— uSFOEDIOEND SONG s006716___TNED PACKING SLIP. ‘CASE DIMENSIONS NNW Tem ITY | No. OF hve. Fiesens | wort | eso scien nak ww) Be | Sises a a BLOCK CONNECTOR wo] a fost xaowx2r) 5 [connector CovER (500t x 30W) No} 20 [cL 2No ExrRA) 6 ICONNECTOR COVER END CAPS No} 8 7 fio INSULATED SOCKET SPANNER No} 4 mTH HANDLE. 8 /ENT CAPS (BIG) No} 4 9 /ENT CAP LOCKING TOOL (BIG) No} 2 10 lMioxi61 ss HEX. BOLTS No} 8 a }vi0 BELLEVILLE WASHERS No} 8 2 PLASTIC FILLING BOTTLE No} 2 B IHYOROMETER & THERMOMETER (IG) sa} 2 4 sGLES No} 8 FUNNEL (216) No] 4 16 bar No} 1 7 jruaser cLoves Pai} 18 >RONPVC) No} 19 )vt0 CELL LIFTING PULLER (Ext. Threads) No} 2 20 JUSER’S MANUAL No] 4 a JPeTROLEUW JELLY gms | 200 2 Jpp SHEET (200m Mos} 6 fix onthe rack.beneath the els)1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 4.0 STORAGE 5.0 INSTALLATION 6.0 CHARGING 7.0 MAINTENANCE 9.0 DO'S AND DO NOT'S 11.0 WARRANTY TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.0 RECEIVING THE SHIPMENT 8.0 ELECTROLYTE REPLACEMENT 10.0 DM/DI WATER SPECIFICATION 12.0 ENVIRONMENT,SAFETY & HEALTH 12 15 24 26 28 28 29 Operation and Maintenance Manual1,0 INTRODUCTION We thank you for purchasing our reliable and long life ultra-low maintenance nickel cad- mium battery. Please read and follow the instructions given in this manual to obtain the best performance and life from your battery. Inspect the battery at regular intervals and use the service log sheet provided at the end of the manual for maintaining the records. Contact Customer Service, for any additional help and guidance that you may require. 1.1 ELECTRO CHEMISTRY The basic principle of the rechargeable battery is the conversion of electrical energy into chemical energy and vice versa. The storage battery consists of a number of individual cells connected in series to produce the required voltage. Each cell consists of positive plates (containing nickel hydroxide as the active constituent) and negative plates (containing cadmium hydroxide) immersed in a solution of potassium hydroxide in DM/ DI water with lithium hydroxide as an additive. The simplified overall reversible electrochemical reaction given below produces a nominal discharge voltage of 1.2 volts per cell: Charge 2.Ni(OH)2 + Cd(OH)2 2 2.NIOOH + Cd + 2420 Discharge When the cell is charged, the active materials initially present as hydroxides are changed. The cadmium hydroxide is reduced to cadmium and nickel hydroxide attains a higher de- gree of oxidation. On discharge, the process is reversed and the active materials revert to their original state. The potassium hydroxide electrolyte doesn’t take part in these reactions and acts only as a carrier of ions. The lithium hydroxide additive in the electrolyte significantly increases the life of the cell since it has a beneficial effect on the positive electrodes. This beneficial effect is more pronounced at higher operational temperatures. 1.2 CONSTRUCTION The first still the most reliable electrode design for nickel cadmium batteries is the pocket plate. The active material in each electrode is encapsulated in pockets of double perfo- rated, nickel-plated steel strips. Several pockets are mechanically joined together and cut in suitable lengths to form plate pieces. U-section steel strips seal both cut edges of the plate pieces. The nickel-plated steel tab is joined to the plate piece and the U-section steel strips by spot welding. The plate assembly is compressed together to establish good contact between the active material; double perforated steel strips and U-section steel strips. The U-section steel strips and tab are the Current collectors of the plate. Operation and Maintenance Manual 313 Several plates of the same polarity are either bolted to the terminal post or welded to the terminal post. Negative and positive plate groups are interleaved so that plates of opposite polarities are alternated. Insulating each plate from the next by either a combination of insulating rods and edge insulation or grid insulation insulates the plate groups from one another. The plate block is firmly strapped together using a suitable number of polypropylene straps. The cell container is of translucent polypropylene material. Matching cell lids are made of the same material as that of the cell container. Mirror welding is employed for thermally fusing the mating surfaces of polypropylene cell containers and lids. The choice of material depends on the application and operating conditions. The polypropylene containers are completely free from corrosion in wet and saline conditions. The assembly is compact and easy, and the polypropyl- ene has high impact resistance. Polypropylene cells are assembled on steel racks with step arrangement in