Minuteman 957727 User manual

Operating Instructions 101375E
®
36 VOLT AUTOMATIC
BATTERY CHARGER
PART NO. 957727
Specifications
AC Supply: 120 volts, 60 Hertz, 10 amps, single-phase
DC Output: 36 volts, 20 amps initially tapering to 6 amps
Battery Type: 36 volt, 18 cell, 168 to 275 amp-hour, liquid electrolyte (wet) lead-acid batteries
PLEASE SAVE THESE IMPORTANT SAFETY AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
For correct operation of the equipment, it is important to read and be familiar
with this entire manual before installing and operating the charger.
DO NOT DISCARD THIS MANUAL AFTER READING.
LOOK FOR THIS SYMBOL TO POINT OUT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. IT MEANS:
BECOME ALERT—YOUR SAFETY IS INVOLVED.
IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THESE
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS, INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE CAN OCCUR.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1. This manual contains important safety and
operating instructions for battery charger Model
957727.
2. Before using battery charger, read all
instructions and cautionary markings on battery
charger, battery, and product using battery.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE RISK OF INJURY,
CHARGE ONLY LIQUID ELECTROLYTE (WET)
LEAD-ACID RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES.
OTHER TYPES OF BATTERIES MAY BURST,
CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY AND DAMAGE.
3. Do not expose charger to rain or snow.
4. Use of an attachment not recommended or sold
by the battery charger manufacturer may result
in a risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to
person.
5. To reduce risk of damage to electric plug and
cord, pull by plug rather than cord when
disconnecting charger.
6. Make sure cord is located so that it will not be
stepped on, tripped over, or otherwise subjected
to damage or stress.
7. An extension cord should not be used unless
absolutely necessary. Use of improper
extension cord could result in a risk of fire and
electric shock. If extension cord must be used,
make sure that:
a. Pins on plug of extension cord are the same
number, size, and shape as those of plug on
charger.
b. Extension cord is properly wired and in good
electrical condition.
c. Wire size is large enough for AC ampere
rating of charger.
8. Do not operate charger with damaged cord or
plug; replace it immediately.
9. Do not operate charger if it has received a sharp
blow, been dropped, or otherwise damaged in
any way; take it to a qualified service center.

Operating Instructions 201375E
10. Do not disassemble charger; take it to a
qualified service center when service or repair is
required. Incorrect reassembly may result in a
risk of electric shock or fire.
11. To reduce risk of electric shock, unplug charger
from a live outlet or disconnect AC power to the
outlet before attempting any maintenance or
cleaning. Turning off controls will not reduce
this risk.
INTRODUCTION
This battery charger is a self-regulating charger with
a minimum of moving parts, designed for long,
trouble-free service. Built-in line voltage compen-
sation produces a consistent output when the AC
supply voltage varies by as much as 10% from
nominal. Convection cooling maximizes the
reliability and minimizes any maintenance costs.
ONLY LIQUID ELECTROLYTE (WET) LEAD-ACID
BATTERIES should be recharged with this charger
to ensure superior battery performance and life. A
patented electronic circuit turns the charger on and
off automatically. When the battery has reached its
maximum state of charge, the circuitry will turn the
charger off.
RECEIVING AND INSTALLING THE CHARGER
When the charger is received, check for possible
in-transit damage. If any damage is found, it should
be reported as a claim to the carrier.
Proper installation of the charger is important in
order to achieve good charger performance and to
prevent damage to the charger and batteries. The
charger should be located in a clean, cool, dry, and
well-ventilated area. To permit free air flow for
convection cooling, allow three inches (3") minimum
between the charger and any wall and six inches
(6") between the charger and other equipment.
Position the charger on a foundation of stone, brick,
concrete or grounded metal.
DANGER: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE,
DO NOT USE THE CHARGER NEAR
FLAMMABLE MATERIALS OR VAPORS.
AC INPUT
CAUTION: TO REDUCE RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK OR FIRE, DISCONNECT AC POWER TO
RECEPTACLE BEFORE INSTALLING OR
REMOVING UNIT.
This battery charger must be connected to a 120
VAC, 60 Hertz, single-phase AC power source.
GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS
Charger should be grounded to reduce the risk of
electric shock. Charger is equipped with an electric
cord having an equipment-grounding conductor and
a grounding plug. The installed plug must be
plugged into an outlet that is properly installed and
grounded in accordance with al local codes and
ordinances.
DANGER: NEVER ALTER AC CORD OR
PLUG PROVIDED IF IT WILL NOT A FIT OUTLET.
HAVE A PROPER OUTLET INSTALLED BY A
QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN. IMPROPER
CONNECTION CAN RESULT IN A RISK OF
ELECTRIC SHOCK.
This battery charger is for use on a nominal 120 volt
circuit and has a grounding plug, which looks like the
adapter illustrated in Figure A. A temporary adapter,
which looks like the adapter illustrated in Figures B
and C, may be used to connect this plug to a two-
pole receptacle as shown in Figure B if a properly
grounded outlet is not available. The temporary
adapter should be used only until a properly
grounded outlet can be installed by a qualified
electrician. GROUNDING METHODS
A
B
C
CONNECTED
TO COVER
OF GROUNDED
OUTLET BOX
ADAPTER
COVER OF
GROUNDED
OUTLET BOX
GROUNDING
BLADE GROUNDED
OUTLET
GROUNDING
MEANS
NOTE: Use of adapter shown in Figures B and C is
not permitted in Canada.
DANGER: BEFORE USING ADAPTER AS
ILLUSTRATED, BE CERTAIN THE CENTER
SCREW OF OUTLET PANEL PLATE IS
GROUNDED.
The green-colored rigid ear or lug extending from
adapter must be connected to a properly grounded
outlet. 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.
EXTENSION CORD REQUIREMENTS
Always use a three-conductor, No. 14 AWG (1.5mm)
heavy duty cord with ground, properly wired, in good
electrical condition and keep it as short as possible.

