Associated Equipment 6034 - Manual (Page 2)

2
CONNECTIONS AND PRECAUTIONS
a) Connect and disconnect DC output clamps only after the LOAD CONTROL knob is counter-clockwise (CCW.) as far as possible. (Don’t force
knob).
b) When attaching clamps to battery posts, twist or rock clamp back and forth several times to make a good connection. This tends to prevent the
clamps from slipping off of the terminals and helps reduce risk of sparking.
NOTE: Either when receiving the unit new or when the unit has been sitting around awhile. The carbon stacks in the unit will collect moisture from the
air and will need to be evaporated out. To do this, the unit will need to be pre-loaded, by turning the knob to a 100 amps and holding the knob for 5 to 10
seconds and releasing the knob (Do this on a good battery that you are not testing). This releases any water that might be in the carbon stacks and
prevents the carbons from cracking during normal operation. Note: If a lot of water or steam come out of the unit, do this a few more times to get most of
the moisture out.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
DUTY CYCLE: It is difficult to specify a duty cycle on a carbon pile load tester. It will vary greatly with ambient temperature, length of test and load
current on battery. To insure long life it is recommended to let the carbon pile cool (about 10 minutes) between battery test. For maximum life, it is
recommended that the carbon pile never be heated until it is red hot. This can be easily seen by looking in the unit when running a test. A red glow will
indicate the carbon discs are so hot that the binders that hold the carbon granules together are burning and deteriorating. This will lead to a deterioration
of the carbon discs, which will be exhibited by the surfaces of the disc turning soft and powdery.
1.
Visually inspect batteries for obvious damage. Do not test a battery if posts are loose, case is cracked or fluid level is below the top of the plates.
With “maintenance free” batteries, see manufacturer’s instructions for checking water level. Do not test a frozen battery.
2. Be sure Voltmeter and Ammeter pointers are zeroed. Zero meters by adjusting screw on face of meter until meter points to zero.
3. See connection precautions before connecting or disconnecting clamp prior to test.
4. Connect RED clamp to POSITIVE (POS, +, P) battery post and BLACK clamp to NEGATIVE (NEG, -, N) battery post.
5.
DETERMINE STATE OF CHARGE OF BATTERY
a) Adjust LOAD CONTROL knob clockwise (CW) to 100 amps for 3 seconds. Adjust LOAD CONTROL knob counter-clockwise until the ammeter
reads zero. Read Voltmeter.
b) Results:
1. Pointer is in green zone on the "STATE OF CHARGE" scale, proceed to LOAD TEST.
2. Pointer to left of green zone on the "STATE OF CHARGE" scale, battery is too low to test. Recharge & repeat procedure.
c) Pointer in "STATE OF CHARGE" scale green zone indicates a battery that is at least 75% charged.
6.
LOAD TEST
Note: During heating caused by a load test, the carbon pile may emit steam and odors that have been absorbed by the carbon discs, this is normal.
a) Adjust “LOAD CONTROL” knob to the one-half of the battery’s cold cranking amperage (CCA) rating using DC AMPS meter as a reference. Hold
this reading. During this 15 seconds interval the amperage will probably change due to resistance changes in the cables, carbons and the battery.
Readjust the "LOAD CONTROL" knob during this 15 seconds interval to maintain the amperage value required. At the end of 15 seconds and with
the load on, read the battery voltage on the "BATTERY TEST" scale. TURN THE LOAD CONTROL KNOB COUNTER-CLOCKWISE AS FAR AS
POSSIBLE. (OFF) Alarm will sound after 15 seconds.
b) The voltage reading obtained from the battery changes in relation to the temperature of the battery and also in relation to the amperage being
drawn from the battery. The “Battery Temperature Compensation” given here and on the side of the tester gives the minimum voltage that should
be obtained for the test procedure given. i.e.: The outside temperature is 60 degrees F. From chart note that the minimum volts for a good battery
is 9.5 at 60 degrees F. When at the end of the 15 second test you find that the battery’s voltage is equal to or greater than 9.5, the battery is good.
When the voltage is 9.4 or less the battery is defective.
When a six-volt battery is to be tested, simply divide the minimum volts of the chart by two to obtain the voltage reference to be used.
When smoke is emitted from any cell of the battery, the battery is defective regardless of the test indications
BATTERY TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION 15 SECOND LOAD TEST
°C 21↑ 16 10 4 -1 -7 -12 -18
°F 70↑ 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
MIN. VOLTS 9.6 9.5 9.4 9.3 9.1 8.9 8.7 8.5
7.
STRESS TEST:
a) To determine if a battery is adequate for an application, a stress test may be applied to a battery. Determine the maximum current draw, minimum
acceptable voltage, and maximum cranking time of the vehicle in which the battery is to be installed.
b) Run a load test at the determined current and time and check that the battery voltage is above the minimum required.
APPLICATION DATA:
ALTERNATOR TEST: Be sure that the battery in the car tests good. Start engine with tester connected to the battery. The charging voltage of the
alternator should allow the pointer to fall in the green zone on the alternator test (ALT. & REG. TEST) scale. If the pointer is in the red zone to the left of
the green zone, the voltage is too low to fully charge the battery. If the pointer is in the red zone to the right of the green zone, the voltage is too high
and may damage the battery. NOTE: In very cold weather, the alternator may read above 14.8 VDC. Check owner’s service manual.
STARTER CURRENT TEST: Connect tester to battery. Be sure battery is fully charged. Ground the ignition, by removing the coil cable from the
distributor cap. Ground the cable to the block with a jumper wire to prevent arcing of high- voltage spark that could cause a fire, someone getting
shocked, or damage to the ignition system. (On GM car with HEI ignition, simply disconnect the small lead connected to the BAT. terminal on the