order to permit visual electrolyte level maintenance checks. Alternatively, polypropylene cells are mounted in stainless steel crates, each holding a suitable number of cells to suit the space constrained battery boxes as in the case of mobile applications. PRINCIPLE OF OXYGEN RECOMBINATION Water decomposition reactions of Nickel! Cadmium battery At negative plate 2H20+2e° —® H2+20H (Hydrogen evolution) At the positive plate 20H =» %02+H20+2e (Oxygen evolution) ‘Theoretically, the quantity of water loss is 0.335 cc for one Ah of overcharge. Hence a conventional cell requires frequent water topping to maintain the electrolyte level. The frequency of the water topping up depends on the charge received by the battery and operating temperature. During charg- ing process, evolution of oxygen begins just before the positive plate is fully charged and then be- ‘comes the main reaction when the fully charged condition is reached. The cadmium negative plate has a better charge acceptance than the positive plate. Hydrogen is not evolved until the plate is vir- tually fully charged. This battery has been designed with an excess of Cadmium active material to enhance this effect and ensure that oxygen commences prior to the hydrogen evolution. ‘The oxygen, which is produced at the positive plate surface, is collected by the special porous sepa- rator and thus not allowed to escape from the region between the plates. Some displacement of electrolyte within the separator occurs, thus generating extra-unfilled pores for the diffusion of Oxy- gen directly to the adjacent cadmium negative plate, Operation and Maintenance Manual 4‘When Oxygen reaches the negative plate, it reaches either chemically 2Cd+0;+2H,0 ——» 2Cd (OH), .. Reaction 1 OR Electrochemically O; + 2H,0 + 4e° —» 4 (OH) .- Reaction 2 Reaction 1 has the effect of chemically discharging some of the cadmium to cadmium hydroxide, The current passing through the battery is used to recharge this material. Reaction 2 consumes the current directly. Thus the hydrogen evolution at the negative plate is suppressed because the preferred reaction is recombination. The total process of oxygen genera- tion and consumption is referred to as an oxygen recombination cycle. The recombination efficiency is dependent upon the oxygen produced and the rate which is col- lected and transferred to negative plate surface. This process is controlled by separator and battery design. The rate of oxygen produced is proportional to the overcharging current. By con- trolling the charging potential, the rate of water loss can be reduced. These cells will have the internal oxygen cycle efficiency 85-95% at the low float voltages. 100% recombination efficiency cannot be achieved. Some quantity of oxygen will escape from the sepa- rator before reaching and reacting with negative electrode. The battery design allows more reserve electrolyte. This will ensure a long maintenance free life for the battery system. The battery is fitted with a low-pressure vent on each cell. On overcharge the cell have an internal pressure above atmospheric pressure. This vent provides an outlet for the release of small quantities of hydrogen and non -combined oxygen and thus controls the in- ternal pressure. If the pressure falls below the release pressure, the vent reseals to prevent entering inside the cells and minimizes self-discharge reaction. Operation and Maintenance Manual s2.0 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS: 2.1 ELECTROLYTE The alkaline electrolyte (solution of potassium hydroxide in DM/DI water) is a strong caustic agent. Wear rubber gloves, eye protection and long sleeved clothing when working on the battery. Before working with electrolyte, make sure that water for washing is easily available. if electrolyte is splashed on the skin or clothing, wash immediately with water for 10 to 15 minutes. If eyes are affected, flood with water followed by eye wash solution and obtain immediate medical attention. Boric powder OR any other neutralizing agent shall be kept handy at site, to neutralize the spilled alkaline electrolyte if any. 2.2 HANDLING OF CELLS While removing the cells from the packing boxes, use only cell lifting pullers supplied along with the batteries (kept in accessories box). While placing the cells on racks also, cell lifting pullers shall be used. Impact loads should not come on the cells while placing the cells on racks, which will damage the cells and cause leakages over a period of time. 2.3 KEEP FLAMES AWAY The battery will produce a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases during the last portion of high rate charging, Do not adjust connections etc., while charging or in the first hour after charging. Discharge any possible static electricity from clothes by touching earth-connected part. Do not smoke in the battery room. Keep the battery location well ventilated to prevent buildup of the oxygen and hydrogen gases, and do not cover the battery during charging. 