Safety Instructions For Lead-Acid Batteries - Westfalia 82 05 93 Bedienungsanleitung

Safety Instructions for Lead-Acid Batteries

Do not charge other batteries than 12 V lead-acid batteries.
Do not charge old, damaged, deeply drained or otherwise defective lead-
acid batteries.
During normal operation lead-acid batteries might generate explosive
gases. Explosive gas can be ignited by a cigarette or an open flame and
can damage the battery. Thereby acid will splash out and causes serve
chemical burns.
While charging, explosive and flammable substances such as fuel or
solvents should not be kept near the foot powered generator.
Always wear safety goggles when operating the foot powered generator in
the vicinity of lead-acid batteries and avoid skin and cloth contact with
battery acid. Wear safety gloves and protective clothing.
Do not smoke in the vicinity of lead-acid batteries. Avoid open flames.
Ensure sufficient ventilation! Discharged lead-acid batteries freeze at
extremely low temperatures! Never charge a frozen lead-acid battery!
The efficiency of a lead-acid battery decreases with dropping temperatures.
A fully charged battery has a capacity of 40% at an ambient temperature of
-18 °C. Most batteries will be damaged when over charging.
All batteries loose their charge after some time if the temperature
increases. Self-discharging of maintenance-free batteries is lower than
discharging of common lead-acid batteries. Preferably store batteries in
cool temperatures to keep self-discharging to a minimum.
A battery that has been stored uncharged for long period of time will
"sulphurize" very easily and looses its capacity because sulphur will deposit
on the plates. A fully charged and fault-free battery has a no-load voltage of
12.7 V or more. A defective or discharged battery has a no-load voltage of
10.5 V or less.
Ensure the area around the battery is well ventilated before and during the
charging process. If this is not possible, it might be necessary to take out
the battery from the vehicle for charging. Always turn off all accessories in
the vehicle and remove earth cable from the frame.
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