Operating Instructions 301375E
Make sure the pins on the plug of the extension cord
are the same number, size and shape as the AC
plug of the battery charger. The use of an improper
extension cord could result in a risk of fire or electric
shock. Locate all cords so they will not be stepped
on, tripped over, or otherwise subjected to damage
or stress.
DC OUTPUT
This battery charger is designed to produce a 36 volt
DC output with an initial charge current of 20 amps.
ONLY 36 VOLT, 18 CELL, 168 TO 275 AMP-HOUR,
LIQUID ELECTROLYTE (WET) LEAD-ACID
BATTERIES SHOULD BE USED. The charge
current will decrease gradually to about 6 amps as
the battery reaches full charge and will remain there
until the charger turns off. As the battery ages, the
charge current may no longer decrease to the 6 amp
finish current. Liquid electrolyte batteries will
normally be charged to 2.5-2.6 volts per cell.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Connect AC supply cord to a properly grounded
120 volt, 60 Hertz, single phase outlet.
2. Connect the DC output plug by grasping the
plug body and pushing it straight into the
receptacle until it is fully engaged. The BLACK
wire must be connected to battery negative (-),
and the RED or WHITE wire to battery positive
(+). Make sure all connections are clean and
tight.
3. The charger will start after a short delay as
indicated by the transformer hum and the
ammeter movement.
WARNING: LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
GENERATE GASES WHICH CAN BE EXPLOSIVE.
CHARGE ONLY IN WELL VENTILATED AREAS.
DO NOT DISCONNECT CHARGER DC OUTPUT
TERMINALS FROM BATTERY WHEN CHARGER
IS ON. THE RESULTING ARCING AND BURNING
COULD CAUSE THE BATTERY TO EXPLODE.
KEEP SPARKS, FLAME AND SMOKING
MATERIALS AWAY FROM BATTERY.
If the charger must be stopped, always
disconnect the AC supply cord from its outlet
before disconnecting the DC output terminals
from the battery.
4. Monitor the ammeter for connect charge current.
The initial charge current should be
approximately 20 amps. If the battery has not
been discharged, or the AC supply voltage is
lower than 120 volts, the initial charge rate may
be less than 20 amps.
5. Charger turns off automatically when battery is
fully charged. Charge time varies with battery
size and depth of discharge. Allow 8 hours for
normal charging. Severely discharged batteries
may require up to 12 hours to be properly
charged and equalized. After the charger has
turned off, disconnect the DC output plug from
the battery and the AC supply cord from outlet.
MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS
The battery charger requires minimal maintenance.
It should be kept clean and all connections are to be
tightly secured. In the event of intermittent
operation, examine and tighten, if necessary, all
connections. BE SURE THE CHASSIS IS
SECURELY GROUNDED. If any problems cannot
be resolved, consult a qualified service center.
Observe the following battery maintenance
procedures to obtain good performance and
maximum cycle life.
1. Always observe the following personal safety
precautions when working with lead-acid
batteries:
a. Someone should be within range of your
voice or close enough to come to your aid
when you work near a battery.
b. Have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby
in case battery acid contacts skin, clothing
or eyes.
c. Wear complete eye protection and clothing
protection. Avoid touching eyes while
working near battery.
d. If battery acid contacts skin or clothing,
wash immediately with soap and water. If
acid enters eye, immediately flood eye with
running cold water for at least 10 minutes
and get medical attention.
e. NEVER smoke or allow a spark or flame in
the vicinity of batteries.
f. Be extra cautious to reduce risk of dropping
a metal tool onto battery. It might spark or
short-circuit battery or other electrical part
that may cause explosion.
g. Remove 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.
h. NEVER charge a frozen battery.

