Limited Warranty Points To Consider:

Points you should consider before going to the actual warranty, especially point 7. It is useless to know or be sold on a warranty if you do not know the playing field. If you have all the answers and do not want to consider these 12 points the actual warranty link is after point 12. Just scroll.

Being in some type of electronics industry you are already aware that if a product of good quality or bad quality is going to go bad or be defective it usually happens immediately or in the first 30 days.
We want our name Rathbone Energy, Inc., and our earned reputation to always be known as
1. The Very Best
2. When Only The Best Will Do
3. Cell Quality First, Cost Second
4. We Lead, the Rest Follow
5. The Affordable Alternative in Battery Cell Packs, Recells, and Analyzers
When a unit does come back we loose face, inventory money, labor cost, and most importantly, possibly a referral.
1. We do not want your batteries coming back for a very long time.
2. We use the very best and most expensive battery cells in any assembly that carries our name.
3. Our reputation cannot afford any more defects than possible.
4. We try very hard to make sure all battery packs go out the door correct the first time.
When, on a very Rare occasion, one of our packs does come back the defect is almost always a popped weld tab, the client has a broken wire inside their battery case, or circuit board damage. All usually due to the battery being dropped by someone.
Because we use only the very best cells we do not have to worry about a battery cell going bad prematurely.
If a battery cell in a Premium battery pack or insert were to go down under warranty from simple battery cell failure and not abuse or misuse we would handle it one of two ways.
1. Cell Failure
  1. Dead-Shorted cell
  2. Excessive loss of battery pack capacity
2. If the battery pack insert were less than 60 days old we would replace the entire battery pack insert at No charge.
3. If the battery pack insert were more than 60 days old we would pro-rate the battery insert replacement.
STANDARD PRACTICE WITH MOST OTHER BATTERY VENDORS WHO ARE NOT ISO CERTIFIED IS TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE BATTERY CELL IN THE INSERT. NO MATTER IF THE BATTERY PACK IS NEW OR AT THE END OF IT'S WARRANTY. DENYING IS LYING.
1. WE WILL NOT FOLLOW THIS PRACTICE EXCEPT AS STATED IN OUR ECONOMY "SACK AND SAVE" RECELL COMPETITOR LINE.
  1. The newer, stronger cell will try to carry the older, weaker cells and wear down faster.
  2. Battery Handbook
  3. Stable Vendor
Rated Battery Capacity Under Warranty:
1. Since Anton Bauer is one of the dominant OEM's of New Broadcast News Batteries we will use their handbook for this example:
  1. On page 9 of their handbook, (http://www.antonbauer.com/downloads/2002Handbook.pdf), or if looking at the pdf page 8, the battery capacity paragraph currently states that battery cell manufacturers consider the "end of life" of a battery cell to be at 50%.
2. This is true and it is how the manufacturers respond to any battery assembler.
3. Most battery assemblers consider their battery "end of life" capacity to be at 50% of the battery cell rated capacity.
4. We consider "end of life" of our assembled packs to be the "industry standard" 60% of the rated capacity, not the aftermarket 50%.
5. Not to worry, the battery cells we choose Exceed industry standards!
6. With our premium cells exceeding industry standards you always get your money's worth and battery cell failure happens years later.
We have been in business since 1989. The owner has a familiar background with many battery assemblers and battery recell companies in that time.
1. Familiar means actually being in their facilities to see how they operate or at some point had a vendor/ client relationship with them, building to their specifications.
2. These companies always selected lesser quality "Economical - High Capacity" battery cells and used lesser quality assembly practices. Some like to name drop popular manufacturers even though manufacturers produce good, better, and best battery cells. Others simply use third world cells.
3. Using "economical-high capacity" cells they had or have lots of product come back under warranty. Since those cells are much less expensive and the battery packs are sold at much higher margins they had or have more room for inventory replacement and labor cost. Of course they are NOT known for having "The Very Best".
4. They all replaced battery cells inside the inserts of returned product. Most of those companies are now defunct, But Not All.
5. Most offer up to a twelve month "vague" warranty.
6. If someone offers more see it in writing with detailed description on their letterhead. Oh yeah, also consider how long they have "really" been in business this time.
We offer up to 18 months in a detail and descriptive warranty.
1. Our rebuild cost +/- 50% less than the cost of the new OEM battery.
  1. We, also, can supply a three year warranty, by increasing everyone's price substantially, including yours.
2. If you properly care for our Premium battery rebuilds, or new battery packs, as you did your previous long running OEM battery packs, our battery inserts will run for many years as well, Probably longer.
The reasons Rathbone Energy went to a Pro-rated Warranty:
1. Yes, A few of Your colleagues. You know them. They treat you the same way they treat us.
2. Example: We used to give a stated full warranty of 18 months.
  1. Client buys battery or batteries and uses the battery or batteries about 15 months
  2. Client calls and says he / she is just not happy with the performance of the battery because the run time has reduced. Reduced is Vague.
  3. Client would ship us the battery requesting replacement
  4. We go through the labor of:
    1. Receiving and processing the battery
    2. Labor to handle the battery
    3. Days of testing the battery and in some cases, proper calibration (charge-discharge maintenance)
    4. Discovery:
      1. Almost Every Time! The battery or batteries are fine. Capacity was always near peak or near peak after a few days of charge-discharge maintenance.
      2. The other times usually involve Abuse and High Discharge Rates causing Cell Venting which is apparent when we open the case to inspect the insert. This causes the cells to be like jello.
  5. These clients were either
    1. Simply lazy or apathetic to the use and care of their battery packs.
    2. Ignorant to the use and care of their battery packs
    3. Using poor chargers
    4. Simply wanting to use the battery for most of the warranty and then get a FREE battery at our expense
    5. We are not a large company and cannot afford to supply a free meal We live on Chicken Feathers or Chicken Meat. We would like to have more Chicken Meat.

Our warranty is so specific because over the years a few broadcast and production colleagues attempted to take advantage of us like we were a free rental house or like we have seen some do large retail companies such as Wal-Mart. These guys like to use Heavy voice tones and threats. We all have enough stress without them. We are little and privately financed. Accidents happen. Try to take care of your quality merchandise and it will last you a long time.

Batteries: AVOID HARSH MECHANICAL SHOCK. DO NOT DROP!

Finally, The Limited Warranty

(Due to continuing development all prices & specifications are subject to change without notice).

Last Update: August 17, 2001