Schumacher PSC-12500A Proseries Owner's Manual page 7

Using the Engine Start feature
Your battery charger can be used to jumpstart your car if the battery is low. Follow these
instructions on how to use the ENGINE START feature.
IMPORTANT: Follow all safety instructions and precautions for charging your battery.
Wear complete eye protection and clothing protection. Charge your battery in a well-
ventilated area.
IMPORTANT: Using the ENGINE START feature WITHOUT a battery installed in the
vehicle could cause damage to the vehicle's electrical system.
1. With the charger unplugged from the AC outlet, connect the charger to the battery
following the instructions given in Section 6.
2. Plug the charger AC power cord into the AC outlet.
3. With the charger plugged in and connected to the battery of the vehicle, set the Battery
Size Button to the engine start position.
4. Crank the engine until it starts or 5 seconds pass. If the engine does not start, wait 3
minutes before cranking again.
NOTE: During extremely cold weather, or if the battery is under 2 volts, charge the battery
for 5 minutes before cranking the engine.
5. If the engine fails to start, charge the battery for 5 more minutes before attempting to
crank the engine again.
6. After the engine starts, unplug the AC power cord before disconnecting the battery
clips from the vehicle.
7. Clean and store the charger in a dry location.
NOTE: If the engine does turn over, but never starts, there is not a problem with the
starting system; there is a problem somewhere else with the vehicle. STOP cranking the
engine until the other problem has been diagnosed and corrected.
Engine Starting Notes
During the starting sequence listed above, the charger is set to one of three states:
Wait for cranking – The charger waits until the engine is actually being cranked before
delivering the required amps for engine start. The charger delivers charge at a preset rate
while waiting and will reset if the engine is not cranked within 15 minutes. (If the charger
resets, it sets itself to the default start up settings). While waiting for cranking, the digital
display shows the battery voltage (it cannot be set to percent).
Cranking – When cranking is detected, the charger will automatically deliver up to its
maximum output as required by the starting system for up to 5 seconds or until the engine
cranking stops. The digital display shows a countdown of the remaining crank time in
seconds. It starts at 5 and counts down to 0.
Cool Down – After cranking, the charger enters a mandatory 3 minute (180 second) cool
down state. During this period, no settings can be changed. The buttons are ignored.
The digital display indicates the remaining cool down time in seconds. It starts at 180 and
counts down to 0. The ENGINE START LED blinks once every second. During the cool
down period, no current is delivered to the battery. After 3 minutes, the ENGINE START
LED will stop blinking and will light continuously, indicating that another crank cycle can be
started. The digital display will change from displaying the countdown back to displaying
the battery voltage. The CHARGING (yellow) LED will then be lit.
Using the Battery Voltage Tester
Overview
This battery charger has a built-in voltmeter to test your battery's state of charge. The
charger does not have a built in load tester. As such, a recently charged battery could have
a temporarily high voltage due to what is known as "surface charge". The voltage of such
a battery will gradually drop during the period immediately after the charging system is
disengaged. Consequently, the tester could display inconsistent values for such a battery. For
a more accurate reading, the surface charge should be removed by temporarily creating a
load on the battery, such as by turning on lights or other accessories for a couple of minutes
before you read the display. Read it a couple of minutes after you have shut the headlights off.
Testing Sequence: There are four basic steps required to test the battery state of charge:
1. With the charger unplugged from the AC outlet, connect the charger to the battery
following the instructions given in Sections 6 and 7.
2. Plug the charger AC power cord into the AC outlet, following the instructions given in
Section 8.
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