Crown Battery 24-NXS-840

Warning: This procedure requires trained personnel with PPE!

Check for any breaks in the coating of the steel tray

Check for any sulfuric acid spill on the battery

Check for any signs of tray corrosion

Check the electrolyte level in 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

- 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.

This is the complete recharge of a battery after it has been fully or partially discharged during normal operation. In general, a cycle charge is based on an 8‐hour charging cycles, but can be extended, depending on need

A freshening charge is used to bring a battery to a fully charged condition before it is placed in service or when it has been standing idle for a short period. It takes about three hours at the finish charge rate (3‐6 amperes per 100‐ampere hours of the battery’s 6‐hour capacity rating)

When a battery is placed on charge, the opposite action of battery discharging takes place; the sulfate in the active material of the plates is driven back into the electrolyte

This reduces the sulfate in the plates and increases the specific gravity of the electrolyte and the electrochemical process continues until the on-charge cell voltages reach 2.50 to 2.70 volts per cell, depending on the type of charging equipment used

Finish rate or "normal" rate is that current which can be used safely any time charging is required and which can be continued after the completion of the charge without causing excessive gassing or high temperature resulting from overcharge. The finish rate is shown on the nameplate of Crown Batteries

Generally, the finish rate is 3.5 amperes per 100 hours of the battery's 6-hour rated capacity. A partially or completely discharged battery can safely handle currents much higher than the finish rate, but as it approaches full charge, whatever charging rate is used must be reduced to the finish rate

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

- Test batteries using three testing instruments

- The specific gravity and open circuit voltage readings are normally in direct proportion to each other; consequently, a voltmeter or hydrometer can be used to check the battery

- The use of the voltmeter is a faster method of approximating the individual cell state of charge and can reduce dramatically the time required for routine battery checking. When using the voltmeter method, take specific gravity readings on the two cells having the highest and lowest voltage readings

- This will confirm both cells state of charge and accurately pinpoint the difference in the state of charge between them. The voltmeter is used when on‐charge or on‐discharge voltage readings are needed

- A battery thermometer is read like a normal thermometer. A proper thermometer should have specific gravity correction marked on its scale

- The hydrometer has an extra‐long scale to make readings more accurate. For ease of correcting for temperature, the specific gravity corrections are marked on the scale of the thermometer. The cell tester (voltmeter) has a 1.5 to 3.0 volt scale and an easy‐to‐handle, one‐piece terminal probe;