Introduction and Maintenance of Genset Start-up Battery

10.1 Principle of battery

10.1.1 General description: battery is the combination of many battery individuals, including a lot of sheet metals and electrolyte solution. The electric energy is generated by the chemical reaction in battery. The chemical reaction is reversible. Therefore, it indicates the battery can be charged and discharged repeatedly.

10.1.2 Electrolyte solution: these conductive liquids can be called as electrolyte liquid. In an aluminic acid battery, it is the diluted sulfuric acid solution. It makes the sheet metals generate chemical reactions and become conductive media.

10.1.3 Proportion: proportion is the unit of measurement, used to decide the concentration of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte solution. It compares the weight of electrolyte solution to that of the water.

When the battery discharges, the chemical reaction shall reduce the proportion of sulphurous acid in the electrolyte solution. Therefore, this measurement can be seen as the guidance for charging battery.

10.1.4 Aerometer:  it can be directly used to measure the proportion. This device is a spherical pipette, which is used to pump out the electrolyte solution from the battery drum to mark the proportion in the graduated scale of the glass buoy in the column of the aerometer. Don’t measure the proportion of battery after adding the water into it. The battery should be charged to make water mix with the sedimentary sulfuric acid. The proportion measured in this way is reliable. More, if the value of battery is measured after it is controlled by the starting machine for a long time, its value will also be higher than its actual value. The water formed by the electrical machine during the process of fast discharging will have mixture of electrolyte solution in terms of time and electrical machine.

10.1.5 High or low temperature: a fully charged batter with proportion of 1.240 shall be used in the tropical climate (often higher than 32℃). The electrolyte solution with this medium intensity prolongs the service life of battery. If the battery is used in the low temperature environment, it will have sufficient power to supply for start-up for the concentration of sulfuric acid solution is low. But under this circumstance, it will not appear in the tropical climate. The stronger electrolyte solution shall be used for the battery used in the gelid climate. Under certain circumstances, if the proportion of 1.290-1.300 is adopted and when the proportion increases, the capacity for cold start will also be increased.

10.1.6 Temperature calibration: the scale of the aerometer is calibrated at 25℃. The proportion of the electrolyte solution is calibrated as the temperature is higher or lower than the aforementioned reference temperature. The reading increases by 0.004 when the temperature rises 5.5℃ as the reading decreases by 0.004 when the temperature falls by 5.5℃.

10.2 Maintenance of Battery

In case of maintenance and repair, the operator shall wear acid proof apron, mask as well as protective glasses. Once the electrolyte solution sprinkles on the clothes and skin, it should be cleansed with a lot of clean water promptly.

10.2.1 Infuse electrolyte solution: the battery is dry during transportation. Therefore, it needs to add the correctly proportionally mixed electrolyte solution. Infuse it into each battery until the solution is higher than the top edge of the spitted sheet metal after removing the plug. It is necessary to have the battery stayed for 15 minutes. Check and adjust the water level if necessary.

10.2.2 Charging for the first time: the battery should be charged for 4 hours within 1 hour after the electrolyte solution is infused. It shall be performed according to the following currents, the electrolyte solution in the battery is fully mixed. Provided that the charging time is not sufficient, the capacity of battery will be damaged. As for the E017 battery, charging current is 9AMPS; As for E312, the charging current is 14AMPS; As for E324, the charging current is 20AMPS. If the charging time is longer than 4 hours, it will prolong in such following ways: if the battery is stored for more than 3 months, or the temperature exceeds 30℃ or higher than 80% of 8 charging hours; if the batter is stored for more than 1 year, 12 hours shall be used for charging.

If the current output of charger is not sufficient, then, the low current can be used. But it can not be lower than 1/3 of the aforementioned currents and time is prolonged according proportion (8-hour 7AMPS instead of 4-hour 14AMPS).

At the end of the charging time, it is necessary to check the water level of the electrolyte solution. The correct proportional sulphurous acid electrolyte solution can be added if necessary. The exhaust plug shall be placed back to the original position.

10.2.3: Liquid addition: normal operation and charging will cause some water evaporates, thus it is required to add the liquid to the batter from time to time. Firstly, the battery shall be cleansed to prevent the sewage from falling into, and then remove the exhaust plug. Firstly add distilled water, and then put it back to the exhaust plug until it is higher the edge of the partition of the sheet metal by 8MM (5/16).

10.3 Charging battery

Make sure the battery is charged in the environment with good ventilation and there should be no sparkle and open fire.

Don’t charge the battery in the environment, in which the wind and rain can be withstood. Don’t charge the battery nearby water.

Do remember disconnecting the charger before dismantling the joint.

The static (electric supply) charger can be used to charge the battery. Then it is necessary to disconnect the battery from the generator set and use another charger to charge it.

10.3.1 Charger and battery connection: the charger shall be connected to an appropriate electric supply and connected with the joint in the following ways: joint wiring:

Live line 76 wires

Neutral line N1 wire

Earth wire green/yellow wire

The battery shall be connected according to the following methods:

Battery connection methods:

Positive (+) terminal  red wire

Negative (-) terminal black wire

Battery and charger can be connected respectively according to the following wiring.

10.3.2 Operation of charger: the aforementioned electric supplies are connected to the charger while the charger is connected to the aforementioned electric supplies. The charging procedures are described as below. The filtering cap of the electrolyte solution or exhaust cover is disclosed during the process of charging. Check the water level of the electrolyte solution. It is necessary to be adjusted with the distilled water.

Open charge to observe the normal charging rate, the charging rate is decided by the battery capacity. More, considerations also should be given to the new and old situation of the battery and the current charging level. After the charging begins, the charging current will be reduced, and it will be reduced continually as the current voltage increases.

The battery should not be charged too much, otherwise, the battery will be destroyed. High temperature will also destroy the battery. Be careful during the charging process, especially in the hot climate environment, the temperature of battery should not be higher than 45℃.

10.4 List of Elimination of Battery Charging Errors and Faults

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