I have three 60V batteries: two 9Ah and one 12Ah. I've noticed that the 9Ah batteries power my string trimmer for about 45 minutes, but the 12Ah one only lasts around 30 minutes. All of them are pretty new, with the 9Ah and 12Ah made in 2022 and one 9Ah from 2023. The issue is, I didn't use these batteries for almost two years between 2023-2024, so I'm concerned there might be a problem. How can I check the health of my batteries? Is it possible to open them up and replace the cells if they're faulty?
2 Answers
You definitely want to avoid leaving batteries unused for too long. It's possible to replace the cells if they're bad, but only if you know what you’re doing. Just check the voltage first and see if you're getting any discrepancies between the cells. If there's a big difference, it might be time to consider replacing them. But always be safe when dealing with batteries!
It sounds like you've got a typical issue related to storage! Leaving batteries for long periods without use—especially without charging—can lead to trouble. If you haven't charged them in a while, that could be a big part of why they’re not lasting as long as they should. To check the health of your batteries, you can open them up and measure the voltage of each individual cell with a multimeter. Make sure none are more than 0.02 volts apart. That’ll give you a good idea of their condition. Just be careful if you decide to open them up!
Yeah, I didn't think about the storage. I usually just leave them plugged in until the lights show full. You might want to try cycling the batteries more often to keep them in good shape.