2.4 TOOLS Use tools with insulated handles / surfaces. Do not place or drop metal objects on top of the battery. Remove rings, wristwatch, loose coins from the pockets and articles of clothing with metal parts that might come in contact with the battery terminals. Operation and Maintenance Manual 63.0 RECEIVING THE SHIPMENT 3.1 UNPACKING AND INSPECTION Do not over-turn the packages. + Unpack the batteries immediately upon the arrival and inspect for possible damage in shipment. + Make sure that small packages are not thrown out together with the packing material. + Check that all the material listed in the packing list has been received. PLEASE INFORM TO HBL IMMEDIATELY IN CASE OF ANY DAMAGE OR SHORTAGES IN ‘THE CONSIGNMENT. 3.2. SHIPPING METHOD | THE BATTERY SHIPPED IN FILLED AND CHARGED CONDITION Remove the transit cap (blue/black, red), wherever mounted on cell terminals for big size cells (higher Ah celts). Check the electrolyte level in the cells. Add electrolyte if necessary, in case of spillage during transit only. Then the battery is ready for installation or storing. 3.3 SHIPPING METHOD II ‘THE BATTERY SHIPPED IN FILLED AND DISCHARGED CONDITION Remove the transit cap (blue/red), wherever mounted on cell terminals for big size cells, Check the electrolyte level in the cells and add electrolyte if necessary, in case of spillage during transit only. See the instructions for first charging before using the cells. Unless specifically requested, these ba tteries are always supplied in filled and charged condi- tion only. Note : If extra liquid electrolyte is supplied in cans, store them in an enclosed room at controlled temperatures (between 10- 30 degree C). This electrolyte can be stored for a period of 5 years, if the airtight seal is kept intact and stored under controlled temperatures as indicated. Operation and Maintenance Manual 74.0 STORAGE 41 42 STORAGE OF NEW BATTERY IN FILLED AND CHARGED CONDITION The batteries despatched in filled and charged condition can be stored for 1 year under the prescribed room temperatures provided they are discharge- charged every 6 months from the date of despatch. Do not store other material on top of the battery. Store the batteries in an enclosed room (10-30 degree C) and having sufficient ventilation. Cover the battery with a sheet of plastic or similar protective cover to keep out water and shield against direct sunlight. ‘After removing from storage, initial charging shall be carried out as per the table in clause 6.1.3. STORAGE OF NEW BATTERY IN FILLED & DISCHARGED CONDITION Batteries in filled and discharged condition can be stored (under the prescribed storage tempera tures of 10-30 degree C) for 1 year without the need of carrying out charge-discharge activity. Do not store other material on top of the battery. Store the batteries in an enclosed room (10-30 degree C) and having sufficient ventilation. Cover the battery with a sheet of plastic or similar protective cover to keep out water and shield against direct sunlight After removing from storage, 6.1.3. jtial charging shall be carried out as per the table in clause Note: While doing charging, discharging cycles, it is not abnormal for “black particles” to appear in the electrolyte. In Pocket plate Nickel Cadmium battery, graphite is added as conductive agent. After few cycles of charge, discharge, some lighter graphite particles may come up, since the natural colour of graphite is black, it is normal for the electrolyte to appear black and this does not affect the performance of the battery. Notes : 1. Do not stack wooden pallets containing carton boxes. 2. Plywood boxes can be stacked maximum 3 high (1+2). 3. Loss of capacity is expected if batteries are stored in temperatures exceeding 30 Degree C. Extent of loss depends on the duration of storage and storage temperature. 