Battery Safety

Yakia Motorcycle Battery Danger of exploding batteries: Batteries contain sulfuric acid and produce explosive mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen. Because self- discharge action generates hydrogen gas even when the battery is not in operation, make sure the batteries are stored and worked on in a well ventilated area. ALWAYS wear safety glasses and a face shield when working on or near batteries. When working with batteries:

Always wear proper eye, face, and hand protection.
Keep all sparks, flames, and cigarettes away from battery.
Do not remove or damage vent caps.
Make sure work area is very well ventilated.
Never lean over battery while boosting, testing or charging.

Safe Battery Installation: To assure safe installation and proper operation, follow these installation procedures. Disconnect ground cable first (this is usually the negative cable, however older vehicles may have a positive ground) Remove battery- note position of positive (+) and negative (-) terminals. Mark the cables for correct connection to replacement battery. Clean terminals and cable connections with a wire brush. Broken connections and frayed or cut cables should be replaced. Install the replacement battery in the same position as the old one. Secure the battery with the hold down assembly. Make sure the terminals do not touch any metal mounting, engine or body parts. Connect cables tightly. Connect ground cable last to avoid sparks.

Safe Charging: Before beginning the charging operation, read the instructions that come with the charger. Never attempt to charge a battery without first reviewing the instructions for the charger being used. In addition to the charger manufacturers instructions, these general precautions should be followed:

Always charge batteries in a well-ventilated area and wear proper eye protection.
Turn the charger and timer ?OFF? before connecting the leads to the battery to avoid dangerous sparks.
Never try to charge a visibly damaged or frozen battery.
Connect the charger leads to the battery; red positive (+) lead to the positive (+) terminal and black negative (-) lead to the negative (-) terminal. If the battery is still in the vehicle, connect the negative lead to the engine block to serve as a ground. ( If the vehicle is positive grounded, connect the positive lead to the engine block).
Make sure that the leads to the connections are tight.
Set the timer, turn the charger on, and slowly increase the charging rate until the desired ampere value is reached.
If the battery becomes home or if violent gassing or spewing of electrolyte occurs, reduce the charging rate or temporarily discontinue the charge.
Always turn the changer ?OFF? before removing charger leads from the battery to avoid dangerous sparks.

Deep Cycle Charging: Recharge immediately after each use. ; If possible, on standard lead acid batteries; frequently check the electrolyte levels before charging the battery. (some batteries are sealed) Never allow the electrolyte to drop below the tops of the plates because the exposed portion of the plates may become permanently inactive due to the sulfation. This will reduce battery life. Use caution when filing a battery with water. Overfilling a discharged battery can easily result in an overflow of electrolyte from the cells when the battery is places on charge. Add water, if necessary, to bring the electrolyte levels 1/8? below the bottom of the level indicator after charging. Use a battery charger that?s matched to your battery size. Do not overcharge. Overcharging causes grid corrosion. Always slow charge a deep cycle battery. Never fast charge or boost charge it. Normally, a 10-12 hour charge with the right charger at the right ampere rate will bring a battery from deep discharge to full charge. In the off-season, use a battery maintainer to keep the battery?s energy level fresh to ensure a fast start to the boating season.

Off Season Marine Tips: Before storing a traditional lead acid battery for an extended amount of time, like over winter, make sure its fully charged and clean. Always disconnect the terminals. Store batteries in a cool, dry place. The colder the storage area, the slower the rate of discharge. Boost charge batteries every 3 months. A stored battery can sit for 3 months before a re-charge is needed. CAUTION: New cycling batteries do not have their full capacity until they have been cycled several times (usually between 5 and 150 cycles) Therefore, they can be excessively discharged early in the lifestyle, shortening the service life. It is recommended to limit the operation with new batteries to well below their range for at least the first 5 cycles and then gradually increase the range.

Battery Cleaning: Regularly clean the battery container and terminals. Make sure vent caps are tight to prevent water or baking soda from entering cells. Apply baking soda to any corrosion and rise cover with water.

Safe Booster Cable Operation: When jump starting a vehicle, always wear proper eye protection and never lean over battery. Inspect both batteries before connecting booster cables. Do not jump-start a damaged battery. Be sure vent caps are tight and level. Make certain that the vehicles are not touching and both ignition switches are turned in the "OFF" position. Refer to the vehicle owners manual for other specific information.
Steps:
1) Connect positive (+) booster cable to positive (+) terminal of discharged battery.
2) Connect the other end of positive (+) cable to positive (+) terminal of assisting battery.
3) Connect negative (-) cable to negative (-) terminal of assisting battery.
4) Make final connection of negative (-) cable to engine block of stalled vehicle, away from battery.
5) Start vehicle and remove cables in reverse order of connection.