Crown Battery 12-85-13

As is true with any piece of industrial equipment, proper maintenance not only keeps it operating to its design specifications, but also helps prolong the equipments life. The following effective battery maintenance tips can help achieve the best performance out of your industrial battery

1. Maintain the proper electrolyte level. Avoid overfilling

2. Charge properly, check charger controls and instruments periodically. Calibrate meters as needed

3. Repair any damage promptly. Minor damage, if not repaired in a timely manner, can lead to major damage

4. Don't overcharge, many batteries deliver short service life from too much charge

Warning: This procedure requires trained personnel with PPE!

Check for any breaks in the coating of the steel tray

Check for any accumulation of dampness or acid on the battery

Check the electrolyte level of two or three cells each time the battery is changed

Add water to all of the batteries assigned to each charging area on a regular time schedule

Spot check the electrolyte levels periodically to determine if the proper levels are being maintained

Equalizing Charge: Each cell of a battery has slight differences in uniformity of construction and content. These differences cause some cells to take less charge than the other cells in the battery. After a while the state of charge of the cells, which require more charge than the others will drift back in capacity and the battery will not deliver its full capacity.

To bring the cells with a lower state of charge up to the same level as the others, the battery is given an 'equalizing charge'. The cells with a higher state of charge will be somewhat overcharged in order to bring the cells with a below normal state of charge up to full charge.

The recommended frequency of equalization is dependent upon how often the batteries are cycled and the depth of the cycles. The frequency of equalization can dramatically affect the operational costs of the vehicle.

Unnecessary equalizing charges, in addition to consuming electricity, can result in significant loss of battery life caused by overcharge.

Select the battery operation type

Battery equalized successfully?

Sign off on the battery maintenance

- A capacity test enables you to determine the capacity a battery actually delivers as compared to its rated capacity. This test can help determine if a battery should be repaired or replaced. When a battery delivers less than 80% of its rated capacity, the remaining capacity will decrease with each additional cycle

- It should be replaced before its cells fail and cause low-voltage operation of the vehicle, which can cause damage to the trucks electrical system

- A capacity test is performed by discharging a fully charged battery at a fixed rate (see chart on page 30) while monitoring specific test conditions, methods and procedures

- The six-hour rated discharge time is based on an electrolyte temperature of 77°F (25°C). Any deviation to that temperature, a correction to the six-hour rated time must be made

PROCEDURES FOR CAPACITY DISCHARGING:

1) Battery must be fully charged.

2) Specific gravities must be at manufacturers specifications, otherwise they must be adjusted accordingly.

3) Battery should be allowed to cool down prior to testing. Ideally, the temperature should be 75°F to 85°F. Otherwise the voltages will be affected by the temperature and the capacity must be temperature corrected.

4) Battery should be discharged within 24 hours of completion of charging and acid adjustment.

Warning: Battery replacement should be done by trained personnel only!

Old battery removed successfully?

New battery installed successfully?

Enter the number of charge cycles of the new battery

Enter the model of the new battery

Sign off on the battery replacement