4, When rated capacity Is required to be demonstrated at site, the same need to be carried out in accordance with IEC 62259 standard at 20 Degree C. Operation and Maintenance Manual a5.0 5.1, 5.2 INSTALLATION The battery should be installed in a clean and dry area. The battery should never be placed direct on the floor where it is subject to dampness and dirt accumulation. Batteries do not give off corrosive gas and therefore can be installed together with other electrical/ electronic equipment. To avoid accelerated ageing of the plastic due to ultra violet radiation, batteries using plastic cell containers and lids should not be exposed to direct sun light for long periods. TEMPERATURE Avoid placing the battery in a hot place or in front of a window. The battery will give the best performance and maximum service life when working at a temperature between 10 and 30 degrees centigrade. Freezing will not cause damage to the battery. With adequate electrolyte specific gravity, the battery will perform properly up to- 40, degree C. Performance of nickel cadmium battery would be much better at high temperatures when ‘compared to lead acid type batteries. All internal cell parts are nickel plated and can sustain, the high temperatures up to 50 degree C. The result of sustained high temperature would be quicker electro-chemical reaction (high float current, poor internal gas recombination), leading, ‘to more water loss, necessitating water topping up, to maintain electrolyte level. If timely top- ping up of water is carried out, battery will continue to meet the requirements, However, if battery is operated continuously at higher temperatures, the overall life of battery would get reduced, when compared to it’s operation between recommended 10 to 30 Degree C. VENTILATION During the last part of high-rate charging, the battery gives off gas (oxygen-hydrogen mixture) At normal float-charge the gas evolution is very small. The ventilation requirement of the battery rooms for vented type nickel cadmium battery as per EN 50272 can be expressed by the relation: Q= 0.05 x Nx Igasx0.2x Cs Ah x 10° cubic meter per hour, Qis the quantity of air to be replaced from battery room in cubic meter per hour Nis the number of cells in the battery, gas = Current producing gas in mA/ Ah = 5.0 mA/ Ah In float condition & SO mA/ Ah in boost condition. ( Do not convert mA to Amps, while substituting) Cs is the rated battery capacity at S hour discharge rate. Normally, no extra means of ventilation (exhaust fan etc.) is needed unless the battery room is extremely small in proportion to the size of the battery. Operation and Maintenance Manual 95.3 MOUNTING AND CONNECTIONS Mounting: HBL battery racks are recommended for proper installation. It is recommended to mount the racks on alkali resistant tiles/ floor. These racks are made of steel components, which are pro- tected with alkali-resistant paint. The step construction of the racks permit visual electrolyte level checks to be made on all cells and greatly facilitates the maintenance activity of topping up with demineralized water. Battery racks are available in 2,3, or 4 steps in one or two tier configurations. Racks can be positioned alongside each other or back to back to suit the availa- ble space in the battery location. Ensure that the floor is level while positioning the racks. If 2 battery banks are to be placed side by side OR front to front OR back- back then minimum, 800mm gap to be maintained, to ensure there is no floating voltages between the banks and for operational convenience. In case of larger Ah cells, since the cells are arrange with width dimension of the cell side by side, electrolyte level is not visible from front side. Electrolyte lev- elcan be checked using capillary tube supplied with the batteries, Itis very important to maintain minimum of 1000mm clearances all round the racks for easier access to all the cells in all the steps/ rows of cells, to facilitate trouble free maintenance. All racks are supplied with insulators. However, the racks also have provision for direct bolting to the floor. Assemble the racks with the help of the drawing, enclosed with this manual. All rack parts shall be tightened using prescribed fasteners (Refer rack assembling drawing for respective positions) and ensure that no protrusions damage the cells. Cell placing and inter-connection: While placing the cells on racks also, cell lifting pullers shall be used. Impact loads should not come on the cells while placing the cells on racks, which willdamage the cells and cause leakages over a period of time. Care to be taken while placing the cells on top most tier/ step. Position the cells on the rack suitably so as to permit connection of the positive and negative ter- minals according to the wiring diagram. Recommended to space out the cells to the maximum. possible extent, by utilizing the slots provided on the inter block/ Inter cell connectors. This im- proves the ventilation. Ensure that the transit caps (blue / black, red), wherever mounted on cell terminals for big size cells. Connect the battery terminals to the equipment only after all the in- ter-cell, inter-block and inter row cables are connected. It is recommended to keep rubber mat/ pad where cells bottom is contacting the rack, especially for high