Craftsman 28906 Professional Shop Manual page 33

CRAFTSMAN
NOTE:
C CA stands for cold cranking amps. The
rating should be on the battery for aftermarket
batteries. For OEM batteries, contact the manu-
facturer for the CCA rating. Most riding mower
batteries are 200-275 CCA. See Figure 7.41.
2. Fixed load testing
Fixed load testers (sometimes called toasters) are
inexpensive load testers found at any auto parts store.
See Figure 7.42.
Figure
lf. Record the voltage while the load was
applied. Compare the voltage to the follow-
ing chart:
Minimum
Electrolyte Required
Temperature Voltage
>70 deg. f. (21deg. c.) 9.6 v
60 deg. f. (16 deg. c.) 9.5v
50 deg. f. (10 deg. c.) 9.4 v
40 deg. f. (4 deg. c.) 9.3 v
30 deg. f. (-1 deg. c.) 9.1 v
20 deg. f. (-7 deg. c.) 8.9 v
10 deg. f. (-12 deg. c.) 8.7 v
0 deg. f. (-18 deg. c.) 8.5 v
lg. If the battery voltage is above what is listed
in the chart, the battery is good. If the bat-
tery voltage is below what is listed in the
chart, replace the battery.
CAUTION: It is not recommended to use any
fixed load tester on a battery under 200 CCA. To
do so can boil the water out of the battery and
damage the plates in the battery.
NOTE: Because they have a fixed load value,
they do not give most batteries a reliable and
safe load test. Most fixed load testers have a
load that is more than 50% of the rated CCA of
riding mower batteries. This makes them inap-
propriate to use on smaller pieces of outdoor
power equipment.
2a. Disconnect the battery cables, ground first.
2b. Measure the temperature of the electrolyte
in the middle cells.
2c. Connect a voltmeter and the load tester to
the appropriate terminals.
2d. Apply the test load for 15 seconds. Monitor
the meter on the load tester for the bat-
tery's performance.
2e. Refer to the manufacturer of the tester on
how to read the test meter.
2f. The results of this test are not accurate
and should only be relied on if the battery
fails badly.
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