Romco e-Catalogue 2019

57 Battery Care & Maintenance AGM Battery Care & Maintenance / TCL Technology • New batteries shall be given a full charge before use. Battery cables shall be intact, and the connectors kept tight at all times. • Dustbane recommends using 60% to 80% of power before recharging is carried out. Discharging of less than 50% and not recharging to 100% will result in stress on the battery and a reduced battery life. • TCL technology is now available on new chargers. This “Topping-Up Charge Limiter” technology limits the topping-up charges, making it possible to double the expected battery life. By not allowing the charging of the batteries until more than 50% of the available charge is used, it reduces the chances of “short charging” batteries. • A cycle is intended in a nearly total discharge of the battery plus its total re-charges once again. The declared cycles of a battery equal the declaration of its life; for example 100 cycles corresponds to 100 discharges and relative recharges. Unlike the “material handling” field, in which traction batteries are developed for an average use of at least 5 hours, the young professional cleaning machine field has an average use of less than 2 hours. • The international norms in force make battery manufacturers declare the number of cycles connected to a discharge in 5 hours. The “Cleaning”machinery market cannot (if not for a limited number of larger machinery requirements) recognize such discharge rate, as the machines are used on average for 2 hours. At this point, the cycles of a battery become much more important, as they are a lot less than what is declared, respecting the international norms in force. • Also, the way the battery is used has an important impact on its life scale. Obtaining the best out of a battery cycle means two things; discharge the battery nearly to its minimum, and then re-charge it once again to its total initial charge. A disorderly discharge and charge can not only reduce consistently the life of the battery, but also make the battery lose its total charge during its lifetime. • Battery chargers shall be matched to fully charge batteries in an eight-hour period and the charge cycle must be allowed to continue until finished. • Avoid charging at temperatures above 120ºF or ambient, whichever is higher. • Never put a new battery in a pack which has 50 or more cycles. Either replace with all new or use a good used battery(s). All batteries gradually lose their charge when stored over long periods of time. However, AGM batteries lose their charge much more slowly than lead-acid. This helps to prevent the batteries from becoming deeply discharged during storage, but it won’t completely protect them from damage. Depending on storage temperature and the state of charge when put into storage, batteries can usually sit for 8 to 12 months and start most equipment. When possible, store your battery in a cool, dry location. Check the voltage every six months and charge if it falls below 12.4 volts. Even when your floor equipment is turned off, there still may be a drain on the battery. Over time, these will drain a battery to voltages too low to start the equipment. It could even continue to drain to the point of damaging the battery. You can considerably extend the life of the battery and avoid permanent damage by following these simple storage tips below.