Opel Astra, Zafira

Since 1998 of release

Repair and car operation

Check, service and gymnastics of the storage battery

Preparation

Tools and the materials necessary at service of the storage battery

The conscientious attitude to performance of procedures of current preventive maintenance of the storage battery is unique pledge of fast and trouble-free start of the engine. Before to undertake battery service, make sure available near at hand all necessary materials and the tools guaranteeing safety of work (Tools and the materials necessary at service of the storage battery) see an illustration.

There is also a number of additional safety measures which should be observed at carrying out of service of the battery. Before to start performance of works, without fail muffle the engine and switch off all consumers of the electric power. Disconnect a negative wire from the battery.

Remember that in battery banks the hydrogen which is not only easily flammable, but also explosive gases is allocated. Do not come nearer at all to a place of work with open fire or the lighted cigarette, try to use only неискрообразующим the tool. Battery gymnastics make in well ventilated premise.

The electrolit represents a solution of the sulfuric acid concerning not only to the category of toxic chemical compounds, but being also extremely chemically aggressive substance. Do not suppose electrolit hit in eyes, on open sites of a body and clothes subjects. Carrying out battery service, put on goggles and gloves, do not allow to come nearer to children to a work place.

Study an external condition of the battery. If the positive plug of the battery with the clip put on it are equipped by a rubber protective casing, make sure that last is not damaged. The casing should cover completely metal components клеммного connections. Check up a condition and reliability of fastening клеммных connections, examine a casing and a battery cover on presence of cracks and other damages of a mechanical order. Make sure of reliability of fastening of clamping bolts. Estimate a condition of isolation of wires of the battery on all their length.

Service

Gymnastics

With the best way of restoration of level of a charge of the battery which have sat down to such degree when it begins incapable to provide engine start, its slow gymnastics are. This way of gymnastics also optimum for batteries of the cars used in a mode of short trips. Preservation of level of a charge of the battery takes on special significance in a winter season when the most adverse conditions from the point of view of loading on the accumulator are created, and also during the complicated starts of the engine and the raised intensity of functioning of consumers of the electric power.

Is better to use the device for continuous additional charge by the small current (1-2), sometimes named also drop заряжателем). Such зарядные devices provide an optimum mode of gymnastics of the battery with the minimum loading on last. For faster additional charge of the battery it is possible to take advantage of the power supply большей a current strength, remember, however, that the maximum admissible force зарядного should not exceed a current 1/10 from size of capacity of the battery (its ampere-sentry of the characteristic). At the forced gymnastics, according to some users allowing to restore charge level for one-two hour, loading on the battery becomes so high that quite often there is its irreversible exit out of operation, — try to avoid such way of additional charge, resorting to it only in extreme emergencies.

Average duration of the period of gymnastics of the battery should be specified in the instruction applied in the complete set to зарядному to the device. Usually it makes from 12 till 16 o'clock.

Remove covers of mouths of all банок batteries (if those are provided) and закупорьте apertures by pure rags in avoidance выплескивания electrolits. Disconnect a negative wire from the battery and, observing polarity, connect clips of tips of wires зарядного devices to battery plugs (positive — to positive, negative — to negative). Include зарядное the device in a network. If the device is equipped by the selector switch, make sure that last is established in position for 12 Century

At use of the power supply with зарядным a current over two amperes regularly check the battery, watching that there was no its overheat. During slow gymnastics after the initial two-hour control the battery can be left safely to be charged without supervision on all night long.

If banks of the charged battery are equipped by jellied mouths with demountable covers, try to check hourly within first several hours of gymnastics relative density of electrolit. Many manufacturers specially for this purpose let out cheap enough devices named ареометрами, to get which it is possible practically in any shop of automobile accessories. At using ареометром follow instructions of manufacturers applied on it. Continue battery gymnastics until during last two hour measurements change of density of electrolit under condition of its free "boiling" (пузырения) in banks will not stop. Remember that in the serviceable battery the difference between relative densities of electrolit in all banks should be very insignificant.

Some batteries are placed in the soldered case and equipped built in ареометром, allowing visually to define level of a charge of the battery on colouring of a colour stain in a case observation port. Usually, bright colouring of a colour stain testifies to high level of a charge of the battery; stain dimness says that the battery requires additional charge.

In batteries with the tight case without built in ареометра (the indicator of level of a charge) check of level of a charge can be carried out by connection to plugs of the battery of the voltmeter. Target pressure of completely charged battery should make not more low 12.6 In the ambassador of removal of a superficial charge.