Wesley PC-325-6SA - Manual (Page 20)

Owner’s Manual and Service Guide – PMT Series
20
CAUTION
MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS
R OUTINE M AINTENANCE
Before performing any
maintenance or repair work,
isolate the batteries from the
motor and electronics by opening the circuit breaker in
(Figure 12). Simply push the red push button until the
red side lever fully opens (Figure 13). To close the
circuit breaker, simply push the red side lever to its
original closed position. (Figure 12)
F IGURE 12
F IGURE 13
B ATTERIES
The standard batteries used on Pack Mule vehicles are a 36
or 48Volt battery. This manual is written around lead acid
batteries. Batteries have a maximum life. Therefore, good
maintenance is important to maximize the available life of
the vehicle’s batteries.
Always wear approved safety goggles or
face shield when handling or working
around batteries.
B ATTERY SAFETY
Always observe the following warnings when working on or
near batteries:
To prevent burns or battery explosion that could result
in severe personal injury or death, keep all smoking
materials, open flame or sparks away the batteries.
Hydrogen gas forms when charging batteries. Do NOT
charge batteries without adequate ventilation. Seat must
be raised when charging batteries. Only a 4%
concentration of hydrogen gas is explosive.
Be sure the key switch or on/off switch is in the OFF
position and all electrical accessories are off before
starting work on the vehic
le. Open the vehicle’s circuit
switch (Figure 13) before starting work on the vehicle.
The electrolyte in a lead acid battery is an acid solution
which can cause severe burns to the skin and eyes.
Treat all spills to the body and eyes with extended
flushing with clear water. Then contact a physician
immediately.
Electrolyte spills will corrode the vehicle’s structural
frame and body if not properly treated immediately. In
the event of a spill, wear proper protective clothing,
gloves, and eye wear. Thoroughly clean all affected
areas with a neutralizing solution of ¼ cup (60 mL)
sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) dissolved in 1 ½
gallons (6 L) of water.
It is highly recommended that insulated
wrenches be used when working on
our electric vehicles. Alternatively,
wrap wrenches with vinyl tape to prevent the possibility
of a dropped wrench onto the batteries terminals, which
can short the battery, which could result in an explosion
and severe personal injury or death.
B ATTERY C ARE
1) Place battery into service and complete a full discharge
and charge cycle. Check and add approved water only
(never acid) if needed only after this first cycle is
completed.
2) Never discharge battery beyond 80% and do not
operate battery if the specific gravity is below 1.150
3) If above 115
o
F (46
o
C) allow battery to cool before
charging or operating