Using Your Battery Charger
To obtain the best results from your battery charger, you must know how to use it properly. This section will tell you how to set the controls, and how you can charge a battery while it is still in the vehicle, or you can remove it and then charge it. Follow the instructions below depending on how you choose to charge your battery.
Setting the controls
All the controls for your charger are located on the front of the unit. Follow these instructions to obtain the accurate charge level for your battery.
VOLT/AMP SELECTOR:
The volt/amp selector switch allows you to select an amp charge rate and battery voltage type to match your charging needs. Read the following operating instructions for making the proper settings for charging a battery and using the engine start feature.
TIMER:
The timer is designed to allow your battery to be charged for a designated amount of time. To accu- rately charge your battery, you must know the size of the battery in ampere hours or reserve capacity in minutes, as well as the state of charge. Since this information is often not known, the timer limit is set at
2.25hours. This will help prevent the battery from overcharging to a point where it can be damaged. If you do not know the charge state of your battery, it is best to start out with the timer set at one hour or less.
HOLD feature:
This position overrides the timer, allowing the charger to continue charging for over 2.25 hours. This feature is most often used when the charging rate is 2 or
15 amps. Using this feature requires you to monitor the charging and to stop the charger when the battery is fully charged. Otherwise, charger will not stop and may cause damage to your battery.
AMMETER:
The ammeter indicates the measured amount of amperes being drawn by the battery. When you first start charging a battery, the reading will be high, with the needle around 50 or “START” when the selector is in the 50 amp charge position. As the battery becomes charged, the reading will decrease to 15 or 20 amps at full charge. This will be your indicator to stop charging. With the selector switch set to the 15 amp position, the meter should display 15 amps for a discharged battery and
If you are using the 2 amp charge rate, you may see little or no activity by the needle.
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