Battery Service
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SPECIFIC GRAVITY - EXCESSIVE CELL VARIATION READINGS
Variation in specific gravity among cells cannot vary more than 0.050. The variance is the difference between the lowest cell and the highest cell. A battery must be condemned for excessive cell variation if more that 0.050. In the example below, the highest SG reading is cell #1 (shown in green) while the lowest SG reading is cell #5 (shown in blue); the difference is 0.070 which requires battery replacement. Cell #5 if failing.

Cell #1
Cell #2
Cell #3
Cell #4
Cell #5
Cell #6
1.260
1.230
1.240
1.220
1.190
1.250

Many factors contribute to cell variation; for example, if water was just added to that cell, the cell is then diluted with water resulting is a lower specific gravity reading. Recharging the battery would correct this false reading. In some cases if a battery that has cell variation slightly over the specification and is only about 50% charge, charging the battery at a slow rate of charge (5A) may reduce the cell variation, thus saving the battery.