Starter Batteries for Internal Combustion Engines Standard Order, 1980

L.N. 55 of 1980

MALTA BOARD OF STANDARDS ACT, 1965

(ACT NO. XXVII OF 1965)

Starter Batteries for Internal Combustion Engines Standard Order, 1980

(Standard Order No. 28:1980)

IN exercise of the powers conferred by s e ct i o n 4 of the Malta

Bo a rd of Standards Act, 1965, the Malta Board of Standards has made

the fol1owing standard order:-

1. This standard or d e r may be cited as the Starter Batteries for

I nt e rn a 1 Combustion E n gin es Standard Order, 1980, and may be

referred to as St an d a r d Order No. 28:1980.

1.2. This standard order sha1l become operative on a date after

the lapse of t w e n t y days from the day in which it is laid on the Table of

the House of Representatives, which d a t e shaB be notified by a notice

in the Gazette.

1. In

st a n d a r d

u n l ess

the

otherwise

this

co n t e x t

order,

requires -

2.1.1.

"the Act" means the Malta Board of S tan d a r d s Act,

1965;

2.1.2. "active materjal" means that portion of a pla t e in

which chemical changes are wrought by the passage of an electric

Clment through a cell;

2.1.3. "battery" means two or more cells permanently con­

nected t o ge t h e r electrical1y in one container;

2.1.4. "capacity" means the quantity of electricity, usual1y

expressed in ampere ho ur s which may be taken from a cel1 at a

,

given rate of discharge under specified conditions of voltage and

temperature;

2.1.5. "cell1id" means a component of acid r e s i s t i n g hard

rubber composition, plastics or other insulating m a t e rj a l which is

sealed to the walls of the container near the top and is provided

with holes for terminaJs and vent plugs;

2. J .6. "charging" means the passing of an e1ectric current

through the cell so as to bring it to a chemical c o n d i t ion in which

it is capable of supplying electricity to an external circuit, which

quantity of electricity thus put in is kn ow n as the c ha rg e and is

usually measured in a m p e r e hours;

2.1.7. "container" means a box made from acid resisting

hard rubber composition, plastics or other insulating material in

which the plates and other internal components of the cells are

assembled;

2.1.8. "discharging" means the connection of a cell to an

external circuit in such a way that energy flows from the cell into

the external circuit, and the quantity of electricity t h u s taken out

is known as the discharge, and is usually measured in ampe r e hours;

2.1.9.

"dry charged battery" means a battery which may be

put into service and which will function satisfactorily without an

initial charge after filling with electrolyte

p ositi ve

2.1.10. "element" mcans a unit comprising one

group, one negative group 2nd the necessary separators;

2.UI. "end terminal post" means a lead alloy post which

projects above the 1id of the end cell of a battery and from which

connection is made to the external circuit or to the end terminal

post of another battery;

2.1.12. "lead-acid cell" means a cell fitted with plates in

which the active materials are -

2.1.12.1.

positive electrode; 1ead dioxide,

2.1.12.2.

ncgative electrode: spongy lead, and

2.1.12.3.

electrolyte: di1lJte sulphuric acid;

2.1.13. "plate" means a unit which, singly or in groups, is

submerged in the electrolyte so that its surface forms the whole

or part of one of the electrodes of the cell;

2.1.14. "plate group" means a complete electrode consisting

of either positive or negative plates, burned to a common conductor

(plate strap) and provided with a post from which connection may

be made to another cell or to an external circuit;

"

2.1.15. "plate support means a support or bottom rest upon

which the plates rest; it may be either separated from, or integral

with, the container;

2.1.16. "rated capacity or rating" means the ampere-hour

cap<lcity of a cell assigned to it by the maker under specified COl1-

ditions of discharge specified at paragraph 6.1. of this standard

order;

2. l.l 7. "secondary cell" means a voltaic cell which, after

discharge, can be brought back to its initial charged chemical con­

di ti o n by passing a current through it in a reverse direction to that

of discharge;

2.1.18. "separator" means a sheet of porous insulating

material used in the separati on of platrs of opposite polarity;

2.1.19. "separator guard" means a compcnent made from an

acid resistant insulating materia! und sa pos1tioned as to prevent

injury to the separators resu1ting fro::1 instruIT!ents inserted through

the f i l l i n g hole;

2.1.20. "vent p1ug" means a removal plug fitled to the lid

arranged to give access for filling or topping up, and, while in

positioll, to provide for the escape of gas from the cel1 and fitted

with suitab1e baffles to arrest acid spray.

1. This standard order shall apply on1y to secondary lead-acid Scope.

batteries which are primarily used for engine starting and other electrical

10ads in automobiles driven by internal combustion engines.

1. No 1icensee under the Act may use the standard mark in Use of

r e s p ect of any ioeal starter battery which does not conform in every standard mark.

respect with the provisions of this standard order.

The battery shall be assembled in a

1.

monoblock container

and each cell shall be fitted with a vent pIug or, alternatively. the battery

shall have a venting system whereby aeid spray is arrested without im­

peding the free eseape of gases, and each eel1 shall be sealed within the

container so as to prevent any leakage of eIectrolyte.

5.2. The details of external design and construction of indi v idua l

eells and complete batteries shall be left to the diseretion of the manu­

facturer.

5.3.

Battery sizes shall be as agreed between the vendor and the

purehaser.

