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How to Test and Charge Your Cat® Battery
Estimated read time: 2 minutes
Want to get ahead of unexpected battery failures in your equipment? We want you to be equipped to take care of your Cat® batteries yourself with these quick and easy steps.
If you need a charger or a new battery, you can find it at Parts.Cat.com. Just enter your equipment’s serial number to see the parts made for your specific machine.
Before doing any maintenance, remember to check your Operation and Maintenance Manual (OMM) for proper safety procedures. And always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Check out this video to see how to test and charge your Cat battery, and then read on for the written instructions:
Prepare for Service
Be sure to be in a clean environment on dry, level ground when conducting any maintenance. Also, lower implements to the ground, lock out the hydraulics and turn off the engine.
Before charging any battery, test it first. Here are the steps you can take for testing a 12-volt battery and then charging it if needed.
Battery Testing
A load test tells you whether a battery is good or bad.
First, check the open circuit voltage, or OCV, to make sure the battery is charged. For a 12-volt battery, the OCV needs to be 12.45 or higher.
And note the cold cranking amps value, or CCA, on your battery’s label. Now:
- Connect the positive tester clamp to the positive terminal and the negative clamp to the negative terminal.
- Apply a load of half the battery’s CCA for 15 seconds.
- With the load still on the battery, check the tester reading.
A steady reading of 9.5 volts or higher for a 12-volt battery means the battery is good.
Battery Charging
If your battery’s OCV is below 12.45 volts, it’s time for a boost charge.
- Make sure the charger is off and the battery is disconnected.
- Connect the charger’s positive clamp to the battery’s positive terminal. And then, negative to negative.
If your battery doesn’t accept charge within 30 minutes, it may need to be replaced.
Note that slow charging is best because fast charging increases the risk of the battery overheating. And never attempt to charge a frozen battery.
Now that you have tested and charged your battery, you may want to check out how to inspect and clean your batteries. And we also have instructions for how to install a new battery and how to find its date code.
For more information and support, contact your Cat dealer. And always check your Operation and Maintenance Manual for specific instruction and safety procedures.
