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SB-300
Operator’s Manual
Hand Held-Accuracy with a 40 Amp Load
The SB-300 is a hand-held tester that is the auto industry’s answer to
portability in a professionally accurate battery load tester.
Test Equipment
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CONGRATULATIONS!
You have purchased one of Auto Meter's hand-held Battery Testers. If
you should have any questions about your tester, testing procedures, or
service see last page of this booklet for contact information.
SB 300
Load Test Capacity..................40 Amp
Battery Sizes ...........................100-1600 CCA
Digital Display ........................1" x 2.5" - 4 line x 16 character
Volt Ranges .............................Digital 0-30
Cooling ....................................Heat Sink Ventilation
Leads ......................................Load Amp-2 1/2 ft., 16 Gauge
Size .........................................3 3/4" x 6 3/4" x 1"
Memory ...................................stores the last 100 tests
Internal Battery ........................9 Volt Alkaline
Optional PR-12 .......................Infrared printer
Optional AC-12 ......................PC Interface adapter cord
Optional AC-24J ......................Carrying case only
Optional AC-32 .......................Serial Port to USB adapter
Optional AC-62 ......................AMP Link Data Download PC Software
Weight .....................................1.34 lbs.
What to Expect from the SB-300:
Immediately determine battery. The SB-300 is a portable full-
featured menu-driven battery tester that provides quick, professional
load results using Auto Meter's Pulsed Load. The SB-300 is user
friendly. It tells you what to do. It is professionally accurate. Detailed
test results are LCD displayed after each test and can be reviewed and/
or printed from memory.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Specications ..................................................................2
Safety ..............................................................................4
Cause of Battery Failure ..................................................4
Inspection and Visual Check ...........................................5
Controls and Functions....................................................6
Maintenance ....................................................................7
Clamp Replacement ........................................................7
Internal Battery Replacement ..........................................7
Sections
1. Hook Up ....................................................................8
2. Battery Test ......................................................... 9 -11
3. Other Menu Items
Review Tests .................................................12
Printing Test Results ................................ 12-13
Voltmeter .......................................................14
Setup ....................................................... 14-15
PC Interface ..................................................16
Warranty Information .....................................................17
Contact Information .......................................................20
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SAFETY
Carefully read all operating instructions before
using the SB-300
Wear proper protection when working around
batteries.
Be sure each test is complete before removing
load clamps to prevent arcing and potential
explosion from battery gases. Keep sparks
ames, or cigarettes away from batteries.
Keep hair, hands, and clothing as well as tester
leads and cords away from moving blades and
belts.
Provide adequate ventilation to remove car exhaust.
In extremely cold temperatures, check for frozen
electrolytic uid before applying load. Do not attempt
to Load Test or charge a battery under 20 degrees. Allow the battery to warm to room
temperature before testing or charging.
Warning! Never attach the SB-300 to a battery that is connected to any other tester
or charging unit. Damage may result.
CAUSE OF BATTERY FAILURE
Incorrect Application: Wrong size battery may have inadequate cold cranking Amp
rating for original vehicle specications.
Incorrect Installation: Loose battery hold-downs cause excessive vibration, which
can result in damage to the battery plates.
Improper Maintenance: Low electrolytic uid and corrosion on battery connections
can greatly reduce battery life and affect battery performance.
Age of Battery: If the date code on the battery indicates it is old, the failure may be
caused by natural causes.
Overcharging: Overcharging caused by a high voltage regulator setting or incorrect
battery charging can cause excessive gassing, heat and water loss.
Undercharging: Undercharging caused by a faulty charging system or low voltage
regulation can cause lead sulfate to gradually build up and crystallize on the plates
greatly reducing the battery’s capacity and ability to be charged.
LIMITED WARRANTY
12 MONTHS FROM DATE OF PURCHASECABLES 90 DAYS
The manufacturer warrants to the consumer that this product will be
free from defects in material or workmanship for a period of twelve
(12) months from the date of original purchase.
Products that fail within this 12 month warranty period will be repaired
or replaced at the manufacturer's option to the consumer, when
determined by the manufacturer that the product failed due to defects
in material or workmanship. This warranty is limited to the repair or
replacement of parts and the necessary labor by the manufacturer to
effect the repair or replacement of the product. In no event shall the
manufacturer be responsible for special, incidental or consequential
damages or costs incurred due to the failure of this product.
Improper use, accident, water damage, abuse, unauthorized repairs
or alterations voids this warranty. The manufacturer disclaims any
liability or consequential damages due to breach of any written or
implied warranty on its test equipment.
