Suzuki Wagon R Manual page 3964

Care of battery
WARNING:
• Never expose battery to open flame or electric spark because of battery generate gas which is flam-
mable and explosive.
• Do not allow battery fluid to contact eyes, skin, fabrics, or painted surfaces as fluid is a corrosive
acid. Flush any contacted area with water immediately and thoroughly.
• Batteries should always be kept out of reach of children.
1) The battery is a very reliable component, but needs periodical attentions.
• Keep the battery carrier clean
• Prevent rust formation on the terminal posts
• Keep the electrolyte up to the upper level uniformly in all cells.
• When keeping battery on vehicle over a long period of time, follow instructions given below.
– Weekly, start the engine and run it until it reaches normal operating temperature with engine speed of
2000 to 3000 rpm. Make sure all electric switches are off before storing the vehicle.
– Recharge the battery twice a month to prevent it from discharging excessively. This is especially important
when ambient temperature is low.
The battery discharges even when it is not used, while vehicles are being stored. Battery electrolyte can
freeze and battery case can crack at cold ambient condition if battery is not properly charged.
2) Keep the battery cable connections clean.
The cable connections, particularly at the positive (+) terminal post, tend to become corroded. The product
of corrosion, or rust, on the mating faces of conductors resists the flow of current.
Clean the terminals and fittings periodically to ensure good metal-to-metal contact, and grease the connec-
tions after each cleaning to protect them against rusting.
3) Be always in the know as to the state of charge of the battery. The simplest way to tell the state of charge is
to carry out a hydrometer test. The hydrometer is an instrument for measuring the specific gravity (S.G.) of
the battery electrolyte. The S.G. of the electrolyte is indicative of the state of charge.
4) The recommended battery acid temperature during charging is between 10°C / 50°F and 30°C / 86°F.
Reduce the charging current if the temperature exceeds 50°C / 122°F and terminate charging if it exceeds
55°C / 131°F. The battery cannot be charged at temperatures below 0°C / 32°F. The temperature of the bat-
tery acid can be estimated from the temperature of the battery casing.
CHARGING SYSTEM (Z10XEP AND Z12XEP ENGINES) 6H4-3