Cushman HAULER PRO X Owner's Manual page 55

• Find the reason a vehicle does not perform adequately. Performance problems can cause a vehicle to run slowly or
can not operate for the time needed.
A new battery must mature before it develops its maximum capacity. Maturing can take 100 or more charge and dis-
charge cycles. After the maturing phase, the older a battery gets, the lower the capacity. The only method to find the
capacity of a battery is a load test with a discharge machine. Refer to the discharge machine manufacturer instruc-
tions.
A hydrometer is used to identify a poorly performing battery in a set with a low specific gravity. When the particular cell
or cells that are the problem are identified, the battery can be removed and replaced. The battery can not be restored.
The individual battery should be replaced with a good battery of the same brand, type and approximate age.Hydrom-
eter
To prevent battery explosion, never insert
a metal thermometer into a battery. Use a
hydrometer with a built in thermometer
that is designed for testing batteries.
A hydrometer (P/N 50900-G1) is used to test the state of charge of
a battery cell. This is performed by measuring the density of the
electrolyte, which is accomplished by measuring the specific gravity
of the electrolyte. The greater the concentration of sulfuric acid, the
more dense the electrolyte becomes. The higher the density, the
higher the state of charge.
Specific gravity is the measurement of a liquid that is compared to a
baseline. The baseline is water which is assigned a base number of
1.000. The concentration of sulfuric acid to water in a new golf car
battery is 1.280 which means that the electrolyte weighs 1.280
times the weight of the same volume of water. A fully charged bat-
tery will test at 1.275 - 1.280 while a discharged battery will read in
the 1.140 range.
NOTICE: Do not perform a hydrometer test on a battery that
has just been watered. The battery must go through at least one charge and discharge cycle in
order to permit the water to adequately mix with the electrolyte.
The temperature of the electrolyte is important since the hydrometer reading must be corrected to 80° F (27° C). High
quality hydrometers are equipped with an internal thermometer that will measure the temperature of the electrolyte
and will include a conversion scale to correct the float reading. It is important to recognize that the electrolyte tempera-
ture is significantly different from the ambient temperature if the vehicle has been operated.
Cylinder
Thermometer
Add to Float
Reading
Subtract
from Float
Reading
M
AINTENANCE
Bulb Float
Weight
53