Viii) Battery Care Tips - NewMar PT-24-45W Bb8Db2Cc8C9B8A4Bb2Bbe763F

PROTECTION FEATURES
Input fuse
Output fuse
Self-Limiting (Current Limited)
Over Voltage Protection
(Latching circuit; resets When
A.C. is cycled off and on)
Cooling Fans
Automatic Thermal Shutdown

VIII) BATTERY CARE TIPS

Regular maintenance and proper care will assure you reliable
service from the most depended upon and sometimes most
neglected items, your batteries and battery charger. NEWMAR
battery chargers are designed to keep your batteries fully charged
but your batteries also need proper regular maintenance to
provide a maximum life of service.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE BATTERY
MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS
Battery Installation
Batteries must be securely mounted to prevent them from falling
over when the vehicle or boat is in motion. A loose battery can
do serious damage. Batteries should be mounted in a battery
box to contain any acid spill. Batteries give off a certain amount
of hydrogen gas when they are charging. When concentrated,
this gas is highly explosive. Therefore make sure they are in an
accessible place with adequate ventilation for any hydrogen gas
discharge.
Cleaning Batteries
Dirt and electrolyte salts can build up on the top of your batteries.
This accumulation conducts electricity stored in the battery and
can cause the battery to discharge by itself. Therefore, at least
twice a year, it is a good idea to disconnect the battery cables
and scrub the battery with a baking soda solution. Rinse with fresh
water and dry with a clean cloth.
You may wish to purchase a set of terminal post corrosion
prevention rings. These are alkali-saturated felt rings that slip over
the battery post to reduce corrosion. Do not apply grease to any
part of the battery terminals, but you may use an occasional light
spray of silicone lubricant.
Routine Checks and Maintenance
Batteries should periodically be "exercised" (slowly discharged and
then recharged) to keep them in top condition. New batteries may
need to be exercised before they will be capable of their full rating.
If your batteries are not the sealed type, distilled water should be
added to them whenever needed. The electrolyte should cover
the plates by about 1/2", allowing a small air space at the top. Do
not fill the cells up to the filler cap as this could cause the battery
to sputter out electrolyte when it is being charged. Only distilled
water should be used never plain tap water. Tap water contains
chemicals and elements that can alter the properties of the
electrolyte, including specific gravity. Some chemicals may also
create an insulating coating on the battery plates which will retard
current flow.
P.O. Box 1306, Newport Beach, California 92663 • Phone: 714-751-0488 • Fax: 714-957-1621 • E-Mail: techservice@newmarpower.com
COMPLIANCE
Safety: EN60335-1
EMC: IEC 1000-4-2, -4
EN55014
Carries the CE Mark
www.newmarpower.com
The rate that water is lost by the battery is dependent on several
factors; battery condition, ambient temperature, battery use,
charge voltage, etc. It is normal for batteries which are not
maintenance-free to require topping off about once a month.
A battery's state of charge may be monitored by checking the
specific gravity or by open circuit voltage. You may use the
following table to evaluate the condition of your batteries:
Battery Condition Table
Open Circuit Voltage
Specific Gravity
Measured by
24 Volt
Hydrometer
System
1.265 25.2 or more
1.225 24.8
1.190 24.4
1.155 24.0
1.120 23.4 or less
* Note: Wait at least 5 minutes after charging or discharging before
checking specific gravity or open circuit voltage. The battery's
voltage needs to stabilize in order to get an accurate reading.
* Note: Wait at least 5 minutes after charging or discharging before
checking specific gravity or open circuit voltage. The battery's
voltage needs to stabilize in order to get an accurate reading.
Troubleshooting Your Battery System
If your battery will not accept or hold a charge, one of the
following conditions may exist:
1. A BAD BATTERY. You may have a battery with an open or
shorted cell, a battery without any "life" left. Check by charging
the battery until all cells have a specific gravity of 1.225 or greater
at 80° F. If you are unable to obtain 1.225 in each cell, replace
the battery. For maintenance-free or gel-cell batteries consult the
manufacturer.
2. A BAD BATTERY CHARGER. If the battery open circuit voltage is
low and/or the hydrometer indicates your batteries are low, the
battery charger should be providing current to the batteries. If it
is not, check A.C. input and check to see that you have charging
voltage on the output with no battery attached. Note: You will not
get an accurate voltage reading on the output of the charger with
no batteries attached. This is checked merely to ensure that you do
not have an open circuit on the output.
The battery charger has a thermal cutout switch to turn the
charger off if it is overheating. If you suspect this is the case, refer
to the information regarding charger location in the Installation
section and cooling fans in the Application Notes section.
3. ELECTRICAL LEAKAGE. You may have a previously unsuspected
source of current drain from the battery. To check for a leakage
of this sort, disconnect the battery ground cable and connect an
ammeter between the negative battery post and ground. If you
have a reading over .1 amp, there is a source of current drain from
the batteries which must be located and removed.
State of
Discharge @
32 Volt
80° F
System
33.5 or more Fully Charged
33.0 25 % Discharged
32.5 50 % Discharged
32.0 75 % Discharged
100 %
31.1 or less
Discharged
15