voltage systems > 110 V FOLLOW THE POLARITY TO AVOID SHORT CIRCUITING OF THE CELLS. BOLT DIAMETER RECOMMENDED TORQUE M6 75Nm (0.75 Kg (f)-m) Mio 30Nm G0 Kg ()-m) ONLY NICKEL PLATED COPPER CABLE LUGS SHOULD BE USED. NEVER USE ALUMINUM CABLES AT THE BATTERY TERMINALS. Operation and Maintenance Manual 10Improper torque will affect battery performance. It is important that the battery is mounted firmly. Use the correct torque to tighten the terminal bolts as indicated in above table: Ensure correct torque by using an appropriate torque wrench. For small cells (with M 6 terminals) sufficient care to be taken to hold the cells at the time of torqueing. When there is a risk of crate movement as in the case of mobile applications, use wooden or plastic wedges for arresting the movement. Operation and Maintenance Manual 16.0 CHARGING Batteries in parallel operation with charger and load are generally charged with constant voltage. 6.1 FIRST CHARGING (DURING COMMISSIONING ) 6.1.1 Commissioning of battery supplied in Filled and charged condition The batteries supplied in Filled and charged condition (Shipping method !) are ready for direct installation within three months of dispatching from factory. 6.1.2 Commissioning of battery supplied in Filled and discharged condition First charging can be administered for the batteries supplied in Filled and discharged condition (Shipping method Il). Multiple charge- discharge cycles are required, to get the full capacity of the battery, which can be terminated, once it meets rated capacity. 6.1.3 First charging : Charge the battery with the current recommended in the Technical specifications (Clause 2.0). The duration of charge should be such that a charge input of 180% of Cs Ah is given. Good commissioning charge is very important for obtaining best out of the battery and it’s longevi- ty. The maximum (peak to peak) ripple current in the charger output should not exceed 5 % of the rated Ah of the battery. Refer table for 1st charging procedure steps, in next page. Note: 41, For battery banks with multiple strings in parallel, it is recommended to charge and dis- charge the strings individually as per procedure outline in next page. Followed by that, multi- ple strings can be connected in parallel before putting in to float condition. This helps in equali- zation of all the cells in all strings. 2. There is no need to add electrolyte levels unless there is visual spillage from cells. The level will gradually increase during charging. Operation and Maintenance Manual 12Table—First charging : pene ‘Commissioning Procedure Commissioning Procedure Cede 3t0.6 months ‘More than 6 months of cells Filled and | 1 Discharge the battery bank at0.2CsAupto | 1 Discharge the battery bank at 0.2C5 A up to 1.00 charged | 1.00V/ cell, followed by discharging at 0.1C5.A | V/ cell, followed by discharging at 0.1¢5 A until 0.6 ntl 0.6 V/cell Vice 2.Provide rest period of minimum 12 hours. 2.Provide rest period of minimum 12 hours. 3. Charge the battery for 18 hours with 0.1¢5A. | 3. Charge the battery for 18 hours with 0.1CSA. 4, Put the battery bank in float mode. 4, Rest for 1-2 hours. 5. Repeat steps 1 to3 6. Put the battery bank in float mode Despatch condition Commissioning Procedure of cells Filled and | 4. Charge the battery for 18 hours with O.1CSA. discharged | 2. Rest for 1-2 hours. 3. Discharge the battery at 0.2Cs A until 1.0V/cell followed by discharging at 0.1€5 A until 0.6 V/cell. 4Provide rest period of minimum 12 hours. 5. Charge the battery for 18 hours with 0.1C5A 6. Put the battery bank in float mode. Note: + While charging ensure that the charger current does not get limited during the entire charging duration. Cell voltages are expected to reach up to 1.85 Volts and “required overall voltage” shall be possible to set in the charger. In case of constraint in the charger to keep this voltage, then divide the battery into two halves, to be charged individually. If, full performance from the battery is required immediately (for capacity testing purpose), discharge can to be carried out , before putting the battery in float charging, as mentioned above. (i.e after last charging step outlined in the above table) For cells stored in filled & charged/ filled & discharged condition for > 1 year, please contact HBL for commissioning instructions. ‘Add electrolyte up to 10mm below MAX level, after waiting for a period of at least 2 hours, subsequent to the completion of first charge. At the same time, check the electrolyte density and adjust if necessary within the specified limits. After this final adjustment, the quantity of electrolyte in the battery is correct and battery is ready for service. Electrolyte should not be added