Schumacher SC-8010A - Manual (Page 5)

5
PREPARING YOUR BATTERY TO BE CHARGED
It is important that you read and follow these guidelines while you are preparing to charge
the battery.
• Make sure that you have a 12 volt lead-
acid battery. Determine voltage of battery
by referring to vehicle owner’s manual
or the battery markings. Charge battery
initially at charger’s lowest rate.
• Clean the battery terminals. Be careful to
keep corrosion from getting in or around
your eyes or on your hands.
• Wear safety glasses. See additional “Per-
sonal Safety Precautions” on page 4.
• If required, for batteries with removable
vent caps, add distilled water to each cell
until the battery acid reaches the level
recommended by the manufacturer. This
will help purge excessive gases from the
cells. Be careful not to overfill. If you have
a sealed battery with non-removable vent
caps, no action is necessary.
• Take time to read all of the battery
manufacturer’s specific precautions,
such as removing or not removing vent
caps while charging, and recommended
rates of charge.
• Be sure that the area around the bat-
tery is well ventilated while it is being
charged. Gas can be forcefully blown
away by using a piece of cardboard or
other nonmetallic material as a fan.
• If it is necessary to remove the battery
from the vehicle to charge it, always
remove the grounded terminal from the
battery first. Turn off all vehicle acces-
sories to avoid sparks from occurring.
• NOTE: A marine (boat) battery installed
in a boat must be removed and charged
on shore.
USING AN EXTENSION CORD
The use of an extension cord is not rec-
ommended. If you must use an extension
cord, please make sure that you follow
these guidelines:
• Make sure that the pins on charger's
power cord fit firmly into the extension
cord, and that the extension cord fits
firmly into the receptacle.
• Check that the extension cord is properly
wired and in good electrical condition.
• Make sure that the wire size is large
enough for its length and for the AC
ampere rating, as specified in the chart
below.
MINIMUM RECOMMENDED EXTENSION CORD
Length of Cord, in Feet 25 50 100 150
AWG* Size of Cord
18 16 12 10
*AWG=American Wire Gauge
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
NOTE: A marine (boat) boat battery must be removed and charged on shore. To charge
it on board requires equipment specially designed for marine use.
IMPORTANT: Follow all safety instructions and precautions when charging your battery.
Wear complete eye protection and clothing protection. Charge your battery in a well-
ventilated area.
CHARGING BATTERY IN THE
VEHICLE:
1. Avoid personal injury by keeping clear
of fan blades, belts, pulleys and other
engine parts.
2. Avoid damaging the charger by keep-
ing the power cord and output cords
away from the hood, door or moving
engine parts.
3. Note the polarity of the battery posts
by checking the identification marks
on the battery: POSITIVE (POS, P or
+) and NEGATIVE (NEG, N or -). The
positive post is usually larger than the
negative post.
4. Identify which battery post is grounded
or connected to the chassis. THIS IS
NORMALLY THE NEGATIVE POST.