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Groundsmaster 5900/5910 Page 5 -- 65 Electrical System
Battery Inspection, Maintenance, and Testing
1. Perform following inspections and maintenance:
A. Check battery case for cracks. Replace battery if
cracked or leaking.
B. Check battery terminal posts for corrosion. Use
wire brush to clean corrosion from posts.
IMPORTANT: Before cleaning the battery, tape
or block vent holes to the filler caps and make
sure the caps are on tightly.
C. Check for signs of wetness or leakage on the top
of the battery which mightindicate a loose or missing
filler cap, overcharging, loose terminal post or over-
filling. Also, check battery case for dirt and oil. Clean
the battery with a solution of baking soda and water,
then rinse it with clean water.
D. Check that the cover seal is not broken. Replace
the battery if the seal is broken or leaking.
E. Check the electrolyte levelin each cell. Ifthelevel
is below the tops of the plates in any cell, fill all c ells
with distilled waterbetween the minimum andmaxi-
mum fill lines. Charge at 15 to 25 amps for 15 min-
utes to allow sufficient mixing of the electrolyte.
2. Conduct a hydrometer test of the battery electrolyte.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the area around the cells is
clean before opening the battery caps.
A. Measure the specific gravity of each cell with a
hydrometer. Draw electrolyte in and out of the
hydrometer barrel prior to taking a reading to warm--
up the hydrometer. At the same time take the tem-
perature of the cell.
B. Temperature correct each cell reading. For each
10
o
F(5.5
o
C) above 80
o
F (26.7
o
C) add 0.004 to the
specific gravity reading. For each 10
o
F(5.5
o
C) be-
low 80
o
F (26.7
o
C) subtract 0.004 from the specific
gravity reading.
Example: Cell Temperature 100
o
F
Cell Specific Gravity 1.245
100
o
F minus 80
o
F equals 20
o
F
(37.7
o
C minus 26.7
o
C equals 11.0
o
C)
20
o
F multiply by 0.004/10
o
F equals 0.008
(11
o
C multiply by 0.004/5.5
o
C equals 0.008)
ADD (conversion above) 0.008
Correction to 80
o
F (26.7
o
C) 1.253
C. If the difference between the highest and lowest
cell specific gravity is 0.050 or greater or the lowest
cellspecificgravity is less than1.225,charge the bat-
tery. Charge at the recommended rate and time giv-
en in Battery Charging or until all cells specific
gravity is 1.225 or greater with the difference in spe-
cific gravity between the highest and lowest cell less
than 0.050. If these charging conditions can not be
met, replace the battery.
3. Perform a high--discharge test with an adjustable
load tester.
Thisisoneofthemost reliable means of testing a battery
asitsimulatesthecold--cranking test.Acommercialbat-
tery load tester is required to perform this test.
CAUTION
Follow the load tester manufacturer’s instruc-
tions when using a battery load tester.
A. Check the voltage across the battery terminals
prior to load testing the battery. If the voltage is less
than 12.4 VDC, charge the battery.
B. If the battery has been charged, apply a 150 amp
load for 15 seconds to remove the surface charge.
Use a battery load tester following the manufactur-
er’s instructions.
C. Make sure batteryterminals are free ofcorrosion.
D. Measure the electrolyte temperature of the cen-
ter battery cell.
E. Connect a battery load tester to the battery termi-
nals following the load tester manufacturer’s in-
structions. Connect a digital multimeter to the
battery terminals.
F. Apply a test load of 345 amps (one half the Crank-
ing Performance rating of the battery) for 15 se-
conds.
G. Take a battery voltage reading at 15 seconds,
then remove the test load. This reading is the test
voltage.
Electrical
System