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SE-1555A
User Manual
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User Manual 2
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Schumacher SE-1555A User Manual

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SE-1555A Automatic/Manual Battery Charger 2 Amp, 12 Volt 20 Amp, 12 Volt 55 Amp, 12 Volt 150 Amp, 12 Volt, Engine Start
Owner's Manual
Battery Charger Model:
–Save–
Important Safety Instructions
Read Rules for Safe Operation and Instructions Carefully
Working in vicinity of a lead-acid battery is dangerous. Batteries generate explosive gases during normal battery operation. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that each time before using your charger, you read this manual and follow the instructions exactly.
WARNING: Handling the cord on this product or cords associated with accessories sold with this product, may expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
A. GENERAL BATTERY SAFETY
1. Before you use your battery charger, be sure to read all instructions and cautions printed on:
• Battery Charger
• Battery
• Vehicle or device using battery
2. Use battery charger on LEAD ACID type rechargeable batteries only, such as used in autos, trucks, tractors, airplanes, vans, RVs, trolling motors, etc. Charger is not intended to supply power to low-voltage electrical system other than in an automotive application.
WARNING: Do not use battery charger for charging dry-cell
batteries that are commonly used with home appliances. These batteries may burst and cause injury to persons and damage to property.
3. Use only attachments recommended or sold by manufacturer.
Use of non-recommended attachments may result in re,
electric shock, or injury.
4. When disconnecting the battery charger, pull by the plug not by the cord. Pulling on the cord may cause damage to cord or plug.
5. Locate battery power cord so it cannot be stepped on, tripped over, or subjected to damage or stress.
6. Do not operate charger with damaged cord or plug. Have cord replaced immediately.
7. Do not operate charger if it has received a sharp blow, been dropped, or otherwise damaged in any way. Take it to a
qualied professional for inspection and repair.
8. Do not disassemble charger. Take it to a qualied professional
when service or repair is required. Incorrect reassembly may
result in electric shock or re.
9. To reduce risk of electric shock, unplug charger from outlet before attempting any maintenance or cleaning.
10. Do not use an extension cord unless absolutely necessary.
Use of an improper extension cord could result in re or electric
shock. If an extension cord must be used, make sure that:
• Pins on plug of extension cord are the same number, size, and shape as those of the plug on the charger.
• Extension cord is properly wired and in good electrical condition.
• Wire size is large enough for AC ampere rating of charger,
as specied below:
Length of cord (feet): 25 50 100 150 AWG size of cord: 16 14 10 8
(American Wire Gauge)
11. Always charge battery in a well ventilated area.
NEVER operate in a closed-in or restricted area without
adequate ventilation because of risk of explosive gases.
WARNING: Risk of explosive gas.
12. Locate charger as far away from battery as DC charger cables
permit.
13. Do not expose charger to rain or snow.
14. NEVER charge a frozen battery. If battery uid (electrolyte) is
frozen, bring into a warm area to thaw before charging.
15. NEVER allow battery acid to drip on charger when reading
specic gravity or lling battery.
16. NEVER set a battery on top of charger.
17. NEVER place charger directly above battery being charged.
Gases from battery will corrode and damage charger.
18. NEVER touch the battery clips together when the charger is
energized.
SCHUMACHER ELECTRIC CORPORATION
801 BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE • MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056-2179
In United States: Send Warranty Product Repairs to: 1025 E. Thompson, Hoopeston, IL 60942-0280
Call Customer Service if you have questions: 1-800-621-5485
00-99-000810/0607
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B. PERSONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
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 ood eye with running cold water for at least
10 minutes. Get medical attention immediately.
C. PLUGGING IT IN
WARNING: Electrical Shock Hazard. Be sure that power cord
ts properly into outlet. If not, have a qualied technician install a
proper outlet. Never alter the AC cord or plug provided. Improper connection can result in electrical shock.
Your charger should be grounded to reduce the risk of electrical shock.
