Battery Tender Junior Battery Charger User Manual

Battery Tender Junior Battery Charger

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS: This manual contains important safety and operating instructions for BATTERY TENDER® CHARGERS, both the 12 & 6 Volt 750 Milliamp BT JUNIOR and 12, 6, & 8 Volt 1.25 Amp BT PLUS models. CAREFULLY READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING THE BATTERY CHARGER.

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS

WARNING: Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and lead components, chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Always wash your hands after handling these devices.

WARNING: Do not operate the battery charger with damaged AC power cords or plugs or DC output cords or accessories – Replace accessories immediately. Since neither the AC power cord nor the DC output cord can be replaced, if either cord is damaged, the battery charger should be scrapped.

WORKING WITH LEAD ACID BATTERIES AND BATTERY CHARGERS: All lead-acid batteries have the potential to emit gases that may combine into a combustible or explosive mixture. In many cases, lead-acid batteries may emit these gases during normal discharge and charging operations. Because of this potential danger, you must follow the precautions recommended by both the battery and battery charger manufacturers before using either one.

USING MANUALS: Study all of the battery manufacturer’s precautions and specific recommendations for safe operation, such as not removing cell caps while charging and the recommended rates of charge (charger output current).

CAUTION: CHARGER VOLTAGE COMPATIBILITY: NEVER use a battery charger unless the battery voltage matches the output voltage rating of the charger. For example, do not use a 12-volt charger with a 6-volt battery and vice versa.

CHARGER LOCATION: LOCATE the charger as far away from the battery as is allowed by the length of the output cable harness. NEVER set the charger above the battery. NEVER set the charger on a surface constructed from combustible material. NEVER place the battery, the charger, or any of the electrical connections between them in an area that is likely to become wet.

EXCESSIVE MOISTURE: Do not expose the battery charger or any of its electrical connections (either AC or DC) to rain, snow, or extremely high, condensing humidity.

CHARGER ATTACHMENTS: Do not use attachments that are not recommended or sold by the charger manufacturer. To do otherwise may result in the risk of electric shock, fire, or possibly some other unforeseen potential personal injury situations.

HANDLING POWER CORDS: When handling electric power cords, always pull by the plug rather than by the cord. This will reduce the risk of damage to both the plug and cord, and it will minimize the likelihood of an electric shock resulting from that damage.

LOCATION OF POWER CORDS: Make sure all electric power cords are located so that they cannot be stepped on, tripped over, or otherwise subjected to damage or stress.

MONITORING SEALED & NON-SEALED BATTERIES: When leaving a battery charger connected to either a sealed (AGM or GEL) or non-sealed (flooded battery) for extended periods (weeks, months, etc.), periodically check the battery to see if it is unusually warm. This is an indication that the battery may have a weak cell and that it could go into a thermal runaway condition. If the battery releases an excessive amount of gas or if the battery gets hotter than 130°F (55°C) during charging, disconnect the charger and allow the battery to cool. Overheating may result in plate distortion, internal shorting, drying out or other damage. For flooded batteries, also check individual cell fluid levels against the manufacturer’s recommendations for safe operation.

PREPARING TO CHARGE

First, follow all General & Personal Precautions as previously explained, and then continue.

IF THE BATTERY MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE:

1. To avoid an electric arc (or spark), turn off or disconnect all of the accessories in the vehicle. Then, always remove the cable that is connected to the grounded terminal from the battery first.
2. If necessary, clean the battery terminals. Be careful to keep the corrosion and other debris from coming in contact with your eyes.
3. If the battery is not a sealed battery, then, if necessary, add distilled water to each cell until the battery acid solution reaches the level specified by the battery manufacturer. Do not overfill;
4. Before inserting the charger AC power plug into the electrical outlet, check the polarity of the battery posts, and attach at least a 24-inch-long 6 (AWG) insulated battery extension cable to the negative battery post. Then connect the appropriate charger DC output connectors to the battery and the extension cable, positive to positive and negative to negative. Never allow the alligator clips or terminal rings to touch each other after they are connected to the battery charger.
5. Connect the AC power plug to the electrical outlet.

