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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
2.25 hours. 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 7-8 amps when the battery is fully charged.
If you are using the 2 amp charge rate, you may see
little or no activity by the needle.