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Engine News
1989/04/01
Media Number -SEBD9146-00 Publication Date -01/04/1989 Date Updated -01/04/1989

Preventive Maintenance For Batteries

The battery is often overlooked in many preventive maintenance programs. This is unfortunate
because, with a little care, battery life can be substantially extended. Caterpillar® suggests some
relatively simple steps to ensure greater reliability and longer battery life.

The most important is to make sure electrolyte levels are checked at appropriate intervals.
Standard, or conventional, batteries should be checked every 100 hours. Electrolyte levels should
be checked in low maintenance batteries at each 250-hour interval. No acid level check is required
or can be performed on the maintenance-free design.

If the electrolyte level is low, add only distilled water to keep possible contaminants out of the
battery. While checking the electrolyte, make a few other visual inspections:

1. Is there any indication of damage or corrosion on the battery terminals, the battery box or
wiring? If so, clean or replace the necessary components. Cleaning can best be done with a
solution of baking soda and water (1 1/2 cups baking soda per gallon of water). Visual
inspection could also alert you to the possibility of a cracked battery which could only be
identified by corrosion in the battery tray.
2. Are the hold-downs tightened correctly? Vibration will destroy a battery faster than
anything else.
3. Is there debris under the battery? This must be removed when hold-downs are tightened
as this can cause holes to be worn in the case and result in loss of electrolyte.
4. Are all vent caps correctly in place? Loss of vent caps can pose a potential hazard and
permit contamination of the battery.
5. Are the alternator belts tight? If not, the battery will not charge correctly and poor
performance will result.
6. What is the alternator output voltage? Use a voltmeter to check it. This will identify both
low charging voltages due to loose fan belt and also high charging voltages which can
damage a battery. Alternator charging voltage should be 13.5 to 14.5 volts for a 12 volt
system and 27.0 to 29.0 for a 24 volt system.

While the maintenance-free batteries do not require electrolyte checks, do steps 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6
every 1,000 hours for maximum battery life.

Another important factor in prolonging battery life is proper storage. Batteries are perishable items
and can lose efficiency when not in use. Batteries discharge faster in high temperatures so they
should be stored in the coolest place possible. Small, constant electrical current loads like
brushless alternators, electronics, clocks, etc., can run a battery down when not in use. If a
machine will not be used for 30 days or more, open the disconnect switch or remove the ground
(negative) cable from the battery.

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Media Search - SEBD9146 - 1989/04/01 Page 2 of 2

The next step is to check the batteries' state of charge. This is called checking the open-circuit
voltage. Use a digital volt meter such as 6V7070 Multimeter. An analog meter (moving needle
type) is not accurate enough for battery use. Set the voltmeter on the 20-volt DC state and touch
the probes to the battery terminals with the engine off. A reading of 12.40 or more (for a 12 volt
battery) means the battery is charged sufficiently. Any reading less than 12.40 means the battery
needs charging.

If the battery has been recently charged, the surface charge must be removed before making this
test. To remove the surface charge, crank the engine for about 5 seconds with the fuel shut off, or
turn on the headlights for about one minute. The open circuit voltage can then be accurately
checked.

If the battery is below 12.40 open circuit voltage, then it should be charged. The slow charge
method for charging a battery will provide the best results. The battery should be charged at the
manufacturer's recommended rate or 3% of the Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) rating. For example,
Caterpillar's 8D battery is rated at 1250 CCA, thus the charge rate should be approximately 37
amps.

The charging voltage should never exceed 16 volts. Too much voltage will cause serious damage
to the battery. Charge time could be as little as a few hours for a battery near 12.40 open-circuit
voltage to approximately 8 hours for a fully discharged battery.

For more complete information on charging a battery, see either Special Instruction, SEHS9014,
"Battery Charging Rate/Time Tables", or SEHS7633 "Battery Test Procedure".

To assure the battery will function correctly, it should be load-tested. To do this, see Special
Instruction SEHS7633 "Battery Test Procedure".

Preventive maintenance and appropriate checking and charging can increase battery life. There are
two most significant problems with batteries brought in for service: they have been discharged or
they have been subjected to abuse (for example: lack of water, loose hold-downs, etc.). Regular
preventive maintenance can reduce the possibility of throwing away a good battery. You can
obtain more information on batteries and assistance in battery testing from any Caterpillar dealer.

Copyright 1993 - 2012 Caterpillar Inc. Thu N ov 29 12:50:33 U TC+ 0330 2012
AllRights Reserved.
Private N etw ork For SIS Licensees.

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