Power-Sonic PSC 12800A - Manual (Page 4)

4
CHARGING NOTES AND TIPS
For safer and more efficient charging, batteries should be charged with higher voltages when cold and
lower voltages when warm. This unit incorporates automatic temperature compensation of the
output voltage. It will increase the charge voltage in cold conditions and decrease charge voltage in
warm conditions. For this feature to work properly, the battery and charger should be located in the
same environment (allow the battery and charger to stabilize at room temperature before charging).
Initially, the charger voltage may read a little high until its internal temperature warms during opera-
tion, thereby lowering the voltage.
Make sure that you only charge the proper voltage battery. Trying to charge a lower voltage
battery will cause severe overcharging and trying to charge a higher voltage battery may
damage the charger.
These battery chargers are designed to ideally charge a battery at the C/10 rate (capacity divided by
10 hours). Therefore, an 8 amp hour battery would require an 800 milliamp charge. Larger or smaller
capacities batteries can be charged with these chargers with the following precautions (refer to these
charger specifications and your battery documentation for proper switch and charge currents to de-
termine compatibility with this charger):
When charging a larger capacity battery, the battery may be overcharged due to the unit not
switching into float charge mode. Holding a battery for prolonged times at the high rate charge
voltage may damage the battery. Larger capacity batteries really require a larger current charger
or a float charger.
When charging a smaller capacity battery, the battery may be undercharged because the charger
switches into float charge mode too early (relative to capacity). Leave the battery connected to
the charger for several hours to finish charging in the float charge mode.
TROUBLESHOOTING
NO INDICATOR LIGHT - If the indicator light is dark, check to see if the receptacle is controlled by a
light switch or power strip switch. If all else appears normal then the charger probably needs repair or
replacement.
NO CHARGE INDICATOR, NOT CHARGING -If the charger will not go into charge mode (yellow indica-
tor) then the battery is probably already charged. Try again with another battery which you know is
not charged.
FAULT INDICATOR - If the indicator light is red then either the outputs are hooked up in reverse or
shorted together. Make sure of the connection to the battery. Note: A nearly completely dead battery
(less than one volt) looks like a short to the charger. If you suspect the battery is dead, leave the
charger on the battery to see if it will go into charge mode. The charger will deliver a small amount of
current into a dead battery and may eventually go into normal charge mode and recover the battery.
If the charger will not go into charge mode within one hour, and then into float mode within 24 hours,
the battery is probably damaged beyond recovery.
CHARGER WILL NOT SWITCH INTO FLOAT MODE - If the charger will not switch into the float mode,
after 24 hours, then the battery is probably damaged and is not properly
accepting the charge.