Hawker Battery | EnerSys - Technical Information

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The Hawker ARMASAFE Plus 6TAGM Battery (NSN 6140-01-485-1472) is the direct replacement for 6TL, 6TN and 6TMF batteries in all combat and wheel vehicles.

For a comparison between the Hawker ARMASAFE Plus and 6TMF - Click Here

Transporting and Shipping

Hawker ARMASAFE Plus batteries have been independently tested to and are classified as Non-Spillable and exempt from hazardous goods transportation requirements when securely packaged and protected against short circuits in accordance with:

ICAO/IATA Packing Instruction 806, Special Provision A67.
IMDG Class 8, UN ID 2800, exemption for Non-Spillable batteries.
USA Dept of Transportation - 49 CFR Section 173.159 para d.

Installation of new ARMASAFE Plus

Visually inspect the exterior of the new battery for signs of damage during transit. If the condition is unsatisfactory, do not install. If the condition is satisfactory, remove the applicable month/year circles on the installation label found on the top of battery.

Test open circuit voltage prior to installation. If the OCV is greater than or equal to 12.60 volts, the battery can be installed. If the OCV is less than 12.60 volts, the battery should receive a top off charge. Do not rely on the vehicle's alternator to top off charge the new battery.

Wipe the battery's external surfaces clean with a soft dry cloth and install.

Maintaining The Hawker ARMASAFE Plus

The Hawker ARMASAFE Plus battery is a sealed, valve regulated system and is maintenance free with respect to electrolyte replenishment. Under no circumstances should any attempt be made to introduce any substances, e.g. acid, distilled water or alkali to the battery. Ensuring long battery life can be accomplished by preventing problems before they cause damage to the battery.

Charging Procedures

The Hawker ARMASAFE Plus is designed and tested to be recharged numerous times over its life span. According to the US Government, the ARMASAFE Plus has proven to be recoverable thus rechargeable multiple times from voltages as low as 0.24 volts, which is one reason the US Government in Technical Bulletin 9-6140-252-13 paragraph 1.3 mandates end users attempt to recharge the ARMASAFE Plus before disposal. US Government customers should follow all applicable Federal, State and Local battery safety, charging, and disposal procedures for their branch of service/agency.

Prior to charging:
US Government/Military Users should become familiar with and follow the Technical Bulletin 9-6140-252-13, Field and Sustainment Maintenance and Recovery Procedures for Automotive Hawker ARMASAFE Plus Battery, NSN 6140-01-485-1472, available at https://www.logsa.army.mil/etms/index.cfm

ALL OTHERS consult the EnerSys Technical Manual at: http://www.EnerSysinc.com/defense/documents/Tank-manual.pdf

Overview of steps in TB 9-6140-252-13

Pre-Charge Battery Inspection:
Before starting to test or recover any battery, a visual inspection must be performed. Any batteries with physical damage below should be disposed of immediately. With a permanent marker label the battery as “DAMAGED.”

Things to look for:

Check the top, sides, and bottom for cracks, dents, leaking or swelling in the battery case and lid.

Check that the battery lid and case are sealed.

Make sure terminals are not melted, bent, or otherwise damaged.

Valves on top of battery should be flush. If valve(s) are raised, do not install.

Pre-Charge Battery Testing:
After performing the visual inspection, test the battery for potential internal electrical damage.

Using Voltage Meter test Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) of the battery.

Using a battery tester-analyzer determine if internal damage exists. Many testers will not give a reading if OCV
is less than a pre-set limit.

If no reading is given, charge the battery for 24 hours and retest with Voltmeter and/or Analyzer.

If no change is detected after two hours of charging, the battery is considered bad. Mark battery as
“CHARGED, TESTED BAD.”

Buss Bar Multiple Battery Procedures:

Group batteries for charging by open circuit voltage readings using the range grouping found in the Technical Bulletin.

Connect a group of batteries to a standard constant applied voltage buss bar charger set and adjust voltage between 14.7 volts and 15.2 volts. Do not use these values for the vehicles voltage regulator setting. Consult the appropriate
Technical Manual.

Charge batteries for 24 to 48 hours. Severely depleted batteries can take two to three days or longer to recharge.

Batteries are finished when charge current (ampere meter on charger) drops to less than 1 ampere per battery and holds there for three hours.

Single Battery Procedures:

Use a constant voltage charger of newer technology, which may have multiple charge settings and steps (such as AGM setting).

If adjustable, the voltage should be set between 14.4 volts and 15.0 volts and there should be at least 10 amperes current available for charging. Do not use these values for the vehicles voltage during regulator setting. Consult the appropriate Technical Manual.

If battery charger has no adjustments or switches and is not a SMART Charger (calculates what volt/amps battery is to be charged at) and output voltage is greater than 15.0 volts DC, the battery should be closely monitored (every 15 minutes) during the first two hours of charge process. If it shows signs of excessive heat when touching the exterior, leaking or swelling during charge stage, charging should be stopped immediately.

Charge batteries for 12 hours or longer, and check the system at least once per day to assure proper operation. Severely depleted batteries (OCV less than 10 volts DC) can take a significant amount of time to recharge.

Battery is finished when charge current (ampere meter on charger) drops to less than 1 ampere and holds there for three hours. Automatic chargers will stop charging and give a screen reading of “Charge Complete.”

Proceed with Post-charge testing.

Charging through NATO Slave Receptacle (24 VDC):

Connect charger to the NATO Slave receptacle using the chargers NATO Slave Receptacle connection.

If possible, use a constant voltage charger of newer technology, which may have multiple charge settings and steps (such as an AGM setting). If voltage is adjustable the voltage should be set between 28.8 volts and 30.0 volts or 24 volt switch setting selected and there should be at least 5A current per battery available for charging. Do not use these values for the vehicles voltage regulator setting. Consult the appropriate Technical Manual.

If battery charger has no adjustments or switches (and is not a SMART Charger and output voltage is greater than 30.0 VDC) the battery should be closely monitored every 15 minutes, during the first two hours of charge process.

Charge batteries for 12 hours or longer. It is best to have someone check the system at least once per day to assure proper operation (no excessive gassing, leaking, proper voltage applied).

Batteries are finished when charge current (ampere meter on charger) drops to less than 1/2 ampere per battery and holds there for three hours. For example, if four batteries are in the battery box, then overall current should be less than 2 amperes. Automatic chargers will stop charging and give a screen reading of “Charge Complete.”

Post-Charge Testing:

Remove batteries from charger and allow them to settle (rest; cool preferably overnight).

Test the Battery: Refer to TB 9-6140-252-13 for exact test methods/equipment.

When battery OCV is above 12.85 volts and load voltage exceeds 10.80 volts the battery is good for reissue to fleet as is without need for recharging.

When the battery OCV and load voltage are below 12.85 volts and/or 10.80 volts respectively, it needs additional charging.

Check out EnerSys and the Hawker ARMASAFE Plus at various trade shows and events.

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