WARRANTY AND SERVICE INFORMATION
Warranty claims to the manufacturer's service department must be
transportation prepaid and accompanied by a dated proof of purchase.
This warranty applies only to the original purchaser and is nontransferable. Freight damage incurred during return shipments is not
covered under this warranty. It is the responsibility of the shipper (the
customer returning the Test Equipment) to package the tester properly
to prevent any damage during return shipment. Repair costs for such
damages will be charged back to shipper (customer returning the Test
Equipment). Protect the product by shipping in original carton or add
plenty of over-pack cushioning such as crumpled up newspaper.
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Valid automotive electrical system testing depends on
all the components being in good operating condition.
In addition, the battery MUST have sufcient charge for
testing. Carefully perform the following before attempting
any electrical diagnosis
PC INTERFACE
CONNECT TESTER
TO A PC RUNNING
DATA SOFTWARE
'N' TO CANCEL
From the Main Menu scroll down to DOWNLOAD
The following will be displayed
REVIEW/PRINT
VOLT METER
>DOWNLOAD
SETUP
Using Auto Meter's optional adapter cord AC-12 insert the stereo
plug into the jack on the SB-300 and then plug the serial adapter
into a free serial port on the rear of your computer or connect
to AC-32 serial port to USB adapter. Follow the instructions of the
AC-62 AMP Link Data Download software to retrieve data from
the SB-300.
INSPECTION
VISUAL CHECK
Inspect Belts and Pulleys for cracks, glazed
surface and fraying. Tighten loose belts.
Inspect Battery for
terminal corrosion, loose
or broken posts, cracks
in the case, loose holddowns, low electrolyte
level, moisture and dirt
around the terminals.
Inspect Starting System. Check starter, solenoid, and regulator for
loose connections, loose mounts and frayed or cracked wires.
Important Note: A known defective battery must be replaced
before proceeding.
NOTE: The down arrow is
no longer displayed. ABOUT
is the last menu item. The
up arrow indicates previous
menu selections.
VOLT METER
DOWNLOAD
SETUP
>ABOUT
ABOUT
Press (Y enter) and the
version will be displayed.
SB-300
VERSION 3.0
SER #: 10101
COPYRIGHT 2013
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AUTO METER
SB-300
TESTER/ANALYZER
‘Y’ FOR MENU
Battery Tester
SB-
CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS
LCD:
Displays menus and test results.
KEYS:
When each key is pressed, a beep
sounds to assure contact has been
made.
On/Off Key:
This is the manual on/off key.
Y Enter Key:
This key selects the next menu, the
cursor line item and answers ‘yes’ to
a test progression.
+Up Key:
This key moves the cursor up in
order to select a menu line item and
increments certain displayed values.
-Down Arrow Key:
This key moves the cursor down
in order to select a menu line and
decrements certain displayed
values.
N Esc Key:
This key cancels a test or progression. It also returns to the previous
menu.
Print Key:
Point the SB-300 infrared print light towards the Optional PR-12 infrared
printer receiver and press the print key. Test results will be printed.
Infrared Print Light:
When the print button is pressed
infrared data will be transmitted
to the printer when pointed in the
direction of the printer (up to 15 ft.).
PC Download Jack:
Adapter cord AC-12 can be
inserted here.
SETUP (cont.)
Select the rating from
CCA, MCA, CA, AH, EN.
SET DEFAULT
RATING: CCA
USE +/'Y' TO SELECT
>SET DEFAULT CCA
AS: 600
USE +/'Y' TO SELECT
DO YOU WANT TO
DISPLAY MEASURED
BATTERY CAPACITY
'N' OR 'Y'
You can also select the default rating to be
the last entered CCA value or a particular
amount such as 600 CCA.
If 'Y' is chosen, the measured battery
capacity will be displayed on the battery
test result screen and print out. If 'N' is
chosen no measured battery capacity will
be displayed or printed.
USE TEST RESULT
NEAR END OF LIFE
USE +/'Y' TO SELECT
PRINTOUT OPTION
AC-14/PR-12
USE +/'Y' TO SELECT
DO YOU WANT TO
ENTER STORE INFO
'N' OR 'Y'
To toggle battery test results between
"GOOD" or "BAD" only and "NEAR END
OF LIFE", use the (+Up) and (-Down) keys
to change setting then use 'Y' to select.
To print to an Auto Meter stand alone IR
printer choose "AC-14/PR-12". To print to
the Auto Meter high speed PR-16 printer
using the Auto Meter XTC-160 charger/
tester and IR-1 printer interface choose
"XTC-160/PR-16. To print to a network
printer using the POSI-160 choose POSI160".
