Narrative:

The aircraft arrived at the gate and would not accept external power. All emergency lights illuminated and remained on for approximately 20 mins. Management decided to replace all 9 battery packs on the aircraft due to the time required per the maintenance manual to receive full charge (16 hours). We replaced all 9 battery packs with svcable units from stores. 2 packs appeared to not be fully charged (lights were dim). An additional pack failed the installation test. Failed unit was replaced again with svcable unit from stores. Subsequent operations check was satisfactory per maintenance manual. Management entered and ordered us to sign off discrepancy under threat of insubordination leading up to possible termination. I short-signed for work performed, my lead signed off the log page. Both my lead and I felt that the svcability of the battery packs from stores had been compromised as evidenced by 2 of them being dim and 1 failing altogether. We voiced these concerns to management along with the fact that ni-cads lose their charge in storage. Aircraft maintenance manual states that the packs require 16 hours to regain a full charge. It was well within management's power to sign off this logbook discrepancy. Instead they coerced and threatened 2 mechanics that did not feel the aircraft was airworthy. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the supervisor insisted that the report be signed off in spite of the fact 1/3 of the lights did not test correctly. The reporter said the company dropped all charges against the reporter and the lead mechanic. The reporter said the problem with the batteries is after being charged in the shop they are sent to stores for a period of 60 days without any pulse or trickle charge to maintain the correct charge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 ON OVERNIGHT LAYOVER HAD ALL THE EMER LIGHTING BATTERY PACKS REPLACED AND ON TEST 33% FAILED DUE TO IMPROPER STORAGE OF THE PACKS.

Narrative: THE ACFT ARRIVED AT THE GATE AND WOULD NOT ACCEPT EXTERNAL PWR. ALL EMER LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ON FOR APPROX 20 MINS. MGMNT DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL 9 BATTERY PACKS ON THE ACFT DUE TO THE TIME REQUIRED PER THE MAINT MANUAL TO RECEIVE FULL CHARGE (16 HRS). WE REPLACED ALL 9 BATTERY PACKS WITH SVCABLE UNITS FROM STORES. 2 PACKS APPEARED TO NOT BE FULLY CHARGED (LIGHTS WERE DIM). AN ADDITIONAL PACK FAILED THE INSTALLATION TEST. FAILED UNIT WAS REPLACED AGAIN WITH SVCABLE UNIT FROM STORES. SUBSEQUENT OPS CHK WAS SATISFACTORY PER MAINT MANUAL. MGMNT ENTERED AND ORDERED US TO SIGN OFF DISCREPANCY UNDER THREAT OF INSUBORDINATION LEADING UP TO POSSIBLE TERMINATION. I SHORT-SIGNED FOR WORK PERFORMED, MY LEAD SIGNED OFF THE LOG PAGE. BOTH MY LEAD AND I FELT THAT THE SVCABILITY OF THE BATTERY PACKS FROM STORES HAD BEEN COMPROMISED AS EVIDENCED BY 2 OF THEM BEING DIM AND 1 FAILING ALTOGETHER. WE VOICED THESE CONCERNS TO MGMNT ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT NI-CADS LOSE THEIR CHARGE IN STORAGE. ACFT MAINT MANUAL STATES THAT THE PACKS REQUIRE 16 HRS TO REGAIN A FULL CHARGE. IT WAS WELL WITHIN MGMNT'S PWR TO SIGN OFF THIS LOGBOOK DISCREPANCY. INSTEAD THEY COERCED AND THREATENED 2 MECHS THAT DID NOT FEEL THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE SUPVR INSISTED THAT THE RPT BE SIGNED OFF IN SPITE OF THE FACT 1/3 OF THE LIGHTS DID NOT TEST CORRECTLY. THE RPTR SAID THE COMPANY DROPPED ALL CHARGES AGAINST THE RPTR AND THE LEAD MECH. THE RPTR SAID THE PROB WITH THE BATTERIES IS AFTER BEING CHARGED IN THE SHOP THEY ARE SENT TO STORES FOR A PERIOD OF 60 DAYS WITHOUT ANY PULSE OR TRICKLE CHARGE TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT CHARGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.