Battery Description and Operation
Warning: Batteries produce explosive gases. Batteries contain corrosive acid. Batteries supply levels of electrical current high enough to cause burns. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of personal injury while working near a battery, observe the following guidelines:| • | Always shield your eyes. |
| • | Avoid leaning over the battery whenever possible. |
| • | Do not expose the battery to naked flames or sparks. |
| • | Do not allow battery acid to contact the eyes or the skin. |
| - | Flush any contacted areas with water immediately and thoroughly. |
| • | Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning over the battery whenever possible. |
| • | Do not expose the battery to naked flames or sparks. |
| • | Do not allow the battery electrolyte to contact the eyes or the skin. Flush immediately and thoroughly any contacted areas with water and get medical help. |
| • | Follow each step of the jump starting procedure in order. |
| • | Treat both the booster and the discharged batteries carefully when using the jump leads. |
Note: Because of the materials used in the manufacture of automotive lead-acid batteries, dealers and service shops that handle them are subject to various regulations issued by OSHA, EPA, DOT, and various state or local agencies. Other regulations may also apply in other locations. Always know and follow these regulations when handling batteries.
Batteries that are no longer wanted must be disposed of by an approved battery recycler and must never be thrown in the trash or sent to a landfill. Batteries that are not part of the vehicle itself, not the battery under the bonnet, must only be transported on public streets for business purposes via approved hazardous material transportation procedures.
Battery storage, charging and testing facilities in garages must meet various requirements for ventilation, safety equipment, material segregation, etc. The maintenance free battery is standard. There are no vent plugs in the cover. The battery is completely sealed except for 2 small vent holes in the side. These vent holes allow the small amount of gas that is produced in the battery to escape.
The battery has 3 functions as a major source of energy:
| • | Alternate source of energy with generator overload |
Battery Ratings
A battery has 2 ratings:
When a battery is replaced use a battery with similar ratings. Refer to the battery specification label on the original battery.
Amp Hours (AH)
The amp hour rating tells you how much amperage is available when discharged evenly over a 20 hour period. The amp hour rating is cumulative, so in order to know how many constant amps the battery will output for 20 hours, you have to divide the amp hour rating by 20. Example: If a battery has an amp hour rating of 74, dividing by 20 = 3.75. Such a battery can carry a 3.75 A load for 20 hours before dropping to 10.5 V. (10.5 V is the fully discharged level, at which point the battery needs to be recharged.) A battery with an amp hour rating of 55 will carry a 2.75 A load for 20 hours before dropping to 10.5 V.
Cold Cranking Amperage (CCA)
The cold cranking amperage is an indication of the ability of the battery to crank the engine at cold temperatures. The cold cranking amperage rating is the minimum amperage the battery must maintain for 30 seconds at -18°C (0°F) while maintaining at least 7.2 V.
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