PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-665
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 665
APRIL 2008
17
PS 665
APR 08
Charging the Battery
After pre-charge inspec-
tion and testing, the Hawker
battery can be charged either
inside
or
outside
of
the
vehicle. Attach charger leads
directly to the battery or
through the vehicle’s 24VDC
NATO slave connection.
Charge
your
batteries
in well-ventilated areas. If
you don’t, personnel injury
or death could occur from
hydrogen gas build-up or an
explosion.
While charging, stop right away if you
see signs of melting or swelling or if the
surface of the case is too hot to touch.
To avoid the risk of an explosion,
don’t
handle the battery until it has cooled off
for a couple hours.
If your charger is an older version
and has no adjustments, it may not be
compatible with AGM batteries.
Closely
monitor its usage to make sure it doesn’t
damage the batteries being charged; be
aware of heat or the smell of gas.
•
Group the batteries for charging by OCV ranges: 0-5.9VDC, 6.0-9.9VDC, and 10.0 or
more VDC.
•
Connect the batteries to a standard constant applied voltage buss bar charger set.
Then adjust the output voltage to between 14.7VDC and 15.2VDC. Input voltage at the
battery should be between 14.2VDC and 14.7VDC. For good connections, clamps, wiring
and contacts must be tight and clean with minimal corrosion.
•
Allow for at least 10 AMP charging
current per battery on the buss. Higher
buss charge current will help shorten
the battery charge time.
•
Charge batteries for 24 to 48 hours,
but it won’t necessarily take that long.
•
Remove any battery that shows signs
of excessive heat, gassing, leakage,
or swelling while charging, but let it
cool off ±rst. The replacement for that
battery should be one with similar
OCV plus or minus 1VDC.
•
Know that batteries are ±nished
when the charge current (amp meter
on charger) drops to less than 1 AMP
per battery and holds there for 3
hours. For example, if 12 batteries are
on buss, then overall current should be
less than 12 AMP.
•
Test batteries individually.
Single Battery Charging Procedures
Units with chargers that handle only one battery at a time should:
•
Connect the charger to the battery posts. Ensure both clamp connections are clean
and tight.
•
Use a constant voltage charger of newer technology, if possible. It may have multiple
charge settings, such as an “AGM setting”. If the charger has this setting, use it.
•
If voltage is adjustable, set it between 14.2VDC and 14.7VDC.
There should be at least 10 AMP current available for charging.
After performing the visual inspection, test the battery for potential internal
electrical damage, using a battery tester-analyzer. But if you don’t have a battery
analyzer, go on and charge the battery anyway.
Remember that many testers will not give a reading if OCV is less than 7VDC.
If no reading is given or no internal damage is indicated, go ahead and charge.
Or charge the battery for 24 hours and retest it with a multimeter and analyzer. If
there’s no change in voltage after that, you’ve got a bad battery.
charge me in
well-ventilated
areas.
out of the
vehicle, I can
be charged
individually…
Units with
chargers
that han-
dle more
than one
battery
at a time
should…
aaarghh!
stop charging.
I’m melting!
mel-l-lting!
Buss Bar Multiple Battery Charging
… or we can be
charged as a group.
Hi -- I’m
alec
tricity!
my
name’s
megs!
so, who are
you volting
for?
watt?
USE the
following
procedures…
665.16-17.indd
1-2
3/2/08
3:49:33 PM
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