Harbor Freight Tools 03418 - Manual (Page 9)

Page 9 SKU 03418 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.
Operation (continued)
Ammeter Readings
The ammeter shows how much charging current is drawn from the charger (to the battery).
When a dead or low battery is charged the charger’s ammeter will register at the high end. As
the battery charges, the reading will move down toward the low end, resting on zero, when the
battery is fully charged. When using the battery in engine starting mode (discussed
further down this page) the needle on the ammeter will peg toward the high end of the
ammeter.
Do not depend on reading the ammeter to approximate how long charging will take. Even at
full charge the ammeter will still be providing as much as 50 percent of the charger’s output
rating. It’s best to follow the charging times listed on page 8. Sometimes, certain conditions
such as a cold battery, a sulfated battery, or a deeply discharged Lead Calcium battery (on
many newer cars) may cause the ammeter to read near a full charge, when the charging
process is only beginning.
Note: Cold batteries (at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit) begin charging at a low rate and
then increase as the battery warms. When the battery charges up, the rate will decrease at a
normal rate.
DEEPLY DISCHARGED LEAD-CALCIUM batteries will read out differently as they need an
activation procedure covered on page 10 of this manual.
SHORTED BATTERIES will read on the ammeter as a high end peg at the beginning of the
charging process. If after 5-10 minutes the needle does not move off of the high end, the
battery probably has a short circuit. Unplug the charger and discontinue use. Have the battery
checked by a qualified technician.
Engine Starting
Note: This charger’s high-current output can help start vehicles with weak batteries. Please
note that some of the newer vehicles with onboard computers may be damaged from this
process. Thoroughly read the vehicle owner’s manual before using this procedure.
1. Connect the charger to the battery as discussed in the previous operating instructions
on page 7 and 8.
2. Set the charger to charge the battery for 5-10 minutes according to the appropriate
charge rate for the size of the battery as explained on the previous 2 pages.
3. Set the select function switch (See FIGURE 1 on page 6) to Start and the select switch
(see FIGURE 1 on page 6) to 55A.
4. Try to start the vehicle. If it doesn’t start in 2-3 minutes, stop and wait for the vehicle to
charge for 5-10 minutes more and try again. Repeat this process until successful.
Note: If the engine continues to spin but will not start after several tries, than you may have
another problem unrelated to charging. Stop attempting to start/charge the battery until
the problem is found and corrected. Continued engine cranking may damage the
vehicle’s starter motor.
Disconnecting after charging.
First, disconnect the charger clamp that is not attached directly to the battery. At this stage,
don’t let anything come in contact with the clamp. Then, disconnect the clamp that is in contact
with the battery terminal. Do not let the clamps touch each other while you unplug the charger.