Dodge 2000 DURANGO Service Manual page 249

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DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION (Continued)
charges deposited on the plates, and the voltage
potential of the battery cells. For a battery to remain
useful, it must be able to produce high-amperage cur-
rent over an extended period. A battery must also be
able to accept a charge, so that its voltage potential
may be restored.
The battery is vented to release excess hydrogen
gas that is created when the battery is being charged
or discharged. However, even with these vents,
hydrogen gas can collect in or around the battery. If
hydrogen gas is exposed to flame or sparks, it may
ignite. If the electrolyte level is low, the battery may
arc internally and explode. If the battery is equipped
with removable cell caps, add distilled water when-
ever the electrolyte level is below the top of the
plates. If the battery cell caps cannot be removed, the
battery must be replaced if the electrolyte level
becomes low.
In addition to producing and storing electrical
energy, the battery serves as a capacitor and voltage
stabilizer for the electrical system of the vehicle. It
absorbs most abnormal or transient voltages caused
by the switching of any of the electrical components
in the vehicle.
BATTERY CABLES
DESCRIPTION
Fig. 2 Battery Cables
1 – POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER
2 – CLIP
3 – BATTERY
4 – TRAY
5 – NEGATIVE CABLE
6 – POSITIVE CABLE
7 – CLIP
8 – WHEELHOUSE INNER PANEL
The battery cables (Fig. 2) are large gauge,
stranded copper wires sheathed within a heavy plas-
tic or synthetic rubber insulating jacket. The wire
used in the battery cables combines excellent flexibil-
ity and reliability with high electrical current carry-
ing capacity. Refer to Wiring Diagrams in the index
of this service manual for the location of the proper
battery cable wire gauge information.
The battery cables cannot be repaired and, if dam-
aged or faulty they must be replaced. Both the bat-
tery positive and negative cables are available for
service replacement only as a unit with the battery
positive cable wire harness or the battery negative
cable wire harness, which may include portions of
the wiring circuits for the generator and other com-
ponents on some models. Refer to Wiring Diagrams
in the index of this service manual for the location of
more information on the various wiring circuits
included in the battery cable wire harnesses for the
vehicle being serviced.
The battery cables feature a stamped brass clamp-
ing type female battery terminal crimped onto one
end of the battery cable wire and then solder-dipped.
A square headed pinch-bolt and hex nut are installed
at the open end of the female battery terminal clamp.
The battery positive cable also includes a red molded
rubber protective cover for the female battery termi-
nal clamp. Large eyelet type terminals are crimped
onto the opposite end of the battery cable wire and
then solder-dipped. The battery positive cable wires
have a red insulating jacket to provide visual identi-
fication and feature a larger female battery terminal
clamp to allow connection to the larger battery posi-
tive terminal post. The battery negative cable wires
have a black insulating jacket and a smaller female
battery terminal clamp.
OPERATION
The battery cables connect the battery terminal
posts to the vehicle electrical system. These cables
also provide a return path for electrical current gen-
erated by the charging system for restoring the volt-
age potential of the battery. The female battery
terminal clamps on the ends of the battery cable
wires provide a strong and reliable connection of the
battery cable to the battery terminal posts. The ter-
minal pinch bolts allow the female terminal clamps
to be tightened around the male terminal posts on
the top of the battery. The eyelet terminals secured
to the ends of the battery cable wires opposite the
female battery terminal clamps provide secure and
reliable connection of the battery to the vehicle elec-
trical system.
The battery positive cable terminal clamp is
crimped onto the ends of two wires. One wire has an
eyelet terminal that connects the battery positive
cable to the B(+) terminal stud of the Power Distri-
bution Center (PDC), and the other wire has an eye-
let terminal that connects the battery positive cable
to the B(+) terminal stud of the engine starter motor
solenoid. The battery negative cable terminal clamp
BATTERY 8A - 3