Columbus RA 55, Operating Manual, Page: 28 / 40

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7. Operating Instructions for
Maintenance-free Batteries
and Electrolytic Batteries
Observe the operating instructions and
display these at the charging station
• All work on batteries shall be performed by
qualified personnel only.
• Wear protective clothing and safety glasses
when working on batteries.
• Observe the accident prevention regulations
as well as DIN VDE 0510, VDE 0105 Part 1.
• Smoking prohibited. No naked flames, glo-
wing embers or sparks in the vicinity of the
battery as otherwise explosion and fire hazard.
• Wash out acid splashes to the eyes or skin
with excess clean water. Seek medical
advice immediately. Wash out clothing
contaminated with acid using water.
• Explosion and fire hazard, avoid short
contacts.
• Caution ! Metallic parts of the battery are
always under a potential and therefore no
objects or tools should be placed on top of
the battery.
• The electrolytic is strongly corrosive. Nor-
mal operation excludes contact with the
electrolyte. Electrolyte leaking from mainte-
nance-free batteries through damage to the
casing is just as corrosive as from electro-
lytic batteries. Keep acids and batteries con-
taining acids out of the reach of children.
• Use only approved lifting and transportation
fixtures, e.g. raising harness in accordance
with VDI 3616.
• Lifting hooks shall not cause damage to bat-
tery cells, connections or connecting cables.
7.1 Operational Set-Up
The batteries shall inspected for mechanical
damage. Connection and connecting cables as
well as the charging plug must be connected
up correctly to the respective poles as this could
otherwise damage the batteries and charging
equipment. The connection to the connecting
cables of the cleaning unit or charging equip-
ment has to be made only with the mains orkey
switch and charging equipment switched off.
Maintenance-free, sealed batteries must be
charged in accordance with 7.4.
For reasons of longer life, non-filled, prechar-
ged electrolytic batteries have to be filled im-
mediately prior to use. The batteries must be
sub- sequently recharged. Observe here the
appli-cable manufacturers instructions as well
as 7.4.
7.2 Operation
The DIN VDE 0510 Part 3 - drive batteries for
electrical vehicles - shall apply for the operation
of vehicle drive batteries.
7.3 Discharge
The ventilation openings of the cleaning unit
shall not be blocked or covered. Opening and
closing of electrical contacts (e.g. connector
plugs, connection cables) shall only be
performed when there is no current flowing
and the main switch is turned off. In order to
achieve an optimum usage time for operation,
discharging is permitted only to certain resi-
dual capacity.
Maintenance-free batteries must be discharged
only to 70 % of their nominal capacity.
A discharge of electrolytic batteries is only
permissible to 80 % of their nominal capacity.
In order to prevent excessive discharging, the
controls of the cleaning unit include an auto-
matic cut-off which switches off the main
consumer as soon as discharge voltage limit
has been reached and this is indicated by
illumination of the red warning lamp.
The discharge voltage limit is set to an average
value for all the series units. Upon request,
this can be altered to the optimum for a specific
type of battery (maintenance-free or
electrolytic) by the technical customer service.
Discharged batte-ries have not to be left in a
state of discharge. This also applies to partial
discharges.
8.4 Charging
Only direct current shall be used for charging.
Only charging procedures in accordance with
DIN 41773 and DIN 41774 and modifications
approved by the manufacturer shall be applied.
Thus only charging equipment approved by the
manufacturer has to be used. Connection only
to the respective charging unit approved for the
battery equipment in order to avoid overloading
the connections and plugs, as well as to prevent
gases from forming and associated rises in
temperature. Sealed, maintenace-free batteries
are not gasing-free but rather are low-gasing
battery types. When charging in closed rooms,
sufficient extraction of the charging gases must
be ensured by adequate ventilation. The tank
housing must be open. The batteries have to
be connected to the charging equipment when
it is switched off. The charging equipment must
be subsequently switched on. When commen-
cing charging, the temperature of the battery
shall be at between 10°C and 35 °C. Improper
charging will result at temperatures outside of
this temperature range. During the charging
process, the temperature will increase by
approximately 10 degrees.
Electrolytic batteries shall be chraged only with
the stoppers screwed in. Top up with distilled
water after completing the charging procedure.
7.5 Temperature
The nominal temperature of the battery is 30°C.
Higher temperature will shorten the lifetime, and
lower temperatures will reduce the available
capacity. The limiting temperature is 55°C and
is not permitted as an operating temperature.
7.6 Maintenance
Daily
• Charge battery after each discharge through
use.
Weekly
• Visual inspection for dirt and mechanical
damage.
• Grease the connection terminals using pole
grease (Vaseline) and check for tight fit.
For maintenace-free batteries, no water shall
be added to the battery throughout its entire
lifetime.
The type of sealing used is a pressure-relief
valve which is destroyed when opening.
For electrolytic batteries, the water consum-
ption is influenced by the operating conditions
and the type of charging equipment used. The
water level shall not fall below the lower limit
(upper partition edge). Top up after com-
pletion of charging procedure using distilled
water as required.
3-Monthly
Following charging to capacity and allowing to
stand for a minimum of 5 hours, the total
voltage and individual voltages of the blocks
shall be measured and recorded. If there are
significant deviations from previous measure-
ments or large differences amongst individual
blocks, the customer service shall be informed
for further testing and maintenance.
7.7 Care
The battery shall be kept clean and dry at all
times in order to avoid current leakage and
potential sparking. Remove the battery for clea-
ning, and wear protective clothing and safety
glasses. Select an appropriate location such
that the rinsing water from cleaning can be dis-
charged into a water treatment installation sui-
table for this. The cell stoppers shall not be
unscrewed. The plastic sections of the batteries
shall be cleaned using water only or with water-
impreganated cleaning cloths and without any
additives. The surfaces of the battery shall be
dried after cleaning (compressed air, cleaning
cloths).
7.8 Storage
If batteries are not in operation for longer
periods of time, these shall be charged to
capacity and stored in a frost-safe location. On
account of self-discharge, the batteries shall be
recharged at regular intervals.
Maintenance-free batteries must be re-charged
quarterly in accordance with 7.4.
Electrolytic batteries must be recharged every
four weeks at the latest, and in accordance with
7.4.
7.9 Faults
If faults are determined with the battery or
charging equipment, the customer service has
to be informed immediately. Data measure-
ments taken in accordance with 8.6 will simplify
the fault localisation and rectification of the
fault.
7.10 Disposal
Used batteries are potential sources for re-use
and shall be forwarded for recycling processes.
All other types of batteries have to be disposed
of as special waste. Observe applicable
regulations.