125000405 - 5530B BATTERY AND LEADS

COMPOSITION

The current generation system consists of:

  • the alternator;
  • the battery;
  • the recharging warning light in the instrument panel;
  • the ignition switch for the system connections.

BATTERY

The main features of batteries used on new models are the mounting plates made from active materials produced through the calcium lead production technology which has replaced the older antimony- lead type.This involves a mechanical stretching process for a continuous lead band to reach the final productio of a grille covered in lead oxides for the positive poles and metallic lead only for the negative poles, instead of the use of casting machines to produce grilles for fusion.The use of a material such as lead-calcium-tin alloy guarantees a considerable reduction in the electrolysis during the operation of the accumulator (dissociation of the water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen) where the gases can escape resulting in reduced evaporation of the actual water with a drastic reduction in the maintenance required for this type of battery.
1 - Cover2 - Cap edge3 - Positive plate4 - Negative plate5 - Separator6 - Bridges7 - Electrolyte8 - Water gauge9 - Negative pole10 - Monobloc11 - Maximum electrolyte level12- Minimum electrolyte level13 - Dipstick14 - Cap

Battery electrical specifications:

  • Lead accumulator, low maintenance type.
  • Cover: EURODIN with ramp type sealing elements on cover; press-fit caps (one cap per element) with protection system against fluid penetration from the outside. Gas evacuation through caps with gas/liquid separation system
  • Cover seal: heat welding.
  • Attachment to the base: joined on four sides.
  • Poles: lead bushes produced through cold-pressing with sealing labyrinth in the press-work area on the cover.
  • Electrolyte level check: through the openings in the caps in the cover, checking the consistency between the indicator (dipstick) and the electrolyte level. The dipstick indicates the max. level allowed, therefore the electrolyte should just come into contact with the lower end of the dipstick. The min. level is reached when the electrolyte exceeds the top end of the separators and/or plates by 10 mm.
  • Water gauge for checking min. electrolyte level and battery charge.
  • No. of plates: 6 positive + 5 negative.
  • Alloy grille: lead-calcium-tin.
  • Separator thickness: 1.15 mm.
  • Plate thickness: positive 1.80 mm; negative 1.60
  • Electrolyte density: 1280 ± 10 g/dm3 at 25°C with battery 100% charged.

Electrolyte density at 25° Celsius:

  • 1280 g/litre 100 % of charge
  • 1240 g/litre 75 % of charge
  • 1200 g/litre 50 % of charge
  • 1160 g/litre 25 % of charge
  • 1120 g/litre drained
  • 1110 g/litre totally drained.

Control system

This battery has an indicator for checking the battery which is a water gauge which makes it possible to qualitatively monitor the level of the electrolyte and the battery charge; this also allows the Customer to initially check the efficiency of the battery. this also allows the Customer to initially check the efficiency of the battery.This device consists of a transparent plexiglas cylinder: one end contains an indicator fixed to the battery cover; on the other end there is a drip tray, made from an acid-resistant material, drilled in such a way to allow the battery electrolyte to come into contact with a green coloured ball which is housed in the drip tray and can slide along a plane inclined towards the centre of the area of the cylinder.

Water gauge

Two types of information are provided;

  • electrolyte level;
  • battery charge.
1 - Cylinder2 - Indicator3 - Drip tray4 - BallOperationThe operating principle of this device is based on the contact between the drip tray and the battery fluid.The ball has been designed in such a way that, at a given electrolyte density value, it rises along an inclined plane and reaches the transparent surface of the indicator, colouring the centre of this area green: CONDITION 1.When the density of the electrolyte decreases (battery run down), the ball moves from the centre and the light is subject to refraction to the extent that the colour in the centre of the indicator darkens: CONDITION 2.When the fluid no longer bathes the cylinder casing, the ball descends completely and the area in the centre appears even lighter: CONDITION 3.
1 - Condition 12 - Condition 23 - Condition 3To sum up, the colour of the indicator reflects the state of the battery charge as set out in the table below.
CONDITION 1CONDITION 2CONDITION 3
Information visibleDark colour with green area in the centreDark colour with green area in the centreLight, bright colour
Electrolyte levelCorrectCorrectBelow minimum
State of chargefrom 55% to 100%Battery dischargedIndeterminate
Action to undertakeNo actionRecharge the batteryTop up electrolyte with distilled water

This device:

  • does not give readings concerning a possible internal short circuit;
  • the density of the electrolyte varies with the temperature;
  • a prolonged stop could halt the mixing process of the reagents and thereby lead to a measurement which could refer to the surface layers only.
  • if the electrolyte level is low then there are no reliable readings.
To sump up the approximation of the measurement is around 15% (battery charge indicator calibration = 70% ± 15%).As a result of this reading error, it is necessary to check the battery charge more accurately in a Service Situation.

