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Maintenance
Category
Symptom
Charging current to series
string is zero; failure to
support load
Current
Charging current to series
testing
string remains high over time
Charging current to series
string remains high with no
corresponding rise in voltage
Periodic Evaluation
Upon replacement of a battery (or string), all interconnect hardware should be replaced at the same time.
To keep track of battery performance and identify batteries that may be approaching the end of their life, it is
recommended to perform the following tests upon initial installation, and then on a quarterly basis afterward.
The battery must be fully charged. Tests must be made with a high-quality digital meter. Voltages must be
measured directly on battery terminals, not on other conductors. All connections must be cleaned, re-tightened,
and re-torqued before testing. If a battery fails any test, it may be defective. If this occurs under the conditions
of the warranty, the battery will be replaced according to the terms of the warranty.
24-Hour Open-Circuit Test
Ensure that the battery is brought to a full state of charge. Remove all connections from the battery. Allow the
battery to rest in this state for 24 hours and test its voltage. A fully-charged EnergyCell RE battery should
measure 12.84 Vdc (temperature-compensated). A fully-charged EnergyCell GH battery should measure 12.95
Vdc. A battery below 12.6 Vdc has lost capacity and may need to be replaced.
25-Amp Capacity Test
Install a DC load which draws a constant 25 Adc. The load may be used on either a single battery or a full string.
With this load, discharge the batteries until they reach 10.5 Vdc per battery (1.75 Vdc per cell) and monitor the
elapsed time. At the same time, monitor the battery temperature and record the temperature at the end of the
test. The elapsed time should be adjusted for temperature by the following formula:
M
= M
(1 – 0.009 [T – 26.7]) where M
c
r
For the EnergyCell 170RE, M
For the EnergyCell 200RE, M
For the EnergyCell 200GH, M
If the result is less than 70% of this number, the battery (or string) may need to be replaced.
16
Table 1
Troubleshooting
Possible Cause
Open connection or open
battery cell in string
Batteries require additional
time to charge
Shorted cell
= actual elapsed minutes, T = temperature at end of run time, and
r
M
= minutes corrected for temperature with a baseline of 80°F (26.7°C).
c
should be 300 minutes.
c
should be 347 minutes.
c
should be 348 minutes.
c
Remedy
Check and clean all connections. If battery
appears to have an open cell, test and replace
as needed. Replace hardware as necessary.
Normal behavior; no action necessary.
Test and replace battery as necessary.
A shorted cell may contribute to thermal
runaway.
900-0127-01-00 Rev B
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