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A Shocking Situation
Taking care of our vehicle batteries is something we all have to do and everybody knows how to service them, correct? Distilled water, gloves, eye protection, and so forth are involved in the maintenance of the batteries. But note where the batteries are located; usually in a very cramped area with thick wires preventing easy access. Unless your RV has a slideout tray, you may have to disconnect some or all of the wires and physically remove the batteries for maintenance.
This requires reaching into a very tight space with a wrench to loosen the battery posts’ clamps. In the process of loosening these nuts, the servicer faces the very real hazard of creating a short circuit between the positive and negative posts. Although we’re speaking of only 12 volts here, the short circuit can be hundreds of amps, enough to create a fantastic shower of sparks, enough to melt the wrench, and enough to make the rest of your day seem boring. This can be life-threatening, can cause a serious burn, or at the very least it could destroy your battery.
To minimize the chance of this occurring, wrap electrical tape around your wrench from one end to the other. Overlap the wraps to make sure the metal is completely covered. One full coverage of the wrench is usually sufficient.
Dan Dolan, Layton, Utah
This Article provided by TMT Volume 2
Authored by:
This tip appears on the Tech Tip Guide on page 0. |
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