later. For normal topping up, only DM/DI water should be used. ‘THE ELECTROLYTE DENSITY IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE STATE OF CHARGE OF THE BATTERY. Operation and Maintenance Manual 13,6.2.0 ROUTINE CHARGING (DURING USAGE) During regular usage, the charging method and parameters are to be determined by charger, load and battery to ensure the system compatibility. A lower charging current can be applied for a proportionally longer time, however the current should not be less than 0.1 Cs Amps. 1 FLOAT CHARGING For continuous parallel operation with occasional battery discharge, use a float- charging voltage in the range of 1,40 to 1.42 volts/ cell. Note: The feature of temperature compensation in the charging voltage would help in avoid- ing excess water consumption, when operated at higher temperatures. Recommended value : -2mV/ Degree C rise beyond 25 Deg C. 6.2.2 HIGH RATE (BOOST) CHARGING For recuperative charging of the battery after a discharge during service, adjust the charging voltages to a level corresponding to (Across battery terminals) 1.45 V/Cell charging current limit should be within 0.1.C; Amps. 6.2.3 OVER CHARGING ‘Over charging within reasonabl will not damage the battery, but results in excess water consumption, needs topping up more often. 6.2.4 UNDER CHARGING ANi-Cd battery can be left standing for short periods at any state of charge without damage. But continuous undercharging combined with deep discharging will affect the battery life. Operation and Maintenance Manual 147.0 A MAINTENANCE All maintenance activities are to be carried out by trained technicians familiar with handling Nickel Cadmium batteries and electrical power systems. Personnel carrying out maintenance tasks on the battery system shall wear appropriate per- sonal protection equipment. Safety Equipment: Following safety/protective equipment should be available to personnel performing battery system periodic inspection and maintenance: Approved safety glasses/splash goggles Face shield Rubber gloves Rubber apron Maintenance activities on the battery system are classified as Preventive Maintenance and Corrective Maintenance tasks. Each of these tasks is explained in the following sections. The following tables give an overview of preventive and corrective maintenance tasks. Note: Do not use solvents/detergents or other strong chemicals for cleaning batteries. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ‘The preventive maintenance procedures help preserve battery life. Periodic maintenance of batteries avoids breakdown maintenance. Upkeep of batteries in serviceable condition and performance verification at regular intervals shall increase reliability. Hence periodic mainte- nance is mandatory. The preventive maintenance recommended are listed below. Every 1 To prevent battery inconsistency, check that Ce eee ‘month 1 _| the battery an their components are free of Every 6 accumulation of dust/dirt, cracks and any trac- 2 Sean, months 1 _| esotelectroivt r To identify, an is (ig, 3 | individual cot & Everyavear | 1 | T2 gat any, weak cells. i, Jow voltage Battery voltage check el) ae i 8 ues 4 | Insulation check Every1 Year| 1 | Tofind any break down in electrical insulation Hlectreie lee dietl: To check electrolyte level whether it is in per- 5 | & Topping up opera- | Everytyear | 1 | Peete ton 6 | Torque check Every Year |__| Tocheck tightness of the connections Je SIN oe Every 1Year |__| Formaintaining battery state of charge at top charge, charge cycle Operation and Maintenance Manual 15,7.1 CLEANLINESS: It is important to keep the battery dry and clean. This will contribute to top the performance and maximum service life. The following activities are to be carried out every 6 months. Cleaning of dust and grey white deposits of electrolyte that might have collected on top of cell containers, connector covers and racks. Cleaning shall be carried out by rubbing with a soft brush and wiping with a clean damp cloth followed by a clean dry cloth. Do not use a wire brush or solvents of any kind, such as gaso- line, thinner, acetone, kerosene etc. Failure to clean the battery top regularly will lead to formation of leakage path on the cell. If this continues over a period of time, the same will lead to battery bank drawing more current and possibility of damage to cells. 