Preparing To Charge - Schumacher SF-51A-PE Owner's Manual

1. WARNING: Wear complete eye protection and clothing
protection, when working with lead-acid batteries.
2. Make sure someone is within range of your voice or
close enough to come to your aid when you work with
or near a lead-acid battery.
3. Have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby for use if
battery acid contacts skin, clothing, or eyes. If battery
acid contacts skin or clothing, wash immediately with
soap and water.
4. Avoid touching your eyes while working with a battery.
Acid particles (corrosion) may get into your eyes! If
acid enters your eye, immediately flood eye with
running cold water for at least 10 minutes. Get medical
attention immediately.
1. Make sure you have a 12 volt lead-acid battery. Check
car owner manual to make sure.
2. Clean battery terminals. Take care to keep corrosion
from coming in contact with your eyes.
3. If required, add distilled water in each cell until battery
acid reaches levels specified by battery manufacturer.
This helps purge excessive gas from cells. Do not overfill.
For a battery without cell caps, carefully follow
manufacturer's recharging instructions.
4. Study all battery manufacturer's specific precautions,
such as removing or not removing cell caps while charg-
ing, and recommended rates of charge.
5. Be sure area around battery is well ventilated while
battery is being charged. Gas can be forcefully blown
away by using a piece of cardboard or other non-
metallic material as a fan.
6. If necessary to remove battery from vehicle to charge,
always remove grounded terminal from battery first.
Make sure all accessories in the vehicle are off, so as
not to cause an arc.
PERSONAL PRECAUTIONS AND SAFETY

PREPARING TO CHARGE

5. Remove all personal metal items such as rings,
bracelets, necklaces, and watches when working with
a lead-acid battery. A lead-acid battery can produce a
short-circuit current high enough to weld a ring (or the
like) to metal, causing a severe burn.
6. Take care not to drop a metal tool or other metal onto
the battery. Metal may cause sparking or short circuit
the battery or another electrical devise. Sparking may
cause an explosion.
7. Always operate battery charger in an open well ventilated
area.
8. NEVER smoke or allow a spark or flame in the vicinity
of the battery or engine. Batteries generate explosive
gases!
7. A marine (boat) battery must be removed and charged
on shore. To charge it on board requires equipment
specially designed for marine use.
BATTERY SIZE/RATING
CAR / LIGHT
TRUCKS
200-315
315-550
550-850
MARINE / OR MCA
DEEP CYCLE 220-350
350-600
600-935
CCA: COLD CRANKING AMPS
MCA: MARINE CRANKING AMPS
2
CCA RES. RECHARGE
CAP TIME-HOURS
40-60
60-85
85-150
AMP HR
24-40
40-70
70-104
RES. CAP.: RESERVE CAPACITY
AMP HR: AMPERE HOUR
3-5
5-9
9-13
3-5
5-9
9-13