TP-5867 11/0214 Section 2 Scheduled Maintenance
Clean the battery and cables and tighten battery
terminals using the service schedule recommendations.
Clean the battery by wiping it with a damp cloth. Keep
the electrical connections dry and tight.
Generator sets that are used as a standby to utility
power and not used regularly require an external battery
charger to keep the starting battery fully charged.
Observe the battery polarity when connecting the
battery charger.
2.7.1 Cleaning the Battery
To prevent dirt and grime buildup, occasionally wipe the
battery with a damp cloth.
To prevent corrosion, maintain tight, dry electrical
connections at the battery terminals. To remove
corrosion from battery terminals, disconnect the cables
from the battery and scrub the terminals with a wire
brush. Clean the battery and cables with a solution of
baking soda and water. Do not allow the cleaning
solution to enter the battery’s cells. After cleaning, flush
the battery and cables with clean water and wipe them
with a dry, lint-free cloth.
After reconnecting the battery cables, coat the battery
terminals with petroleum jelly, silicone grease, or other
nonconductive grease.
2.7.2 Checking Battery Electrolyte
Level
Check the battery electrolyte level before each startup.
Remove the filler caps and verify that the electrolyte
level reaches the bottoms of the filler holes; see
Figure 2-12. Refill as necessary with distilled water or
clean tap water. Do not add electrolyte. Install and
tighten filler caps. After adding water to the battery in
freezing temperatures, run the generator set
20--30 minutes to mix the added water and the battery
electrolyte. Mixing the water and the electrolyte
prevents the added water from freezing and damaging
the battery.
1
5810321
2
1. Filler caps
2. Electrolyte level
Figure 2-12 Checking Electrolyte Level
2.7.3 Checking Electrolyte Specific
Gravity
Use a battery hydrometer to check the specific gravity of
the electrolyte in each battery cell. Use the
hydrometer’s test instructions, if available, or
Figure 2-13 for bead-type testers.
Temperature affects specific gravity; correct the
indicated hydrometer readings for temperature. If the
hydrometer does not have a correction table, use
Figure 2-14. A fully charged battery should have a
specific gravity of 1.260 with the electrolyte at 26.7_C
(80_F). Charge the battery if the specific gravity from
cell to cell varies by more than 0.01. Charge the battery
if the specific gravity is less than 1.215 with the
electrolyte at 26.7_C(80_F).
Number of Beads Floating Battery Condition
5 Overcharged
4 Full Charge
3 Adequate Charge
1, 2 Low Charge
0 Battery Dead
Figure 2-13 Electrolyte Testing Chart
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General