Press 'Y' to enter or change the store
address for use on print outs or 'N' to
continue.
Entry Hints
To change the text or number press the (+)
or (-) keys. If you press 'N' at the beginning
of the screen, no changes will be made. To
make changes, use the (+) and (-) keys then
press 'Y' to save the change. The cursor will
then go to the next character or number. If
you are done making changes but there is
more text keep pressing 'Y' until the cursor
is on a blank space at the end of the lines
of text. Pressing 'N' moves back the cursor
position back one character. Pressing Print
saves the text up to the cursor position. Any
text after is deleted.
Note: Address one & two and city have a max of 23 characters.
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MAINTENANCE
Both jaws of each clamp must rmly engage the battery terminal
The wire soldered to the copper insert jaw must be insulated
from the other wire soldered to the opposite handle. This
insulation is required so than one can read the Amps and the
other can read the Volts. Damaged clamps or loose wires will
affect readings. Make sure the copper jaw insert is properly
insulated from the clamp and the clamps are clean and in
good repair.
CHECK OFTEN FOR LOOSE JAWS
OR DAMAGED INTERNAL INSULATOR
Over time the battery clamps will need to be replaced if any of the
following are indicated:
CCA values seem extreme.
If there is continuity between the copper insert and the clamps.
If there is excessive damage or corrosion to the cables or
clamps.
Remove the screws from the back cover.
Separate top and bottom cover and open like a book leaving the
ribbon in contact with the PC board that will remain with the back
cover.
CLAMPS: Remove the cables and strain relief. With the new
load clamp leads pointing down; insert the new strain relief into
the back cover. Make sure the red clamp wires are attached to
the left two screws of the green screw terminal (labeled POS)
and the black clamp wires are connected to the right two screws
(labeled NEG). It does not matter if either of the two red clamp
wires is switched. The same applies to the two black clamp
wires. Just make sure the red clamp wires are to the left (POS)
and the black clamp wires are to the right. (NEG)
BATTERY: Remove the battery and replace with a 9 Volt battery.
Match the (+) on the new battery with the (+) on the PC board.
Reverse the procedure to assemble the unit.
Scroll Down to Volt Meter then select Volt Meter by pressing 'Y'
Note: If the car is running and the
clamps are attached to the battery
a high ripple (over 50mV) indicates
bad diodes in the alternator.
SETUP
Scroll Down to Setup, Select setup by pressing Y
Select the temperature in Fahrenheit
or Centigrade.
Press (Y Enter)
-VOLT METERVOLTS: 12.63V
RIPPLE 00.0mV
>SET TEMPERATURE
SCALE: F
USE +/ 'Y' TO SELECT
>SET LANGUAGE
ENGLISH
USE +/ 'Y' TO SELECT
Choose between English, Spanish, or
French using the (+Up) and (-Down)
Keys to change the language. Press
'Y' to select.
>VOLT METER
DOWNLOAD
SETUP
ABOUT
VOLT METER
DOWNLOAD
>SETUP
ABOUT
VOLT METER
CLAMP and BATTERY REPLACEMENT
CLAMP MAINTENANCE:
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HOOK UP
Press the On/Off button: Connect the clamps as
instructed on the LCD.
Enter the approximate battery
temperature in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius then press (Y Enter).
Note: Go to the setup to change temp scale to Celsius. The temperature
request only appears once for each battery tested. If the clamps are
disconnected you will be prompted again to begin a new battery test.
Note! Take special care when connecting to battery side terminals.
If necessary use a side post adapter to prevent thread damage. When
testing dual post batteries always connect load clamps to the post to
which the system is attached.
CONNECTION ERRORS
If the clamps are reversed the Reversed Connection
screen will ash.
If one or both of the clamps are not in complete contact
CHECK CONNECTIONS! will ash
Make sure the Infrared Printer is
properly set up.
After a test is made with the
SB-300 make sure the results
are displayed on the LCD.
Point the SB-300 in the direction
of the Infrared Printer (within 15
ft.)
Press the <Print> key and the
test results will be printed.
Depending upon the test made
the printer will sometimes yield
more information than the LCD.
PRINTING TEST RESULTS
Point the SB-300 in the direction of the PR-12 printer
with the printer’s IR receiver pointed in the direction of the
SB-300. Press (Print). You should be within 15 ft of the printer. Wait for
the screen to clear before moving the SB-300. It takes a moment to send
all the test data. The SB-300 also operates the AC-14 printer installed
in Auto Meter’s XTC-160 tester/charger or BVA-2100 heavy-duty tester/
analyzer, or Auto Meter's PR-16 Printer when used with a XTC-160 and
IR-1 Printer Interface.