Your charger is equipped with an electrical cord that has an equip­ment grounding conductor and a grounding plug designed to be used on a 120 volt circuit. The plug must be plugged into an outlet that has been properly installed and grounded in accordance with all local codes and ordinances.
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 device. Sparking may cause an explosion.
7. Always operate battery charger in an open well ventilated area.
8. NEVER smoke or allow a spark or ame in the vicinity of the
battery or engine. Batteries generate explosive gases!
9. Neutralize any acid spills thoroughly with baking soda before attempting to clean up.
FIGURE 1 – PLUGGING IT IN
DANGER: Never alter the AC cord or plug provided. If it will not t outlet, have a proper outlet installed by a qualied electrician. Improper
connection can result in a risk of an electrical shock. DANGER: Before using an adapter, as illustrated, be certain that the center screw of the outlet plate is grounded. The green-colored rigid ear or lug extending from the adapter must be connected to a properly grounded outlet. Make certain it is grounded. If necessary, replace original outlet cover plate screw with a longer screw that will secure adapter ear or lug to outlet cover plate and make ground connection to grounded outlet.
D. PREPARING TO CHARGE
It is important that you read and follow these guidelines while you are preparing to charge your battery.
• Make sure that you have a 12 volt lead-acid battery.
• Clean the battery terminals. Be careful to keep corrosion from getting in or around your eyes or on your hands.
• If you have a battery with removable cell caps, if required, add distilled water to each cell until the battery acid reaches the level indicated by the manufacturer. This will help purge
excessive gases from the cells. Be careful not to overll. If you
have a sealed battery without cell caps, no action is necessary. Continue to the next step listed below.
• Take time to read all battery manufacturer’s specic precautions,
such as removing or not removing cell caps while charging, and recommended rates of charge.
• Wear safety glass es. See additional "Personal Safety Precautions" on page 2.
• Be sure that the area around the battery is well ventilated while it is being charged. If ventilation is poor, any gases emitted from the battery can be manually blown away by using a piece of cardboard or other non-metallic material as a fan.
• If it is necessary to remove the battery from the vehicle to charge
it, always remove the grounded terminal from the battery rst.
A spark may be caused if all accessories in the vehicle are not completely turned off.
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E. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: CHARGING BATTERY IN VEHICLE
Negative (-)
Positive (+)
NOTE: A marine (boat) boat battery must be removed and charged on shore. To charge it on board requires equipment specially de- signed for marine use.
When charging battery in the vehicle, take care to determine the battery type and which post is grounded. To reduce risk of a spark near battery, follow these steps when battery is installed in vehicle. WARNING: A spark near battery may cause battery explosion.
1. Arrange the power cord and charging cords carefully in order to avoid damage that could be caused by the hood, door, or moving engine parts.
2. Keep hands, hair, clothing and jewelry clear of the fan blades, belts, pulleys, and other parts that can cause injury.
3. Check the polarity of the battery posts using the identication marks on the batter y case: POSITIVE (POS,P, +) and NEGATIVE (NEG,N, –).
4. Identify which post of the battery is grounded or connected to the chassis. The negative post is normally the one that is grounded.
5. To charge a negative grounded post system: Connect the
red (POSITIVE) battery charger clamp to the ungrounded POSITIVE (POS,P,+) post of the battery. Then connect the black (NEGATIVE) clamp to a heavy metal part of the chassis
or engine block, away from the battery. Do not connect clamp to carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet metal parts.
To charge a positive grounded
post system: Connect the black
(NEGATIVE) battery charger
clamp to th e NEGAT I V E
(NEG,N,–) ungrounded post
of the battery. Then connect the red (POSITIVE) clamp to a
IMPORTANT: Wear safety glasses and face away from the
battery while making connections.
6. Twist or rock clamps back and forth to make a solid connection. This will help make better contact and help keep them from slipping off and causing sparks.
