Service manual

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
7-95
b. Check the charge of the battery, as shown in
the charts and the following example.
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5. Charge:
• Battery
(refer to the appropriate charging method)
WARNING
EWA13300
Do not quick charge a battery.
CAUTION:
ECA13670
• Never remove the MF battery sealing caps.
• Do not use a high-rate battery charger
since it forces a high-amperage current
into the battery quickly and can cause bat-
tery overheating and battery plate damage.
• If it is impossible to regulate the charging
current on the battery charger, be careful
not to overcharge the battery.
• When charging a battery, be sure to remove
it from the vehicle. (If charging has to be
done with the battery mounted on the vehi-
cle, disconnect the negative battery lead
from the battery terminal.)
• To reduce the chance of sparks, do not
plug in the battery charger until the battery
charger leads are connected to the battery.
• Before removing the battery charger lead
clips from the battery terminals, be sure to
turn off the battery charger.
• Make sure the battery charger lead clips are
in full contact with the battery terminal and
that they are not shorted. A corroded bat-
tery charger lead clip may generate heat in
the contact area and a weak clip spring may
cause sparks.
• If the battery becomes hot to the touch at
any time during the charging process, dis-
connect the battery charger and let the bat-
tery cool before reconnecting it. Hot
batteries can explode!
• As shown in the following illustration, the
open-circuit voltage of an MF battery stabi-
lizes about 30 minutes after charging has
been completed. Therefore, wait 30 min-
utes after charging is completed before
measuring the open-circuit voltage.
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Charging method using a variable-current
(voltage) charger
a. Measure the open-circuit voltage prior to
charging.
NOTE:
Voltage should be measured 30 minutes after
the engine is stopped.
b. Connect a charger and ammeter to the bat-
tery and start charging.
NOTE:
Set the charging voltage at 16–17 V.If the setting
is lower, charging will be insufficient. If too high,
the battery will be over-charged.
c. Make sure that the current is higher than the
standard charging current written on the bat-
tery.
NOTE:
If the current is lower than the standard charging
current written on the battery, set the charging
voltage adjust dial at 20–24 V and monitor the
amperage for 3–5 minutes to check the battery.
d. Adjust the voltage so that the current is at the
standard charging level.
e. Set the time according to the charging time
suitable for the open-circuit voltage.
Refer to “Battery condition checking steps”.
f. If charging requires more than 5 hours, it is
advisable to check the charging current after
a lapse of 5 hours. If there is any change in
the amperage, readjust the voltage to obtain
the standard charging current.
g. Measure the battery open-circuit voltage after
leaving the battery unused for more than 30
minutes.
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Example
Open-circuit voltage = 12.0 V
Charging time = 6.5 hours
Charge of the battery = 20–30%
• Standard charging current is reached
Battery is good.
• Standard charging current is not reached
Replace the battery.
12.8 V or more --- Charging is complete.
12.7 V or less --- Recharging is required.
Under 12.0 V --- Replace the battery.