WARNING: Failure to follow these safety precautions may lead to a serious accident. SAFETY 7.4 BATTERY Battery electrolyte contains sulphuric acid, and batteries generate hydrogen gas, so mistaken handling can lead to serious injury or fire. For this reason, always observe the following precautions. ! Never bring any lighted cigarette or flame near the battery. ! When working with batteries, ALWAYS wear safety glasses and rubber gloves. ! If you spill acid on your clothes or skin, immediately flush the area with large amounts of water. ! Battery acid could cause blindness if splashed into the eyes.
If acid gets into your eyes, flush them immedi- ately with large quantities of water and see a doctor at once. ! If you accidentally drink acid, drink a large quantity of water or milk, beaten egg or vegetable oil. Call a doctor or poison prevention center immediately. ! Before working with batteries, stop the engine and turn the starting switch to the OFF position. ! Batteries generate hydrogen gas that is very explosive and easily ignited with a spark or flame. ! Avoid short-circuiting the battery terminals (between the positive ( [ ) terminal and negative ( - ) terminal) through accidental contact with metal objects, such as tools. !
When installing the battery, connect the positive ( [ ) terminal first, and when removing the battery, disconnect the negative ( - ) terminal (ground side) first. ! If the battery electrolyte is near the LOWER LEVEL, add distilled water. Do not add distilled water above the UPPER LEVEL. ! When cleaning the top surface of the battery, wipe it with a cloth. Never use gasoline, thinner, or any other organic solvent or cleaning agent. ! Loose terminals can cause sparks which cause explosions. Therefore securely tighten the terminals and the battery caps . ! If the battery electrolyte is frozen, do not charge the battery or start the engine with a different power source.
There is danger that this will ignite the battery. When charging or starting the engine with a different power source, melt the battery electrolyte and check for leakage of battery electrolyte before starting. ! Always remove the battery from the chassis before charging it. 1-21 BATTERY HAZARD PREVENTION