PERSONAL PRECAUTIONS AND SAFETY

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!

PREPARING TO CHARGE

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

 

BATTERY

RATING

RECHARGE

 

SIZE

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.

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 Voyagerbatteries or similar.

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Schumacher SS-51A-PE owner manual Personal Precautions and Safety, Preparing to Charge