7. Plug the power cord into a 3-prong AC electrical wall outlet.
8. Press the SELECT SWITCH and the CHARGE RATE button to the desired charge position.
9. Press the timer to the desired charge time, from 5–135 minutes.
If more than 135 minutes of charging time is needed the HOLD position can be used. When using the HOLD feature the battery being charged must be monitored closely to avoid over charging.
10. When the battery is fully charged, unplug the charger power cord from the wall outlet.
11. Facing away from the battery, remove the charger clamps in
this order: (1) from the vehicle chassis or engine block (2) from
the battery post or terminal.
12. Clean and store the battery charger in a dry location.
F. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: CHARGING BATTERY OUT OF VEHICLE
When charging battery out of vehicle, take care to determine the battery type. To reduce risk of a spark near battery, follow these steps when battery is outside vehicle. WARNING: A spark near the battery may cause battery explosion. WARNING: When removing battery
from vehicle or boat, disconnect grounded pole rst. When disconnecting, make sure all accessories are off, so as not to cause an arc. (NOTE: A marine (boat) battery must be removed and charged on shore. (To charge on board requires special equipment designed for marine use.) WARNING: When reinstalling battery, attach the ground post rst.
1. Remove battery from vehicle, making sure to disconnect
grounded terminal rst with all power turned off to the vehicle.
2. Check the polarity of the battery posts as indicated on the battery
case: POSITIVE (POS,P,+) and NEGATIVE (NEG,N,–).
NOTE: On top-post batteries, the positive battery terminal
usually has a larger diameter than the negative one.
3. Connect the red (POSITIVE) charger clamp to the POSITIVE
post of the battery. Be sure to rock the clamp back and forth to make a solid connection.
4. Attach at least a 6-gauge (AWG) insulated battery cable of at
least 24-inches in length to the NEGATIVE battery post. This cabl e wi ll provide a safer connection because any arcing and sparking will not occur directly over the
battery. (The battery
cable is not provided with the charger but may be purchased at most automotive
accessory outlets.)
5. Take the other end of the 6-gauge (AWG) insulated battery cable (at least 24-inches in length), and, standing as far away from the battery as possible, connect the black (NEGATIVE)
charger clamp to the free end of the cable. Be sure to rock the clamp back and forth to make a solid connection.
IMPORTANT: Wear safety glasses and face away from battery
while you are making the nal connection.
6. Plug the power cord into a grounded 3-prong AC electrical wall outlet.
7. Press the timer to the desired charge time, from 5-135 minutes. If more than 135 minutes of charging time is needed the hold position can be used. When using the HOLD feature the battery being charged must be monitored closely to avoid over-charging.
8. Press the SELECT VOLT/CHARGE RATE button to the desired
9. When the battery is fully charged, unplug the charger power cord from the wall outlet.
10. Face away from battery and remove the charger clamps from the
NEGATIVE end of the cable rst, then from the POSITIVE post.
11. Clean and store the battery charger in a dry location.
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G. OUTPUT SELECTOR CONTROLS
DIGITAL
DISPLAY
150A
55A 20A
2A
BATTERY %
TIMER
The timer is designed to allow the battery to be charged for a desig­nated amount of time. To accurately charge your battery, you must know the size of the battery in ampere hours or reserve capacity in units, as well as the state of charge. Since this information is not known by the charger, the timer limit is set at 2.25 hours to prevent the battery from overcharging to a point where it can be severely damaged. If you do not know the charge state of your battery, set the timer at one hour or less, or use the automatic setting.
TO SET THE TIMER:
1. Press the symbol for less time and the symbol for more time.
2. The Timer LED will light and digital display will show the time in minutes.
3. To turn the timer off, press the  symbol until the digital display reads OFF.
TIMER HOLD
The Timer Hold feature overrides the timer allowing the charger to continue charging for over 2.25 hours. This feature is most often used when the charging rate is 2 or 20 amps. Using this feature requires closely monitoring the charge time and turning off the charger when the battery is fully charged.
NOTE: When the battery is fully charged, the charger and timer will not automatically turn off. It is important to monitor the charge level. Not doing so may cause damage to your battery.
