3022524 - 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.
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.
| CONDITION 1 | CONDITION 2 | CONDITION 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information visible | Dark colour with green area in the centre | Dark colour with green area in the centre | Light, bright colour |
| Electrolyte level | Correct | Correct | Below minimum |
| State of charge | from 55% to 100% | Battery discharged | Indeterminate |
| Action to undertake | No action | Recharge the battery | Top 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.
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.
Battery technical specifications
The table summarizes the main battery technical data.| BATTERY | 1.6 ECO | 1.6 120 CV | 2.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOLTAGE | 12V | 12V | 12V |
| CAPACITY | 50 Ah | 50 Ah | 60 Ah |
| INTENSITY | 250 A | 250 A | 320 A |
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.| Battery | Max. absorption |
|---|---|
| 32 Ah | 19 mA |
| 40 Ah | 24 mA |
| 50 Ah | 30 mA |
| 60 Ah | 36 mA |
| 70 Ah | 42 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.
CONTROL UNIT ON BATTERY (CBA)
It connects the battery terminal to the lead for the starter motor and to the first level power fuses.On the basic version it protects the power supply for the engine compartment control unit (CVM) and the dashboard control unit (CPL).In the complete configuration it also protects the power supply for the Selespeed electro-hydraulic pump and the air conditioning additional heater (PTC2) (Diesel version).The battery control unit is designed to work alongside an automatic battery disconnected device in series to the battery terminal. This device, operate by the AIR BAG control unit (CAB), via two wires, interrupts the power supply for the starting/recharging lead (not fitted on the 937 model).
| No. | CODE | Fuses on control unit (CBA) | Amperage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | F71 | for dashboard control unit (CPL) | 70A |
| 5 | F72 | for PTC2 heater (JTD version) | 50A |
| 6 | F73 | for ignition switch | 30A |
| 7 | F70 | for engine compartment control unit (CVM) | 125A/150A |
