Toro 3000D manual Charging, Battery Charge Specific Open Circuit, Gravity Voltage

6.Apply a light coat of grease on all battery posts and cable connectors to reduce corrosion after connections are made.

7.Connect a digital multimeter (set to amps) between the negative battery post and the negative (ground) cable connector. The reading should be less than 0.1 amp. If the reading is 0.1 amp or more, the unit’s electri­ cal system should be tested and repaired.

8.Connect the negative (ground) cable connector to the negative battery post.

Charging

To minimize possible damage to the battery and allow the battery to be fully charged, the slow charging meth­ od is presented here. This charging method can be ac­ complished with a constant current battery charger which is available in most shops.

CAUTION

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when us- ing a battery charger.

Note: Using specific gravity of the battery cells is the most accurate method of determining battery condition.

1.Determine the battery charge level from either its open specific gravity or circuit voltage.

Battery Charge	Specific	Open Circuit
Level	Gravity	Voltage
100%	1.265	12.68
75%	1.225	12.45
50%	1.190	12.24
25%	1.155	12.06
0%	1.120	11.89

2.Determine the charging time and rate using the manufacturer’s battery charger instructions or the following table.

Battery		Battery Charge Level
Reserve	(Percent of Fully Charged)
Capacity
(Minutes)	75%		50%	25%	0%
80 or less	3.8 hrs		7.5 hrs	11.3 hrs	15 hrs
	@		@	@	@
	3 amps		3 amps	3 amps	3 amps
81 to 125	5.3 hrs		10.5 hrs	15.8 hrs	21 hrs
	@		@	@	@
	4 amps		4 amps	4 amps	4 amps
126 to	5.5 hrs		11 hrs	16.5 hrs	22 hrs
170	@		@	@	@
	5 amps		5 amps	5 amps	5 amps
171 to	5.8 hrs		11.5 hrs	17.3 hrs	23 hrs
250	@		@	@	@
	6 amps		6 amps	6 amps	6 amps
above	6 hrs		12 hrs	18 hrs	24 hrs
250	@		@	@	@
	10 amps		10 amps	10 amps	10 amps

CAUTION

Do not charge a frozen battery because it can ex- plode and cause injury. Let the battery warm to 60_F (15.5_ C) before connecting to a charger.

Charge the battery in a well–ventilated place to dissipate gases produced from charging. These gases are explosive; keep open flame and elec- trical spark away from the battery. Do not smoke. Nausea may result if the gases are inhaled. Un- plug the charger from the electrical outlet before connecting or disconnecting the charger leads from the battery posts.

3.Following the manufacturer’s instructions, con­ nect the charger cables to the battery. Make sure a good connection is made.

4.Charge the battery following the manufacturer’s instructions.

5.Occasionally check the temperature of the battery electrolyte. If the temperature exceeds 125_F (51.6_C) or the electrolyte is violently gassing or spewing, the charging rate must be lowered or temporarily stopped.

6.Three hours prior to the end of the charging, mea­ sure the specific gravity of a battery cell once per hour. The battery is fully charged when the cells are gassing freely at a low charging rate and there is less than a 0.003 change in specific gravity for three consecutive readings.

Electrical System

Groundsmaster 3000/3000–D Page 6 – 39 Electrical System