Hawker Headlines

Summer 2023 Edition

Quick Tips!

The phrase “Minimum Requirements per MIL-PRF-32143”
is listed on my Hawker^® ARMASAFE™ Plus 6TAGM battery…
what does that even mean?

Well, a MIL-PRF is a United States military performance specification.
The current revision is MIL-PRF-32143C and can be found here:
hawkerbattery.com/resources/

Answer to question from last issue:

How can I diagnose the source of a parasitic load or drain?

As defined in the last edition, a parasitic drain is an unintentional (and undesirable) load on a battery.

Here’s a recommended diagnostic method to find the offending culprit:

1. Turn the engine off and allow about 2 minutes (normally) for the vehicle to enter into sleep mode.

2. Place a DC ammeter clamp around either the negative or positive battery cable. Check for any measured reading. Typically, during sleep mode there may be a 30-50 milliamp load (though, possibly up to 200 milliamps) to support onboard systems (e.g., radios, GPS systems, memory seats, etc.). These planned loads are usually referred to as “key-off” loads or “sleep current”. Check the vehicle’s TM or repair manual for the specification. If the amp load is greater than the spec, you have a parasitic load.

3. For conventional vehicles, begin by pulling individual fuses noting any significant drop in amperage, immediately reinstall each fuse if there is no drop. Once you identify the circuit or circuits causing the parasitic load, refer to the vehicle's wiring diagram to determine the components connected to that circuit. Inspect each component and associated wiring for signs of damage, corrosion, or malfunction. For many military vehicles that are designed without fuse boxes, place an ammeter either fore or aft of an individual LRU (line-replaceable unit) or LRM (line-replaceable module) to observe for current flow. Continue with each LRU/LRM until a parasitic load is detected.

4. For conventional vehicles, you may need to perform additional testing on each component, such as checking for short circuits, proper wiring, or utilization of advanced diagnostic tools. For military vehicles, consult the vehicle’s TM for repair or replacement.

Did you know?

that MIL-PRF-32143C requires that all new 6TAGM batteries provide at least 1100 CCAs when the battery is new? Great! But, did you also know that the Hawker^® ARMASAFE™ Plus 6TAGM battery is manufactured to exceed that MIL-PRF? Well, it does. In fact, it provides at least 1225 CCAs or more when new, that’s 125 more CCAs minimum.
That said, it’s recommended to replace your used Hawker^® 6TAGM battery if it can no longer be recharged to at least 12.65 VDC and 980 CCAs.

Training:

Sound…OFF!

1. We are having problems with our batteries. Do you offer any Battery Maintenance and Recovery Training?

2. Yes, we do!

3. How can I get the training at my military maintenance shop?

4. Contact your Hawker^®FSR for free BMRT!