Volvo Penta D3-130A Operator's Manual page 65

Battery. Maintenance
WARNING! Risk of fire and explosion. Never al-
low an open flame or electric sparks near the bat-
tery or batteries.
WARNING! Never mix up battery positive and
negative terminals. This may cause sparks and
an explosion.
WARNING! The battery electrolyte contains ex-
tremely corrosive sulfuric acid. Protect your skin
and clothes when charging or handling batteries.
Always use protective goggles and gloves. If bat-
tery electrolyte comes into contact with unprotect-
ed skin wash off immediately using plenty of wa-
ter and soap. If battery acid comes into contact
with the eyes, flush immediately with plenty of wa-
ter and obtain medical assistance without delay.
Connecting and disconnecting
First connect the red battery lead + to the battery + ter-
minal. Then connect the black battery lead – to the bat-
tery – terminal.
When disconnecting the battery, disconnect the
– lead (black) first and then the + lead (red).
Cleaning
Keep batteries dry and clean. Oxidation or dirt on the
battery and battery terminals can cause short-circuits,
voltage drop and discharge especially in damp weather.
Clean the battery terminals and leads to remove oxida-
tion using a brass brush. Tighten the cable terminals
well and grease them with terminal grease or petroleum
jelly.
Topping up
The electrolyte should be 5–10 mm over the plates in
the battery. Top up using distilled water if necessary.
Charge the battery after topping up for at least 30 min-
utes by running the engine at fast idle.
NOTE! Certain maintenance-free batteries have special
instructions which must be followed.
Maintenance: Electrical system
63