BOMBARDIER SEA-DOO SPX 5838 1998 Shop Manual page 236

Section 08 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Subsection 03 (CHARGING SYSTEM)
Do not charge a frozen battery. If the battery
charge is very low, the battery may freeze. If it is
suspected to be frozen, keep it in a heated area
for about 2 hours before charging.
WARNING
Always charge battery in a well ventilated
area.
The time required to charge a battery will vary de-
pending on some factors such as:
– Battery temperature: The charging time is in-
creased as the temperature goes down. The
current accepted by a cold battery will remain
low. As the battery warms up, it will accept a
higher rate of charge.
– State of charge: Because the electrolyte is
nearly pure water in a completely discharged
battery, it cannot accept current as well as elec-
trolyte. This is the reason the battery will not
accept current when the charging cycle first be-
gins. As the battery remains on the charger, the
current from the charger causes the electrolytic
acid content to rise which makes the electro-
lyte a better conductor and then, the battery
will accept a higher charging rate.
– Type of charger: Battery chargers vary in the
amount of voltage and current that they can
supply. Therefore, the time required for the bat-
tery to begin accepting measurable current will
also vary.
Charging a Very Flat or Completely Discharged
Battery
The battery charger should have an adjustable
charging rate. Variable adjustment is preferred,
but a unit which can be adjusted in small incre-
ments is acceptable.
The battery charger must be equipped with an
ammeter capable of accurately measuring current
of less than 1 ampere.
Unless this procedure is properly followed, a good
battery may be needlessly replaced.
08-03-8
– Measure the voltage at the battery posts with
an accurate voltmeter. If it is below 10 volts, the
battery will accept current at very low rate, in
term of milliamperes, because electrolyte is
nearly pure water as explained above. It could
be some time before the charging rate increas-
es. Such low current flow may not be detect-
able on some charger ammeters and the
battery will seem not to accept any charge.
– Exceptionally for this particular case, set the
charger to a high rate.
NOTE: Some chargers have a polarity protection
feature which prevents charging unless the charg-
er leads are connected to the correct battery ter-
minals. A completely discharged battery may not
have enough voltage to activate this circuitry,
even though the leads are connected properly.
This will make it appear that the battery will not
accept a charge. Follow the charger manufactur-
er's instruction on how to bypass or override this
circuitry so that the charger will turn on and
charge a low-voltage battery.
– Since the battery chargers vary in the amount
of voltage and current they provide, the time
required for the battery to accept measurable
charger current might be up to approximately
10 hours or more.
– If the charging current is not up to a measurable
amount at the end of about 10 hours, the bat-
tery should be replaced.
– If the charging current is measurable before the
end or at the end of about 10 hours, the battery
is good and charging should be completed in
the normal manner as specified in Activation
of a new battery.
– It is recommended that any battery recharged
by this procedure be load tested prior to return-
ing it to service.
Charging Two or More Batteries at a
Time
Connect all positive battery posts together and
use a charger with a capacity (rated) equal to:
number of battery to be charged multiply by 2 A.
For example: Charging 5 batteries at a time re-
quires a 10 A rated charger (5 x 2 A = 10 A).