Toro Groundsmaster 328-D, Service Manual

Page: 196 / 402

Charging
To minimize possible damage to the battery and allow
the battery to be fully charged, the slow charging meth-
od is presented here. This charging method can be ac-
complished with a constant current battery charger
which is available in most shops.
CAUTION
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when
using a battery charger.
1. Determine the battery charge level from either its
open circuit voltage or specific gravity.
Battery Charge
Level
Open Circuit
Voltage
Specific
Gravity
100% 12.68 1.265
75% 12.45 1.225
50% 12.24 1.190
25% 12.06 1.155
0% 11.89 1.120
2. Determine the charging time and rate using the
manufacturer’s battery charger instructions or the
following table.
Reserve Battery Charge Level
Capacity (Percent of Fully Charged)
(Minutes) (Minutes)
75% 50% 25% 0%
80 or less 3.8 hrs 7.5 hrs 11.3 hrs 15 hrs
at at at at
3 amps 3 amps 3 amps 3 amps
81 to 125 5.3 hrs 10.5 hrs 15.8 hrs 21 hrs
at at at at
4 amps 4 amps 4 amps 4 amps
126 to 5.5 hrs 11 hrs 16.5 hrs 22 hrs
170 at at at at
5 amps 5 amps 5 amps 5 amps
171 to 5.8 hrs 11.5 hrs 17.3 hrs 23 hrs
250 at at at at
6 amps 6 amps 6 amps 6 amps
above 6 hrs 12 hrs 18 hrs 24 hrs
250 at at at at
10 amps 10 amps 10 amps 10 amps
CAUTION
tery warm to 60
o
F (15.5
o
C) before con-
Charge the battery in a well–ventilated
charging. These gases are explosive;
Nausea may result if the gases are in-
haled. Unplug the charger from the elec-
posts.
Do not charge a frozen battery because it
can explode and cause injury. Let the bat-
necting to a charger.
place to dissipate gases produced from
keep open flame and electrical spark
away from the battery. Do not smoke.
trical outlet before connecting or discon-
necting the charger leads from the battery
3. Following the manufacturer’s battery charger
instructions , connect the charger cables to the battery.
Make sure a good connection is made.
4. Charge the battery following the manufacturer’s
battery charger instructions .
5. Occasionally check the temperature of the battery
electrolyte. If the temperature exceeds 125
o
F (51.6
o
C)
or the electrolyte is violently gassing or spewing, the
charging rate must be lowered or temporarily stopped.
6. Three hours prior to the end of the charging, mea-
sure the specific gravity of a battery cell once per hour.
The battery is fully charged when the cells are gassing
freely at a low charging rate and there is less than a
0.003 change in specific gravity for three consecutive
readings.
Electrical System (Rev. G)
Page 6A – 14
Groundsmaster 300 Series