B
16
Repair and Service Manual
BATTERIES AND BATTERY CHARGER
Read all of SAFETY and this section before attempting any procedure. Pay particular attention to Notices, Cautions, Warnings and Dangers.
10002660
Monthly
•
Inspect all wiring for fraying, loose terminals, corro-
sion, and worn or missing insulation.
•
Check that the electrolyte level is correct and add
suitable water as required.
•
Clean the batteries and wire terminals.
•
Tighten battery terminal nuts to 90 - 110 in. lbs. (10.2
- 12.4 Nm).
•
Spray battery terminals with commercially available
battery protective spray.
•
Install all terminal covers.
Temperature Affects Battery Capacity
Battery storage capacity is affected by the temperature.
The colder the temperature, the less energy the battery is
able to store. As temperature increases, so does the stor-
age capacity of the battery (Ref. Fig. 3).
The ideal battery temperature for deep cycle batteries is
77°F (25°C). At 32°F (0°C), the storage capacity of the
battery will be reduced by 20%, meaning the vehicle will
not travel as far in cold weather as it will in warm weather.
Fig. 3 Temperature Effects
Electrolyte Level and Water
The correct level of the electrolyte is 1/2” (13 mm) above
the plates in each cell (Ref. Fig. 4).
This level will leave approximately 1/4” - 3/8” (6 - 10 mm)
of space between the electrolyte and the vent tube. The
electrolyte level is important. Any portion of the plates that
become exposed to air will be irreparably damaged. Too
much water will force electrolyte out of the battery due to
gassing and the increase in electrolyte volume that
results from the charging cycle.
Fig. 4 Correct Electrolyte Level
Do not overfill batteries. The
charging cycle will increase electro-
lyte volume and force it out of the
battery and damage surrounding
components.
A battery being charged will ‘gas’ with the majority of the
gassing taking place at the end of the charging cycle. This
gas is hydrogen, which is lighter than air. Water and sulfu-
ric acid droplets will be carried out of the battery vents by
the hydrogen gas; however, this loss is minimal. If the bat-
tery electrolyte level is too high, the electrolyte will block
the vent tube and the gas will force the electrolyte out of
the vent tube and battery cap. The water will evaporate
but the sulfuric acid will remain where it can damage vehi-
cle components and the storage facility floor. Sulfuric acid
loss will weaken the concentration of acid within the elec-
trolyte and reduce the life of the battery.
Over the life of the battery, a considerable amount of
water is consumed. It is important that the water used be
pure and free of contaminants that could reduce the life of
the battery by reducing the chemical reaction. The water
must be distilled or purified by an efficient filtration sys-
tem. Water that is not distilled should be analyzed and if
required, filtration installed to permit the water to meet the
requirements of the water purity table (Ref. Fig. 5).
115
110
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
32
0
14
-10
-4
-20
-22
-30
-40
-40
F°
C°
50
10
68
20
86
30
104
40
122
50
140
60
T E M P E R A T U R E
PERCENT
CAP
ACITY
Vent Cap
Gas Vent
Vent
Expansion
Space
Plates
1/2” (13 mm)
1/4” to 3/8”
(6 mm to 10 mm)
Electrolyte level should be at least 1/2” (13mm)
above the plates and 1/4” to 3/8” (6 to 10 mm) below vent.
