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NEWS | Oct. 18, 2021

M400W Compact Skid Loader: Prevent Battery Drain Again

M400W Skid Steer
Photo by Spc. Kevin Kim

Operators, keep these preventive maintenance pointers in mind for your M400W compact skid loaders as the season changes from warmer to cooler weather. You’ll want to pass this info along to buddies in your unit.
 
“Click” the Door Shut
        
A common cause of battery drain is when the skid loader’s cab door is left partially open. Leaving the door open will cause the door’s sensor to stay activated, causing the batteries to drain until there’s no charge left for the next start up. When you close the door, make sure you hear a “click” before walking away. 
 
Battery Checklist
        
Here are four ways to stop needless battery replacement:
  • Start the skid loader weekly and run it for an hour. 
  • Every other week, plug a charger into the vehicle’s NATO receptacle and fully charge the battery set. The ProHD, NSN 6130-01-500-3401, is an approved charger that comes with the SATS.
  • For long-term storage, make sure you disconnect the skid loader’s batteries.
  • For skid loaders stored outdoors in the motor pool, use a solar charging system, like the Solar Pulse Monitor System, NSN 6130-01-558-5371. It simply plugs into the NATO receptacle and no modifications are needed.
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