BatteryInspection,Maintenance,andTesting
1.Performfollowinginspectionsandmaintenance:
A.Checkbatterycaseforcracks.Replacebatteryifcrackedorleaking.
B.Checkbatteryterminalpostsforcorrosion.Usewirebrushtoclean
corrosionfromposts.
IMPORTANT
Beforecleaningthebattery,tapeorblockventholes.
C.Checkforsignsofwetnessorleakageonthetopofthebatterywhich
mightindicateoverchargingoralooseterminalpost.Also,checkbattery
casefordirtandoil.Cleanthebatterywithasolutionofbakingsodaand
water,thenrinseitwithcleanwater.
D.Checkthatthecoversealisnotbroken.Replacethebatteryiftheseal
isbrokenorleaking.
2.Performahigh−dischargetestwithanadjustableloadtester.
Thisisoneofthemostreliablemeansoftestingabatteryasitsimulatesthe
cold−crankingtest.Acommercialbatteryloadtesterisrequiredtoperform
thistest.
CAUTION
Followtheloadtestermanufacturer’sinstructionswhenusinga
batteryloadtester.
A.Checkthevoltageacrossthebatteryterminalspriortoloadtestingthe
battery.Ifthevoltageislessthan12.4VDC,chargethebattery.
B.Ifthebatteryhasbeencharged,applya150amploadfor15seconds
toremovethesurfacecharge.Useabatteryloadtesterfollowingthe
manufacturer’sinstructions.
C.Makesurebatteryterminalsarefreeofcorrosion.
D.Connectabatteryloadtestertothebatteryterminalsfollowingtheload
testermanufacturer’sinstructions.Connectadigitalmultimetertothe
batteryterminals.
E.ApplyatestloadequaltoonehalftheCrankingPerformanceratingof
thebatteryfor15seconds.
F.T akeabatteryvoltagereadingat15seconds,thenremovethetestload.
Thisreadingisthetestvoltage.
MinimumVoltageBatteryTemperature
9.6
70ºF(andup)21.1ºC(andup)
9.5
60ºF15.6ºC
9.4
50ºF10.0ºC
9.3
40ºF4.4ºC
9.1
30ºF−1.1ºC
8.9
20ºF−6.7ºC
8.7
10ºF−12.2ºC
8.5
0ºF−17.8ºC
Groundsmaster
®
5900&5910
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ElectricalSystem:ServiceandRepairs
16227SLRevB