Chapter 6 - Batteries; General Maintenance; Charging - Snorkel TM12 Series Operator's Manual

The battery tray at the rear of the chassis, contains four,
220 amp, 6 volt batteries to operate the aerial platform
drive and control systems.
To access the batteries, remove the latch pin and slide
the tray outward.
For optimal battery performance the battery fluid level
must be maintained and the battery connections must
be kept clean.

General Maintenance

Always keep the batteries clean, free of dirt and corrosion.
A film on top of the battery can accelerate discharge.
Warning
Battery acid can damage the skin and eyes. Serious
infection or reaction could result if medical treatment
is not given immediately. Wear face and eye protec-
tion when working near the batteries.
If necessary, clean the batteries, terminals, and cable
ends (refer to Figure 6.1) with a wire brush or terminal
cleaning tool.
Battery Disconnect
Caps
Terminals
Figure 6.1 – Battery Tray
Use distilled water to refill the batteries. Avoid water
containing metallic solids such as iron which can reduce
the life of the batteries.
Consult a battery charger specialist if extreme tempera-
ture use is unavoidable.
• Cold reduces battery capacity and retards charging.
• Heat increases water usage and can result in over-

charging.

• Very high temperatures can cause thermal run away
which may lead to an explosion or fire.
TM12 – 8210027
Chapter 6 – Batteries
Charging
The aerial platform is equipped with a 20 amp automatic
battery charger that will completely recharge the batter-
ies and turn off after the charge cycle is completed. The
battery charger is located inside the chassis.
Batteries give off hydrogen and oxygen that can com-
bine explosively. Death or serious injury can result
from a chemical explosion. Charge the batteries only
in a well ventilated area away from sparks or flame.
The batteries may be overcharged and/or damaged
if the charger fails to shut off automatically. Do
not leave the battery charger on for more than two
days.
It may take from 1½ to 16 hours to recharge the batteries
depending on the amount of discharge. If the charging
cycle exceeds 16 hours without the batteries being fully
recharged, unplug the charger and have the batteries
checked.
Fully recharge the batteries, immediately after use.
• One charging cycle per day is preferred.
• Fully charged batteries perform best.
• The deeper the discharge, the fewer number of cycles
a battery will deliver. Deep discharges deteriorate the
battery quicker than light shallow cycles.
• An overly discharged battery may need to be cycled
a few times before it can fully recover.
• If a battery begins to heat before becoming fully
charged, it may be necessary to recharge and dis-
charge the battery a few times.
Use the following procedure to charge the batteries.
1. At the lower controls, turn the key switch to the off
position.
2. Remove the latch pin and slide the battery tray
outward. Make sure the battery disconnect (refer to
Figure 6.1) is fully connected.
3. Remove the caps from each battery (refer to Figure
6.1).
4. Visually check the battery fluid level making sure the
level is within ¼" (6 mm) of the bottom of the filler neck
inside each hole. If needed, add distilled water.
5. Tightly replace the caps on each battery, slide the
tray back in the chassis and replace the latch pin.
Warning
Caution
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