Cleaning; Electrolyte Level Inspection; Specific Gravity Check - Kohler 20-2250 kW Operation

1
1 2
1. To positive (+) terminal on starter solenoid.
2. To ground (--) terminal on or near starter motor.
3. To positive (+) terminal on second starter solenoid.
4. To ground (--) terminal on or near second starter motor.
Figure 3-13 24-Volt Engine Electrical System Dual
Starter Motors Typical Battery
Connections

3.10.1 Cleaning

Clean the battery and cables and tighten the battery
terminals according
recommendations. Clean the battery by wiping it with a
damp cloth. Keep electrical connections dry and tight.
If corrosion exists, disconnect the cables from the
battery and remove the corrosion with a wire brush.
Clean the battery and cables with a solution of baking
soda and water. Do not allow the cleaning solution to
enter battery cells. Flush the battery and cables with
clean water and wipe the battery with a dry cloth.

3.10.2 Electrolyte Level Inspection

Check the electrolyte level and specific gravity of
batteries that have filler caps.
batteries do not require electrolyte level checking or
specific gravity testing.
Check the electrolyte level at the specified interval.
Remove the filler caps and verify that the electrolyte
level reaches the bottom of each filler hole.
Figure 3-14. Refill as necessary with distilled water or
clean tap water. Do not add fresh electrolyte. Tighten
the filler caps. After adding water during freezing
temperatures, run the generator set 20--30 minutes to
mix the electrolyte and the water to prevent battery
damage from freezing.
TP-6161 1/12
2 3 4
3 4
KW-272000-B
to the service schedule
Maintenance-free
1. Filler caps
2. Electrolyte level
Figure 3-14 Battery Electrolyte Level Inspection

3.10.3 Specific Gravity Check

Use a battery hydrometer to check the specific gravity of
the electrolyte in each battery cell of batteries with filler
caps. Holding the hydrometer vertically, read the
number on the glass bulb at the top of the electrolyte
level or the number adjacent to the pointer. If the
hydrometer used does not have a correction table,
consult Figure 3-16.
Determine the
temperature of the battery cells. Locate the temperature
in Figure 3-16 and correct the specific gravity by the
amount shown.
specific gravity is 1.260 at an electrolyte temperature of
26.7_C (80_F). Maintain the specific gravities between
cells within ±0.01 of each other. Charge the battery if the
specific gravity is below 1.215 at an electrolyte
temperature of 26.7_C (80_F).
Note: Some battery testers have four or five beads in a
test tube. Draw electrolyte into the tube as with
the battery hydrometer described in this section.
Use the tester manufacturer's instructions.
Figure 3-15 shows typical test results.
Number of Floating Beads
5
4
3
1 or 2
See
0
Figure 3-15 Bead-Type Test Interpretation
1
2
specific gravity and
The battery is fully charged if the
Battery Condition
Overcharged
Fully charged
A good charge
A low charge
A dead battery
Section 3 Scheduled Maintenance
1-046
electrolyte
33