IRIS 12V 45AH car battery review after 24 months (or VARTA or SEBANG Korea)

[Kiriakos GR]

This topic it is now, an ongoing investigation about the discovery of the source (manufacturer) of this battery labeled as:
IRIS 12V 45AH
400CCA
MF454514 

Intro:
I am owner since the year of 2004, of one APC UPS 1000XL and this is a special version which accepts external battery packs.  Several pairs of 2x12V in a chain, for the purpose of 24Hours run time as max.

In the past 10 years I am using a pair of regular car batteries (45AH~65AH) that I get as used but working, from the pile of batteries that they are rejected, as reliable ones for use in a car.
Most of these batteries they come from vehicles or boats, which they are not used frequently, and battery voltage this sag due long time of this battery staying unused.

My APC UPS 1000XL, this is able to deliver 10A Max of charging current along of constant pulse charge, and this type of charging, this has been proven as a great way, about the recovery of car batteries which stayed unused for a long time.

At 2019 I did find as used a battery labeled as NORD 12V 65AH along another one used battery for our family car, a 12V 45AH which this was at very bad shape.
Now at 2021, the NORD 12V 65AH still holds well (55AH approximate capacity) but the second battery (that is seven years old) this stopped to qualify even as battery for the UPS.

October 2021 – New find = IRIS 12V 45AH
I have never seen in my life such sighs of damage in to a car battery.

IRIS 12V 45AH, this is a battery production of 11/2019 and were installed in a vehicle in Greece as new at 4/2020, and were removed/exchanged at 10/2021.
Battery evaluation shown:
Battery capacity 50AH = Undamaged
Internal resistance = 6 milliohm at 1kHZ
Battery idle voltage 13.300V as Max
Battery charge current at 14.5V this is not less than 450mA ~ 500mA (even after 48H of charging).
This is to me an indication, that something with the manufacturing process of this battery internal plate when wrong.

The good news is that this battery has exceptional performance at the new electrical application that this is now serving at, the UPS average load in DC Ampere this is 9A ~ 12A, and this is a very minimal stress compared to car starter motor.

   
IRIS Brand Web search
I found nothing, other than one accidental find of similar product this branded as Helios 12V 45AH in the Greek market.
I did a telephone call at the cars electrician and installer of Helios brand of batteries.
He told me that IRIS and Helios both are production of VARTA in Germany.
But this is half of the story, because IRIS and Helios they seem to have much more in common with SEBANG GLOBAL BATTERY CO.,LTD KOREA.
SEBANG KOREA this deliver several products branded as GLOBAL in the Greek market.

My own now IRIS labeled battery this has identical top plastic cover with the SEBAND KOREA, but identical product specs they are not found at SEBAND product line.
Electrical Specification’s alone of IRIS 45AH these matching with VARTA Black Dynamic 545 412 040.
But the relevant VARTA PDF this is poor, not even mentioning max charging current.
While SEBAND KOREA informs that the 45AH can be charged at 5.5A as max.

Now speaking of pricing, this type of battery when labeled as Helios or IRIS or GLOBAL or ROCKET or VARTA, this is 50~60EUR price range.

If you find this labeling issue as extremely confusing, and the market collaboration games of VARTA as hilarious, then you do understand too, the level of my own confusion.
Now the 1.000.000 Euros question, this is who skipped entirely QC testing at the factory.
   
This IRIS 12V 45AH this is fresh regarding age battery, the low internal resistance this is a proof that there is no plates sulfasion issue.
Idle voltage at 13.3V this does not indicate sort circuit of a plate.
Even so, battery circuit resistance at charging this is not normal, and I am still suspecting that it’s one of all plate elements they were miscalculated at the assembly.
We would expect per plate (cell) voltage of 2 Volts, but this is less, and even when battery gets warm, its one plate (cell) this heat up by a uniform way.
   
If you have become an eye witness of similar car battery behavior, then do not hesitate to share and your own experience at this topic.

