Charging Battery

Information 

• A battery charger is required. 
• Read operating instructions for the charger. 
• The battery must have a minimum temperature of 0 °C. 
• If possible, do not rapid-charge batteries as this can damage them. 
• If exhaustively discharged batteries are charged quickly, they will not take up a charge current or they will be identified too early as full due to the so-called "surface charge". 

1. Switch off battery charging device.
2. Switch off ignition and remove ignition key.
3. First disconnect the ground strap of the battery, then the positive battery line.
4. Connect positive line of the battery charging device to the positive terminal of the battery.
5. Connect negative line of the battery charging device to the negative terminal of the battery.
6. Set the charge current on the battery charging device according to the battery capacity.
7. Switch on battery charging device.

   Procedure for charging totally discharged batteries: 

   Batteries which are not in operation for a long period of time discharge.

   A battery is totally discharged if the open-circuit voltage has sunk below 11.6 V.

   In totally discharged batteries, the battery acid (sulphuric acid and water mixture) consists of virtually only water, as the sulphuric acid proportion is considerably reduced.

   Totally discharged batteries sulphatise, i.e. the entire plate surfaces of the batteries harden.

   If totally discharged batteries are immediately recharged after an exhaustive discharge, the sulphatisation recedes again.

   If these batteries are not recharged, the plates continue to harden and charge take-up ability is limited. A reduction in the battery performance is the result.

   Totally discharged batteries must be charged with a low charge current as follows:

   • Set charge current at maximum 10% of battery capacity, i.e. with a 80 Ah battery the charge current is maximum 8 A.
8. Charge battery.