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Sulfation Removal Chemical

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BATTERY WARRANTY: Some people in this business suggest that you can guarantee your reconditioned batteries for a period of 12 months. This is fine for most batteries and we also endorse this policy. What some people don’t tell and explain are the exceptions. There will be times we feel your guarantee period should definitely be handled in a different way. We give only a 90-day guarantee period on batteries that are used “off the road”. This applies to tractor batteries (usually 6 volt) and marine (boat) batteries. These type batteries are mostly “seasonal” and are being sold and used usually during summer months only. They do not get constant day-to-day charging. Lawnmower batteries also fall in this category. We have had very poor luck in being able to recondition lawnmower or motorcycle batteries and no longer try it. “Off the road” type batteries are seldom used during the winter months and it is the “dead” time that does them no good. Any sulfating will tend to harden during this in-active period. So a 90-day guarantee for off the road batteries should protect you from having many returns. You will also find that a simple explanation such as: “Off the road batteries do not get charged often enough as would batteries used in cars driven daily” will be acceptable to most. NO GUARANTEE: You will have some batteries you reconditioned that upon testing do not produce at least a 300-amp reading. These will usually be batteries that are not very heavy, 2-year type, some foreign batteries, small size batteries and some that the sulfating was not totally removed during the reconditioning process. You will generally have an excess of very low amperage batteries on hand and the best way to sell them is to cut the price and give no guarantee period. This is further explained under the VOLTAGE & AMPERAGE TESTING section. 24-MONTH GUARANTEE: Sometimes you will get a battery that is almost new, one that there is not a thing wrong with it, amperage is fine. Perhaps the customer had an electrical problem with his car and thought he needed a new battery. This happens often! Also, you will get some practically new used batteries that may have a crack or hole in them that you can repair. These types can be sold for $3 to $5 more and give a 24-month guarantee. If we recondition a battery that is putting out high amperage (around 500 amps) and looks very new we will sell it for around $24.95 or more, and give a 12 – month pro-rated guarantee. Through experience in this business, you will better understand the proper guarantee periods to offer customers. PRO-RATING: When you make a sale, explain to your customer that his guarantee period is totally pro-rated. That is a term meaning equal amount per month. If a customer paid you $24.95 for a battery and you gave him an 12-month guarantee, then it only cost him $2.08 per month to use this battery ($24.95 divided by 12=$2.08). ADJUSTMENTS: You will have some batteries that fail before the end of your warranty period the customer returns for an adjustment. Any battery, even a new one can go bad by developing a dead or shorted cell at any time. This is the usual case 99% of the time. Explain this fact to the customer. State that you are very sorry this may have happened and inconvenienced him, that you will check his battery right away to determine the problem. You will find that being sincere and honest will build your business fast. A pleasant attitude will create an honest impression. Customer talks and word of mouth advertising is priceless. Once you have determined that the battery you sold the customer is defective, proceed to make an adjustment. Ask for the customer’s warranty slip you furnished to him when he originally bought the battery. A sample slip that you can copy and use is shown below. This slip will show the date of purchase and also show you the battery number. If the customer has lost his slip you can do this – Observe the battery number that you stamped on top of the positive post (top post battery only) and (or) on the case top in front of the positive post. Go through your sales invoice copies and look for his name and match it to the battery number written on the same invoice copy. At no time do you suggest a refund. The customer needs another battery and if you have been polite--as you should have, he probably will not want a refund.  Find another reconditioned battery that meets his car amperage requirement and make the adjustment as follows: Let’s assume that today is May 3, 2015 and your customer bought his battery on June 1, 2014 (Inv. No. XX – Battery No. XX). He paid you $24.95 plus tax for it and received a 12- month guarantee.  Your customer has used this battery for 11 months and 2 days. (Forget the odd days; always give a fair adjustment. Your customer will remember this.) Since you originally issued an 12-month guarantee, then you owe him a 1-month credit for unused time (12 month guarantee less 11 months used = 1 month credit). Write up this adjustment as shown. Your customer clearly sees exactly what has happened and understands how he received the adjustment. Collect his $22.88 and give him a new guarantee slip dated May 3, 2015. He is ready to start over again with another reconditioned battery and another 12-month guarantee.   If one of our reconditioned batteries truly fails within 30 days of use, we replace it free of charge. However, remember to leave the date alone on his guarantee slip – just mark through and write in the new battery number. You should never change the date. The customer has had use of the first battery for one month at no charge. The customer should not ask for a date change because he has lost nothing but a little time and convenience. Important – If customer returns within another few days or a couple of weeks and tells you that this battery also failed, give him a refund. More than likely this customer has an electrical problem or dragged starter that has ruined the battery and how won’t admit it. Beware – some people will batter you to death before they will spend time and money to have other problems corrected. Don’t ever argue with any customer. His “word of mouth” can hurt you. If he is in the wrong, his friend will usually know it and what he might say will not hurt your business. Sometimes the customer will tell you that they believe they do have an electrical