Crown Battery 18-85S-17

- A certain amount of water loss is normal in all batteries and it should be replaced with "pure" tap or distilled water. In some areas around the country, tap water may contain chemicals or other impurities harmful to batteries. If water is needed, add just enough to bring the electrolyte to the proper level. Batteries should be filled only at the end of the charging cycle

- Overfilling is the most common error made when watering and it can cause tray corrosion. Since tray corrosion can cause extensive damage to batteries and vehicles, extreme caution must be taken to avoid overfilling the batteries

- Motive power battery trays are mostly made of steel that is protected with an acid resistant coating

Regardless of how good the coating is, if a break in the coating exposes the steel tray to sulfuric acid spilled from the battery, the acid will corrode the tray. How quickly the tray corrodes depends on how much and how often acid is spilled on top of the battery and how often the battery is cleaned

- The major cause of tray corrosion is overwatering or overfilling a battery. When overfilled, the electrolyte will spill on top of the battery. Although the water in the electrolyte will evaporate, the highly concentrated acid solution remains and gives the appearance of dampness. If the acid is not removed, the tray will eventually corrode

- To prevent corrosion, batteries should be cleaned any time the accumulation of dampness or acid becomes significant

- A good technique to follow while watering batteries is to use a flashlight focused on the vent hole being watered. Visually watch the electrolyte level rise and stop watering the instant the proper level is reached

- Each cell is filled the same way. Cell filling equipment that automatically fills batteries to the proper level is available

Opportunity/ Opportunity Fast Charge battery procedure

Enter the current charge of the battery in amperes

Opportunity charge is generally between 25-30 amperes per 100 ampere hour

Opportunity Fast Charge is generally 45-55 amperes per 100 ampere hour

Is the battery operating between 20% and 80% of its state of charge?

If the charger is rated higher than the connector on the battery, battery modifications will be needed.

The battery recording device allows the manufacturer and the user to diagnose problems and to correct and fine tune the operating system.

- To prevent corrosion and the resultant problems, batteries must be cleaned and dries routinely

Sometimes minor spills or overflows of electrolyte occur due to overfilling. Instead of giving the battery a general cleaning at this time, the moisture can be removed with rags or paper towels. (This should be immediately disposed of.)

The frequency of a general cleaning depends upon two factors:

1. How quickly dust, dirt, oil, and other foreign matter accumulates on the top of the battery, and 2. How quick the electrolyte spillage accumulates

When the top of a battery is "dirty" or looks damp, it is ready for a general cleaning. It could be as often as every two weeks or as infrequent as every six months, depending on the battery's environment and the care it receives. The average battery needs general cleaning every three months

To give a battery a general cleaning, use Powerhouse Cleaner's 3 Step Process (Corrosion Remover, Battery Cleaner, Rinse)

Powerhouse's Corrosion Remover was developed specifically for the removal of heavy corrosion and acid neutralization. For use, spray onto the corroded areas (will turn a rust looking color) and let sit for at least 10 minutes

Powerhouse's Battery Cleaner is a mixture of 2 parts cleaning detergent to 1 part acid neutralizer. Battery Cleaner is OSHA compliant and environmentally safe. For use, spray across the entire battery and let sit for at least 10 minutes

After the Corrosion Remover and Battery Cleaner have both sat for at least 10 minutes the battery can now be rinsed. The corrosion and acid should be neutralized and can be washed down the drain (note if lead pieces from the top of the battery are in the water they should be disposed of properly.)

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

- 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.