Maintenance CAUTION! Do not use deep cycle batteries on EFI engines. A deep cycle battery, while it may have enough cold cranking amps (CCA), will cause problems with EFI engines. The correct starting battery for all Volvo Penta EFI engines is a standard marine battery with a minimum of 650 CCA and a minimum of 135 minutes reserve capacity. 2. All other batteries must be heavy duty and con- structed for marine use. They can be either vented/refillable, maintenance- free, or deep- cycle with a CCA or INCA rating. 22840 3. Use bolts and nuts to secure battery cables to the battery terminals. Do not use wing nuts to secure battery cables, even if they were supplied with the battery. 4.
Tighten all battery connections. Loose battery connections may cause damage to the engine’s electrical sys- tem. 5. Service electrical components only while the engine is off. Be careful when identifying positive and negative battery cables and terminals. If you touch the wrong terminal with a battery cable, even briefly, the motor’s charging system may be damaged. 7743722 - Downloaded from www.volvopenta.com 13/05/2008 20:17:06 CAUTION! The battery terminal connections must always be insulated. If the battery mounting system does not cover the connections, install protective covers. This will help prevent shorting or arcing at the battery terminals. WARNING!
Do not expose the battery to electrical sparks or an open flame. Do not use jumper cables and a booster battery to start the engine. Remove the battery from the boat to recharge. Do not re- charge the battery in the boat. The service life of your battery depends largely on how it is maintained. If the battery has become discharged for no apparent reason, check all electrical system components for malfunction or a switch left ON, before installing a recharged battery. Keep batteries dry and clean. Oxidation or dirt on the battery and battery terminals may cause short circuits, voltage drops, and discharges (especially in damp weather).
Electrolyte levels should be above the plates in the battery and no higher than the fill indicator level. Top off if necessary, using distilled water. After topping off, run the engine at fast idle for at least 30 minutes to charge the battery. Clean battery terminals and leads to remove oxi- dation. Tighten cable terminals tightly. NOTE! Some maintenance-free batteries have spe- cial instructions. Make sure to follow the bat- tery manufacturers instructions carefully. Spray battery terminals and connections with an anti corrosive agent, or coat them with petro- leum jelly. WARNING! Battery electrolyte is a corrosive acid and should be handled with care.
If you spill or splash electrolyte on any part of the body, immediately flush the exposed area with liberal amounts of water and seek medi- cal attention as soon as possible. Check that all other electrical connections are dry and free of oxidation, and that there are no loose connections. Always switch off the charging circuit before removing the battery charger connectors. Inspect your battery at regular intervals for spe- cific gravity (state of charge), individual cell water level, cleanliness and tight, greased con- nections. 76 VPA 7743722 English 10-2004