Take care of your batteries

Even maintenance-free batteries must be sufficiently charged. The label "maintenance free" simply means that the battery loses so little fluid that it does not need to be refilled during its lifetime.
Sufficient charging is still necessary, however. The battery must be supplied with as much energy as it has supplied itself.

One of the causes of battery problems is the short running times of agricultural machinery, as the engine running time is often insufficient to recharge the energy consumed during start-up.

Batteries are also subject to constant self-discharge. This does not only take place in winter but also when it is hot. If the battery is not sufficiently charged, the sulphation process can damage it and therefore reduce its useful capacity.

Once the battery is damaged or insufficiently charged, using it with the engine off or performing frequent starts, such as for trial purposes during workshop repairs, may cause a failure.
Even after the jump start, the battery cannot be charged by the alternator alone. You have to use an external charger.

Especially in winter, breakdowns often occur because the battery performs less chemically and at the same time the cold engine is more difficult to start. Only sufficient charge can ensure that the battery does not suffer permanent damage.

A simple voltage tester or multimeter is enough to regularly check the battery charge level.

Our advice for the maintenance of your batteries:

• Regularly check the charge level by referring to the voltage.
• Recharge the battery when it reaches, at the latest, an open circuit voltage of 12.4 V.
• Do not sell or install a battery with a voltage lower than 12.4V.
• Take advantage of repair times to fully charge the battery.