Troy-Bilt 15009 - Manual (Page 17)

A
DANGER
BATTERIES PRODUCE
EXPLOSIVE GASES!
• Keep sparks, flame, and cigarettes away.
• Ventilate area when charging or using bat­
tery in an enclosed space.
• Make sure venting path of battery is al­
ways open once battery is filled with acid.
Adding electrolyte to the battery and charging
the battery can be dangerous. The sulfuric acid
in the electrolyte can severely burn you or blind
you. Also, a battery that is charging gives off
gases that could explode if a spark or flame
should contact the gases.
We strongly recommend that you take your
battery to a TROY-BILT tiller dealer, a reliable
service station, battery store, or farm equipment
store where a trained battery technician can
complete the job safely.
PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ACTI­
VATE THE BATTERY UNLESS YOU ARE
FULLY EXPERIENCED IN BATTERY SET­
UP AND CHARGING PROCEDURES.
To ensure proper activation of your battery, we
suggest you review the following activating and
charging instructions with your battery technician
and make sure that he follows the instructions.
To Activate the Battery:
1. Place the battery on a level area away from any
spark- or flame-producing sources such as a gas
stove, heater, electrical switch, pilot light, (etc.).
2. Remove and discard the short sealing tube (if
installed) on the battery side vent.
3. Remove the six filler caps that are on top of
the battery. Leave the caps off while activating
and charging the battery.
4. Carefully fill each of the six cells in the battery
with electrolyte (battery grade sulfuric acid that
has a specific gravity of 1.265) until the level
reaches the “UPPER LEVEL” line on the battery.
NOTE
• The battery and electrolyte should be between
60° and 80° F for best results.
• Do not add water or any other liquid to activate
the battery.
5. Allow the battery to stand for thirty minutes.
Then check the electrolyte level in each cell. If
needed, add more electrolyte to bring the elec­
trolyte level up to the “UPPER LEVEL” line on
the battery. Do not overfill the battery as this
could lead to flooding from the cells when the
battery is being charged.
6. Charge the battery by following the next set of
instructions.
To Charge the Battery
To obtain maximum battery life, charge the
battery by the following method until all cells are
gassing freely. A battery is gassing freely when
the surface of the electrolyte is covered with tiny
bubbles.
A
DANGER
When checking the battery for gassing, AL­
WAYS wear safety goggles and use a flash­
light to look down into the cells.
Failure to do so could result in serious per­
sonal injury.
Be sure to follow all instructions given by the
manufacturer of the battery charging equipment
that is being used to charge the battery.
1. Hook up the battery charger and charge the
battery approximately three to five hours at one
to two amperes. Turn the battery charger OFF.
2. If the electrolyte level has fallen after charging,
refill the battery with distilled water until the elec­
trolyte level reaches the “UPPER LEVEL” line on
the battery.
3. After charging, reinstall the six filler caps on
the battery.
4. Unplug the battery charger from the electrical
outlet (or turn the battery charger OFF). Then
disconnect the cables from the battery posts.
5. Wash any acid spillage off the battery with
water. Then dry the battery.
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