Checking The Electrolyte Level/Battery Charge; Battery Recharge/Cleaning; Sealed Battery/Recharging The Battery Following Open-Circuit Storage - PIAGGIO X9 500 cc Service Manual

Checking the electrolyte level
Frequently check that the electrolyte reaches the upper
level. To top up, only use distilled water.
If you need to top up the battery too frequently, check
the vehicle electrical equipment as the battery is cer-
tainly working in overload conditions, which will lead to
rapid deterioration.
Checking the battery charge
After restoring the electrolyte level, check its density
with the special hydrometer (see figure).
When the battery is charged, electrolyte density must
be between 30 and 32 Bé, corresponding to specific
gravity of 1.26-1.28 at a temperature not lower than
15°C. If density has fallen below 20° Bé, the battery is
completely discharged and needs recharging.
If the vehicle is not used for some time (1 month or more)
the battery must be periodically recharged. In three
months the battery runs down completely.
When refitting the battery take care not to invert the
connections: the ground lead (black) is to be connected
to the negative (-) terminal and the other lead (red)
must be connected to the positive (+) terminal.
Battery recharge
Caution
- Before charging the battery remove all
cell plugs. Keep free flames or sparks away from the
battery during recharge. When the battery has to be
removed from the vehicle, disconnect the negative
terminal first.
Charge the battery using the specific charger 020333Y
(single station) or 020334 (multiple station), by putting
the charger selector on the type of battery to be re-
charged (use current at 1/10 of the battery rated power).
Connection to the power supply must be made by means
of the corresponding poles (+ with + and – with -).
4) Cleaning the battery
Keep the battery clean, especially the top; coat the
terminals with Vaseline.
Warning
- Never use fuses having a greater ca-
pacity than the one recommended. The use of a fuse of
unsuitable capacity may result in serious damage to the
whole vehicle or even cause a fire.
Warning
- Normal drinking water contains salts
that are harmful for batteries. Use only distilled water.
Warning
- To ensure maximum performance the
battery must be charged before using the vehicle.
Failure to properly charge the battery before starting the
vehicle will cause the battery premature breakdown.
Sealed battery
Putting a sealed battery into service
If the vehicle is equipped with a sealed battery, servicing
is limited to checking the charge level and, if necessary,
recharging the battery.
These operations must be performed during predelivery,
and every six months of open-circuit storage.
Therefore, in addition to checking and, if necessary,
charging the battery before delivery, it is necessary to
carry out these operations before storing the vehicle,
and subsequently every six months.
RECHARGING THE BATTERY FOLLOWING OPEN-
CIRCUIT STORAGE
1) Checking the voltage
Before installing the battery on the vehicle, measure the
open-circuit voltage with an ordinary multimeter.
- If the voltage exceeds 12.60 V, the battery can be
installed without recharging.
- If the voltage is less than 12.60 V, recharge the battery
as described at item 2).
2) Constant-voltage charging method
- Constant voltage: 14.40-14.70 V
- Initial charging current: 0.3-0.5 x rating
- Charging time: Recommended 10-12 hrs
Minimum
Maximum
3) Constant-current charging method
- Initial charging current: 1/10 of rating
- Charging time: Maximum
Caution
- When the battery is deeply discharged
(far below 12.6V), 5 hours' recharging may not be
enough to obtain optimum performance.
In these conditions, however, to avoid damaging the
battery beyond repair, it is essential not to recharge it for
more than 8 consecutive hours.
Electrical equipment
6 hrs
24 hrs
5 hrs
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