Saft Groupe SA

Ni-Cd Battery training

BATTERY
MAINTENANCE
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Maintenance

ꢀ Safety

ꢀ Maintenance frequency

ꢀ Procedures

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Safety

ꢀ Use insulated tools

ꢀ Electrolyte can cause severe burns

Always applied safety rules and used protection

ꢀ Never use matches or other open flame near batteries

ꢀ Never Smoke During maintenance or in the Battery room

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Maintenance frequency
ꢀTypical maintenance interval (Original Intervals were modified )

Operation every
Operations
3 6 12 36 to 60
months months months months
Check charger voltage X
Visual battery inspection X
Individual cell voltage checking X
Cleaning* X
Torque* X
Coating* X
Topping up** X
Electrical test** X X

* Interval according to actual site conditions

** Interval to be calculated for each battery type according to
operation conditions
Note : Electrical test includes a discharge every 6 Months and a capacity test
every 36 to 60 months
Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011
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Extended maintenance interval

• Depending on

ꢀ Battery type

ꢀ Site conditions

ꢀ Charging equipment

ꢀ Top up requirement

ꢀ Operating conditions

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Maintenance operations

Check Corrective actions

ꢀ Electrolyte levels ꢀ Top up if necessary

ꢀ Charging voltage and charger ꢀ Charger adjustments

conditions
ꢀ record if required

ꢀ Physical conditions ꢀ Clean and correct as required

ꢀ Cleanliness ꢀ Report any abnormalities
ꢀ Leaks
ꢀ Connectors and cables
ꢀ Racks

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Maintenance operations

Watch out for:

ꢀ Electrolyte level:
ꢀ High water consumption Connection and vent:
ꢀ No water consumption ꢀ Broken cables
ꢀ Loose terminals
ꢀ Charging conditions: ꢀ Vent cap damage
ꢀ High or low charging voltage
ꢀ Charger alarms Physical and site conditions:
ꢀ Rack problems
ꢀ Cleanliness:
ꢀ Dirty battery
ꢀ Salt accumulation
ꢀ Leaks and spillage
ꢀ Terminal corrosion

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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High water usage = over charging

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ for high charging ꢀ Adjust charging voltage,

ꢀ voltage if required

ꢀ for cells with low ꢀ Replace cell

ꢀ voltage or short circuit

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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No water usage = under charging

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ for low charging
ꢀ voltage ꢀ Adjust charging voltage,
if required
ꢀ charging current

ꢀ for open circuit ꢀ Re-established the

conditions contact

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Low water consumption of individual cells

= partial or total cell short circuits

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ Cell voltages on
ꢀ High rate charge to
charge
remove soft shorts
ꢀ for short circuits on
ꢀ Replace cells with hard
those cells
shorts

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Low individual cell voltage

= partial or total cell short circuits

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ for short circuits on ꢀ High rate charge to
those cells remove soft shorts

ꢀ Replace cells with hard

shorts

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Dirty battery = site conditions

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ Environment. ꢀ Cleanwith soft brush
Improve if possible or water (use only
ꢀ water)

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Salt accumulation = potassium carbonates

from electrolyte

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ for leaks around ꢀ Clean minor deposits
terminal and vent caps with water

ꢀ for overcharge ꢀ Avoid overfilling

ꢀ Repair or replace as
ꢀ for broken vent cap
appropriate

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Terminal corrosion

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ Inspect for corrosion ꢀ Clean with soft brush or
damage with damp cloth
ꢀ Apply corrosion
protection
ꢀ Replace if necessary

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Broken cables = mechanic impact, hot spots

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ conductors and lugs
ꢀ Replace if required
ꢀ insulation

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Loose terminals

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ that the spring washer ꢀ Retorque if necessary
is completely flat (see installation and
against the connector operating instruction
sheets for torque value)

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Vent caps

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ integrity of vent caps
ꢀ Wash to dissolve
ꢀno physical damage potassium
ꢀproper closing carbonates in water
ꢀno potassium ꢀ replace damaged
carbonates accumulation ꢀ vent caps

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Racks

ꢀCheck: ꢀCorrective actions:

ꢀ rails for physical ꢀ Replace badly corroded
integrity or damaged rack parts

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Charger alarm
ꢀCharger alarms such as ground
fault and charge fail may be an
indication of battery problems

ꢀGround fault may be caused by

electrolyte leaks or spillage (as
described)

ꢀCharge fail may be caused by an

open circuit

ꢀCheck all connections

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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Vented Ni-Cd Batteries; maintenance

Conclusion

ꢀ Simple

ꢀ Low cost

ꢀ Safe

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011

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ꢀ End of battery maintenance & troubleshooting

Saft presentation - Dubai Febrary 2011