Hawker Headlines

Spring2025 Edition

Quick Tips!

Under normal conditions, when fast (a.k.a., recovery) charging two Hawker^® batteries wired together to form a nominal 12-volt parallel string or four batteries wired together to form a nominal 24-volt series-parallel string, it’s recommended that the charger have the ability to provide at least 20 amps or more. View more Quick Tips at hawkerbattery.com/resources/#faqs

Answer to question from last issue:

Wait, Hawker^® batteries are AGM, TPPL…and VRLA? What’s VRLA?

VRLA is an acronym for Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid. Yes, Hawker^® batteries are lead-acid batteries. There…I said it! In fact, the plates are 99.9% pure lead!!! And, the batteries are also valve-regulated. Take a look at the top of a Hawker^® ARMASAFE™ Plus 6TAGM battery and you’ll notice that each one of its six cells has a valve cover. Underneath the valve cover is a flash arrestor…(cuz we don’t want sparks where hydrogen is…hello Hindenburg!) Now, below that flash arrestor is a bunson valve…It’s placed over and wraps around a valve stem. So, each cell has its own independent pressure-relief valve to regulate any potential off-gassing. However, under proper normal use, off-gassing is a rare occurrence. You see, Hawker^® batteries are recombination batteries…they keep gasses within the battery until they recombine back into a liquid. It’s the reason you NEVER have to add water to the battery. In fact, you can’t! So, save that water for your favorite MRE beverage powder or your flameless MRE heater!

Did you know?

that there’s an M6 to SAE Terminal conversion kit for certain Hawker^® MILPC batteries? If you are having difficulty testing or charging the MILPC 545 (here’s looking at you BFV community), 680, 925, 1200, and/or 1700 batteries…or simply need to convert the threaded receptacles to SAE terminals for use in your equipment, you can order kits by using NSN: 5940-01-701-7363.
See here: https://hawkerbattery.com/hawker-m6-receptacle-to-sae-terminal-conversion-kit/

Training:

Platoon Sergeant got you in that battery room doing some spring cleaning?

Did you find any testing or charging equipment that you don’t know how to use?

Well, contact us for free onsite Battery Maintenance and Recovery Training!