Ski-Doo FORMULA S 1997, Shop Manual

Page: 200 / 926

Section 05 ELECTRICAL
Sub-Section 05 (BATTERY)
05-05-6
The time required to charge a battery will vary de-
pending some factors such as:
– Battery temperature: The charging time is in-
creased as the temperature goes down. The
current accepted by a cold battery will remain
low. As the battery warms up, it will accept a
higher rate of charge.
– State of charge : Because the electrolyte is
nearly pure water in a completely discharged
battery, it cannot accept current as well as elec-
trolyte. This is the reason the battery will not
accept current when the charging cycle first be-
gins. As the battery remains on the charger, the
current from the charger causes the electrolytic
acid content to rise which makes the electro-
lyte a better conductor and then, the battery
will accept a higher charging rate.
– Type of charger: Battery chargers vary in the
amount of voltage and current that they can
supply. Therefore, the time required for the bat-
tery to begin accepting measurable current will
also vary.
Charging a Very Flat or Completely
Discharged Battery:
Unless this procedure is properly followed, a good
battery may be needlessly replaced.
– Measure the voltage at the battery posts with
an accurate voltmeter. If it is below 10 volts, the
battery will accept current at very low rate, in
term of milliamperes, because electrolyte is
nearly pure water as explained above. It could
be some time before the charging rate increas-
es. Such low current flow may not be detect-
able on some charger ammeters and the
battery will seem not to accept any charge.
– Only for this particular case, set the charger to
a high rate.
NOTE : Some chargers have a polarity pro-
tection feature which prevents charging un-
less the charger leads are connected to the
correct battery terminals. A completely dis-
charged battery may not have enough voltage to
activate this circuitry, even though the leads are
connected properly. This will make it appear that
the battery will not accept a charge. Follow the
charger manufacturer’s instruction telling how to
bypass or override this circuitry so that the charg-
er will turn on and charge a low-voltage battery.
– Since the battery chargers vary in the amount
of voltage and current they provide, the time
required for the battery to accept measurable
charger current might be up to approximately
10 hours or more.
– If the charging current is not up to a measurable
amount at the end of about 10 hours, the bat-
tery should be replaced.
– If the charging current is measurable before the
end or at the end of about 10 hours, the battery
is good and charging should be completed in
the normal manner as specified in
Activation
of a new battery .
– It is recommended that any battery recharged
by this procedure be load tested prior to return-
ing it to service.
BATTERY CHARGING
EQUIPMENT
The battery charger should have an adjustable
charging rate. Variable adjustment is preferred,
but a unit which can be adjusted in small incre-
ments is acceptable.
The battery charger must be equipped with an
ammeter capable of accurately measuring current
of less than one ampere.
If the present charger is not adjustable to the
proper current values, a rheostat can be connect-
ed in series with the battery to provide adjust-
ment. 12 Ohm, 50 watt rheostat, such as
OHMITE – 0314 or MALLORY 50K 12P, are avail-
able from electronic parts supply shops and they
are suitable for use with most chargers if the peak
current is to be held below 2 amps.
If you need an accurate ammeter, we recommend
the use of : SHURITE – 5202 (0 to 3 amps) or –
5203 (0 to 5 amps) available from electronic parts
supply shops.
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