Know Your Commercial Battery Systems Courtesy East Penn Mfg. Co., Inc. When handling commercial batteries it is important to follow all safety instructions. Always wear safety glasses and a face shield when working on or near batteries. All batteries generate explosive hydrogen gas. Keep sparks, flames and cigarettes away from batteries at all times. Do not connect or disconnect “live” circuits. To avoid creating sparks, always turn charging and test- ing equipment off before attaching or removing clamps. Always disconnect grounded cable first and connect it last to prevent dan- gerous sparks. Perform all work in a well ventilated area. Never lean directly over a battery while boosting, testing or charging it. Protect your eyes! Batteries contain corrosive sulfuric acid that can destroy clothing and burn the skin. Neutralize acid spills with a paste made of baking soda and water or large quantities of water. Be careful! Prior to in-vehicle service and test- ing, it’s important to visually inspect the battery. Look for: ¢ cracked or broken case or cover, ¢ loose cable connections, * leaking case-to-cover seal, * corrosion, ¢ damaged or leaking terminals. Neutralize any corrosion with a baking soda/water paste or battery cleaner spray. Scrape or brush off the residue and wash the area with clean water. Following your visual inspec- tion, check the battery’s state of charge with a voltmeter. You must boost charge a weak bat- tery before load testing. (See charging chart under “Charging Tips,” page 13.) If fully charged, perform a load test. Protect your eyes! For load testing, first perform an open circuit voltage test, then an adjustable load test. A load test is the best way to determine if the battery is delivering adequate electrical perform- ance. Make sure your variable load tester is working properly. You can’t load test a discharged battery. If the voltage is below 12.4, be sure to completely charge it before continuing. Refer to the charging chart under “Charging Tips” section for important information. To avoid sparking and explosive gasses, be sure load tester is OFF and battery is disconnected before hook-up. Use computer memory saver to retain the vehicle’s electronic memory while the battery is disconnected. Connect the positive tester clamp to the positive battery terminal. Then con- nect the negative tester clamp to the negative battery terminal. Always pro- tect your eyes! Set the tester for one-half the bat- tery’s 0 degree F cold crank rating and apply the load for 15 seconds. (If the CCA rating is unknown, use half of the minimum OE battery CCA requirement of the vehicle.) Estimate the internal temperature of the battery to the nearest 10 degrees F. Apply the load for 15 seconds. Note the voltage at 15 seconds with the load on and immediately shut the load off. A reading at least equal to the value from the chart below indicates a good battery. If the battery did not meet the required voltage and if it was not Battery Temperature | 12-Volt | 6-Volt 70°F (21°C) or above | 9.60 4.80 60°F (16°C) 9.50 4.75 50°F (10°C) 9.40 4.70 40°F (4°C) 9.30 4.65 30°F (-1°C) 9.10 4.55 20°F (-6°C) 8.90 4.45 10°F (-12°C) 8.70 4.35 O°F (-18°C) 8.50 4.25 charged in the first step, completely recharge the battery and repeat the test. If it still fails to meet requirements, replace the battery. Conductance Testing Conductance uses the battery’s response to a very small signal in an attempt to predict the effects of a much larger current. Conductance testing is ineffective on a discharged battery. If the battery is known to be discharged or if the tester tells the operator to charge before testing again, the battery must be completely recharged. It may not be required to turn a con- ductance tester off or on. If off, you must turn on immediately when con- nected to a battery. Most will turn off automatically if ignored long enough. Some have no battery of their own and get all their power from the battery being tested. Connect the positive tester clamp to the positive battery terminal. Then con- nect the negative tester clamp to the negative battery terminal. If the battery has more than one pair of terminals (e.g. top posts and side terminals) always perform the testing on the terminals that are used in the vehicle. Use the proper charging adapters for stud or side termi- nal batteries. Never connect tester to a bolt or stud. Turn on if needed. Enter the requested information. Be sure to distinguish between a CCA rating and a CA or MCA rating. If no rating is available, use the minimum OE battery CCA requirement of the vehicle. If the tester says to replace a battery that was tested in the vehicle, repeat the testing after removing the cables and cleaning the posts. Charging Tips When charging, follow safety precau- tions and wear proper eye protection. To avoid a battery explosion, never attempt to charge a frozen battery. Allow it to warm up to room temperature before placing on charge. Warning: Gel and AGM (Abso