IF THE BATTERY REMAINS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE

1. DO NOT CONNECT THE CHARGER AC POWER PLUG TO THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET UNTIL ALL OTHER CONNECTIONS ARE MADE!
2. Place both the AC and DC power cords in the best position to avoid accidental damage by movable vehicle parts, i.e. hoods, doors, or moving engine parts (fan blades, belts, or pulleys).
3. Check the polarity of the battery posts. If the positive (pos, p, +) post is connected to the vehicle chassis, then the vehicle has a positive ground system. If the negative (neg, n, -) post is connected to the vehicle chassis, then the vehicle has a negative ground system. Negative ground systems are the most common.
4. For negative ground systems, connect the positive (red) alligator clip or ring terminal to the positive battery post. Then connect the negative (black) alligator clip or ring terminal to the vehicle chassis. Do not make the negative charger clip or ring connection to the carburetor, fuel lines, or thin sheet metal parts. Make that connection to the engine block or a heavy-gauge metal part of the frame.
5. For positive ground systems, connect the negative (black) alligator clip or ring terminal to the negative battery post. Then connect the positive (red) alligator clip or ring terminal to the vehicle chassis. Do not make the positive charger clip or ring connection to the carburetor, fuel lines, or thin sheet metal parts. Make that connection to the engine block or a heavy-gauge metal part of the frame.
6. Connect the AC power plug to the electrical outlet.

ADDITIONAL CHARGER INFORMATION

AUTOMATIC CHARGING AND BATTERY STATUS

MONITORING: The BATTERY TENDER® CHARGERS are completely automatic and may be left connected to both AC power and to the battery that it is charging for long periods. However, it is prudent to periodically check both the battery and the charger for normal operation during these extended charging periods. The charger output power, voltage, and current all depend on the condition of the battery that is being charged. Both BATTERY TENDER® CHARGERS have status lights that indicate the operating mode of the charger and the condition of the battery that is connected to the charger.

The chargers operate in one of the 3 primary charge modes: the bulk mode (full charge power, constant current, increasing battery voltage, battery is 0% to 75% or 80% charged), the absorption mode (high constant voltage, decreasing current, battery is 75% to 100% charged), or the storage/float maintenance mode (low constant voltage, minimal charge current, battery is fully charged, typically 100% to 103%). When the battery is fully charged, the green status indicator light will turn on and the charger will switch to a storage/maintenance charge mode. Both BATTERY TENDER® CHARGERS will automatically monitor and maintain the battery at full charge.

SPECIAL FEATURES

The BATTERY TENDER® CHARGERS have the following special features:

