Battery Maintenance
Section 1 - General Information
Service Manual
Page 1-13
B
A T T E R Y
C
H E C K
Electric UpRight Aerial Work Platforms use deep cycle batteries. If poor service life is experienced, batter-
ies should be checked for bad cells. Fully charge batteries for 14 hours minimum, ensuring that the
charger has completed its cycle (see ‘Battery Charging” on page 1-16).
Deep cycle batteries do not have their full potential until they have been through 50 charge/discharge
cycles. Normal 5-day weeks, charging batteries every day, equals 50 cycles in ten weeks.
If bad cells are found in any battery in a battery pack more than two years old, all batteries in the pack
should be replaced for balance.
B
ATTERY
C
ELL
E
QUALIZATION
The specific gravity of the electrolyte in the battery cells should be equalized monthly. To do this, charge
batteries as outlined in ‘Battery Charging” on page 1-16. After this initial charge, recheck the electrolyte
level in all cells and add distilled water as necessary. Then, turn on the charger for an additional eight
hours.
S
PECIFIC
G
RAVITY
Check the specific gravity of all cells with a hydrometer. The temperature corrected specific gravity of a
fully charged battery should be 1.260. If any corrected readings are below 1.230, the batteries containing
such cells should be replaced.
Do not check the specific gravity in a cell to which water has just been added. If there is not enough elec-
trolyte in a fully charged cell to obtain a sample for the hydrometer, add water and complete a discharge/
charge cycle before checking.
Table 1-5:
Specific Gravity and Battery Voltage
L
OAD
T
ESTING
B
ATTERY
P
ACKS
1. Fully charge the battery pack.
2. With the battery pack at rest and under full load, perform steps 3 and 4.
a. To put the battery pack under full load,
• Activate the steering switch to turn the wheels fully in either direction.
• Continue to hold the steering switch while performing steps 3 and 4.
3. Measure the potential across each battery.
4. Measure the potential across the entire battery pack.
5. Compare the measured results
Any battery that measures 10% lower voltage than the others has a bad cell and should be replaced.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
VOLTS DC
Each Cell
Per Cell
6V Battery
12V Battery
24V Battery Pack
48V Battery Pack
Fully Charged
1.270
2.10
6.30
12.60
25.20
50.40
Fully Discharged
1.130
1.75
5.25
10.50
21
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