7.2. VENT CAPS These batteries are having a unique venting system. The vent releases the hydrogen and non- combined oxygen, when the internal pressure increases more than preset pressure. If the in- ternal pressure is less, the system re-seals to prevent the air entering inside the cell. A flame arresting vent porous disc is incorporated in the venting system to prevent the possibility of any external ignitions spreading into the cell. Over charging of these batteries for long duration with charging parameters more than speci- fied in clause 6.2, may result in electrolyte venting. If electrolyte particles are found outside around the vent cap, it is recommended to clean the vent cap mounting area with dry cloth, before tightening the vent cap back. 7.3. CONNECTORS Checking the torque of cell terminals is recommended. This is especially important if the battery is subjected to vibration or shocks during service. The connectors and terminal post should be corrosion protected by coating with a thin layer of anti-corrosion oil / petroleum jelly (after torque checking) 7.4 SPECIFIC GRAVITY & TOPPING UP The specific gravity is not influenced by the state of charge and it should be 1.19 40.02. There is no need to check the electrolyte density periodically. This battery does not require topping up with DI water during normal usage. Under special conditions of usage, if electrolyte level is below minimum level, add DM/DI water after opening the vent cap using vent cap locking tool. Refer DM/DI water specification. Operation and Maintenance Manual 167.5 NEVER USE SULPHURIC ACID Sulphuric acid will ruin the alkaline battery permanently. Filling bottles, hydrometers et with lead acid batteries must never be used with alkaline batteri tamination. used in order to prevent acid con- 7.6 CHECKING THE CHARGING & FLOAT CURRENT Check the charging voltage once in every 3 months and ensure that the charging voltage is within the limits reco mmended in clause 8.2. High water consumption of battery is usually caused by improper voltage setting of charger. Float current shall be monitored once in every 6 months. Normal float current value is 2mA per Ah, at 20 Degree C. But, as long as cell temperatures are less than 35 degree C, with ambient tempera- ture around 25 Degree C,higher float current drawn is not a concern. Sometimes, float current ‘would be higher, due to differential SOC (State of charge) among the cells in the battery bank. This may be due to “un-cleared leakage paths” 7.7 PERIODIC CHARGING If the battery is continuously on float, it is recommended to boost charge once in every 6 months to make sure that the state of charge is at top. The boost charging should be for such time till there is no change in consecutive readings of 15 minutes duration of cell voltages and which will be approximately 4-5 hours minimum. 7.8 MAINTENANCE OF BATTERY BANK WITH MULTIPLE PARALLEL STRINGS. During commissioning stage and maintenance charging , each parallel string should be given commission charging/ maintenance charge separately. Note: 1) fone string out of multiple parallel strings is drawing higher float current, then it is advised to disconnect this string and keep the same in open circuit mode to identify if any cell voltages are dropping compared to other. Weak cells identified shall be replaced with similarly aged good cells. The weak cells identified can be given separate boost charging for effective revival. 2) For equalizing the state of charge of each individual bank effectively, it is recommended to do complete discharging and re-charging for each string, before connecting in parallel. 7.9 TROUBLE SHOOTING Even though HBL Power Systems Limited nickel cadmium batteries themselves are very reliable and trouble free, they are part of a larger system that can introduce abnormal condi- tions, and batteries are also exposed to different quality of maintenance. SLNo SYMPTOM PROBABLE CAUSE RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTION 01 Erratic charger Wrong polarity of cell, Check each cell or block for cor- behavior block, row of battery. | rect polarity. Operation and Maintenance Manual v7 *SLNo SYMPTOM PROBABLE CAUSE RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTION Interruption at connector | Check that no connector or ca- ble is missing and that all con- nections are tight and cables se- curely fastened in cable lugs. Interruption due to empty| Check if the cell is empty because cell of leakage. If so, remove or short circuit the cell and use the battery with one cell less, until replacement. is made. If the cell is part of the block, do not remove the block, just by-pass the suspected cell. Empty cell If the battery is filled with elec- trolyte on site, it could be that one cell has been forgotten. if so, disconnect the cell and fill it with electrolyte. Faulty charger See charger instructions for troubleshooting. 