Battery Description and Operation
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Warning:
Batteries produce explosive gases, contain
corrosive acid, and supply levels of electrical current high enough
to cause burns. Therefore, to reduce the risk of personal injury
when working near a battery:
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Always shield your eyes and avoid leaning
over the battery whenever possible. |
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Do not expose the battery to open flames or
sparks. |
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Do not allow the battery electrolyte to
contact the eyes or the skin. Flush immediately and thoroughly any
contacted areas with water and get medical help. |
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Follow each step of the jump starting
procedure in order. |
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Treat both the booster and the discharged
batteries carefully when using the jumper cables. |
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Note: Because of the
materials used in the manufacture of automotive lead acid
batteries, dealers and service shops that handle them are subject
to various regulations issued by OSHA, EPA, DOT, and various state
or local agencies. Other regulations may also apply in other
locations. Always know and follow these regulations when handling
batteries.
Batteries that are no longer wanted must be disposed of by an
approved battery recycler and must never be thrown in the trash or
sent to a landfill.
Batteries that are not part of the vehicle itself, not the
battery under the hood, must only be transported on public streets
for business purposes via approved hazardous material
transportation procedures.
Battery storage, charging and testing facilities in repair shops
must meet various requirements for ventilation, safety equipment,
material segregation, etc.
The maintenance free battery is standard. There are no vent
plugs in the cover. The battery is completely sealed except for 2
small vent holes in the side. These vent holes allow the small
amount of gas that is produced in the battery to escape.
The battery has 3 functions as a major source of energy:
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Alternate source of energy
with generator overload |
Battery Low Start Vehicle Message
The body control module (BCM) monitors battery positive voltage
to determine battery state of charge. If one or more of the BCM
battery positive voltage terminals measure less than approximately
11.6V compared to the BCM ground circuits, this message will
display and four chimes may sound. Start the vehicle immediately.
If the vehicle is not started and the battery continues to
discharge, the climate controls, heated seats, and audio systems
will shut off and the vehicle may require a jump start. These
systems will function again after the vehicle is started.
Battery Ratings
A battery has 2 ratings:
When a battery is replaced use a battery with similar ratings.
See battery specification label on the original battery.
Amperage Hours
The amperage hour rating tells you how much amperage is
available when discharged evenly over a 20 hour period. The
amperage hour rating is cumulative, so in order to know how many
constant amperage the battery will output for 20 h, you have to
divide the amperage hour rating by 20. Example: If a battery has an
amperage hour rating of 74, dividing by 20 = 3.75. Such a battery
can carry a 3.75 A load for 20 hours before dropping to 10.5 V.
(10.5 V is the fully discharged level, at which point the battery
needs to be recharged.) A battery with an amperage hour rating of
55 will carry a 2.75 A load for 20 hours before dropping to 10.5
V.
Cold Cranking Amperage
The cold cranking amperage is an indication of the ability of
the battery to crank the engine at cold temperatures. The cold
cranking amperage rating is the minimum amperage the battery must
maintain for 30 seconds at -18°C (0°F) while maintaining at
least 7.2 V. See battery label for the cold cranking amperage
rating of this battery.
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