John Deere TY25862 - Manuel (Page 19)

Controls and Operation
OUOD006,0000058 –19–17AUG04–1/1
Activating and Charging a Dry Battery
Listed below are six steps to activate a dry-charged
battery.
1. Remember Safety. Always wear protective
glasses, gloves, and clothing when handling
batteries and sulfuric acid electrolyte.
2. Prepare the Battery. Remove vents and date code
punch outs. If the battery or electrolyte is below
60
°F, activation will be slower.
3. Add Electrolyte. Fill each cell with electrolyte until
the level just touches the bottom of the “split vent”
at the bottom of the vent well. Do not over fill by
covering the split. If the split is covered, the gases
created during charging will not escape properly,
and will cause increased splashing and acid loss.
Under filling can reduce the performance and life of
the battery.
4. Let the Battery Absorb the Acid. It takes time for
the battery plates and separators to absorb the
acid. A 15 to 30 minute stand time before charging
is recommended. Gentle rocking of the battery will
help dislodge trapped air bubbles.
5. Charge the Battery. Charge the activated battery
to ensure that it starts its life at 100%
state-of-charge. Activated batteries should be
charged at no more than 1% of CCA for 30
minutes, and up to 6 hours in cases of extremely
high humidity storage. For example, a 625 CCA
battery should be charged at 6 amps. Reduce the
charging rate if excessive gassing occurs.
Charging is recommended when:
a. The voltage of the activated battery is below
12.4 volts, even after 15 minutes stand time.
b. The battery will not be installed within the next
30 days.
c. The outside temperature is below 32 °F.
d. The battery has been in storage for more than
two years.
6. Top off the Electrolyte Level. Add electrolyte as
required to bring the level back up to the bottom of
the split vent in the bottom of the vent well. The
acid level may have dropped due to absorption into
the plates and separators. Replace the service
vents.
Service hints for longer battery life:
• Add only pure drinking water or distilled water to the
battery after it is placed in service.
• Disconnect the ground cable when the vehicle is
stored for more than three months. Cleaning the
battery top, adding water, and charging the battery
before vehicle storage will reduce discharge and
sulfation battery failures.
• Specific gravity is the best indicator of battery
state-of charge.
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