Battery Maintenance Question

[pappy19]

Not sure where to post this. I have a solar panel for my batteries and the service battery light is blinking to add water to the batteries. I have checked the manual and can not find out how to slide the batteries out to service them. After you unlock the battery door, what do you have to do next to get the batteries out? I can't imagine that a diagram wasn't included in the manual. As a relative nubie, it is frustrating but I don't want to mess up anything. Thanks in advance-

Pap

[Rebee]

It is a brute force thing, grab the cable closest to you raise up the end of the battery and pull it to you enough to loosen and remove the cable. Slide the battery out enough that it stays balanced and remove the other cable. When you remove the first cable put a plastic bag over it and tape it on the cable so it does not short out, do the same with the second cable. Your other battery is still connected and the wires are hot.

[dznf0g]

I unstalled a nylon strap with a cinch buckle around my batts. I also tied a knot to form a loop so I can grab and pull. I wouldn't pull on the cables. 1) you can damage the cable to terminal connection and 2) you can damage the post on the battery causing an acid leak.

[pmclemore]

I have had to do what Rebee suggested - just be careful and gentle. And before you push them back in, do what dznf0g did - but not a cotton one, as it will rot pretty quickly. Leave it a little loose so you can twist a stick and use it for a handle.

Pat

[au_ee]

I leave the carrying strap on my batteries when I put them in the compartment. When removing, I grab the end of the strap, lift the battery over the lip and slide out on top of the door. If you don't have a strap on the battery, gently grab the cable, lift and slide.

[pappy19]

I wondered about that, lifting the edge of the battery but was afraid I would break something. As it turns out, I called my tech that installed my solar panel and he said to check the solar fuse in the fridge compartment. I opened it up and the fuse was in a small pool of water and blown. I installed a new fuse and taped the fuse/wire so it would not touch the floor. No more worries. Thanks for the suggestions on servicing the batteries; I will need to do that anyway in the near future.