9
Using the Battery Voltage Tester
Overview
This battery charger has a built-in voltmeter to test your battery’s state of charge. The
charger does not have a built in load tester. As such, a recently charged battery could
have a temporarily high voltage due to what is known as “surface charge”. The voltage
of such a battery will gradually drop during the period immediately after the charging
system is disengaged. Consequently, the tester could display inconsistent values for
such a battery. For a more accurate reading, the surface charge should be removed
by temporarily creating a load on the battery, such as by turning on lights or other
accessories for a couple of minutes before you read the display. Read it a couple of
minutes after you have shut the headlights off.
Testing Sequence:
There are four basic steps required to test the battery state of charge:
1.
With the charger unplugged from the AC outlet, connect the charger to the battery
following the instructions given in Sections 5 and 6.
2.
Set the charge rate switch and the timer to the OFF position.
3.
Plug the charger AC power cord into the AC outlet, following the instructions given in
Section 7.
4.
Read the voltage on the voltmeter.
General Charging Notes
Fan:
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for the fan to start and stop when maintaining a fully charged battery. Keep the area
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Voltage:
The voltage displayed during charging is the charging voltage and is usually
higher than the battery’s resting voltage.
12. CALCULATING CHARGE TIME
Use the following table to determine the time it will take to bring a battery to full charge.
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NR means that the charger setting is NOT RECOMMENDED.
Find your battery’s rating on the chart below, and note the charge time given for each
charger setting. The times given are for batteries with a 50% charge prior to recharging.
Add more time for severely discharged batteries.
BATTERY SIZE/RATING
CHARGE RATE/CHARGING TIME
4 AMP
20 AMP
40 AMP
70 AMP
SMALL
BATTERIES
Motorcycle,
garden tractor,
etc.
6-12 Ah
1-2 hrs
NR
NR
NR
12-32 Ah
2-5 hrs
NR
NR
NR
CARS/
TRUCKS
200-315 CCA
40-60 RC
5½-7¼ hrs
1-1½ hrs
½-¾ hr
20-30 min
315-550 CCA
60-85 RC
7¼-9¼ hrs
1½-2 hrs
¾-1 hr
30-40 min
550-1000 CCA
80-190 RC
9¼-17½ hrs
2-3½ hrs
1-1¾ hrs
40 min-1 hr
MARINE/DEEP-CYCLE
80 RC
8¾ hrs
1¾ hrs
NR
NR
140 RC
13½ hrs
2¾ hrs
NR
NR
160 RC
15 hrs
3 hrs
NR
NR
180 RC
16½ hrs
3½ hrs
NR
NR