Cap

In low maintenance type batteries with lead-calcium-tin elements the seal is guaranteed by the press-fit caps with an anti-penetration system with a gas evacuation device through the actual caps.

The caps which allow the escape of the gases produced in the battery prevent the leakage of liquid. The cap consists of:

  • The cap casing: it acts as to prevent liquids escaping, but allows gas to escape through special openings.
  • The labyrinth: it prevents the particles which are released during the operation of the battery from obstructing the special diaphragm.
  • The semi-pervious diaphragm: thanks to a special layer of PTFE (poly-tetra-fluoro-ethylene) it prevents the escape of liquid, allowing the gases which are produced during the normal operation of the battery to pass through.
1 - Cap casing2 - Labyrinth3 - Diaphragm

Battery discharge in rest conditions

Correct battery dimensions for model / trim level have been calculated to take into account power uptake when the ignition is switched off.This absorption should not exceed 0.6 mA for each Ah of battery capacity; this is to ensure that, if the vehicle has been left for one month with all the consumers not controlled by the ignition switched on, residual battery capacity is half of nominal capacity, i.e. enough charge is left to start up the engine under normal environmental temperature conditions.The table below gives several examples.
BatteryMax. absorption
32 Ah19 mA
40 Ah24 mA
50 Ah30 mA
60 Ah36 mA
70 Ah42 mA

Checking/topping up battery fluid level

Undo the caps on the battery cover or remove the cap edges (2) and remove the caps which are a press-fit in each individual cell.In the Max Level maximum condition (11), the electrolyte should barely come into contact with the lower end of the dipstick (3), positioned inside the battery and visible through the openings in the cover in each cell producing the so-called ''meniscus effect''.In the Min Level minimum condition (12), the electrolyte should exceed the upper part of the partitions and/or the plates by around 10 mm.
1 - Cover2 - Cap edge11 - Maximum electrolyte level12- Minimum electrolyte level13 - Dipstick14 - CapTo check this condition, immerse a clean stick, made from a non metallic material (e.g. wood, glass, plastic), into the electrolyte until it touches the top of the partitions and/or plates, measuring the height of the electrolyte.It remains understood that, in order to measure the level of the electrolyte, the battery should be positioned on an even surface and all the cells should be visible from above; if this is not the case, or if this is impossible, the battery should be removed from its housing in the vehicle.The operations of checking the electrolyte level and, if necessary, topping it up through the individual battery cell openings, should not be carried out by the Customer, but by trained Network personnel as part of the Planned Maintenance Programme every 20,000 km.

BATTERY JUNCTION UNIT

It connects the battery terminal to the lead for the starter motor and to the first level maxifuses.The casing is located directly at the positive battery terminal and the fuses are connected directly to it.

The fuse box contains up to eight maxifuses, named according to the circuits protected

  • ABS: ABS electronic system power supply;
  • IGN: ignition switch supply
  • SEL: SELESPEED robotized gearbox power supply;
  • A/C: air conditioning system supply;
  • IE: supply for engine management fuses and relays;
  • FAN1: engine cooling fan supply;
  • FAN2: engine cooling fan supply;
  • JB/3: supply for services through engine compartment junction unit fuses.

The casing also contains two bigger amperage fuses, known as MIDI fuses which protect the supply for the dashboard junction unit (CPL).:

  • CPL1: underdashboard junction unit supply;
  • CPL2: underdashboard junction unit supply.
1 - MAXI fuses2 - MIDI fuses3 - Label with descriptions and amperages
N.FusesAmperage
MAXI 1ABS60A
MAXI 2IGN;30A
MAXI 3SEL30A
MAXI 4A/C40A
MAXI 5IE30A
MAXI 6FAN140A
MAXI 7FAN240A
MAXI 8JB/350A
MIDI 1CPL250A
MIDI 2CPL170A