load capacity AUDI A4 1996 B5 / 1.G Battery Workshop Manual

27-19

Load test procedure

- Switch ignition off.

- Read battery tester operating instructions.

Battery tester operating instructions
Table - Observe carefully:
Connect the clamps to the battery terminals as required by the tester
instruction manual. The clamps must make good contact with the
battery terminals.
- Load current varies depending on battery capacity, set load current on
tester appropriately. - Obtain load current from table below.

The minimum voltage (the voltage which must be exceeded) varies
and can be obtained from the table below.
The load current and minimum voltage vary depending on the
capacity of the battery. Battery
capacity Cold cranking
amps Load
current Minimum voltage
(limit)
70 Ah 340 A 200 A 9.5 V
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27-20

Load test results

The severe load (ohmic resistance) during this
test (high current draw) causes the battery
voltage to drop. If the battery is in good
condition, the voltage value will only drop to the
minimum voltage. The minimum voltage varies
and depends on battery capacity and cold
cranking amps. Cold cranking amps is
understood to be the capacity of the battery in
cold weather. Batteries with high cold cranking
amps are especially important in vehicles with
high compression engines.
If the battery is faulty or has only a weak
charge, the battery voltage will drop off very
quickly "voltage collapse" (voltage below 9.0 V).
After the test is completed, this low voltage will
last for a longer period of time and the voltage
will increase only very slowly. Such a battery
will no longer reach a usable voltage (no-load
voltage) Page 27
-12
.

A battery with the faults described above does
not have the power reserve of an undamaged
battery and must be discarded.
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27-23

Charging totally discharged batteries
Batteries out of operation for extended periods of
time, such as in stored vehicles, lose their
charge.
A battery is totally discharge if its no-load voltage
has dropped to less than 11.6 V. To measure no-
load voltage Page 27
-12

In totally discharged batteries, the electrolyte
(sulfuric acid/water mixture) consists almost
entirely of water, since the sulfuric acid
component has been strongly reduced. At
freezing temperatures, the battery can freeze
and the case may burst.
Totally discharged batteries sulfate, i.e., the plate
surfaces of the batteries harden and the
electrolyte is not clear and has a slightly whitish
coloration.
If totally discharged batteries are charged again
immediately after the deep discharge, the
sulfating forms again.
If these batteries are not recharged, the plates
harden further and the charging capacity is
diminished resulting is a loss of battery power.
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