Volkswagen Polo Service & Repair Manual: Current Draw Test

WARNING Batteries that have a light yellow visual indicator do not have to be tested or charged. Jump starting must not be used!

There is a risk of explosion during testing, charging or jump starting.

These batteries must be replaced.

Note Make sure the correct charging mode is set on the charger so the current draw test is not inaccurate. Battery Charger -VAS5095A-. Refer to → Chapter „Battery, Charging with Battery Charger -VAS5095A-“.

Battery Charger -VAS5900-. Refer to → Chapter „Battery Charger -VAS5900-“.

Battery Charger -VAS5903-. Refer to → Chapter „Battery Charger -VAS5903-“.

In order to receive an indication as quickly as possible of the battery condition of discharged batteries, a conclusion can be made during the charging process using the battery current draw as to whether the battery should be replaced or charged completely. Note In the case of the Battery Tester -VAS6161-, the current draw test must always be conducted when the test result “conduct current draw test” appears in the display.

Always Perform A Current Draw Test When:

the test result from the Battery Tester with Printer -VAS5097A- shows the following:

1 -	Starting power sufficient

2 -	Starting power insufficient

3 -	Starting power very insufficient

4 -	Not able to test - charge the battery and test again

and in cases in which the unit does not switch on (no LED, no printout)

or

the test result from the Battery Tester -VAS6161- shows the following:

1 -	Perform a current draw test

By checking a battery's current draw capacity during the charging procedure, it can be determined in a short time whether a partially discharged or severely discharged battery (refer to → Chapter „Severely Discharged Batteries“) can become operable again by further charging.

Test Prerequisites

When charging a battery, the battery temperature must be at least ≥ +10 °C. The charger must be able to deliver at least 30 A charge current, for example as on the battery chargers -VAS5095A-, -VAS5900-and -VAS5903-. When charging using the Battery Charger -VAS5095A-, the battery current draw must be measured with a current probe, for example, Test Instrument Set - Current Clamp - 100A -VAS6356/4A-. The Battery Charger -VAS5900- and the Battery Charger -VAS5903- indicate the current draw on the device. The Battery Charger -VAS5900- automatically performs the menu- guided current draw test.

Connect the battery to the battery charger and start the charging process.
Measure the battery charge current after five minutes.

Test Result

When current draw A is greater than 10% of nominal capacity Ah (for example, > 6.1 A at 61 Ah battery), fully charge the battery and retest.

Note On the Eos with two 6V AGM batteries, the charge current must only be greater than 5% of the battery nominal capacity in amp. As an example for Eos: the 50 Ah battery must have a charge current greater than 2.5 A after charging for five minutes.

Charge the battery completely when the charge current is greater than 10% of the nominal capacity (note exception for Eos in the note above).
After resting the battery for two hours, perform a battery test. Refer to → Chapter „Battery Test, Performing using Battery Tester -VAS6161-“.

If the charge current is less than 10% of the nominal capacity (two 6 V batteries in the Eos 5%) five minutes after starting the test (that is, for a 50 Ah battery < 5A), then replace the battery. Fill out the battery check sheet for warranty and goodwill cases.

Current Draw Test