• SPARKPROOF: The battery charger DC output leads, either ring terminals or alligator clips must be connected to a battery before an output voltage is developed by the battery charger.
• SHORT CIRCUIT PROTECTION: The battery charger can sustain a short circuit connection directly across its DC output terminals indefinitely without any risk of either electric shock or excessive heat.
• REVERSE POLARITY PROTECTION: The battery charger is protected internally against any damage due to the DC output leads being connected to the opposite polarity battery post. No damage will result to either the battery or the battery charger.
• TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION (BT PLUS Only): The output voltage is compensated at -3.5 mV/ °C/Cell. This increases the output voltage in cold climates to keep the battery from being undercharged and, more importantly, reduces the voltage in high-temperature climates to protect the battery from overcharging.
• TIME REQUIRED TO CHARGE A BATTERY: The BATTERY TENDER® CHARGERS charge at a rate of either 0.75 Amps (0.75 Amp-Hours per hour) or 1.25 Amps (1.25 Amp-Hours per hour). Therefore, a fully discharged 15-Amp-Hour battery will take approximately 16 hours or 9.6 hours, respectively, to recharge to 80% capacity. Some large automotive or marine, deep-cycle type batteries may take several days to fully recharge.
• WORKING WITH A DEAD BATTERY OR A BATTERY WITH A VERY LOW VOLTAGE: If you try to charge a dead battery having a voltage below 3 Volts, the BATTERY TENDER® CHARGERS will not start to charge because an internal safety circuit prevents the battery chargers from generating any DC output voltage.
  NOTE:
  If a 12-Volt, Lead-Acid battery has an output voltage of less than 9 volts when it is at rest, when it is neither being charged nor supplying electrical current to an external load, there is a good chance that the battery is defective. As a frame of reference, a fully charged 12-Volt, Lead-Acid battery will have a rest state, no-load voltage of approximately 12.9 volts. A fully discharged 12-Volt, Lead-Acid battery will have a rest-state, no-load voltage of approximately 11.4
  volts. That means that a voltage change of only 1.5 volts represents the full range of charge 0% to 100% on a 12-Volt, Lead-Acid battery. Depending on the manufacturer and the age of the battery, the specific voltages will vary by a few tenths of a volt, but the 1.5-volt range will still be a good indicator of the battery charge %.
• STATUS INDICATOR LIGHTS: The following describes the indicator light operation: Note that the JUNIOR has a single light that will shine either RED or GREEN, while the PLUS has two separate lights, one RED and one GREEN.
• NEITHER THE RED NOR GREEN LIGHT TURN ON (Both models) – This is an abnormal condition and most likely indicates that the charger is not properly connected to the AC power.
• RED LIGHT FLASHING (All models except 6V Junior) – The red light flashing indicates that the battery charger has AC power available and that the microprocessor is functioning properly. If the red light continues to flash, then either the battery voltage is too low (less than 3 volts) or the output alligator clips or accessory ring terminals are not connected correctly.
• RED LIGHT ON STEADY (Both models) – Whenever the red light is on steady, a battery is connected properly, and the charger is charging the battery. The red light will remain on until the charger completes the charging stage.
• GREEN LIGHT FLASHING (1.25A only) – When the green light is flashing, and the red light is on, the battery is greater than 80% charged and may be removed from the charger and used if necessary. Whenever possible, leave the battery on charge until the green light is solid.
• GREEN LIGHT ON STEADY (Both models) – When the green light stops flashing and burns steady, the charge is complete, and the battery can be returned to service if necessary.
• ALTERNATING RED & GREEN LIGHTS FLASHING (PLUS) This is abnormal and most likely indicates either that the battery is sulfated or that there is a poor electrical connection between the charger’s DC output and the battery posts.

TROUBLESHOOTING CHECK LIST

1. NEITHER OF THE CHARGER LIGHTS TURN ON AFTER THE AC POWER LUG IS CONNECTED TO THE AC ELECTRICAL OUTLET: For the 1.25A model: Check the charger AC power plug connection at the AC electrical outlet. Verify that the AC electrical outlet is functioning properly by plugging in another appliance or a voltmeter. For the 0.75 A model, also make sure that the charger output is properly connected to the battery.
2. THE CHARGER GREEN LIGHT GOES ON IMMEDIATELY WHEN AC POWER IS APPLIED TO THE CHARGER: The charger connections at the battery may be intermittent, the battery may be defective, or the battery might already be fully charged.
3. CHARGER IS CHARGING BUT THE GREEN LIGHT DOES NOT TURN ON IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME: The battery may be large and require more time to fully charge than originally expected, there may be another appliance drawing electric power from the battery while it is charging, or the battery may be defective. Also, a newly purchased battery may not be fully charged and may take longer to charge initially.
4. THE RED LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN AFTER THE GREEN LIGHT CAME ON. There may be another appliance drawing electric power from the battery, causing its voltage to drop below the reset level. The battery charger then goes back into full charge mode. Also, the charger connections at the battery may be intermittent or the battery may be defective.

SPECIFICATION SUMMARY

Declaration of Conformity: These battery charger products are designed to meet or exceed the specific requirements of UL-1236. See UL File E206016.

Design Conformance & Revision: All charger products are 100% inspected and electrically tested before shipment. All battery charger designs are proprietary and subject to change without notice. The manufacturer makes no specific claims, nor does it either make or imply any specific guarantee or warranty concerning either the physical configuration or performance of any of the battery charger products listed herein, including suitability for the purpose or merchantability.

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