TO ACTIVATE THE HOLD FEATURE:
1. Press the symbol until the Digital Display reads HLD.
2. To release the Timer Hold, press the until the digital display reads OFF.
AUTOMATIC FEATURE
In automatic mode, the charger will stop when the battery is fully charged. After charging is complete, this unit will maintain the battery at 13.4 Volts to prevent self discharge. To activate the
automatic feature, rst connect the clips to the battery and select
the desired charge rate. Then, press the symbol once and “Aut” will be shown on the display. When charging is complete, the bat-
tery % will show “100”.
BATTERY TEST
The Battery Test is based on the terminal voltage of the battery. If the battery is installed in the vehicle, make sure the engine and all accessories are turned off before testing.
1. Plug the power cord into a 3-prong electrical wall outlet.
2. Press the SELECT DISPLAY MODE button and select
3. Hook the battery clamps to the battery as outlined in “Charging
4. The digital display will show the charge % of the battery:
BATTERY %.
Your Battery” on page 3.
12V BATTERY VOLTAGES
100% = 12.8 or more volts = Charged battery
50–95% = 12.8 – 12.2 volts = Battery needs charging
>50% = 12.2 or less volts = Discharged battery, needs
charging
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR TEST
1. Plug the power cord into a 3-prong electrical wall outlet.
2. Press the SELECT DISPLAY MODE button and select
VOLTAGE. (The digital display will show the voltage of the battery.)
3. Hook the battery clamps to the battery, as outlined in “Charging Your Battery” on page 3.
4. Start the engine and while it is at a fast idle, read the digital display.
NOTE: The battery should be in a good state of charge before doing this test.
12V ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR DISPLAY
15 volts or more = See vehicle owner’s manual
15 – 14 volts = Good condition
14 - 12.8 volts = See vehicle owner’s manual
12.8 or less volts = Check with qualied technician
NOTE: If the digital display reads less than 12.8 volts, the charging system may have loose fan belts, a defective voltage regulator or
alternator. Additional tests may be required to nd the exact cause. Take the vehicle to a qualied service center.
SELECT CHARGE RATE
The SELECT CHARGE RATE allows you to select the correct battery voltage and amp draw rate to match your charging needs. Read the following operating instructions for making the proper settings for charging a battery.
When you rst start charging a battery, the amp reading will be high.
As the battery becomes charged, the reading will decrease. To determine the amount of amps being drawn by the battery:
1. Press the SELECT DISPLAY MODE button until the AMPS LED lights.
a. When the 55A setting is used, the charger switches between
55A boost mode and 10A mode. You should use a lower
charge setting if the voltage reading is “OL” or is reading
higher than 14.2 Volts for more than 3 minutes.
b. When charging at 20 amps, the display should show 15
amps for a discharged battery and 7-8 amps for a fully charged battery. You should stop charging the battery at this time.
c. At the 2 amp charge rate, little or no display change will
occur.
NOTE: The digital display will read OL or Overload if
more than 55 amps are supplied to the battery. Overload means too high a charging rate. Lower the charging rate to continue.
To determine an accurate reading of your battery’s voltage before you charge:
1. Plug the power cord into a 3-prong electrical wall outlet.
2. Press the SELECT DISPLAY MODE button so the VOLTAGE LED lights.
3. Connect the battery charger as outlined in “Charging Your Battery” on page 3. The voltage will be displayed.
NOTE: If a battery has recently been charged or in a vehicle
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4. Turn off vehicle’s headlights and read the digital display.
5. To turn OFF the charger, unplug the power cord from the AC wall outlet.
6. Disconnect the battery charging clamps as outlined in
“Charging Your Battery” on page 3.
H. ENGINE START
The Engine Start is a feature to help start the engine of your vehicle.
1. Plug the power cord into a 3-prong electrical wall outlet.
2. Push SELECT VOLT/CHARGE RATE button and choose 150A START. The ENGINE START feature will deliver 150 amps to help crank a 12-volt system.
