How to Troubleshoot a Gel Battery

A gel battery is a type of lead acid battery, but it costs more and holds a bigger charge. The batteries can sometimes cease to function unexpectedly, but before buying an expensive replacement, there are a few steps to troubleshoot the battery and perhaps even revive it.

1. Remove the gel battery from the unit it's supplying power. Insert a new gel battery to determine if the problem is the battery or the unit itself being charged. If the problem is the battery, check the voltage with a voltmeter.


2. Turn on the voltmeter and set the dial to “V” so that it reads output in volts. Voltmeters are available at local electronics and hardware stores.


3. Insert the included red and white leads into the labeled ports on the front of the voltmeter.


4. Touch the red lead to the positive terminal on the gel battery, and then touch the black lead to the negative terminal of the gel battery.


5. Hold the leads onto the battery until the voltmeter displays the result. The result will be displayed on the front of the screen. If the battery being tested is a 12-volt gel battery and the display reads one or two volts, then the battery is either dead or dying.


6. Use a gel battery charger to first try recharging the battery. If a regular lead-acid battery charger is used, make sure to use the trickle setting to avoid any overheating or overcharging of the battery. Do not charge longer than 12 hours.