Charging the battery (VW Passat B3)

Never short-circuit the battery. When short-circuited, the battery heats up and may burst. Do not expose the battery to an open flame. Battery electrolyte is caustic and should not come into contact with eyes, skin or clothing. Otherwise, immediately rinse the area where the electrolyte has come into contact with plenty of clean water.

Caution: When charging the battery, flammable gas is generated. Therefore, all ignition sources such as open flames, lit cigarettes, etc. should be kept at a large distance from the battery.

Before charging, disconnect the wires from the battery terminals, first of all the ground wire.

Before charging, check the electrolyte level and add distilled water if necessary.

Thaw a frozen battery before charging. A charged battery freezes at approximately -65°C, a half-charged battery at approximately -30°C, and a discharged battery at -12°C.

Unscrew the plugs from the battery and place them on the holes. This will prevent electrolyte from splashing onto the varnish when gases are released during charging.

Charge the battery only in a well-ventilated area. When charging the installed battery, the engine hood must be open.

During normal charging, the charging current value is approximately 10% of the battery capacity value. (That is, with a battery capacity of 45 Ah, the charging current is approximately 4.5 A).

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Connect the positive pole of the battery to the positive pole of the charger, and the negative pole of the battery to the negative pole of the charger.

During charging, the electrolyte temperature should not exceed +55°C, otherwise, stop charging or reduce the charging current.

Charge the battery until all its elements actively release gas and until 3 measurements taken at 1-hour intervals show that the electrolyte density and voltage no longer increase.

The battery can also be charged using a fast charger.

Warning: The fast charger must not be installed in a residential area! It is not possible to charge new or unused batteries with this device.

After charging, check the electrolyte level and top up with distilled water if necessary.

Check the density of the electrolyte. If the density of the electrolyte in one or two adjacent elements is noticeably lower (for example, 5 elements show a density of 1.26 g/ml, and in one it is 1.18 g/ml), then the battery is faulty and should be replaced.

Allow the gases to escape for about 20 minutes, then tighten the caps.