Battery Charging

NOTE: If excessive gassing or electrolyte spewing occurs during the charge, discontinue charging. The battery has reached serviceable charge. If the battery will not accept at least 5A after 20 minutes of charging, replace the battery.

WARNING: WEAR SAFETY GLASSES. BATTERY CHARGING CAN BE DANGEROUS. WHILE BEING CHARGED, THE BATTERY PRODUCES A POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN GASSES. KEEP SPARKS, FLAMES AND LIGHTED CIGARETTES AWAY FROM BATTERIES. IN CASE OF ACID CONTACT WITH SKIN, EYES OR CLOTHING, FLUSH IMMEDIATELY WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION.

Before recharging a discharged battery, inspect and service the following conditions, if they exist:
1. Loose drive belt.
2. Pinched or grounded generator voltage regulator wiring.
3. Loose connections of the generator voltage regulator wiring at the Generator (GEN) or generator regulator.
4. Loose or corroded connections at battery, grounded starter motor cutout relay or engine.
5. Excessive battery drain due to:
a. Any courtesy lamps remaining energized (damaged or misadjusted switch, etc).
b. Door open warning lamp switch continuously on.
c. Inoperative autolamp module causing approximately 2 amp drain with ignition switch in the off position and autolamp off.

Maintenance-Free and Low-Maintenance Batteries
Cold batteries will not readily accept a charge. Therefore, batteries should be allowed to warm up to approximately 5° C (41° F) before charging. This may require four to eight hours at room temperature depending on the initial temperature and battery size.

A battery which has been completely discharged may be slow to accept a charge initially, and in some cases may not accept charge at the normal charger setting. When batteries are in this condition, charging can be started by use of the dead battery switch on chargers so equipped.

To determine whether a battery is accepting a charge, follow charger manufacturer's instructions for use of dead battery switch. If switch is the spring-loaded type, it should be held in the ON position for up to three minutes.

After releasing switch and with charger still on, measure battery voltage. If it shows 12 volts or higher, the battery is accepting a charge and is capable of being recharged. However, it may require up to two hours of charging with batteries colder that 5° C (41° F) before the charge rate is high enough to show on the charger ammeter. It has been found that all non-damaged batteries can be charged by this procedure. If a battery cannot be charged by this procedure, it should be replaced.

A rapid recharge procedure has been developed for recharging batteries that have passed the Load Test and only need a recharge. This can be due to: in-service no-start battery failures (vehicles will not crank due to low battery state of charge) or battery discharged in vehicle due to key-off loads.

The battery can be rapidly recharged by using either of the following methods:
1. Perform a 2-hour charge using 20A constant current (manual setting on charge).
2. Perform a 2-hour charge using a constant potential (automatic setting on charge).