Kohler 3.5CFZ, 4CZ, 5CFZ, 6.5CZ installation manual Battery, Cleaning, Checking Electrolyte Level

Battery

The starting battery should be a 12-volt unit with a minimum 250 CCA (cold cranking Amps) at 0_F (--18_ C). When using a maintenance-free battery it is not necessary to check the specific gravity or electrolyte level. Otherwise, these procedures should be done at the intervals specified in the Service Schedule.

WARNING

Sulfuric acid in batteries.

Can cause severe injury or death.

Use protective goggles and clothes. Can cause permanent damage to eyes, burn skin, and eat holes in clothing.

Sulfuric acid in batteries can cause severe injury or

death. Sulfuric acid in battery can cause permanent damage to eyes, burn skin, and eat holes in clothing. Always wear splash-proof safety goggles when working around the battery. If battery electrolyte is splashed in the eyes or on skin, immediately flush the affected area for 15 minutes with large quantities of clean water. In the case of eye contact, seek immediate medical aid. Never add acid to a battery once the battery has been placed in service. Doing so may result in hazardous spattering of electrolyte.

Explosion can cause severe injury or death. Battery gases can cause an explosion. Do not smoke or permit flame or spark to occur near a battery at any time, particularly when it is being charged. Avoid contacting terminals with tools, etc. to prevent burns and to prevent sparks that could cause an explosion. Remove wristwatch, rings, and any other jewelry before handling battery. Never connect negative (--) battery cable to positive (+) connection terminal of starter solenoid. Do not test battery condition by shorting terminals together or sparks could ignite battery gases or fuel vapors. Any compartment containing batteries must be well ventilated to prevent accumulation of explosive gases. To avoid sparks, do not disturb battery charger connections while battery is being charged and always turn charger off before disconnecting battery connections. When disconnecting battery, remove negative lead first and reconnect it last.

Cleaning

Keep battery clean by wiping it with a damp cloth. Keep all electrical connections dry and tight. If corrosion is present, disconnect cables from battery and remove corrosion with a wire brush. Clean battery and cables with a solution of baking soda and water. Be careful that cleaning solution does not enter battery cells. When cleaning is complete, flush battery and cables with clean water and wipe with a dry cloth. After the battery cables are reconnected, coat terminals with petroleum jelly, silicon grease, or other nonconductive grease.

Checking Electrolyte Level

Check the level of electrolyte before each startup. Remove filler caps and check to see that electrolyte level is up to bottoms of filler holes, see Figure 3-20. Refill as necessary with distilled water or clean tap water. DO NOT add fresh electrolyte! Then reinstall and tighten filler caps. If water is added during freezing temperatures, run generator set 20--30 minutes to allow mixing of added water and electrolyte. This will prevent damage to battery due to freezing.

1

2

1-046

1. Filter Caps 2. Electrolyte Level

Figure 3-20. Checking Electrolyte Level

Checking Specific Gravity

Use a battery hydrometer to check the specific gravity of the electrolyte in each battery cell. Correct actual hydrometer readings for temperature. If the hydrometer used does not have a correction table, use the one in Figure 3-21. The battery is fully charged if the specific gravity is 1.260 at an electrolyte temperature of 80_F (26.7_C). The difference between specific gravities of

3-18 Scheduled Maintenance TP-5695 12/93