Basement Watchdog Big Dog User Manual

Page 13

oxygen gas that may have been emitted from
the battery.

4. Unscrew the wing nuts and remove the battery

cables. Then remove the fluid sensor from the
battery.

5. Remove the battery caps. Add distilled water

to each cell. If distilled water is not
available, tap water with a low mineral
content may be used. Well water is not
recommended. NEVER ADD MORE ACID. Fill
the battery to level 2 as shown in Diagram E
on page 8. (The Basement Watchdog battery
filler will automatically fill the level to the

correct height. See enclosed order form.)

6. Replace the battery caps. Replace the fluid

sensor in the hole on the top of the battery.
Be sure the fluid sensor is positioned in the
2nd cell from the positive post. The hole is
marked with an arrow.

7. Replace the battery cables…the WHITE wire

to the NEGATIVE (-) post, and the BLACK wire
to the POSITIVE (+) post. Replace the wing
nuts and tighten.

8. Replace the cover of the battery box.

9. Plug the controller back into the outlet. (You

should provide additional protection for the
control unit by using a surge protector.)

10. If any of the alarms are sounding, press the

WHITE button on the front of the control
panel for one (1) second.

Battery problem

This light and alarm will come on when the
control unit detects there is less than one (1)

hour of pumping power left in the battery, or
that the battery is defective. The alarm cannot
be silenced, because action needs to be taken to
protect your basement. If your battery is more
than five (5) years old, replace it. If not, here
are several situations that would cause the pump
to run the battery for an extended time and
discharge the battery: Check the list below
before you replace the battery.

• If the 3rd light on the controller is also on,

it means that the unit is not receiving AC
power. Either the AC power is out, the
circuit breaker has blown, or the outlet is
bad. When the problem is corrected, the
battery should recharge.

• If the 5th light on the controller is also on,

check your main pump for failure. The
backup pump may have been activated
repeatedly if your main AC pump is broken,
or you are experiencing heavy rains and your
main pump cannot keep up with the inflow
of water. You may need to upgrade or
replace your main pump. When the problem
is corrected, the battery should recharge.

• If no other lights are on, this means the

terminals may be corroded, and the battery
cannot charge properly. Unplug the charger
from the wall outlet. Then, check the
battery cables and the battery terminals for
corrosion. Clean and tighten them as
needed. The procedure is described in the
next column.

• If the battery terminals have been cleaned

and the light is still on, there could be a
problem with the controller or the battery.
The best way to determine if the battery is
the problem is to have it charged and load
tested at any local car service station. If
the battery is bad and less than one (1) year
old, it can be returned to the place of
purchase for a replacement (receipt
required). If the battery is good, contact
Glentronics’ service department for further
instructions. The phone number is 800-991-
0466, option #3.

If the battery alarm goes on while the pump is
running and the power is out, you will have a
minimum of one (1) hour of continuous pumping
time to replace the battery. (In most cases, the
pump does not run continuously, and therefore,
you actually have a longer time to replace it.)
You will not be able to silence the alarm. Left

unattended, the basement will flood. In a
severe emergency, if a replacement battery is not
available, you could temporarily use your car
battery, or recharge this battery by connecting it
to your car battery.
Once the AC power is restored, the battery will
recharge automatically, unless it is old or
damaged. The alarm will remain on until the
WHITE button is pressed for one (1) second.
In the event that your Basement Watchdog sump
pump system has pumped for an extended period
of time, the battery may be very depleted. In
this condition, when the AC power is returned to
the unit, a battery alarm will continue to sound.
The battery may need a longer period to
recharge. Press the WHITE button for five (5)
seconds to silence the alarm.
If the battery is completely discharged, an
internal safety feature will not allow the
charging system to activate. Call the Glentronics
service department for instructions or replace
the battery.

TO CLEAN THE BATTERY TERMINALS
AND CABLES

Risk of electrical shock or battery explosion,
which can cause serious injury or death.
Wear eye protection. Work in a well-
ventilated area. Do not smoke or allow a
spark or flame in the vicinity of the battery.
Avoid dropping metal tools on the battery.
If battery acid contacts eyes, flush with
water for 15 minutes and get prompt
medical attention. Review the safety
instructions on page 1.

1. Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.

2. Remove the cover of the battery box by

pushing in the tabs on the front and back,
then lifting up.

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DANGER

REMOVE

POSITIVE

POST

NEGATIVE

POST