Lesson 2/Learning Event 2
If the vehicle is equipped with an ammeter instead of a battery-generator indicator, the operator
should check the position of the ammeter hand often during operation. For a fully charged battery,
the ammeter should show a high rate of charge immediately after the vehicle is started. After
about 15 minutes of operation, the charge rate should drop to about 5 amperes. When the battery
is partly discharged before starting, the high-charge rate will continue for a longer period. If the
ammeter does not register a charge or if the high-charge rate continues, the charging circuit should
be checked immediately.
After operation, check the battery to see that it is clean, securely mounted, and not leaking. Cable
terminals should be clean and secure on the battery posts. All vent caps should be present and
tight.
The batteries should be thoroughly inspected and serviced once a week by doing the procedures
explained below. Either the operator or the mechanic may be called upon to perform these
procedures.
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Inspect the tops of the batteries very carefully and clean them if needed. They must be
kept clean to prevent them from discharging through collected dirt, and so forth. To
clean, tighten the vent plugs and wash the batteries with a brush dipped in an alkaline
solution, such as a mixture of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and water. Foaming will
occur due to the reaction between the cleaning solution and battery electrolyte. After the
foaming stops, rinse off the batteries with clean water and wipe dry with a clean cloth.
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Inspect the battery terminals to see that they are clean and the cable clamps are tight and
free of corrosion. If they are corroded, remove the cable clamps and clean the clamps
and the battery posts with a solution as described above. Then, reconnect and tighten the
cable clamps. Coat the terminals with a light coat of general-purpose grease to fight off
corrosion. Dirt will collect on the grease, but it can be removed each time the batteries
are cleaned and the terminals recoated with grease. When disconnecting the battery
cables, always disconnect the ground cable first to prevent a short circuit. When
connecting the cables, connect the ground cable last.
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