AUTO METER
SB-300
TESTER/ANALYZER
'Y' FOR MENU
>ENTER BATTERY
TEMP: 70F
USE +/ 'Y' TO CONTINUE
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BATTERY TEST
4
REVIEW TESTS
From the main menu select REVIEW/PRINT.
Press (Y Enter).
The last test will be displayed.
Use the (+Up) or (-Down) key
to select the desired test.
The optional PR-12 printer. An invisible infrared beam links the
SB-300 to the printer from up to 15 ft away. No connection cords
are needed. For more instructions on how to operate the printer
consult the printer manual.
Printer Type ------------------------------------ Thermal Printing
Paper ---- 2.25 in x 80 ft. Roll Thermal Paper (included)
Power -----AC and Cigarette Lighter adapters (included)
OPTIONAL INFRARED PRINTER
BATTERY TEST
>REVIEW/PRINT
VOLT METER
DOWNLOAD
T#1 12V BATT.
GOOD BATTERY!
12.65V CHG 100%
MEAS CCA 650
Select Battery Test from the main menu
and then press (Y Enter).
Press the (+Up) and (-Down) keys to
select the battery temperature. Press
'Y' to enter.
ENTER BATTERY
TEMP: 70F
USE THE +/'Y' TO CONTINUE
>BATTERY TEST
REVIEW/PRINT
VOLTMETER
DOWNLOAD
Press 'Y' to continue once the clamps
are connected the test will proceed.
CONNECT CLAMPS
TO THE BATTERY
RED + BLACK 'Y' TO CONTINUE
If any of the tests (battery test or starter test, or alternator test) are selected and the clamps
are not connected to the battery the following screen will appear.
Pressing 'Y' or 'N' will return to
the main menu.
Let the battery cool before
testing
THE BATTERY
NEEDS TO COOL
BEFORE TESTING
'Y' TO CONTINUE
THE BATTERY
IS TOO HOT TO
TEST SAFELY
'Y' TO CONTINUE
If the battery temperature is above 180°F the battery is too hot to safely test. the
following screens will appear.
Press the (+Up) or (-Down) key to
cycle through the battery types.
Press 'Y' when it matches the
type of battery you are testing.
BATTERY TYPE OPTIONS:
STARTING STANDRD
STARTING AGM
DEEP CYCLE AGM
DEEP CYCLE STANDRD
CHOOSE BATT TYPE
STARTING STANDRD
USE +/'Y' TO CONTINUE
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BATTERY TEST (cont.)
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If the reading is below 7.2 Volts you will get the following:
Surface charge removed if
detected.
Wait for test results.
Bar at the bottom of the screen
will show the tests progress.
The SB-300 serial number and test number are displayed to help
reference the test to the print out.
SUMMARY SCREEN
TESTING BATTERY
PLEASE WAIT...
S#23456 T# 1
Conrm that the inputs are
correct. Press 'Y' if they are
correct. The test will start.
Press 'N' to re-enter battery
type, temp, and rating.
>IS THIS A 6V
BATTERY?
'N' OR 'Y'
REMOVING SURFACE
CHARGE...
S#22010 T#32
STARTING STANDRD
TEMP: 70F
RATED CCA 600
'N' OR 'Y'
Press the (+Up) or (-Down) key
to increment or decrement to the
rated CCA of the battery.
>ENTER RATED CCA
600 USE +/-
12.68V
'Y' TO CONTINUE
After the Digital Pulse Load Test is completed results similar
to one of the following sample screens will appear.
Battery passes
testing. Return to
service.
Charge battery and place into
service.
Battery did not have a sufcient
charge for a Digital Pulse Load
Test. Charge and retest battery.
Battery passes testing and is near
end of life. Battery is ok for mild
climate. May not start vehicle in
hot or cold conditions.
Battery did not have
sufcient remaining
capacity to pass tests.
Battery should be replaced
immediately.
BATTERY TEST (cont.)
T#1 12V BATT.
GOOD BATTERY!
12.84V CHRG 100%
'Y' TO CONTINUE
T#1 12V BATT.
BAD BATTERY!
12.68V CHRG 100%
'Y' TO CONTINUE
T#1 12V BATT.
GOOD NEEDS CHRG.
12.38V CHRG 60%
'Y' TO CONTINUE
T#1 12V BATT.
CHARGE & TEST
12.08V CHRG 20%
'Y' TO CONTINUE
T#1 12V BATT.
NEAR END OF LIFE
12.68V CHRG 100%
'Y' TO CONTINUE
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