SkyTrak 6036 Service Manual - Manual (Page 286)

Section 10. Electrical System
10-24 Model 6036/6036T S/N 9B0500 thru 14833
f. Troubleshooting
If a battery has tested good and then has not
performed satisfactorily in service for no apparent
reason, the following are some of the more
important factors that may point to the cause of
trouble:
1. Vehicle accessories inadvertently left on
overnight.
2. Defects in the charging system, such as
slipping fan belt, high wiring resistance, or
faulty alternator.
3. A vehicle electrical load exceeding the alterna-
tor capacity, with the addition of electrical
devices, such as radio equipment, air condi-
tioner, window defoggers or light systems.
4. Defects in the electrical system, such as
shorted wires.
5. Extended slow speed driving with many
accessories turned on.
6. Loose or poor battery cable-to-post connec-
tions, previous improper charging of a run-
down battery, or loose hold-downs.
7. High-resistance connections or defects in the
starting system.
8. Long periods of vehicle storage without
disconnecting the batteries. Small current
drains of vehicle accessories which are
connected all the time can discharge the
batteries in a six- to eight-week period.
Batteries left in a discharged condition for a
prolonged period of time are subject to freez-
ing and can become difficult to recharge.
g. Jump Starting
with Auxiliary (Booster) Battery
Both booster and discharged battery should be
treated carefully when using jumper cables.
Follow exactly the following procedure for this
negative ground system, being careful not to
cause sparks:
1. Engage park lock and place transmission in
neutral. Turn off lights, optional heater and
other electrical loads.
2. Observe charge indicator. If indicator is light,
replace battery. If charge indicator is dark and
has a green dot in the center, failure to start is
not due to a discharged battery and the
cranking system should be checked. If charge
indicator is dark but the green dot does not
appear in the center, proceed as follows:
• The battery is sufficiently charged when
the green dot in the built-in hydrometer is
visible. No further charging is required.
Shake or tilt the battery at hourly intervals
during the charging to mix the electrolyte
and see if the green dot appears.
• Battery charging consists of a charge
current in amperes for a period of time in
hours. Thus, a 25-ampere charging rate
for 2 hours would be 50 ampere-hour
charge to the battery. In most cases,
batteries whose load test values are less
than 200 amperes (see Battery Testing
Procedure) will have the green dot visible
after at least a 50 ampere-hour charge.
Most batteries whose load test values are
greater than 200 amperes will have the
green dot visible after at least a 75
ampere-hour charge. In the event that the
green dot does not appear after this
amount of charging, continue charging for
another 50 or 75 ampere-hours. If the
green dot still does not appear, replace
the battery.
The time required for a charge will vary due to the
following conditions:
• Size of Battery. For example, a com-
pletely discharged large heavy-duty
battery requires more than twice the
recharging as a completely discharged
small passenger car battery.
• Temperature. For example, a longer time
will be needed to charge any battery at 0
°F than at 80 °F. When a fast charger is
connected to a cold battery, the current
accepted by the battery will be very low at
first, then in time the battery will accept a
higher rate as the battery warms.
• State-of-Charge. A completely dis-
charged battery requires more than twice
as much charge as a one-half-charged
battery. Because the electrolyte is nearly
pure water and a poor conductor in a
completely discharged battery, the current
accepted is very low at first. Later, as the
charging current causes the electrolyte
acid content to increase, the charging
current will likewise increase.
• Charger Capacity. A charger which can
supply only 5 amperes will require a much
longer period of charging than a charger
that can supply 30 amperes or more.