Dodge Sprinter 2006 Manual page 868

8F - 8 BA TTERY SYSTEM
STAN DARD PROCEDU RE
STANDARD PROCEDURE - BA TTERY CHARG-
ING
Ba t t er y ch a r gin g is t h e m ea n s by wh ich t h e ba t -
t er y ca n be r est or ed t o it s fu ll volt a ge pot en t ia l. A
ba t t er y is fu lly-ch a r ged wh en :
• Micr o 420 elect r ica l syst em t est er in dica t es ba t -
t er y is OK.
• Th r ee h ydr om et er t est s, t a ken a t on e-h ou r in t er-
va ls, in dica t e n o in cr ea se in t h e t em per a t u r e-cor-
r ect ed specific gr a vit y of t h e ba t t er y elect r olyt e.
• P a sses Loa d t est .
• Open -cir cu it volt a ge of t h e ba t t er y is 12.65 volt s
or a bove.
WARNING: IF THE BATTERY SHOWS SIGNS OF
FREEZING, LEAKING OR LOOSE POSTS, DO NOT
TEST, ASSIST-BOOST, OR CHARGE. THE BATTERY
MAY ARC INTERNALLY AND EXPLODE. PERSONAL
INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE DAMAGE MAY RESULT.
WARNING: EXPLOSIVE HYDROGEN GAS FORMS IN
AND AROUND THE BATTERY. DO NOT SMOKE,
USE FLAME, OR CREATE SPARKS NEAR THE BAT-
TERY. PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE DAM-
AGE MAY RESULT.
WARNING: THE BATTERY CONTAINS SULFURIC
ACID, WHICH IS POISONOUS AND CAUSTIC. AVOID
CONTACT WITH THE SKIN, EYES, OR CLOTHING.
IN THE EVENT OF CONTACT, FLUSH WITH WATER
AND CALL A PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY. KEEP OUT
OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.
WARNING: IF THE BATTERY IS EQUIPPED WITH
REMOVABLE CELL CAPS, BE CERTAIN THAT EACH
OF THE CELL CAPS IS IN PLACE AND TIGHT
BEFORE THE BATTERY IS RETURNED TO SER-
VICE. PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE DAM-
AGE MAY RESULT FROM LOOSE OR MISSING
CELL CAPS.
CAUTION: Always disconnect and isolate the bat-
tery negative cable before charging a battery. Do
not exceed sixteen volts while charging a battery.
Damage to the vehicle electrical system compo-
nents may result.
CAUTION: Battery electrolyte will bubble inside the
battery case during normal battery charging. Elec-
trolyte boiling or being discharged from the battery
vents indicates a battery overcharging condition.
Immediately reduce the charging rate or turn off the
charger to evaluate the battery condition. Damage
to the battery may result from overcharging.
CAUTION: The battery should not be hot to the
touch. If the battery feels hot to the touch, turn off
the charger and let the battery cool before continu-
ing the charging operation. Damage to the battery
may result.
Som e ba t t er y ch a r ger s a r e equ ipped wit h pola r it y-
sen sin g cir cu it r y. Th is cir cu it r y pr ot ect s t h e ba t t er y
ch a r ger a n d t h e ba t t er y fr om bein g da m a ged if t h ey
a r e im pr oper ly con n ect ed. If t h e ba t t er y st a t e-of-
ch a r ge is t oo low for t h e pola r it y-sen sin g cir cu it r y t o
det ect , t h e ba t t er y ch a r ger will n ot oper a t e. Th is
m a kes it a ppea r t h a t t h e ba t t er y will n ot a ccept
ch a r gin g cu r r en t . See t h e in st r u ct ion s pr ovided by
t h e m a n u fa ct u r er of t h e ba t t er y ch a r ger for det a ils
on h ow t o bypa ss t h e pola r it y-sen sin g cir cu it r y.
Aft er t h e ba t t er y h a s been ch a r ged t o 12.4 volt s or
gr ea t er, r et est t h e ba t t er y u sin g t h e Micr o 420 t est er
or per for m a loa d t est t o det er m in e t h e ba t t er y
cr a n kin g ca pa cit y. If t h e ba t t er y will en du r e a loa d
t est , r et u r n t h e ba t t er y t o ser vice. If t h e ba t t er y will
n ot en du r e a loa d t est , it is fa u lt y a n d m u st be
r epla ced.
Clea n a n d in spect t h e ba t t er y h old down s, t r a y,
t er m in a ls, post s, a n d t op befor e com plet in g ba t t er y
ser vice. Refer t o Ba t t er y Syst em Clea n in g for t h e
pr oper ba t t er y syst em clea n in g pr ocedu r es, a n d Ba t -
t er y Syst em In spect ion for t h e pr oper ba t t er y syst em
in spect ion pr ocedu r es.
CHARGING A COMPLETEL Y DISCHARGED BA T-
TERY
Th e followin g pr ocedu r e sh ou ld be u sed t o r ech a r ge
a com plet ely disch a r ged ba t t er y. Un less t h is pr oce-
du r e is pr oper ly followed, a good ba t t er y m a y be
n eedlessly r epla ced.
(1) Mea su r e t h e volt a ge a t t h e ba t t er y post s wit h a
volt m et er, a ccu r a t e t o 1/10 (0.10) volt (F ig. 4). If t h e
r ea din g is below t en volt s, t h e ba t t er y ch a r gin g cu r-
r en t will be low. It cou ld t a ke som e t im e befor e t h e
ba t t er y a ccept s a cu r r en t gr ea t er t h a n a few m illia m -
per es. Su ch low cu r r en t m a y n ot be det ect a ble on t h e
a m m et er s bu ilt in t o m a n y ba t t er y ch a r ger s.
VA