MAINTENANCE
Read all of this manual to become thoroughly familiar with this vehicle. Pay particular attention to all Notices, Cautions, Warnings, and Dangers.
5 - 20
5
battery. In order to prevent damage, the battery should be recharged. A hydrometer can be used to determine the spe-
cific gravity and therefore the state of charge of a battery.
In winter conditions, the battery must be fully charged to pre-
vent the possibility of freezing. A fully charged battery will not
freeze in temperatures above -75° F (-60° C). Although the
chemical reaction is slowed in cold temperatures, the battery
must be stored fully charged, and disconnected from any cir-
cuit that could discharge the battery. For portable chargers,
disconnect the charging plug from the vehicle receptacle. For
on-board chargers, disconnect the charging harness from the
batteries. The batteries must be cleaned and all deposits neu-
tralized and removed from the battery case to prevent self dis-
charge. The batteries should be tested or recharged at thirty
day minimum intervals.
Battery Charging
The battery charger is designed to fully charge the battery set.
If the batteries are severely deep cycled, some automatic bat-
tery chargers contain an electronic module that may not acti-
vate and the battery charger will not function. Automatic
chargers will determine the correct duration of charge to the
battery set and will shut off when the battery set is fully
charged. Always refer to the instructions of the specific charger
used.
Before charging, the following should be observed:
Do not overfill batteries. The charging cycle will expel electrolyte and result in component damage.
•
The electrolyte level in all cells must be at the recommended level and cover the plates.
•
The charging must take place in an area that is well ventilated and capable of removing the hydrogen gas that is
generated by the charging process. A
minimum
of five air exchanges per hour is recommended.
•
The charging connector components must be in good condition and free from dirt or debris.
•
The charger connector must be fully inserted into the vehicle receptacle.
•
The charger connector/cord set is protected from damage and is located in an area to prevent injury that may
result from personnel running over or tripping over the cord set.
•
The charger is automatically turned off during the connect/disconnect cycle and therefore no electrical arc is gen-
erated at the DC plug/receptacle contacts.
In some portable chargers, there will be a rattle present in the body of the charger DC plug. This rattle is caused by an internal mag-
net contained within the charger plug. The magnet is part of the interlock system that prevents the vehicle from being driven when the
charger plug is inserted in the vehicle charging receptacle.
AC Voltage
Battery charger output is directly related to the input voltage. If multiple vehicles are receiving an incomplete charge in a
normally adequate time period, low AC voltage could be the cause and the power company should be consulted.
Troubleshooting
In general, troubleshooting will be done for two distinct reasons. First, a battery that performs poorly and is outside of the
manufacturers specification should be identified in order to replace it under the terms of the manufacturer’s warranty. Dif-
ferent manufacturers have different requirements. Consult the battery manufacturer or the manufacturer’s representative
for specific requirements.
1.100
1.120
1.160
1.200
1.240
1.280
1.140
1.180
1.220
1.260
1.300
-9
-15
-21
-26
-32
-37
-43
-48
-54
-60
-65
-71
E
L
E
C
T
R
O
L
Y
T
E
T
E
M
P
E
R
A
T
U
R
E
SPECIFIC GRAVITY ELECTROLYTE FREEZING POINT
O
C
+15
+5
-5
-15
-25
-35
-45
-55
-65
-75
-85
-95
O
F
NOTICE