problem. In this case go ahead and sell them a battery but do not give him a guarantee. If they will take it this way, fine. However, you can tell them that if they will have their problem corrected within two days, return and show you proof showing replaced starter or a found short in the electrical system or some other problem which is now corrected that you will then give them a guarantee slip. You absolutely don’t want to appear hard to get along with, but stand up for your rights when you are right. Battery reconditioning is not real easy work and you are not in this business just for the exercise. HOW TO PURCHASE USED BATTERIES: At the present time, in this area, the price being paid for used batteries ranges from $.50 to $4.00 each. This price level will vary depending on the lead market. There are four main ways to purchase used batteries: (1) Buy them from the public using daily advertising purchase price. (2) Buy them from stores, service stations, etc., that sell batteries, using one of the following methods: (A) Buy them all at a certain price per battery. (B) Just pick out the ones that you feel stand at a high chance of being reconditioned and leave the rest. Also, pay a little more for these selected ones. (C) Exchange deal. Leave a battery that you know is no good in exchange for each one you select and pay an agreed amount per battery. HOW TO REPAIR HOLES AND CRACKS IN BATTERIES:  REMEMBER TO ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR EYES AND FACE! Always wear protective gear. PROPER CLOTHING: When working with batteries it is practically impossible to keep some drops of acid from getting on your clothing. Acid will eat holes in most clothes in short order. The best, and most comfortable working clothes we use are jump suits. Acid will not eat through synthetic materials. Polyester/Cotton clothing is ideal for this purpose. Jump suits can be purchased rather inexpensively from large discount stores. Shop uniforms are attractive. Many of these repairs can be made with a hot glue gun. If not, use the following methods. Minor holes and cracks can be easily repaired using a #2 soldering iron. This is the heavy-duty type (1 1/4 lbs.) 15-inch variety obtained from most any plumbing supply house. You will also need a 20 lb. Propane gas tank fitted with a top burner. Or, you can use a torch to heat the iron. It must be almost red hot when properly ready to use. I avoid using a torch around batteries, just as a safety factor. Use of any flame is very dangerous. Cut up some old battery cases into small pieces. These plastic scraps are what you will be using as a sealer. Since battery cases come in a variety of colors, always use the same color plastic when repairing holes or cracks. Also, there are different kinds of plastic cases. Match the same type for each repair job. If you don’t, you will find some plastics not melting or blending in with another different type or consistency. Before repairing a hole or crack, first clean the damaged area. The tilt the battery until the inside fluid has moved away from the hole or crack you want to work on. A few scrap wooden blocks are useful to prop up the battery so you can have both hands free. To repair a crack: Take the hot soldering iron. Using the pointed end, lightly touch the beginning of the crack until it begins to melt. Slowly follow the cracked seam to the other end of the crack. Then quickly take some matching type plastic scraps and lay them over them over the entire length of the crack. Hold the flat surface side of your soldering iron over these scraps until they melt, filling the seam. Practice will teach you about how long to apply the iron. Allow the repaired surface are to thoroughly cool. Return the battery to a position whereby the acid is now, back in contact with the repaired area. Put a piece of paper under this battery. After about an hour pick up the battery and examine the paper for any tell tale signs of a wet spot. To repair a hole: Cut a small plastic scrap just a little larger than the hole. Lay this scrap over the hole. Take the pointed end of your hot soldering iron and apply it around all sides of the scrap until the edges have melted into the surrounding plastics. Test for any leakage as described above. As you work with the soldering iron you will learn how to smooth out any rough edges to make the repair area look more neat and professional. You will find many batteries that only need a minor plastic repair job to put them back in service. Should a customer bring you a battery that is a candidate for the above treatment, repair it and charge him your hourly rate plus materials. WHEN YOU ARE OUT OF A CERTAIN TYPE OF BATTERY: After a customer has been lured to your business, the very worst that can happen is for him to leave without making a purchase. He has come because he likes your price and guarantee. The time will come when you don’t have a particular type battery that the customer needs. I have found it best to do the following: If you will have that group size he needs and ready in a couple of days, ask if he can wait. Tell him you will save it for him. Get his name & phone number, take a deposit and tell him you will call him when the battery is ready. Just the fact that you save him a battery right away makes him feel important. DIFFERENT TYPE BATTERY LIDS: Most lids are removed, some are constructed so as to appear that they can’t be removed and some cannot be removed without usually cracking them in trying. Raised type lids are removed with a screwdriver and with little effort. Batteries with strip lids can also be removed with a screwdriver. Some of this type will be labeled “maintenance free”. And, some even have plugs under the lids but they will come out with a little screwdriver effort. Some have caps that are slotted. These are removed, again with a screwdriver. Batteries in some of the newer automobiles have rectangular shaped lids that are not removable. But, don’t fret – there is a way to get in. Also, one thing to remember is that batteries are not “airtight”. If so, they could blow up. There are little breather slots in the lids or at the corner of the battery to let out normally produced gasses from time to time. Remember too – “maintenance free” batteries had better maintained if at all possible. By this we mean, when the fluid level drops below the battery plate tops, trouble is on the way. And, add water to this battery.

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