2
646-1299
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 charg-
ing, and recommended rates of charge.
5.
Be sure area around battery is well ventilated while bat-
tery is being charged. Gas can be forcefully blown away
by using a piece of cardboard or other non-metallic
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 spe-
cially designed for marine use.
CARS / LIGHT
CCA
R
C
TRUCKS
315-550
60-85
2.5-3.0
550-850
85-150
3.0-5.0
MARINE OR
MCA
AH
DEEP CYCLE
350-600
60-70
4.0-5.0
600-935
70-104
5.0-6.5
CCA: COLD CRANKING AMPS
RC: RESERVE CAPACITY
MCA: MARINE CRANKING AMPS
AH: AMPERE HOUR
*Based on battery at 50% charge.
BATTERY
SIZE
RATING
RECHARGE
TIME-HOURS*
