Volkswagen Polo Service & Repair Manual: Refresh Charging with Battery Charger -VAS5903

Special tools and workshop equipment required

Battery Charger -VAS5900-

WARNING Risk of injury. Follow all Warnings and Safety Precautions. Refer to → Chapter „Warnings and Safety Precautions“.

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.

Caution “Refresh charging” is not permitted for VW vehicles, because voltage surges can damage the on-board electronics. If “Refresh charging” is still used, the battery must always be separated from the vehicle electrical system.

Caution During the charging process, always set the operation mode corresponding with the battery. Refer to the Battery Charger -VAS5903- Operating Instructions!

“Refresh charging” is suitable for

Wet batteries, which can be filled with distilled water.

Do not use “Refresh charging” on maintenance-free wet batteries.

“Refresh charging (Refr)” mode is only used on batteries that are possibly defective (for example, sulfation). The battery is then charged to the maximum specific gravity of the electrolyte and the plates are reactivated (removal of sulfation layer).

Note

The battery temperature must be at least 10 °C.

Turn off the ignition and all electrical consumers.
Plug in the electrical system connector of the charger. The last selected mode is shown on the display. Refer to → Chapter „Battery Charger -VAS5903- Device Description“.

Select battery type using INFO.

The symbol -1- for “refresh - charging wet batteries” or the symbol -2- for “refresh - charging of Gel/Absorbant Glass Mat (AGM) batteries” is indicated in the display.

Set the capacity (Ah) of the battery to be charged with the corresponding button “Up”↑ or “Down”↓.
Clamp the red charging clamp “+” to the positive battery terminal.

Note In the case of vehicles with a start/stop function and an installed Battery Monitoring Control Module -J367-, the black charging clamp (-) must be connected to the body ground. The start/stop system will malfunction if it is connected to the negative terminal on the battery.

Connect the black charging clamp “-” to the negative battery terminal.

The battery charger recognizes the nominal voltage of the connected battery (6 V, 12 V or 24 V) and begins the charging process automatically.

Refresh Charging with Battery Charger -VAS5903

At a charge condition of approximately 80 - 85% of the battery voltage, charging unit begins the “Final-charging”. The fourth bar is indicated on the display -1-. The battery is now ready to be used. Note A successful “Refresh charge” depends on the degree of sulfation on the battery.

Possible malfunctions and how they are handled:

1 -	Displayed voltage does not match the nominal voltage:

Hold the appropriate button “Up”↑ or “Down”↓ until the charging process begins.

2 -	Displayed battery voltage does not match rated voltage - charging process has already begun:

Press START/STOP twice.
Hold the appropriate button “Up”↑ or “Down”↓ until the charging process begins.

3 -	The charger does not recognize a battery, when the battery voltage is less than 2 V:

The display remains unchanged.

The set operating mode and Ampere-hours (Ah) are displayed.

End Battery Charging Process

Press START/STOP.
Remove the black charging clamp “-” of the charger from the negative battery terminal.
Remove the red charging clamp “+” of the charger from the positive battery terminal.
Pull out the electrical system connector of the charger.

Refresh Charging with Battery Charger -VAS5903