When and How to Charge Battery
Plants With Average Loads
Loads of legs than ten (10) amperes can be taken directly from the battery, until:
1. The large hand on the ampere-hour meter reaches 12, or
2. Both pilot balls are down, or
3. Hydrometer test shows bottom of red band in the electrolyte.
If any or all of the three gauges listed above show the battery discharged, the plant should be started and operated continuously until the battery is charged, as indicated by:
1. Ampere-hour meter hand at FULL, or
2. Both pilot balls UP, or
3. Hydrometer test shows top of FULL band out of electrolyte.
(NOTE: Any one or all of the above three items may indicate battery charged. Meter hand at FULL would necessitate both balls UP. If both balls are not up, set hand back and charge to bring them up; then set hand at FULL.)
Should the user be operating for two or three hours with a seven or eight-ampere load, it would be more efficient to run the plant to carry this load. This only applies for those cases where the battery is partly discharged.