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A - Storage
1
Always rotate your stock. Practice FIFO (First In, First Out).
Batteries slowly lose their charge, and good stock-rotation
stops batteries going flat in storage and makes sure that
the customer buys a good battery.
On the back of the battery. There is a label showing the
expected period before the battery will require recharging.
This makes it easy to identify the oldest and newest
batteries in stock. Please use the recharge date to ensure
that the oldest batteries leave your stock first. Recharge
date is only an indication of recharge period as self
discharge is subject to storage conditions.
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D - Electrolyte-Levels (Acid-Levels)
in Service
Notes: Please read before adjusting acid-levels.
Do not top up to the maximum levels a battery that needs
charging. (Levels rise on charging). However, if the levels
are below the tops of the separators, top up with distilled or
deionised water until the separators are just covered.
Never overfill a battery. (The acid may come out of the ventplugs when the battery is being charged).
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4. Place the 2 terminal caps on the old battery that has been
removed from the vehicle to avoid the possibility of shortcircuits.
G - Charging Off-Vehicle
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2. If you are using a constant-current charger or a boostcharger, remove the vent-plugs or manifolds before
charging. (See below). There is no need to remove the ventplugs or manifolds if you are using a constant-potential or a
smart charger.
3. Check that the charger is switched off.
4. When fitting the charger to the battery, connect the positive
lead to the positive terminal and the negative lead to the
negative terminal.
5. Switch on the charger. See below for the correct charging
conditions depending on your type of charger.
6. Stop charging if the battery begins to gas freely (some
gassing is normal during the last stages of charging) or if
the battery temperature rises above 50C.
7. Switch off the charger.
8. It is good practice to wait for about 20 minutes for the
gases to clear before removing the leads from the battery
as some chargers remain live and can cause a spark.
9. Check the electrolyte-levels in all the cells and top up if
necessary. See Section D.
10. Refit vent-plugs or manifolds if these have been removed.
11. Wash the battery with hot water and dry it.
12. Note. Many customers severely underestimate the amount
of time necessary to charge a flat battery. This results in
customers returning batteries saying that they have
charged the battery but that it is still not holding charge.
Index
Charger Type
Constant Current Chargers.
Constant Potential Chargers.
Modified Constant Potential Chargers.
Smart Chargers.
Boost Chargers.
CHARGING
TIME (HOURS)
Above 12.40
12.31 12.40
12.21 12.30
12.11 12.20
12.01 12.10
11.91 12.00
11.81 11.90
11.71 11.80
11.00 11.70
Below 11.00
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
See paragraph E below
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Section
1
2
3
4
5
4. SMART CHARGERS.
The latest generation of chargers is able to check the battery
condition, and to supply automatically a controlled charge that
will charge the battery in the fastest time without damaging it
and without overcharging it at the end of the charge. Some
smart chargers have a special setting for all-calcium batteries
and will charge these from flat, which most other chargers are
unable to do.
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5. BOOST CHARGERS.
These provide a very high initial current, and are used mainly to
put some charge into a flat battery when it is needed urgently
by the customer. The current falls as the battery state-ofcharge increases, and the battery temperature is monitored to
make sure it does not overheat.
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H - Checking Battery-Performance
1. ELECTRONIC TESTERS USING CONDUCTANCE
TECHNOLOGY.
1. The latest generation of testers is digital. Examples are
Midtronics and Bosch testers. These will give an immediate
decision on about 80 per cent of batteries in service,
including flat ones. In the remaining 20 per cent of cases,
the batteries need recharging before testing.
2. These testers show whether the battery is in a good,
charged condition, whether it is discharged or whether it
needs replacing.
3. Note. This is the preferred method of checking batteries as
it does not take any charge out of the battery. It is also
easier, quicker and safer.
4. DROP TESTERS.
1. Drop testers have 2 spikes that are pressed into the tops
of the battery terminals and a simple voltmeter to check the
discharge voltage.
2. We do not recommend the use of these testers as:
They are potentially unsafe to use as most types produce a
spark when the spikes are first pressed into the terminals.
The discharge rate is similar for all sizes of battery, and so
they do not give a good indication of battery-condition.
They give misleading results on discharged batteries.
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Definition of Maintenance-Free
1. Our starter batteries for cars and commercial vehicles
conform to the relevant sections of BS EN 50342-1: 2006
for maintenance-free characteristics.
This means that in normal vehicle applications in temperate
climate operation, it is not necessary to add water.
2. Our batteries are designed to be topped up with water if
water should be lost owing to, for example, a charging
system fault, prolonged operation in hot climates,
excessive off-vehicle charging etc.
3. Note. The term maintenance-free applies only when the
battery is used in an approved automotive or commercial
vehicle application.
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AGM Explained
GS Titan AGM
Improved active mass efficiency, through better
absorption of the acid
Increased lifespan due to minimal active material
shedding due to battery design
Higher cold start values
Totally Maintenance Free zero water
consumption
Spill proof/leak proof
Designed to meet latest OEM vehicle demands
Compatible with sensitive electronic equipment
AGM technology now factory fitted to numerous
luxury cars and Stop Start vehicle where
increased AGM battery features are required
GSs world leading motorcycle and industrial AGM (absorbent
glass mat) technology comes to the automotive market. The
GS automotive AGM battery has been engineered to meet the
growing extreme power demands of recently introduced
vehicles now starting to enter the European aftermarket. GSs
automotive AGM experience comes from vehicles such as the
Mazda MX5 and the famous Toyota Prius and has now been
launched for European vehicle battery designs.
The new GS AGM European 096 and 019 sized batteries
provide reliable starting whilst coping with the extreme power
needs of the modern vehicle. Laboratory evaluation is boasting
4-5 times the cyclic durability of standard conventional flooded
product and typically 16% higher starting power, even at lower
temperatures. Increased reaction surface area ensures
increased energy densities for faster engine rotation during
starting and therefore maximising fuel efficiency.
The AGM batteries utilises the same absorbent glass mat
technology as used in GS Motorcycle and Industrial batteries
which have been on the market for over 44 years (1965). This
absorbent glass mat absorbs the batterys acid, enabling a
more efficient use of the cells volume without the need for
electrolyte reservoirs, as needed with conventional flooded
batteries. The absorbent glass mat gives a number of key
benefits to the design of the lead acid battery:
Within normal operating conditions, the use of the
individual cell valve design and glass mat plate
separation ensures gas recombination occurs and
ensures that no water is lost therefore negating the need
for electrolyte reservoirs and freeing the user from
maintenance.
One way venting system providing partial pressure in
each cell ensuring 100% leak proof and safe handling.
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