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BI-ANNUAL MAINTENANCE
Further to the bi-annual maintenance, do the following:
• Inspect racks/cabinets for corrosion or loss of integrity
• Check/record if ventilation is sufficient.
• Check/record battery room temperature
• Check battery for cracks
• Check ground connections
6. Transport
Be sure that all cells are protected against short-circuit. Be sure to document and transport all cells or batteries according to
local department of transportation rules and regulations.
7. Recycling
Discover’s lead acid batteries are recyclable products. All Discover Factory Warehouses and servicing dealers are qualified to
accept and handle all used lead acid batteries. Contact Discover
®
or your servicing dealer for details.
8. Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions
The following is a list of common concerns and questions regarding system setup, battery charging and maintenance procedures.
Please refer to these as general guidelines. For further assistance with your specific system setup, please contact your installer.
WHAT CAUSES THE BATTERY TERMINAL TO MELT?
Battery terminals melting is most common because of improper connections causing high resistance and heat generation.
• Loose connections
• Over-tightened connections
• Improper sized cables (too small).
• Corroded connections
• Improper use of washers/lock washers.
• Too many connections on the same terminal
WHY DO THE BATTERIES BULGE?
In some cases bulging can happen and is normal during battery charging.
• If case bulging is a concern upon receipt of a new product, please notify your Distributor immediately
• In the case of excessive bulging- your batteries may have been exposed to temperatures of over 50°C (122°F) or may have
been overcharged. Both conditions may cause the plates/chassis to swell and expand. If this occurs, the batteries may fail
prematurely.
• The batteries may have frozen due to excessive exposure to cold temperatures.
To prevent bulging, you need to take the following precautions:
• Use the right type of charger and charge algorithm that is fully compatible with the battery
• Ensure proper polarity when connecting the charger to the battery
• Don’t short-circuit the battery
• Don’t expose battery to temperatures of over 55°C (131°F) and prevent battery from freezing
WHAT CAUSES A BATTERY TO LOSE CAPACITY?
Every lead acid loses capacity over its lifetime. A loss of capacity may indicate the battery is cycled out and reached its end of life.
Capacity loss may also occur due to sulphation, overheating, or over-discharging. If there is capacity loss, the battery bank may no
longer support an increase in load. To prevent premature capacity loss:
• Use the right type of charger and charge algorithm that is fully compatible with the battery.
• Verify the temperature sensors are properly mounted and the operation settings are adjusted to the appropriate battery
temperature.
WHY ISTHE CHARGING CURRENTTOTHE BATTERY BANK SO LOW?
The charging current will decrease as the batteries become fully charged. If the charge current is low, the end of charge cycle may
have been reached. Verify that the charger is near the end of the Absorption phase or in Float voltage phase. If so, low current is
normal at this stage of charging.
• The battery bank self-regulates charge current. The voltage can be controlled and adjusted to a high or low setting, however
the amp output to the battery bank cannot be controlled and will drop as the batteries reach a full state of charge.
• When the charge current decreases to 2% of the battery C20 capacity, the charge is essentially complete.
