2240 SRM 1
Battery Maintenance
Figure 12. Daily Battery Report
ADDING WATER TO BATTERY
NOTE:
Some batteries have sealed cells. These bat-
teries do not need water added to the electrolyte.
Some water is lost from the electrolyte of each cell
during the charge and discharge cycle when the bat-
tery is in service. Check the electrolyte level daily.
Some service persons check some of the cells each day
so all cells are checked each week. If the level of the
electrolyte goes below the level of the top of the sep-
arators for the plates, the cell can be damaged.
KEEPING THE ELECTROLYTE LEVEL WITHIN
THE CORRECT LIMITS IS THE MOST IMPOR-
TANT ITEM OF BATTERY MAINTENANCE.
See the instructions from the manufacturer of your
battery for the operating level of the electrolyte. Al-
ways use distilled water. If you add distilled water,
wait 5 minutes before measuring the specific grav-
ity with a hydrometer. DO NOT add water to a cell
before or during the charging cycle; water must be
added after the charging cycle. If water is added be-
fore the charging cycle, the electrolyte level may rise,
which will cause electrolyte to be forced out of the
vent plugs. The electrolyte can flow out of the cell
through the fill hole. The correct electrolyte level is
shown in Figure 13.
1.
FILL TUBE
2.
BOTTOM OF FILL TUBE
3.
CELL COVER
4.
MAXIMUM LEVEL OF ELECTROLYTE
5.
MINIMUM LEVEL OF ELECTROLYTE
6.
PLATE PROTECTOR
7.
TOP OF SEPARATORS
Figure 13. Electrolyte Level
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