Inspecting,Maintaining,andTestingtheBattery
1.Dothefollowinginspectionsandmaintenance:
A.Checkforcracks.Replacethebatteryifcrackedorleaking.
B.Checkthebatteryterminalpostsforcorrosion.Usethewirebrushto
cleancorrosionfromtheposts.
IMPORTANT
Beforecleaningthebattery,tapeorblocktheventholesofthe
llercapsandensurethatthecapsaretight.
C.Checkforthesignsofwetnessorleakageonthetopofthebatterywhich
mightindicatealooseormissingllercap,overcharging,looseterminal
post,oroverlling.Also,checkthebatterycasefordirtandoil.Clean
thebatterywithasolutionofbakingsodaandwater,thenrinseitwith
cleanwater.
D.Checkthatthecoversealisnotbrokenaway.Replacethebatteryifthe
sealisbrokenorleaking.
E.Checktheelectrolytelevelineachcell.Ifthelevelisbelowthetopsof
theplatesinanycell,llallthecellswithdistilledwaterbetweenthe
minimumandmaximumlllines.Chargeat15to25Afor15minutes
toallowsufcientmixingoftheelectrolyte;refertoChargingtheBattery
(page6–53).
2.Performthehydrometertestofthebattery-electrolyte.
IMPORTANT
Ensurethattheareaaroundthecellsiscleanbeforeopeningthe
batterycaps.
A.Useahydrometertomeasurethespecicgravityofeachcell.Pullthe
electrolyteinandoutofthehydrometerbarrelbeforetakingareading
towarm-upthehydrometer.Atthesametime,takethetemperatureof
thecell.
B.Temperaturecorrecteachcellreading.Foreach5.5°C(10°F)above
27°C(80°F)add0.004tothespecicgravityreading.Foreach5.5°C
(10°F)below27°C(80°F)subtract0.004fromthespecicgravityreading;
refertotheCellSpecicGravityExample(page6–51).
CellSpecicGravityExample
CellTemperature100°F
CellSpecicGravity
1.245
38°Cminus27°Cequals11°C
(100°Fminus80°Fequals20°F)
11°Cmultiplyby0.004/5.5°Cequals0.008
(20°Fmultiplyby0.004/10°Fequals0.008)
ADD(conversionabove)
0.008
Correctionto27°C(80°F)
1.253
Reelmaster
®
3100-D/3105-D
Page6–51
ElectricalSystem:ServiceandRepairs
20252SLRevA