Operating Instructions 401375E
DANGER: TO REDUCE RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK, ALWAYS DISCONNECT THE AC
SUPPLY CORD FROM ITS OUTLET AND THE DC
OUTPUT CORD FROM THE BATTERY BEFORE
ATTEMPTING ANY MAINTENANCE (CHANGING
FUSES, ETC.) OR CLEANING OF THE BATTERY
OR BATTERY CHARGER.
2. New batteries should be given a full charge
before their first use because it is difficult to
know how long batteries have been stored.
3. Limit use of new batteries for first five cycles.
New batteries are not capable of their rated
output until they have been discharged a
number of times.
4. Do not excessively discharge batteries.
Excessive discharge can cause polarity reversal
of individual cells, resulting in complete failure
shortly thereafter. Limited use of new batteries
will minimize the chance of cell reversal.
5. CHECK THE LEVEL OF THE ELECTROLYTE
IN CONVENTIONAL LIQUID ELECTROLYTE
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES MONTHLY.
MAINTAIN THE PROPER ELECTROLYTE
LEVEL BY ADDING DISTILLED OR PURIFIED
WATER WHEN NECESSARY. Electrolyte
levels lower during discharge and rise during
charge. Therefore, it is mandatory that water be
added to cells ONLY when they are fully
charged; do not overfill. Old batteries require
more frequent additions of water than new
batteries.
6. Keep tops of batteries clean and dry to prevent
excessive self-discharge. Keep battery terminals
reasonably tight.
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
For safe and efficient troubleshooting, read this
guide completely before beginning any tests.
CAUTION: DO NOT OPERATE THE
CHARGER IF IT IS DAMAGED OR APPEARS TO
BE MALFUNCTIONING. PERSONAL INJURY OR
DAMAGE TO THE CHARGER OR BATTERIES
MAY RESULT. DO NOT DISASSEMBLE THE
CHARGER. TAKE IT TO A QUALIFIED SERVICE
AGENT WHEN SERVICE OR REPAIR IS
REQUIRED. INCORRECT REASSEMBLY MAY
RESULT IN A RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK OR
FIRE.
To determine if a charger malfunction exists,
eliminate the problems not associated with the
charger in the sections below. If the problem cannot
be resolved, contact a qualified service center.
1. CHARGER DOES NOT TURN ON
a. Battery is not connected to charger.
b. Charger is not plugged into a live AC outlet.
WARNING: IF THE AC OR DC PLUG OR
RECEPTACLE IS BROKEN, TWISTED, BENT OR
LOOSE AND DOES NOT MAKE GOOD
ELECTRICAL CONTACT, HAVE IT REPLACED
BY QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL
IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT USE THIS CHARGER IN
THIS CONDITION AS FIRE OR PERSONAL
INJURY CAN RESULT.
c. DC fuses blown.
2. CHARGER REMAINS AT HIGH RATE
a. The charger is connected to a battery pack
with a system voltage lower than specified.
b. Battery amp-hour capacity is greater than
specified for charger.
c. One or more of the batteries in the battery
pack has reversed polarity.
3. CHARGER TURNS OFF EARLY
a. The DC cord was accidentally disconnected
from the battery during charge.
b. The battery has been allowed to sulfate.
Charge the battery at least once every three
days when the equipment is lightly utilized.
Once sulfation is allowed to take place it
may be partially reduced by returning,
temporarily, to daily charging.
c. AC circuit is not live (power outage or circuit
breaker blown).
4. CHARGER DOES NOT TURNOFF
a. The charger is connected to a battery with
an amp-hour capacity greater than specified.
b. The charger is connected to a battery pack
with a system voltage higher or lower than
specified.
c. New batteries (5 cycles or less), cold
batteries, or overdischarged batteries may
require an extended charge time to achieve
full charge.
5. CHARGER FUSE BLOWS (OR CIRCUIT
BREAKER)
a. DC fuse blows from improper polarity from
charger to battery.
6. BUILDING AC LINE CIRCUIT BREAKER OR
FUSE BLOWS
a. A "weak" fuse or circuit breaker is protecting
the circuit. Connect the charger to another
outlet on a different circuit If the charger
operates properly, have a qualified

