
22
Check tightening and cleanliness of battery clamps
Check that the battery terminals and cable clamps are clean, well
tightened and protected by Vaseline.
In the event of dirty cable clamps and battery terminals:
Loosen the nut and remove the clamp from the negative terminal
(marked with a "-").
Loosen the nut and remove the clamp from the positive terminal
(marked with a "+").
Use a wire brush or fine grade sand paper to clean the cable clamps
and the battery terminals until they are shiny.
Smear the cable clamps with Vaseline and insert them onto the
battery terminals making sure that the positive pole is connected
first, followed by the negative pole, and then tighten each clamp.
Check the cables and clamps for signs of wear and corrosion; replace
them if in poor condition.
Visually check the condition of the battery: the terminals must not
show signs of deterioration and the body must not be damaged,
otherwise they should be replaced.
Check electrolyte level of the batteries
The batteries used are of reduced maintenance type. Therefore, under
normal conditions of use, no top up of the electrolyte is required.
However, the routine checking of the electrolyte level is
recommended. Proceed after positioning the batteries on a horizontal
surface.
Visually check that the electrolyte level is between the "Min" and
"Max" reference marks on the batteries; in the absence of any
reference marks, make sure the liquid covers the lead plates
contained in the elements by approx. 5 mm.
Only use distilled water to top up the elements whose level is
below the minimum.
If the battery must be recharged, contact a specialised workshop.
Wear protective glasses and gloves.
A specialised workshop should be contacted if all the
battery elements need topping up with a considerable
quantity of distilled water and the diagnostics of the
battery recharging system's efficiency should be
performed.
The batteries contain sulphuric acid which is highly
caustic and corrosive; during the top up operations
protective glasses and gloves must be worn, as well as
an apron to protect clothing. If possible, have this check
performed by qualified personnel.