P.O. Box 1306
Newport Beach
California 92663
Phone: 714-751-0488
Fax: 714-957-1621
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.newmarEVpower.com
VIII) BATTERY CARE TIPS
Regular maintenance and proper care will assure you
reliable service from the most depended upon and
sometimes most neglected items, your batteries and battery
charger. NEWMAR battery chargers are designed to keep
your batteries fully charged but your batteries also need
proper regular maintenance to provide a maximum life
of service.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW TH E BATTE RY
MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS
Battery Installation
Batteries must be securely mounted to prevent them from
falling over when the vehicle or boat is in motion. A
loose battery can do serious damage. Batteries should be
mounted in a battery box to contain any acid spill. Batteries
give off a certain amount of hydrogen gas when they are
charging. When concentrated, this gas is highly explosive.
Therefore make sure they are in an accessible place with
adequate ventilation for any hydrogen gas discharge.
Cleaning Batteries
Dirt and electrolyte salts can build up on the top of your
batteries. This accumulation conducts electricity stored in
the battery and can cause the battery to discharge by
itself. Therefore, at least twice a year, it is a good idea to
disconnect the battery cables and scrub the battery with
a baking soda solution. Rinse with fresh water and dry
with a clean cloth.
You may wish to purchase a set of terminal post corrosion
prevention rings. These are alkali-saturated felt rings that
slip over the battery post to reduce corrosion. Do not apply
grease to any part of the battery terminals, but you may
use an occasional light spray of silicone lubricant.
Routine Checks and Maintenance
Batteries should periodically be “exercised” (slowly
discharged and then recharged) to keep them in top
condition. New batteries may need to be exercised before
they will be capable of their full rating.
If your batteries are not the sealed type, distilled water
should be added to them whenever needed. The electrolyte
should cover the plates by about 1/2”, allowing a small air
space at the top. Do not fill the cells up to the filler cap as
this could cause the battery to sputter out electrolyte when
it is being charged. Only distilled water should be used
never plain tap water. Tap water contains chemicals and
elements that can alter the properties of the electrolyte,
including specific gravity. Some chemicals may also
create an insulating coating on the battery plates which
will retard current flow.
The rate that water is lost by the battery is dependent on
several factors; battery condition, ambient temperature,
battery use, charge voltage, etc. It is normal for batteries
which are not maintenance-free to require topping off
about once a month.
A battery’s state of charge may be monitored by checking
the specific gravity or by open circuit voltage. You may
use the following table to evaluate the condition of your
batteries:
12 Volt
System
24 Volt
System
1.265
12.6 or more
25.2 or more Fully Charged
1.225
12.4
24.8
25% Discharged
1.190
12.2
24.4
50% Discharged
1.155
12.0
24.0
75% Discharged
1.120
11.7 or less
23.4 or less
100% Discharged
* Note: Wait at least 5 minutes after charging or discharging before
checking specific gravity or open circuit voltage. The battery’s
voltage needs to stabilize in order to get an accurate reading.
Troubleshooting Your Battery System
If your battery will not accept or hold a charge, one of the
following conditions may exist:
1. A BAD BATTERY. You may have a battery with an open
or shorted cell, a battery without any “life” left. Check by
charging the battery until all cells have a specific gravity
of 1.225 or greater at 80° F. If you are unable to obtain 1.225
in each cell, replace the battery. For maintenance-free or
gel-cell batteries consult the manufacturer.
2. A BAD BATTERY CHARGER. If the battery open circuit
voltage is low and/or the hydrometer indicates your
batteries are low, the battery charger should be providing
current to the batteries. If it is not, check AC input and check
to see that you have charging voltage on the output with
no battery attached. Note: You will not get an accurate
voltage reading on the output of the charger with no
batteries attached. This is checked merely to ensure that
you do not have an open circuit on the output.
The battery charger has a thermal cutout switch to turn
the charger off if it is overheating. If you suspect this is the
case, refer to the information regarding charger location in
the Installation section and cooling fans in the Application
Notes section.
3. ELECTRICAL LEAKAGE. You may have a previously
unsuspected source of current drain from the battery. To
check for a leakage of this sort, disconnect the battery
ground cable and connect an ammeter between the
negative battery post and ground If you have a reading
over .1 amp, there is a source of current drain from the
batteries which must be located and removed.
Specific Gravity
Measured by
Hydrometer
Open Circuit Voltage
State of
Discharge
@ 80° F
13