Chevrolet 10 Series 1970, Service Manual

Page: 395 / 671

ENGINE-ELECTRICAL 6Y-3
F ig . 4 b —E le c tro ly te a t Low Level
The Indicator r e v e a ls at a glance i f w ater is needed,
without the n ecessity o f rem ovin g the vent plugs (fig . 4b).
The L e v e l Indicator is used in only one c e ll (second
c e ll cap fro m p o sitive B attery post) because when the
e le c tro ly te le v e l is low in one c e ll, it is n orm ally low
in a ll c e lls . Thus when the Indicator shows w ater is
needed, check the le v e l in a ll six c e lls .
An altern ate method o f checking the e le c tro ly te le v e l
is to rem ove the vent plug and visu a lly ob serve the
e le c tro ly te le v e l in the vent w ell. The bottom o f the vent
w e ll featu res a split vent which w ill cause the surface
o f the e le c tro ly te to appear d istorted when it makes
contact. The e le c tro ly te le v e l is c o r r e c t when the d is­
tortion fir s t appears at the bottom o f the split vent
(fig . 5b).
ELECTROLYTE LEVEL
The e le c tro ly te le v e l in the B attery should be checked
re g u la rly . In hot w eather, p a rtic u la rly during trip d r iv ­
ing, checking should be m ore frequent because o f m ore
rapid lo s s o f w ater. If the e le c tro ly te le v e l is found to
be low , then c o lo rle s s , od o rless, drinking w ater should
be added to each c e ll until the liquid le v e l r is e s to the
sp lit vent located in the bottom o f the vent w ell. DO NOT
O V E R F IL L because this w ill cause lo s s o f e le c tro ly te
resu ltin g in poor p erform an ce, short life , and e x c essive
c o rro sio n .
CA UTIO N: During s e r v ic e only w ater should
be added to the B attery, not e le c tro ly te .
The liquid le v e l in the c e lls should never be allow ed to
drop below the top o f the plates, as the portion o f the
p lates exposed to a ir may be perm anently damaged with
a resu ltin g lo ss in p erform a n ce.
WATER USAGE
E x c essive usage o f w ater indicates the B attery is
being overch arged . The m ost common causes o f o v e r ­
charge a re high B attery operating' tem peratu res, too
high a voltage regu lator setting o r poor regu lator ground
w ir e connection. N orm al B attery w ater usage is ap­
p ro x im a tely one to two ounces p e r month p er battery.
CLEANING
The external condition o f the B attery should be checked
p e rio d ic a lly fo r damage or fo r the presen ce o f d irt and
co rro sio n . B attery should be kept clean. An accum ula­
tion of acid film and d irt may p erm it current to flow b e­
tween the term in als, which w ill slow ly discharge the
B attery.
F or best resu lts when cleaning the top o f
B a tteries, wash fir s t with a diluted ammonia o r a soda
solution to neu tralize any acid present, then flush with
clean w ater. C are must be taken to keep vent plugs tight,
so that the n eu tralizing solution does not enter the c e lls .
CABLES
T o insure good e le c tr ic a l contact, the cables should
be clean and tight on the battery posts. If the posts
o r cable term in a ls a re corroded, the cables should be
disconnected and the term in a ls cleaned sep arately with
a soda solution and a w ire brush. A fte r cleaning and
installin g clam ps, apply a thin coating o f p etroleu m je lly
on the cable clam ps to reta rd corrosion .
CARRIER A N D H O L D -D O W N
The c a r r ie r and hold-down should be clean and fre e
fro m co rro sio n b e fo re installin g the B attery. The c a r r ie r
should be in a sound m echanical condition so that it w ill
support the B attery secu rely and keep it le v e l.
T o preven t the B attery fro m shaking in its c a r r ie r ,
the hold-down bolts should be tight (60-80 in. lb s.).
H ow ever, the bolts should not be tightened to the point
w here the B attery case or co ver w ill be placed under a
s e v e re strain.
BATTERY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
When B a tteries a re being charged, an exp lo sive gas
m ixture fo rm s in each c e ll. P a rt o f this gas escapes
through the holes in the vent plugs and may fo rm an
e x p lo sive atm osphere around the B attery its e lf i f ven ti­
lation is poor. T h is exp losive gas may rem ain in o r
around the B attery fo r s e v e ra l hours a fte r it has been
charged. Sparks o r fla m es can ignite this gas causing
an internal explosion which may shatter the B attery.
The follow in g precautions should be observed to p r e ­
vent an explosion:
1. Do not smoke near B a tteries being charged or
which have been v e ry recen tly charged.
2. Do not break liv e c irc u its at the term in a ls o f B at­
te r ie s because a spark usually occu rs at the point
F ig . 5 b —V ie w Inside V e n t W e ll
ELECTROLYTE
AT CORRECT
LEVEL
ELECTROLYTE
LEVEL T O O
LOW
CHEVROLET TRUCK SERVICE MANUAL