Links:
https://www.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/products/varta-black-dynamic/545-412-040
https://www.gbattery.com/product/car

IRIS 12V 45AH  plastic case this is used at SEBANG (AGM Series) but only at larger in dimension batteries ( For AUTO STOP (ISG System) vehicles).

[Andrew-88]

and battery voltage this sag due long time of this battery staying unused.

My APC UPS 1000XL, this is able to deliver 10A Max of charging current along of constant pulse charge, and this type of charging, this has been proven as a great way, about the recovery of car batteries which stayed unused for a long time.

Battery idle voltage 13.300V as Max

Did this Battery idle voltage, this improve any due the pulse charge?

[Kiriakos GR]

and battery voltage this sag due long time of this battery staying unused.

My APC UPS 1000XL, this is able to deliver 10A Max of charging current along of constant pulse charge, and this type of charging, this has been proven as a great way, about the recovery of car batteries which stayed unused for a long time.

Battery idle voltage 13.300V as Max

Did this Battery idle voltage, this improve any due the pulse charge?

Yes it did, it started with 13.135V (18 October)  and today (18 October) this is at 13.730V
This is tremendously significant progress, the recovery it does happen, the ideal value would be 13.850V .

Now I look forwards to see of what will happen with next ten days, as extended recovery period.

The UPS this deliver 27.778V as Sum (in relation with internal resistance) at both batteries.
I think that IRIS 12V 45AH electrolyte, this is what were further activated and improve.

At my voltage monitor, left DMM this is IRIS, right DMM this is NORD battery.
18 October = 13.135V / 14.643V
28 October = 13.730V  / 14.049V 

Next confirmation at 7 of November 

[Andrew-88]

I am looking forwards for the next status update. 

[Kiriakos GR]

7 of November   

DMM at the left this is always connected to IRIS.
I am confused of which words to use, recovery or healing, either way the battery this internally were further improved.

At that point I do consider it as 99% of GOOD Enough, so this to return for installation to a car.

From the other hand, this it might accept 0.1% of topping up improvement (+15mV), I will continue monitoring it for one more week.
 

 

[Kiriakos GR]

IRIS 12V 45AH = TODAY officially dead 

To sum up:
IRIS 12V 45AH, this is a battery production of 11/2019 and were installed in a vehicle in Greece as new at 4/2020, and were removed/exchanged at 10/2021

October 28, 2021 this started to serve as UPS-Backup and was all times at float-voltage 13.8V pulse charge.
June 20 2023 this failed to operate by suddenly diving down to 5V with load and recovery at 13.8V without load.
 
In a rough estimate from 4/2020 up to 6/2023 this is just three years of life-cycle, by this battery having an easy life.

Speaking of product quality, today I do baptize it as unacceptable.
But if you prefer a review this based at 5 Stars system?
Then this IRIS worth only 2 Stars.   
 
 

[Kiriakos GR]

My new used toy ... GLOBAL 55559 SMF

Few years ago I thought SEBANG Korea as step-up class of products VS within EU circulated stock of other brands.
Today I am close to become a believer that  SEBANG Korea products they are designed to collapse after 24 months of their activation.

This GLOBAL 55559 SMF, has now 40% at least of capacity loss, but still this is alive, with out sorted plates.
Now I am under testing it, in a attempt this to wake-up due pulse charging.   

Since 24 June 2023, this GLOBAL 55559 SMF were re-activated , and within one week of time at pulse charging, float voltage has significantly improve.
Before:   13.261  V
7 days later :    13.591 V

The difference comes from battery internal resistance this getting lower, due internal plates healing from lead acid battery sulfation. 
I will call it success if the recovery aloud it to rise-up at 13.800 V mark (13.8V).     

[overvolt]

I do silently watch all updates at your topic until today, if there is a conclusion so far, this is that SEBANG Korea this is somewhat better than VARTA, but not any miracle. 

Thanks mate.

[Kiriakos GR]

I do silently watch all updates at your topic until today, if there is a conclusion so far, this is that SEBANG Korea this is somewhat better than VARTA, but not any miracle. 

Thanks mate.

Identical feelings here about VARTA brand.