PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-631
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 631
JUNE 2005
I
n hot weather, proper storage and handling procedures for commo batteries are a must.
Here are some storage and handling tips every commo equipment user and repairman,
whether at a large storage facility or just in a unit, should know.
No Moisture
Static electricity is common in
areas of extreme, dry heat. It’s
caused by wind-blown debris and
extremely low humidity. Poor
grounding conditions aggravate
the problem. Make sure your
equipment is properly grounded.
Be sure to use tip caps on all
antennas to cut down on wind-
caused static discharges.
A Little More Cleaning
Keep all cooling fans clean
and their vents clear of all
clogging sand and dirt. Dirt
magnifies the bad results of
high temperatures.
Use a brush or compressed
air—whatever your equip-
ment TM says—to clean the
fan and the areas around it.
A Few More Things
If you have any broken or
missing knobs, switches or
connectors, get them replaced
before you hit the heat.
Check the whip antenna’s
mast base to be sure the con-
tact is clean. If it’s dirty, use
low-pressure air or a soft
brush to clean it.
Room to Breathe
Give your commo equip-
ment room to breathe. If you
pile gear on or around it, heat
quickly builds up. Keep field
gear, maps, manuals and
other items away from the
RT blower fan. Blocking the
airflow will cause the heat to
build up inside your set.
Keep cooling
fans and their
vents clean
Keep caps on radio connectors, too
Clean antenna
contact with
soft brush or
low pressure air
{wheeze}
what part
of “
don’t
pile stuff
on me”
don’t you
get?!
PS 631
42
PS 631
43
Batteries…
Make Sure You’re Safe
Get your post fire department to help you pick a battery storage location and to
inspect it periodically.
For large bulk storage of batteries, a
sprinkler system is recommended.
Small extinguishers will do the job for
small fires of combustibles such as
packaging. Lithium battery fires should
only be handled by trained firefighters.
Do not smoke, eat or drink in battery
storage areas. An open flame could
lead to an explosion and eating around
toxins is never a good idea.
Personal protective equipment such as gloves, face shields and aprons must be
available and must be worn whenever handling leaking or vented batteries.
it’s
too
hot!
I can’t
take it any-
more!
even the energizer
bunny can’t save
us now!
I {chomp}
didn’t think
{gorf} that
meant
me!
how
ironic!
I
was going to
power a fan!!
I’d ask to be
discharged…
but it’s
already
happened!
631.42-43(C)
4/29/05
1:08 PM
Page 1
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