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PERSONAL PRECAUTIONS AND SAFETY
PREPARING TO CHARGE
1. WARNING: Wear complete eye protection and clothing
protection when working with lead-acid batteries.
2. Make sure someone is within range of your voice or
close enough to come to your aid when you work with
or near a lead-acid battery.
3. Have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby for use if
battery acid contacts skin, clothing, or eyes. If battery
acid contacts skin or clothing, wash immediately with
soap and water.
4. Avoid touching your eyes while working with a battery.
Acid particles (corrosion) may get into your eyes! If
acid enters your eye, immediately flood eye with
running cold water for at least 10 minutes. Get medical
attention immediately.
5. Remove all personal metal items such as rings,
bracelets, necklaces, and watches when working with
a lead-acid battery. A lead-acid battery can produce a
short-circuit current high enough to weld a ring (or the
like) to metal, causing a severe burn.
6. Take care not to drop a metal tool or other metal onto
the battery. Metal may cause sparking or short circuit
the battery or another electrical device. Sparking may
cause an explosion.
7. Always operate battery charger in an open, well-
ventilated area.
8. NEVER smoke or allow a spark or flame in the vicinity
of the battery or engine. Batteries generate explosive
gases!
1. Make sure you have a 12 volt lead-acid battery. Check
car owner manual to make sure.
2. Clean battery terminals. Take care to keep corrosion
from coming in contact with your eyes.
3. If required, add distilled water in each cell until battery
acid reaches levels specified by battery manufacturer.
This helps purge excessive gas from cells. Do not over-
fill. For a battery without cell caps, carefully follow
manufacturer's recharging instructions.
4. Study all battery manufacturer's specific precautions,
such as removing or not removing cell caps while
charging, and recommended rates of charge.
5. Be sure area around battery is well ventilated while
battery is being charged. Gas can be forcefully blown
away by using a piece of cardboard or other non-me-
tallic material as a fan.
6. If necessary to remove battery from vehicle to charge,
always remove grounded terminal from battery first.
Make sure all accessories in the vehicle are off, so as
not to cause an arc.
7. A marine (boat) battery must be removed and charged
on shore. To charge it on board requires equipment
specially designed for marine use.
BATTERY SIZE/RATING
RECHARGE
TIME-HOURS*
CARS / LIGHT CCA RC
TRUCKS 200-315 40-60 3-5
315-550 60-85 5-9
550-850 85-150 9-13
MARINE OR MCA AH
DEEP CYCLE 220-350 24-40 3-5
350-600 40-70 5-9
600-935 70-104 9-13
CCA: COLD CRANKING AMPS RC: RESERVE CAPACITY
MCA: MARINE CRANKING AMPS AH: AMPERE HOUR
*Based on battery at 50% charge.
BATTERY
SIZE RATING
Not sure of your BATTERY TYPE?: If you are unsure you have a Deep
Cycle battery, charge your battery using any of the following settings: Low
Maintenance, Conventional or Regular. All automotive (car & truck)
batteries are "Regular" batteries not "Deep Cycle". Deep Cycle batteries
are used on equipment without alternators or generators like golf cars,
personnel carriers, high lifts, floor sweepers etc..
Not recommended for the Delco Voyager® batteries or similar.