Snapper 5900550 Manuel D’Utilisation

Regular Maintenance

A voltmeter can be used to determine the condition of the 
battery.  When engine is off, the voltmeter shows battery 
voltage, which should be 12 volts.  When engine is running, 
the voltmeter shows the voltage of the charging circuit which  
normally is 13 to 14 volts.

A dead battery or one to weak to start the engine may not 
mean the battery needs to be replaced.  For example, it may 
mean that the alternator is not charging the battery properly.  
If there is any doubt about the cause of the problem, see 
your dealer.  If you need to replace the battery, follow the 
steps under Cleaning the Battery & Cables in the Regular 
Maintenance section.

 1.  Be aware of all the safety precautions you should 

observe during the charging operation.  If you are 
unfamiliar with the use of a battery charger and 
hydrometer, have the battery serviced by your dealer.

 2.  Add distilled water sufficient to cover the plate (fill to 

proper lever near the end of the charge).  If the battery 
is extremely cold, allow it to warm before adding water 
because the water level will rise as it warms.  Also, an 
extremely cold battery will not charge until it becomes 
warm.

 3.  Always unplug or turn the charger off before attaching or 

removing the clamp connections.

 4.  Carefully attach the clamps to the battery in the proper 

polarity (usually red to [+] positive and black to [+] 
negative.

 5.  While charging, periodically measure the temperature of 

the electrolyte.  If the temperature exceeds 125°F (51.6° 
C), or if violent gassing or spewing of electrolyte occurs, 
the charging rate must be reduced or temporarily halted 
to prevent battery damage.

 6.  Charge the battery until fully charged (until the specific 

gravity of the electrolyte is 1.250 or higher and the 
electrolyte temperature is at least 60°F).  The best 
method for making sure that the battery is fully charged 
is to measure the specific gravity of a cell once per hour.  
The battery is fully charged when the cells are gassing 
freely at a low charging rate and less than 0.003 change 
in specific gravity occurs over a three year period.

Jump starting is not recommended.  However, if it must be 
done, follow these directions.  Both booster and discharged 
batteries should be treated carefully when using jumper 
cables.  Follow the steps below exactly, being careful not to 
cause sparks.  Refer to Figure 36.

 1.  Both batteries must be the same voltage.

 2.  Position the vehicle with the booster battery adjacent 

to the vehicle with the discharged battery so that the 
booster cables can be connected easily to the batteries 
in both vehicles.  Make certain that the vehicles do not 
touch each other.

 3.  Wear safety glasses and shield eyes and face from 

batteries at all times.  Be sure that the vent caps are 
tight.  Place a damp cloth over the vent caps on both 
batteries.

 4.  Connect the positive [+] cable to the positive post of the 

discharged battery (wired to starter of solenoid).

 5.  Connect the other end of the same cable to the same 

post marked positive [+] on the booster battery.

 6.  Connect the second cable negative [-] to the other post 

of the booster battery.

 7.  Make the final connection on the engine block of stalled 

vehicle away from battery.  Do not lean over batteries.

 8.  Start the engine of the vehicle wit the booster battery.  

Wait a few minutes, then attempt to start the engine of 
the vehicle with the discharged battery.

 9.  If the vehicle does not start after cranking for thirty 

seconds, stop procedure.  More than thirty seconds 
seldom starts the engine unless some mechanical 
adjustment has been made.

 10. After starting, allow the engine to return to idle speed.  

Remove the cable connection at the engine or frame.  
The remove the other end of the same cable from the 
booster battery.

 11. Remove the other cable by disconnecting at the 

discharged battery first and then disconnect opposite 
end from the booster battery.

 12. Discard the damp cloths that were placed over the 

battery vent caps.

•  Keep open flame and sparks away from the battery; the 

gasses coming from it are highly explosive.

•  Ventilate the battery well during charging.

Not 

for  

Reproduction