BATTERIES & CHARGING
Page H-1
Repair and Service Manual
Read all of Section B and this section before attempting any procedure. Pay particular attention to all Notices, Cautions, Dangers and Warnings.
SAFETY
Always observe the following warnings when working on
or near batteries:
To prevent battery explosion that could result
in severe personal injury or death, keep all
smoking materials, open flame or sparks away
from the batteries.
Hydrogen gas is formed when charging bat-
teries. Do not charge batteries without ade-
quate ventilation. A 4% concentration of
hydrogen gas is explosive.
Be sure that the key switch is off and all
electrical accessories are turned off before
starting work on vehicle.
Never disconnect a circuit under load at a
battery terminal.
Batteries are heavy. Use
proper lifting techniques
when moving them. Always
lift the battery with a com-
mercially available battery
lifting device. Use care not to
tip batteries when removing
or installing them; spilled electrolyte can cause
burns and damage.
The electrolyte in a storage battery is an
acid solution which can cause severe burns
to the skin and eyes. Treat all electrolyte
spills to the body and eyes with extended
flushing with clear water. Contact a physi-
cian immediately.
Always wear a safety shield or
approved safety goggles when
adding water or charging bat-
teries.
Any electrolyte spills should be neutralized
with a solution of 1/4 cup (60 ml) sodium
bicarbonate (baking soda) dissolved in 1 1/
2 gallons (6 liters) of water and flushed with
water.
Overfilling batteries may result in electro-
lyte being expelled from the battery during
the charge cycle. Expelled electrolyte may
cause damage to the vehicle and storage
facility.
Aerosol containers of battery terminal pro-
tectant must be used with extreme care.
Insulate metal container to prevent can
from contacting battery terminals which
could result in an explosion.
Wrap wrenches with vinyl
tape to prevent the possibili-
ty of a dropped wrench from
‘shorting out’ a battery,
which could result in an
explosion and severe personal injury or
death.
BATTERY
A battery is defined as two dissimilar metals immersed
in an acid. If the acid is absent or if the metals are not
dissimilar, a battery has not been created. The batteries
most commonly used in these vehicles are lead acid.
A battery does not store electricity, but is able to pro-
duce electricity as the result of a chemical reaction
which releases stored chemical energy in the form of
electrical energy. The chemical reaction takes place
faster in warm conditions and slower in cold conditions.
Temperature is important when conducting tests on a
battery and test results must be corrected to compen-
sate for temperature differences.
As a battery ages, it still performs adequately except
that its
capacity
is diminished. Capacity describes the
time that a battery can continue to provide its design
amperes from a full charge.
A battery has a maximum life, therefore good mainte-
nance is designed to maximize the
available
life and re-
duce the factors that can reduce the life of the battery.
BATTERY MAINTENANCE
Tool List
Qty.
Insulated wrench, 1/2" .................................................1
Battery carrier ..............................................................1
Hydrometer..................................................................1
Battery maintenance kit P/N 25587-G01 .....................1
NOTICE
