12.2TESTING SEQUENCE: There are three basic steps required to test the battery state of charge:
1.Connect the battery charger’s clips to the battery. Be sure to follow all of the precautions listed under sections 6 and 7.
2.Connect the charger’s power cord to a 120 VAC outlet. Again, be sure to follow all of the precautions listed under sections 6 and 7.
3.Read the voltage on the digital meter or press the DISPLAY MODE button to set the tester to BATTERY % and read the battery percent- age.
12.3TESTER AND CHARGER: When first turned on, the charger operates only as a tester, not as a charger. To continue to use it as only a tester, avoid pressing the START/STOP button. The charger is always in tester mode until the START/STOP button is pressed. Pressing the START/ STOP button activates the charger and deactivates the tester.
12.4TESTING AFTER CHARGING: After the unit has been changed from tes- ter to charger (by pressing the START/STOP button), it remains a charger as long as it’s connected to a battery. Press the Start/Stop button again to change back to tester mode.
13.battery percent and charge time
This charger adjusts the charging time in order to charge the battery com- pletely, efficiently and safely. The microprocessor automatically makes the necessary decisions. However, this section includes guidelines that can be used to estimate charging times.
The duration of the charging process depends on three factors:
13.1Battery State – If a battery has only been slightly discharged, it can be charged in less than a few hours. The same battery could take up to 10 hours if very weak. The battery state can be estimated by using the
13.2Battery Rating – A higher rated battery will take longer to charge than a lower rated battery under the same conditions. A battery is rated in
13.3Battery Size – The charger automatically selects a charge rate up to 12 amps. The charger charges at the selected charge rate and eventually reduces the charge rate in a controlled manner. After the charging process has started, the digital display can be used to determine the charging progress by selecting the BATTERY % mode.
There are some important facts to keep in mind when charging a battery:
13.4When the display indicates 77% charged, the battery has been charged enough to start most vehicles.
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