5.4. Battery terminals and layout shall be as agreed between the

vendor and the purchaser.

5.5. The internal design of the battery shalI be such as to fully

comply with -

5.5.1.

capacity tests;

5.5.2.

high rate discharge tests;

5.5.3.

retention of charge tests;

life cycling tests. and

5.5.4.

5.5.5.

overcharge life tests.

1. The rating of a starter battery shall be assigned to it by the

maker and shall be assessed in ampere hours obtainable at the 20-hour

rate of diseharge to a final voltage of 1.75 volts per cell when diseharged

under the eonditions of tests as specified in sub-paragraph 11.1. of this

standard order and with the eleetrolyte at an average temperature of

25° C.

1. The normal eharging rate in amperes during bench tests

(unless otherwise specified) shall be numerieally equal to 1/10 of the

rated capacity at the 20-hour rate of diseharge.

7.2. A battery shall be eonsidered as fully charged when, with the

normal charging current f1owing, and with all eells gassing freeIy, its

terminal vo1tage and the specific gravity of its electrolyte do not vary

appreeiably during two conseeutive hours at the end of the charging

period. account being taken of temperature variations.

1. For the purposes of the tests specified in sub-paragraph 1 1.1.

of this standard order, the specific gravity of the eleetrolyte in the cells.

when fully charged, shall be between 1.280 and 1.290 ( c o rrec t ed to

15°C).

8.2. It is to be noted that the specific gravity given is for the

purpose of testing to this standard and not neeessarily the specific

gravity of the electrolyte used when the battery is installed in a vehicle.

8.3. Effects of temperature on the specific gravity of the eleetro­

lyte as indicated by hydrometer shall be eorreeted as follows

8.3.1. for each 10°C. above 15°C. add 0.007 to the ob s er v ed

reading. and

8.3.2. for each 10°C. below 15°C. deduct 0.007 from the

observed reading.

8.4. The acid used for filling n ew cel1s shall be di1ute su1phuric

acid and shal1 comply with British St a nd a r d 3030 S u l p huri c acid for

"

use in Iead-acid batteries".

1. Batteries shall be d e em e d to comp1y with this s t a n dar d order

requirements.

if they conform with the requirement that, when tested in acc or d a n c e

Rating.

with the method rcferred to in sub-paragraph ILI., t h e battery gives the

rating on one of the three cyc1es.

9.2. When b a t t e ries are t es t e d in acc ord a n c e with the method

referred to in sub-paragraph 11.1., the vo1tage, measured at the bat­

tery terminals between f iv e and s eve n seconds a f t e r commencement of

discharge, shall avera.ge not less than 1.67 volts per cel1, and the dura­

tion of the discharge to the finaI voltage (i.e. 1.33 volts per cell) shall be

no t less than 5 rnins. 50 secs.

9.3. When batteries are tested in a ccordanc e with th e method

referred to in sub-paragraph 11.1., the vo1tage, measured at the battery

terminals between five and seven seconds after commencement of dis­

charge, shall average not Iess than 1.33 volts p e r cell, a n d the duration

of the discharge to the finaI discharge (i.e. 1.00 volts p e r ce1l) shall be

not less t h a n 3 minutes.

9.4. When b atteri e s are tested in acc o r d ance with the method

referred to in sub-paragraph 11.1., the capacity obtained on the third

test shall be not 1ess than the capacity rating, while the capacity g i v e n

by t h e second test shall be n ot less than 75% of the average capacity

of the first and third tests.

9.5. When batteries are tested in acc o r d anc e with the method

referred to in sub-paragraph 11 1 after t he 225th cyc1e the capacity

.

.,

obtained shall not be Iess than 0.7 times the capacity ra t in g

.

9.6. When batteries are te s t ed in ac c o rd a n c e with the m e th o d

referred to in sub-paragraph 11.1., on each of the six hi gh ra te checking

-

discharges, the minimum v ol ta ge of 1.33 volts per cel1 shall not be

reached in a time shorter than 4 minutes.

9.7. When b a t t e ri e s are te s t e d in a cc o rd a n ce with th e method

referred to in sub-paragraph 11.2., there shali be no sign of cracks Of

other flaws in the filIed batteries.

E ac h battery shall have

legible and d u rabl e marking

1.

a

giving

_

10.1.1.

the nominal volt ag e;

10.1.2.

the rated capacity, and

10.1.3.

the standard mark and the i n script i o n C o m p l i es with

"

th e Malta Board of Standards Order No. 28 of 1980.".

1. The tests for rating, high rate of discharge at normal tem- Methods

perature, high rate of discharge at low temperature, r e t en tion of charge, of test.

life cyc1ing and overcharge life shall be carried out as described in

c1ause 7 of British Standard No. 3911.

Neon l a m p test (crack)

11.2.

Apparatus

(a)

a neon lamp, and

a s ui tab le insulated probe.

(b)

11.2.2. Connect one pole of the battery to the neon lamp and

connect the lamp to one of the terminals of an a1ternating current

supply ħaving a

between

(r,m.s.) and

of between

and 100

Connect

terminal

supply to the insulated prohe.

the whole surface of the

of

battery by drawing the probe across it. The p r e se nce of a crack wi11

cause the lamp to light.

Publlshed by Ih� Departmenl of 1nlormall01l

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lhe c.a,s,

Govemment Prillllllll Press.

tal-Gvern

f1.U.Ċ.S.

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