E-Z-GO TXT - Electric Owner Manual - Page 35

B OPERATION AND SERVICE INFORMATION Read all of manual to become familiar with this vehicle. Pay attention to all NOTICES, CAUTIONS, WARNINGS and DANGERS. within the plates. This condition is not reversible and will cause permanent damage to the battery. In order to prevent damage, the battery should be recharged. A hydrometer (P/N 50900-G1) can be used to determine the specific gravity and therefore the state of charge of a battery. In winter conditions, the battery must be fully charged to prevent the possibility of freezing. A fully charged battery will not freeze in temperatures above -75° F (-60° C). Although the chemical reaction is slowed in cold temperatures, the battery must be stored fully charged, and disconnected from any circuit that could discharge the battery. For portable chargers, disconnect the charging plug from the vehicle receptacle. For on-board chargers, disconnect the charging harness from the batteries. The batteries must be cleaned and all deposits neutralized and removed from the battery case to prevent self discharge. The batteries should be tested or recharged at thirty day minimum intervals. E OF OC L E +15 -9 C T +5 -15 R -5 -21 O L -15 -26 Y T -25 -32 E -35 -37 T E -45 -43 M P -55 -48 E -65 -54 R A -75 -60 T U -85 -65 R E -95 -71 1.100 1.140 1.180 1.220 1.260 1.300 1.120 1.160 1.200 1.240 1.280 SPECIFIC GRAVITY ELECTROLYTE FREEZING POINT Fig. 20 Freezing Point of Electrolyte BATTERY CHARGING The battery charger is designed to fully charge the battery set. If the batteries are severely deep cycled, some automatic battery chargers contain an electronic module that may not activate and the battery charger will not function. Automatic chargers will determine the correct duration of charge to the battery set and will shut off when the battery set is fully charged. Always refer to the instructions of the specific charger used. Before charging, the following should be observed: B Do not overfill batteries. The charging cycle will expel electrolyte and result in component damage. • The electrolyte level in all cells must be at the recommended level and cover the plates. • The charging must take place in an area that is well ventilated and capable of removing the hydrogen gas that is generated by the charging process. A minimum of five air exchanges per hour is recommended. • The charging connector components must be in good condition and free from dirt or debris. • The charger connector must be fully inserted into the vehicle receptacle. • The charger connector/cord set is protected from damage and is located in an area to prevent injury that may result from personnel running over or tripping over the cord set. • The charger is automatically turned off during the connect/disconnect cycle and therefore no electrical arc is generated at the DC plug/receptacle contacts. NOTICE In some portable chargers, there will be a rattle present in the body of the charger DC plug. This rattle is caused by an internal magnet contained within the charger plug. The magnet is part of the interlock system that prevents the vehicle from being driven when the charger plug is inserted in the vehicle charging receptacle. TROUBLESHOOTING In general, troubleshooting will be done for two distinct reasons. First, a battery that performs poorly and is outside of the manufacturers specification should be identified in order to replace it under the terms of the manufacturer's warranty. Different manufacturers have different requirements. Consult the battery manufacturer or the manufacturer's representative for specific requirements. The second reason is to determine why a particular vehicle does not perform adequately. Performance problems may result in a vehicle that runs slowly or in a vehicle that is unable to operate for the time required. A new battery must mature before it will develop its maximum capacity. Maturing may take up to 100 charge/discharge cycles. After the maturing phase, the older a battery gets, the lower the capacity. The only way to determine the capacity of a battery is to perform a load test using a discharge machine following manufacturer's recommendations. Owner's Guide Page 19