Operating Instructions 501375E
electrician inspect and test the original
circuit.
b. The circuit is overloaded. Connect the
charger to another outlet on a different
circuit.
7. EQUIPMENT RANGE DECREASING
a. The electrolyte level in conventional liquid
electrolyte lead-acid batteries was allowed
to drop below the top of the battery plates.
Add distilled water to just cover the tops of
the plates immediately upon discovery and
fill to the proper level with distilled water at
the completion of the very next charge cycle.
Battery capacity lost in this manner is
permanent and is not recovered with
additional charge cycles.
b. Use of the equipment before the batteries
have been fully charged and the charger
turns off. This shortens battery life and
hastens the onset of reduced daily range.
Battery capacity lost in this manner is
permanent and is not recovered with
additional charge cycles.
c. This is the normal wear-out process for all
types of deep-cycle motive power batteries.

Operating Instructions 601375E
WIRING DIAGRAM
DC
BUSHING
BATTERIES
TO
WHITE OR RED (+)
BLACK (-)
DC CORDSET
WHITE
TAN
TAN
DIODE HEATSINK ASSEMBLY
CAPACITOR
BLACK
RED
GREEN
TAN TAN
TAN
TAN
ELECTRONIC
TIMER ASS'Y
FUSES AMMETER
BLACK BLACK
23
1 4
SECONDARY
PRIMARY
TRANSFORMER
RELAY
ORANGE
BROWN
AC
INPUT
PLUG BUSHING
AC
AC
CORDSET
BLACK
GREEN WHITE
CASE GROUND
L2155S47
PARTS LIST
QTY. DESCRIPTION
1CASE ASSEMBLY
1TRANSFORMER
2FUSEHOLDER
2DC FUSE, AB-30
1ELECTRONIC TIMER
1AMMETER
1AC CORDSET
1DC CORDSET
1HEATSINK W/ DIODES
1CONTROL CABLE
1BUSHING, AC CORD
1BUSHING, DC CORD
1RELAY
1CAPACITOR
When replacing a part, USE ONLY ORIGINAL FACTORY REPLACEMENT PARTS of the correct size and rating.

Operating Instructions 701375E
L I M I T E D W A R R A N T Y
Minuteman warrants each new Battery Charger for defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the
date of original purchase of the complete unit. Repairs can be made at the Minuteman factory. To do so send the defective
unit with transportation charges prepaid to: Minuteman, Inc.
111 South Rohlwing Road
Addison, Illinois 60101
Attention: Service Department
For repairs made at other than the Minuteman factory, Minuteman will provide only the replacement parts. Defective pans
should be sent with transportation charges prepaid to the Minuteman factory at the previously mentioned address.
If the unit or parts are found in the reasonable judgment of Minuteman to be detective in material or workmanship, repair,
or replacement will be made by Minuteman without charge for parts or labor. Repair or replacement will be at the discretion of
Minuteman, with replacements being made using current models or parts performing the equivalent function. Labor charges
other than those incurred at the Minuteman factory are not covered under this warranty. All expenses associated with
delivering defective Items to the Minuteman factory arid the expense of returning repaired or replaced items from the
Minuteman factory to the owner will be paid for by the owner. All warranty work accomplished at the Minuteman factory will be
completed within a reasonable time after receipt of defective items.
This warranty does not cover any semiconductor parts, such as diodes, which are vulnerable to electrical overloads
beyond the control of Minuteman.
This warranty does not cover any charger that has been subject to misuse, neglect, negligence, or accident, or operated
in any way contrary to instructions specified on the charger case and in the owner's manual. No claim of breach of warranty
shall be cause for cancellation of the contract of sale of any Minuteman charger. Minuteman assumes no responsibility for
loss of time, inconvenience, or other damage, consequential or otherwise, resulting from a defective charger. All implied
warranties (including merchantability) are limited in duration to the one year warranty period.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages; or limitations on how long an
implied warranty lasts, so the above limitations may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you
may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Minuteman's obligation under this warranty is strictly and exclusively limited to the repair or replacement of defective
items. Minuteman issues this warranty in good faith and with full confidence in the workmanship and quality of Minuteman
products.