Maintenance (Continued)
Battery Service
New Battery Preparation
1.Remove the battery from the carton.
2.Place the battery in a well ventilated area on a level non- concrete surface.
3.Remove the battery cell caps. Fill the cells as required with electrolyte (supplied with battery) to the proper level. Filling the battery with electrolyte will bring the battery to 80% charged state.
4.With the cell caps removed, connect the battery charger to the battery terminals; RED to positive (+) and BLACK to negative
IMPORTANT: Never place anything in the battery other than the specified electrolyte.
5.Slow charge the battery at 1 amp for 2 hours to bring the battery to full charge.
6.After charging, check the level of electrolyte and add as needed to bring to the proper fluid level.
7.Reinstall the cell caps.
8.Install the battery into the power unit.
9.Connect the positive (+) cable (red) first, from the wiring harness to the positive terminal (+) on the battery using the bolt and nut provided in the hardware bag. Connect the negative
! | WARNING | ! |
DO NOT over fill battery with electrolyte. Shield the positive terminal with terminal cover located on battery harness. This prevents metal from touching the positive terminal, which could cause sparks. The electrolyte (acid) produces a highly explosive gas. Keep all sparks, flame and fire away from area when charging battery or when handling electrolyte or battery. Electrolyte (acid) is a highly corrosive liquid. Wear eye protection. Wash affected areas immediately after having eye or skin contact with electrolyte (acid). Battery acid is corrosive. Rinse empty acid containers with water and mutilate before discarding. If acid is spilled on battery, bench, or clothing, etc., Flush with clear water and neutralize with baking soda. Never attempt to charge battery while installed on the walk behind. Never use “BOOST” chargers on the battery.
Battery Service
1.Remove the battery.
2.Place the battery in a well ventilated area on a level sur- face.
3.Using distilled water, refill the cells as required to cover the cell plates.
4.With the cell caps removed, connect the battery charger to the battery terminals. Red to positive (+) terminal and black to negative
5.Slow charge the battery at 1 amp for 10 hours.
6.If the battery will not accept a charge or is partially charged after 10 hours of charging at 1 amp, replace with a new battery.
Battery Storage
If the Walk Behind is to be stored out of season on its rear bumper, it is recommended the battery be removed, charged and stored.
1.Remove the battery.
2.Perform battery service.
3.Bring the battery to full charge, if required.
4.Store the battery in an area away from the Walk Behind on a wood surface. DO NOT STORE BATTERY ON A CONCRETE SURFACE.
Battery Testing
There are two types of battery tests: Unloaded and Loaded. The unloaded test is the procedure that will be discussed. It’s the simplest and most commonly used. An unloaded test is made on a battery without discharging current. To perform unloaded testing, check charge condition using either a hydrometer or voltmeter.
1.Using a voltmeter, voltage readings appear instantly to show the state of charge. Remember to hook the posi- tive lead to the battery’s positive terminal, and the nega- tive lead to the negative terminal.
2.A hydrometer measures the specific gravity of each cell. The specific gravity tells the degree of charge; generally, a specific gravity of about 1.265 to 1.280 indicates full charge. A reading of 1.230 to 1.260 indicates the battery should be charged. The chart below shows the charge level as measured by syringe float hydrometer, digital voltmeter and five ball hydrometer.
Maintenance
| Methods of Checking Battery Condition |
| |
State of Charge | Syringe Hydrometer | Digital Voltmeter | Five Ball Hydrometer |
100% Charged w/ Sulfate Stop | 1.280 | 12.80v | Five Balls Floating |
100% Charged | 1.265 | 12.60v | Four Balls Floating |
75% Charged | 1.210 | 12.40v | Three Balls Floating |
50% Charged | 1.160 | 12.10v | Two Balls Floating |
25% Charged | 1.120 | 11.90v | One Ball Floating |
0% Charged | Less than 1.100 | Less than 11.80v | Zero Balls Floating |
19
