Toro Greensmaster 3150 Service Manual page 167

Battery Inspection and Maintenance
1. Check for cracks caused by overly tight or loose hold
down rod. Replace battery if cracked or leaking.
2. Check battery terminal posts for corrosion. Use a ter-
minal brush or steel wool to clean corrosion from the bat-
tery terminal posts.
IMPORTANT: Before cleaning the battery, tape or
block the vent holes to the filler caps and make sure
the caps are on tightly.
3. Check for signs of wetness or leakage on the top of
the battery which might indicate a loose or missing filler
cap, overcharging, loose terminal post or overfilling.
Clean the battery with a solution of baking soda and wa-
ter, then rinse it with clean water.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the area around the cells is
clean before opening the battery caps.
4. Check the electrolyte level in each cell. If necessary,
fill all cells with distilled water to the bottom of the cap
tubes. Charge at 15 to 25 amps for fifteen (15) minutes
to allow sufficient mixing of the electrolyte.
Battery Testing
1. Conduct a hydrometer test of the battery electrolyte.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the area around the cells is
clean before opening the battery caps.
A. Measure the specific gravity of each cell with a
hydrometer. Draw electrolyte in and out of the
hydrometer barrel prior to taking a reading to warm--
up the hydrometer. At the same time take the tem-
perature of the cell.
B. Temperature correct each cell reading. For each
o o o
F (6 C) above 80 F (27
10
cific gravity reading. For each 10
o
(27 C) subtract 0.004 from the specific gravity read-
ing.
Example: Cell Temperature 100
Cell Gravity
o
ADD (20
Correction to 80
C. If the difference between the highest and lowest
cell specific gravity is 0.050 or greater or the lowest
cell specific gravity is less than 1.225, charge the bat-
tery. Charge at the recommended rate and time (see
Battery Charging below) or until the specific gravity
of all cells is 1.225 or greater with the difference in
specific gravity between the highest and lowest cell
less than 0.050. If these charging conditions can not
be met, replace the battery.
Greensmaster 3150
o
C) add 0.004 to the spe-
o o o
F (6 C) below 80
o
F
1.245
o
above 80 F) 0.008
o
F 1.253
Page 5 - - 31
2. Perform a high--discharge test with an adjustable
load tester.
This is one of the most reliable means of testing a battery
as it simulates the cold--cranking test. A commercial bat-
tery load tester is required to perform this test.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions when us-
ing a battery tester.
A. Check the voltage across the battery terminals
prior to testing the battery. If the voltage is less than
12.0 VDC, recharge the battery.
B. If the battery has been charged, apply a 150 amp
load for fifteen (15) seconds to remove the surface
charge. Use a battery load tester following the
manufacturer's instructions.
C. Make sure the battery terminals are free of corro-
sion.
D. Measure the temperature of the center cell.
E. Connect a battery load tester to the battery termi-
nals following the manufacturer's instructions. Con-
nect a digital multimeter to the battery terminals.
F. Apply a test load of 270 amps (one half the battery
Cranking Performance Specification) to the battery
for fifteen (15) seconds.
G. Take a battery voltage reading at fifteen (15) se-
conds, then remove the load.
H. Using the table below, determine the minimum
voltage for the cell temperature reading.
F
Minimum
Voltage
9.6 70
9.5
9.4
9.3
9.1
8.9
8.7
8.5
I. If the test voltage is below the minimum, replace
the battery. If the test voltage is at or above the mini-
mum, return the battery to service.
CAUTION
Battery Electrolyte
Temperature
o o
F (and up) 21 C (and up)
o o
60 F 16 C
o o
50 F 10 C
o o
40 F 4 C
o o
30 F --1 C
o o
20 F --7 C
o o
10 F --12 C
o o
0 F --18 C
Electrical System