Battery Maintenance - PIAGGIO Ape Workshop Manual

Electrical system

BATTERY MAINTENANCE

The battery is an electrical device which requires careful monitoring and a very diligent maintenance.
The main maintenance rules are:
1) Check the level of the electrolyte
The level of the electrolyte, to be controlled frequently, must reach the top level. Only use distilled water,
to restore this level. If it becomes necessary to add water too frequently, check the vehicle's electrical
system: the battery works overcharged and is subject to quick wear.
2) Load status check
After topping-up the electrolyte level, check its density using special density gauge. When the battery
is charged the density should be of 30°-32° Bé corresponding to a specific weight of 1.26-1.28 for a
temperature not lower than 15° C.
When the density drops below 20° Bé the battery is completely discharged and it must be recharged.
In addition with the battery under charge the voltage of each element must be of 2.6-2.8V. The discharge
limit for each element is 1.8V. These voltage checks must be performed fitting into the outside circuit
of the battery a lighthouse lamp.
*=Hold the tube vertically
**= Detect the level by eye
***= The float must be freed
3) Recharging the battery
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APE TM Benzina