Battery Charging Safety

Charging a battery when it is installed in an engine compartment To reduce the risk of a spark near the battery:

1)Position AC and DC cords to reduce risk of damage by access doors, hood, or moving engine parts.

2)Stay clear of fan blades, belts, pulleys, and other parts that can cause injury to persons.

3)Ensure that the compartment has been ventilated to remove flam- mable or explosive gasses such as battery gasses and fuel vapor. Fuel vapor is heavier than air, so forced ventilation is required.

4)Check the polarity of the battery posts. The POSITIVE (POS, P, +) battery post usually has a larger diameter than the NEGATIVE (NEG, N, –) post.

5)Determine which post of the battery is grounded (connected) to chassis or engine block. If negative post is grounded (as in most systems) see the next item. If the positive post is grounded, see item 7.

6)For a negative grounded system, connect POSITIVE (RED) clip from the battery charger to the POSITIVE (POS, P, +) ungrounded post of the battery. Connect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) clip to the engine block away from the battery. Do not connect the clip to the carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet metal body parts. Connect to an unpainted, clean, heavy-gauge metal part of the frame or engine block.

7)For a positive grounded system, connect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) clip from the battery charger to the ungrounded NEGATIVE (NEG, N, –) post of the battery. Connect the POSITIVE (RED) clip to the engine block away from the battery. Do not connect the clip to the carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet metal body parts. Connect to an unpainted, clean, heavy-gauge metal part of the frame or engine block.

8)See the operating instructions for the length of charge information.

15