|
Here is a brief summary of the battery manual...
The first thing that you must
realize is that all batteries cannot be rebuilt. They must
undergo a few simple tests to determine their present
condition.
You will need some simple
equipment and supplies in order to perform the required
tests and to recondition the batteries:
1.
A DC voltmeter.
2.
An automotive battery
load tester. It comes with full instructions from the
manufacturer.
3.
A battery Hydrometer.
4.
A small electric
drill.
5.
A good quality
battery charger.
6.
A pair of homemade
wire probes to clip to the test leads on your voltmeter.
These are used to test each cell in the battery. They should
be about eight inches long and can be made from brass
brazing rod. This retards corrosion of the probes.
7.
A plastic funnel to
add the chemicals into each cell.
8.
A supply of additive
to dissolve the buildup of sulfates in the bottom of the
battery.
9.
A stop drill bit to
drill holes in the top of sealed batteries.
10.
A supply of plastic
plugs to seal the holes in the top of the batteries after
repairs are completed. A good quality face shield to protect
you eyes and face.
NEVER WORK ON BATTERIES NEAR AN OPEN
FLAME OR WHILE SMOKING. THE GAS FROM THE BATTERY CAN
EXPLODE! ALSO, THE BATTERY ACID CAN BURN YOUR SKIN AND
CLOTHING.
Connecting cables to charge more than one battery at a time
in parallel or in series if you have a series charger. Do
not overload your charger.
This should cover your equipment and supply needs.
Now we will explain how to evaluate the battery for
rebuilding or for scrap.
1.
Place the battery on
your test bench. Connect your load tester to the positive
and negative terminals. The positive terminal is always the
larger terminal and should have a + sign on it or next to
it.
DO NOT HOOK UP BACKWARDS AS YOU COULD DAMAGE THE LOAD
TESTER. ALWAYS PUT THE POSITIVE LEAD ON FIRST AND REMOVE IT
LAST TO AVOID DANGEROUS SPARKS.
2.
Read the
voltage shown on the load test meter. If the voltage is less
than 12 volts chances are that the battery cannot be
rebuilt. In the case of a six-volt battery it should read
six volts. A battery that reads a volt less might bear
further investigating. While the load tester is still hooked
up you should perform a load test. Pressing the button on
the tester and watching the needle does the test. Hold the
button down for ten or fifteen seconds. If the needle drops
like a rock and stays on zero the battery is probably junk.
If the needle gradually climbs up to the yellow or green on
the load test dial there is a good chance the battery can be
rebuilt. Remember that each cell if it is working should
read two volts. If the meter only reads ten volts total then
you must have a dead cell. We don’t fix dead cells because
we don’t take batteries apart.
3.
One more set of tests that
you can perform just to be sure is the cell test. We do two
of them. One with a voltmeter and one with the battery
hydrometer. If the battery has caps, pry them off. If it is
sealed, drill the holes in the top of each cell with a stop
drill so you won't hit the plates and damage them. Make sure
all the cells have water covering the top of the plates.
This could be the problem to start with.
4.
Take the hydrometer
and draw up the acid from the first cell. The scale that is
marked on the hydrometer will tell you the condition of that
cell. Make a note of the reading of that cell. Green is
good, White is questionable and red is dead and probably
will not come back with the treatment. Notice the color of
the electrolyte while you are drawing the electrolyte from
the cell. Draw it in and out several times so that you will
disturb it and mix it up. This will give you a more accurate
reading and also if the color is cloudy brown or black it
means that the cell is in bad shape.
5.
The voltmeter test is
another very reliable test. Take the voltmeter and set in on
the range that best reads out for twelve volts or six volts
as the case may be. Clip the test leads onto each of the
homemade brass probes.
a.
Place the positive
test lead on the positive terminal of the battery.
b.
Stick the
negative probe into the first cell next to the positive
terminal. It should read approximately two volts. If it does
not, record the voltage. Lower than two volts indicates a
weak or bad cell.
c.
Stick the negative
probe into the second cell and stick the positive probe into
the first cell that you just tested. Again, it should read
approximately two volts. Record the voltage.
d.
Follow this
procedure right down the line to the last cell.
REMEMBER THAT
THERE IS ONLY A ZERO READING FROM THE LAST CELL TO THE
NEGATIVE POST.
Otherwise the total would be fourteen volts and not twelve.
You have now pinpointed the low or dead cells in the
battery.
e.
If you consider the
tests to indicate a marginal battery that might come back
even though the test indicate it is junk you can perform the
following procedure. Make sure all of the cells have water
above the plates by at least one quarter of an inch. Add one
tablespoon of the chemical reviver to each cell. Place the
battery on the charger for one hour at a high rate of
charge. Do not boil out the cells. After an hour you can
then retest the low cells that you recorded. If they are
reading two volts each you may then charge the battery at a
low rate for at least twenty-four hours. It is more
efficient to charge several batteries at one time on a low
charge-using hook up cables. These may be obtained at an
automotive supply store.
f.
If the battery you
are testing passes all of the tests you may then place it on
the charger for a long slow charge. It is important to note
that most of the batteries on the market today have lead
calcium plates in them and when they get discharged down to
a very low voltage they require a long slow recharge.
YOU MUST
ADD ONE TEASPOON OF OUR CHEMICAL PURIFIER INTO EACH CELL TO
DISSOLVE THE SULFATES THAT ARE BUILT UP ON THE PLATES.
g.
After the battery has
been on the low charger for twenty- four hours you should
load test it and check the specific gravity of each cell
with the hydrometer. All of the cells have to be in the
green scale and the battery should load test no lower than
the yellow scale on the load tester for a period of
ten seconds. Follow the instructions furnished with your
particular load tester.
h.
The above procedures
may seem complicated but they are not. You will learn them
very quickly by experience. Do not be afraid to experiment
with marginal batteries. Remember that you can load test
them to be sure they are reliable and also, that you are
giving your customer a twelve-month prorated warrantee on
the unit.
NEVER ARGUE WITH A CUSTOMER. GIVE HIM
ANOTHER BATTERY OR GIVE HIM HIS MONEY BACK.
Good customer
service is the ONLY way to succeed in the long run; word
gets around fast.
i.
It is a good idea to
save the electrolyte from the batteries that you junk. You
may want to add some from time to time. This would be used
in the case where you have a perfectly good battery but
through someone's carelessness they wore a hole in it and
you want to repair the hole and refill that cell.
NEVER ADD ACID
TO A BATTERY JUST TO SERVICE IT. YOU MIGHT BLOW IT UP! The
best way to repair a hole in a battery is to use some
fiberglass cloth and a two part epoxy resin repair kit. Just
mix up the resin as per instructions and use it to glue
several layers of the patch cloth over the hole. It is very
important that you clean off the area around the hole with
solvent that won't leave a residue (Denatured alcohol) and
scratch up the case so the epoxy will stick better. Many
a good battery has been saved with this procedure. Most of
this is just common sense and always clean the rebuilt
batteries with a mild solution of baking soda and water to
neutralize the acid, and also clean up the terminals so that
every battery looks as good as new. |
