Remove material holding cartons to pallets, exercising care
when cutting banding material to prevent injury. If individual
cells are to be moved to another location, do not remove
carton at this time. Exercise caution if using a two-wheeled
hand truck and, to prevent spillage of electrolyte, do not tilt
cell more than 25 degrees from vertical. When cells have
been brought to the installation sight, remove carton sleeve
and top corrugated spacers.
DO NOT LIFT CELLS BY THEIR TERMINAL POSTS.
Support the cells from the bottom when handling and
unpacking. In general, units weighing less than 75 pounds
are handled manually, being supported from the bottom.
After removal of outer carton and top spacers, the cell should
still be resting in the bottom corrugated tray. This tray is
designed to be easily broken away to permit positioning of a
lifting strap under the cell with a minimal amount of cell tilting.
A lifting strap and a strap spreader are furnished for use
with mechanical lifting devices, when cells weigh 75 pounds
or more. See Figure 1 which shows typical positioning of
strap and spreader. Large cells are provided with 2 lifting
straps and a special spreader for stability in handling during
installation.
Always use lifting straps and spreaders, when provided,
together with suitable mechanical lifting devices to prevent
injury to personnel or damage to cells.
Platform lifts of adequate capacity to handle cell weights
and dimensions may be used provided they are stable and
capable of reaching needed heights and used on smooth
and level floor conditions.
Never slide cells across rough surfaces as severe scratch-
ing of plastic container bottom may result in stressing and
rupturing of the jar with subsequent loss of electrolyte. At all
times, exercise care when handling cells to prevent scratch-
ing of plastic jars and covers.
SECTION 7
7.0 Installation
7.1 Battery Location
It is recommended that the battery be installed in a clean,
cool, dry location. Cells should not be exposed to heating
units, strip heaters, radiators, steam pipes or sunshine
through a window. Any of these conditions can cause a
serious electrolyte temperature variation among cells within
a battery (see Section 7.3).
7.2 Temperature
A battery location having an ambient temperature of 75°F
(24°C) to 77°F (25°C) will result in optimum battery life.
Batteries operated in high ambient temperatures will result
in reduced life. Therefore, for longer life and ease of main-
tenance, locations having cooler ambient temperatures are
recommended. The normal battery operating temperatures
are between 60°F (16°C) and 90°F (32°C).
7.3 Temperature Variation
The location of rack arrangement should result in no greater
than 5°F (2.78°C) variation in cell temperatures in a series
string at any given time. If a greater variation is found, steps
should be taken to correct the condition. When uniform cell
temperature is maintained, the need for equalizing charges
may be eliminated or reduced in frequency.
7.4 Ventilation
In the operation of lead-acid battery whether it be on initial
charge, float charge, equalizing charge or recharge follow-
ing a discharge, hydrogen and oxygen gases are produced.
This results from electrolysis of the water portion of the
electrolyte by the charging current.
Ventilation should be provided in the battery room or area
to prevent hydrogen, liberated from the cells in service, from
exceeding a 1% concentration. Concentrations above this
percentage can result in an explosive mixture, which could
be ignited by sparks from adjacent electrical equipment
as well as accidental sparks or open flames introduced by
personnel. All air moved by ventilation in the battery room
or area should be exhausted into the outside atmosphere
and should not be allowed to recirculate into other confined
areas.
7.5 Placement of Cells
It is assumed at this point that the battery rack has been
assembled. Study the rack layout and wiring drawings to
determine proper location of the positive and negative ter-
minals of the battery; this will establish correct positioning of
the initial cell on each rack row. Cells are normally installed
with plate edges perpendicular to rack length.
Measure and mark the center of the rack stringer length.
Determine the number of cells to be placed in each row.
When an odd number of cells are in the row, place the cen-
ter of the initial cell at the center point of the rack stringer
length.
When an even number of cells are in the row, locate the
initial cells so that the center of the space between the cells
coincides with the center mark of the stringer length.
To reduce friction and facilitate the sliding of cells from plat-
form lift into position on the battery rack, only Dow Corning
#111 silicone grease is permitted for use.
USE OF LUBRICANTS OTHER THAN
DOW CORNING #111 SILICONE GREASE
WILL VOID WARRANTY.
DO NOT USE METAL RODS,
SCREWDRIVERS, ETC. THROUGH POST
HOLES TO POSITION CELLS AS THIS
PRACTICE CAN CAUSE SHORTING AND
POST DAMAGE AND WILL ALSO VOID
WARRANTY.
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