3. Push the  symbol located in the Timer Set Time section until the number 5 is displayed.
4. Crank the engine for no more than 3 seconds. If it does not start, wait three minutes before cranking again for no more than 3 seconds.
NOTE: During extremely cold weather, or if the battery is
5. After the engine starts, unplug the charger power cord from the wall outlet.
6. Disconnect the output clamps from the battery.
7. Clean and store the charger in a dry location.
IMPORTANT: Do not try to start the engine without a battery in it. You could cause damage to the electrical system.
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.
I. CHARGE PERIOD
THE HYDROMETER OR ELECTRONIC METHOD
To nd the time needed to fully charge your battery, determine the
battery’s charge level with a hydrometer or electronic Percent-of­Charge Tester. The following table will help you convert hydrometer readings to percent of charge values.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
1.265 100% 0%
1.225 75% 25%
1.155 25% 75%
1.120 0% 100%
When you know the percent of charge and the Amp Hour (AH) rat­ing of your battery, you can calculate the approximate time needed to bring your battery to a full charge.
To convert Reserve Capacity to Amp Hours, divide Reserve Ca­pacity by 2, and add 16:
Ampere Hour rating = (Reserve Capacity) + 16 (2) NOTE: The Reserve Capacity can be obtained from the battery
specication sheet or the owner’s manual.
PERCENT OF
CHARGE
PERCENT OF
CHARGE NEEDED
hours, to bring the battery to full charge.
• Add one additional hour for a deep-cycle battery. Example:
Amp Hour Rating x % of charge needed x 1.25 = hours of Charger Setting charge
100 (AH Rating) x .50 (charge needed) x 1.25 = 4.16666
15 (Charger Setting) hours
100 x .50 = 3.3333 x 1.25 = 4.16666 15
You would need to charge your 100-Ampere Hour Battery for a little more than 4 hours at the 20-Amp charge rate using the above example.
J. BATTERY CHARGING
CHARGER MUST BE ASSEMBLED BEFORE USING.
1. Before charging any battery, make sure the electrolyte (battery liquid) in each cell is at correct level.
2. Set all buttons and timers to the OFF position.
3. If the battery is being charged inside the vehicle, use connection procedures outlined in Section E. Should the battery be removed from the vehicle, follow the instruction in Section F. Plug the power cord into the AC outlet.
4. Set the charge rate switch to the desired charge position. See Charge Rate Charts.
5. Set the timer from OFF position to desired timed charge, 30­135 minutes.
NOTE: This bat ter y charger is not automatic and can
overcharge a battery if permitted to operate for extended periods of time. Monitor the charging often.
Also, your charger may exhibit a noise (buzzing) during charging.
Laminations of the transformer tend to vibrate. This is normal... continue to charge the battery. The noise may continue after charger is disconnected from battery.
The Chart Method
Use the following table to more accurately determine the time it will take to bring a battery to full charge. First, identify where your
battery ts into the chart.
• Small batteries — motorcycles, garden tractors, etc. — are
usually rated in Ampere Hours (AH). For example: 6 to 12 AH,
or 12 to 32 AH.
• Batteries in cars and smaller trucks are usually rated in Reserve
Capacity (RC), Cold-Cranking Amps (CCA), or both.
• Marine, or deep-cycle batteries are usually rated in Reserve
Capacity (RC).
• NR means that the charger setting is NOT RECOMMENDED.
Find your battery’s rating on the chart on page 6 and note the charge time given for each charger setting. The times given are for batteries with a 50-percent charge prior to recharging. Add more time for severely discharged batteries.
TO CALCULATE TIME NEEDED FOR A CHARGE:
• Find the percent of charge needed. (A battery at 50 percent
charge that will be charged to 100 percent needs another 50
percent (.50).
• Multiply the Amp Hour rating by the charge needed (.50) and divide by the charger setting (2/20/55 amps).
• Multiply the result by 1.25 and you’ll have the time needed, in
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