MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ::: The maintenance schedule given here is divided in daily, weekly, monthly and yearly maintenance. The actions to be taken, checks and recording required are given herewith.
A.DAILY MAINTENANCE
1. A daily general maintenance should include a check and record of the following :
2. Overall float voltage measured at the battery terminals
3.Charger output current and voltage
4.Specific gravity, voltage and temperature of pilot cells.
B.WEEKLY MAINTENANCE
A weekly maintenance should include all the items mentioned in "daily maintenance" and the following :
1. Check electrolyte level of all cells and if required, top-up with battery grade water conforming to IS 1069. Never use metal vessels for topping up because of the risk of electrolyte continuation and accidental short circuit.
2. Visually check the conditions of each cell and battery bank. If abnormal or very high amount of sulphation on the terminals or connectors are observed, take immediate action in removing them.
3.Visually check the cleanliness of battery, battery stands and battery room area for accessibility, cell integrity and acid leakage.
C.MONTHLY MAINTENANCE
1. A monthly maintenance shall include all checks listed under "daily" and "weekly" maintenance schedule and also the following:
2.Check and record specific gravity, voltage and temperature of all cells in the battery bank.
3.Adjustment of specific gravity by addition of battery grade water is to be done only after charging and under skilled supervision (Never use acid for this purpose unless specifically suggested by manufacturer). After adjustment of specific gravity, charge the battery at a voltage around 2.4 volts per cell for a period of 2 hours for mixing of the electrolyte properly.
D.QUARTERLY MAINTENANCE
A quarterly maintenance shall include all checks listed under "daily","weekly" and "monthly" maintenance schedule and also the following :
1. Check and record specific gravity, voltage and temperature of all cells in the battery bank.
2.If the specific gravity of most of the cells are found to be lagging by an average of 10 to 15 points, the battery bank would call for an equalizing charge at a current equivalent to 3% - 5% of its rated value for 6-10 hours to restore the state of charge to full..
3.The temperature of the electrolyte normally is higher than the ambient. But for a bank, unless it has undergone a discharge within previous 24 hours, the electrolyte temperature should lie within 3
5 deg. C higher than the corresponding ambient temperature. In case of a deviation from this range, the charger needs to be checked for its quality of power output in terms of the ripple contents in the charging voltage and current. Corrective action should be immediately taken to avoid any deterioration in the battery bank due to this anomaly
E.HALF YEARLY MAINTENANCE
A half yearly maintenance shall include all checks listed under "daily", "weekly", "monthly" and "quarterly"
maintenance schedule and also the following :
1.Remove all corrosion product and clean connector thoroughly. Use enough amount of petroleum jelly on the connectors to prevent farther corrosion and put back shrouds in place.
2. Check the tightness of fasteners on inter-cell, inter-row and inter-tier connections to prescribed torque values as suggested by manufacturer. If required, tighten the connections to the required torque value .
F.YEARLY MAINTENANCE
A yearly maintenance should include all items listed under "daily", "weekly" and "monthly" maintenance schedule and also the following : Discharge the battery at C10 current for 10 hours followed by a constant current recharge.
The charging to start at the "starting rate" as mentioned in the product catalogue for the respective size till the cell voltage
reached 2.36 volts per cell followed by charging at "finishing rate" pertaining to the specific size of the battery as mentioned in manufacturer's catalogue. The charging to be stopped when the cell voltage and specific gravity readings are constant for four consecutive half hourly readings. The expected end-of-charge voltage is of the order of 2.7 2.75 volts per cell.
During charging it has to be ensured that a minimum Ah input of 125% of the previous discharged Ah is administered to the battery.
The temperature during charging should not increase beyond 450 C. In such cases, the charging to be stopped and the cells to be allowed to cool down till 400 C when the charging can be resumed. The timings are to be noted so that the duration of charge can be compensated accordingly to ensure that the minimum Ah input requirement is fulfilled. After the charging is over, gravity and level adjustments are to be carried out after a rest of 4 hour.
The battery bank, then, is to be given an equalisation charge at a current equivalent to 3% - 5% of rated C10 capacity for 12-24 hrs. The battery bank can be given back to the system after the equalising charge is over
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