Technical data

13773-001
24-30
Page 1530 Nov 2000
(3) Installation - Battery 1
(a) Acquire necessary tools, equipment, and supplies.
(b) Examine battery contacts. Any dirt or corrosion should be gently removed using electrical
contact cleaner and a stiff brush.
(c) Install battery into battery hold-down bracket and secure the bracket.
(d) Using new cotter pins, secure the battery hold-down bracket wing nuts.
(e) Inspect battery vent hose for damage, kinks or obstructions. Connect battery vent hose.
CAUTION: Connecting cables in reverse (positive to negative and negative to positive)
can cause serious damage to the electrical system. Connect the negative
cable last.
(f) Connect the battery cables to the proper terminals: positive cable to the positive terminal
(+) and negative cable to the negative terminal (-). Connect the negative cable last.
(g) After tightening battery terminals, coat them with petroleum jelly (W-P-236) to retard corro-
sion.
(h) Install the engine cowling. (Refer to 71-10)
(i) Verify complete electrical system is fully operable.
(4) Adjustment/Test - Battery 1 Specific Gravity
The most common instrument used for testing vented lead-acid batteries is the hydrometer. The
specific gravity of the electrolyte in a battery cell is a good index to the state of charge in the cell,
due to the fact that as the battery is discharged, the acid in the electrolyte is used up. That is, the
acid has broken down, part of it combining with the lead of the plates to form lead sulfate, and
part combining with oxygen to form water. It must be pointed out that the specific gravity reading
is not always an indication of the state of charge in a cell. If the electrolyte is removed from a dis-
charged cell and replaced with an electrolyte of high specific gravity, the cell will still be in a dis-
charged condition even though the hydrometer test shows a full charge reading.
(a) Acquire necessary tools, equipment, and supplies.
(b) Remove battery. (Refer to 24-30)
(c) Clean exterior case of battery with clean fresh water.
(d) Remove each cell cap and draw electrolyte into the hydrometer. This will test the specific
gravity of electrolyte. After the specific gravity reading is taken, the electrolyte must be
Description P/N or Spec. Supplier Purpose
Contact Cleaner - Any Source Clean terminals
Non-conductive Bristle
Brush
- Any Source Clean terminals
Petroleum Jelly W-P-236 Any Source Prevent corrosion
Description P/N or Spec. Supplier Purpose
Hydrometer/Thermometer FR-1 Teledyne Continental Test battery condi-
tion