a primer on how to identify them in a vehicle installation, and points out key differences in their deployment vs AGM batteries (such as the presence of a LIN bus connection inside the cover of the battery). The article even breaks down the internal construction of these batteries, identifying critical internal components.

He then moves into the dos and don’ts of BMW lithium battery charging, providing specific charging parameters and other details to keep in mind when servicing these batteries. Of course, we would suggest using PRO-LOGIX battery chargers equipped with specific charge routines for Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery charging, such as our PRO-LOGIX PL2320. He also stresses the importance of using the designated charging points in the engine compartment in order to prevent a malfunction of the BMW battery monitoring system.

If you’d like to learn more about managing lithium batteries in general or BMW lithium battery management in specific, this article is a great starting point. It covers a lot of ground and provides many useful tips for this area of service.

GM AGM Battery Service FAQ

Jumping from lithium batteries to AGM batteries, this TSB from GM, covered in a recent article on underhoodservice.com, addresses many of the most common questions related to management of AGM batteries within GM’s electrical system architecture. Like LiFePO4 lithium batteries, care must be taken when servicing AGM batteries, as they are similarly sensitive to over-voltage conditions and other forms of abuse.

The FAQ spends a good amount of time addressing the question of leaks and whether an AGM battery can leak acid. It also addresses charge acceptance, charge duration, temperature considerations and more. Overall, it’s a good primer on AGM batteries, how they are deployed in OEM applications and the service issues related to them. It also stresses the importance of always servicing these batteries with a charger that deploys a specific AGM charge routine (like our PRO-LOGIX charger series). We couldn’t agree more and have been preaching this very practice for over 15 years.

There are a few items worth noting on this TSB that we take issue with. The main item of concern, from our side, is this quote: “Additionally, AGM batteries require less frequent charging in storage. While flooded batteries need a topping charge every six months if out of vehicle to prevent the buildup of sulfation, AGM batteries can sit in storage longer and are less susceptible to stratification before charging is required.” This is probably true at the margin, but we’d definitely not consider this best practice. We would never suggest letting a flooded battery sit idle for six months and allowing an AGM to sit longer. As anyone who is signed up for our free jump starter recharge alerts could tell you, we recommend recharging any type of battery (AGM or lithium) every 90 days or so. The effort required to do so is low and the benefit is huge, which causes us to file regular recharging in the “no-brainer” category.

Otherwise, this is a great resource regarding a battery type that, despite nearing its 20-year anniversary in North American vehicles, still causes much confusion.

The Importance of Proper Battery Torque

Here’s another important battery-related TSB, this time emphasizing the importance following proper torque specifications for 12- and 48-Volt battery connections on BMW (and all other) vehicles. In this article from import-car.com, they summarize a recent BMW TSB that was published in response to numerous cases of battery failures stemming from improperly torqued battery connections.

We have referenced many articles in the past that emphasized the importance of having good electrical connections throughout the vehicle, both on the power and ground sides. Nowhere is this more critical than at the battery itself. Loose connections increase resistance and reduce the power available from the battery. They also result in excessive strain on the battery, which will reduce its useful lifespan. Over-torqued connections risk damage to battery posts, which could compromise the integrity of the battery.

The TSB provides several things to keep in mind when servicing batteries, replacing batteries and making those connections. It also provides useful photos to illustrate several of their points. The focus of the TSB is following proper torque specs, but it provides many more things to keep in mind. These include replacing batteries with like batteries (same type, group size and capacity), never levering the terminal connections off the battery posts and more. It’s a great, quick read and most of the points identified apply to any make or model.

We hope that you found these resources worthwhile and that they provided insight into important areas of battery service for your business. Do you have any tips you’d like to share with our community related to making battery service / electrical system work safer, more effective or more efficient? We’re sure your fellow readers would love to hear them. Please share in the comments below.

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