02 Earth fault indica-| Small leak or leaks Check for wetness on battery tion stand, or with a voltmeter, area of the battery having the lowest potential to ground. See (1) for procedure if a cell is leaking. Battery wet due to overfill-} Disconnect few connectors to ing avoid high or over boiling volt- age and clean the battery. See (8). Other equipment of sys-| Isolate various parts of the DC tem system to find the fault. 03 Continuous heavy| Charging voltage is above| See charger instructions for in- gassing the recommended float| formation on charging mode and nehaeea settings. 04 No power or ca-| Interruption at connector | See SL.No: 1. pacity at all Interruption due to empty| See SL.No: 1. cell Operation and Maintenance Manual 18SLNo SYMPTOM. PROBABLE CAUSE RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTION Battery completely discharged. Determine why the battery is dis- charged. The reason could be faulty charger or fuse, wrong] float voltage or interruption in the battery. Recharge the battery| 05 | Too short discharge time. The voltage decreases quickly at the end. Too larger load. The load may be larger that what, the battery was intended for. Check the discharge against| battery performance data. Note ‘that the rated number of Ah can only be delivered at discharges, of 5 hours or longer. For short discharges, batteries will give higher currents but less Ah. Insufficient charging. Determine why the battery is not charged to a correct level. The reason could be low float voltage, no high-rate recharge after previ- ‘ous heavy discharge, too short| high-rate recharge, of high-rate recharge to voltage that is too low. Recharge the battery as per instructions and discharge again. Ensure that charging current is not limited, during charging for effective capacity revival. Too low battery ca- pacity. If the same result is achieved after full and complete charging, the battery capacity is low. It may still be able to work its appli- cation, especially if it is high-rate discharges such as in switchgear| operation or engine starting. The reason for low capacity could be age, heavy use, insufficient charg-| ing or unsuitable storage. Operation and Maintenance Manual 19SILNo SYMPTOM PROBABLE CAUSE RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTION 06 | Low discharge volt- age during a major part of discharge. Very low voltage for one or few cells. Check the individual cell voltages during discharge and full recharge. If the voltage of an individual cell does not come up nearly as high discharge. As| others, the cells have a partial short circuit and therefore not accepting charge. (If the charging voltage is fine but the cell voltage collapses early in the discharge ‘the cell capacity is abnormally low). The reason could be unsuit- able han at installation or contamination in the electrolyte. Battery designed with high cell_end voltage. The dis- charge preceded by long-term float charge without dis- charge. This condition sometimes occurs| if the design cell end voltage is 1.14 - 1.18 volt per cell and the battery has been in service for sometime. It does not mean that the capacity has decreased. It is best handled by using more cells in the battery and thus lowering. the final cell voltages, and high rate or boost charging periodical- ly. or with too speed to fire o7 Too low for engine starting. The engine does not turn at all, Discharged battery due to insufficient charging Insufficient charging, See(06) Loose connector Tighten all connectors. For high power discharges this is very| important, both from a perfor- mance and safety viewpoint. A) loose connector cause voltage drops and can spark and ignite charging gasses. Operation and Maintenance Manual 20SL.No SYMPTOM PROBABLE CAUSE RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTION Too low temperature If the temperature is lower than the design temperature for the starting system, it will be difficult to start because the battery gives less power whereas the engine requires more power to turn. Use. the correct engine oil for the tem- perature and try to arrange pre- heating of the engine and battery if possible. Engine trouble If cranking speed appears to be good, failure to start may depend on the fuel or engine. The battery cannot do more than crank en- gine at sufficient speed. 08 Wet battery Overfilling or over boiling Disconnect a few connectors to avoid high voltage and clean the battery. Use proper filling equip- ment to avoid overfilling. Over boiling is the result of too high electrolyte level and high rate charging. Normal level and charg- ing at too high rate may also cause over boiling. Loose connector Tighten all connectors. For high power discharges this is very important, both from a perfor- mance and safety viewpoint. A\ loose connector will cause voltage drops and can spark and ignite charging gasses. Operation and Maintenance Manual 2.