Schumacher Electric SP1298 User manual

0099001800-01
MODEL / MODELO / MODÈLE :
SP1298
Automatic Battery Charger
Cargador de baterías automático
Chargeur de batterie automatique
PLEASE SAVE THIS OWNERS MANUAL AND READ BEFORE EACH USE.
This manual will explain how to use the charger safely and effectively. Please read
and follow these instructions and precautions carefully.
POR FAVOR CONSERVE ESTE MANUAL DEL USUARIOY LEALOANTES DE CADA
USO. En este manual le explica cómo utilizar el cargador de manera segura y conable.
Por favor, lea y siga las siguientes instrucciones y precauciones.
ESSAYER DE GARDER LE MANUEL D’INSTRUCTIONS ET LE LIRE AVANT CHAQUE
UTILISATION. Ce manuel explique comment utiliser l’unité d’une façon sûre et efcace. S’il
vous plaît lisez et suivez ces instructions et précautions.
OWNERS MANUAL
MANUAL DEL USUARIO
GUIDE D’UTILISATION

• 2•
1. IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
1.1 SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS – This manual contains important safety and
operating instructions.
1.2 Keep out of reach of children.
1.3 Do not expose the charger to rain or snow.
1.4 Use of an attachment not recommended or sold by Schumacher®Electric
Corporation may result in a risk of re, electric shock or injury to persons.
1.5 To reduce the risk of damage to electric plug and cord, pull by the plug rather
than the cord when disconnecting charger.
1.6 An extension cord should not be used unless absolutely necessary. Use of
improper extension cord could result in a risk of re and electric shock. If an
extension cord must be used, make sure:
• The pins on plug of extension cord are the same number, size and shape as
those of plug on charger.
• The extension cord is properly wired and in good electrical condition; and
• The wire size is large enough for AC ampere rating of charger, as specied in
section 8.
1.7 Do not operate charger with damaged cord or plug – replace the cord or plug
immediately.
1.8 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 serviceman.
1.9 Do not disassemble charger; take it to a qualied serviceman when service or repair
is required. Incorrect reassembly may result in a risk of electric shock or re.
1.10 To reduce risk of electric shock, unplug charger from outlet before attempting any
maintenance or cleaning. Turning off controls will not reduce this risk.
1.11 WARNING: RISK OF EXPLOSIVE GASES.
a. 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
YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EACH TIME YOU USE THE CHARGER.
b. To reduce risk of battery explosion, follow these instructions and those
published by battery manufacturer and manufacturer of any equipment you
intend to use in vicinity of battery. Review cautionary markings on these
products and on the engine.

• 3•
2. PERSONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
2.1 Consider having someone close enough by to come to your aid when you work
near a lead-acid battery.
2.2 Have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby in case battery acid contacts skin,
clothing, or eyes.
2.3 Wear complete eye protection and clothing protection. Avoid touching eyes while
working near battery.
2.4 If battery acid contacts skin or clothing, wash immediately with soap and water.
If acid enters eye, immediately ood eye with running cold water for at least 10
minutes and get medical attention immediately.
2.5 NEVER smoke or allow a spark or ame in vicinity of battery or engine.
2.6 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.
2.7 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.
2.8 Use the charger for charging only 12V lead-acid or lithium ion LiFePO4 rechargeable
batteries with rated capacity of 22-59Ah. It is not intended to supply power to a low
voltage electrical system other than in a starter-motor application. 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.
2.9 NEVER charge a frozen battery.
2.10 WARNING: This product contains one or more chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
3. PREPARING TO CHARGE
3.1 If necessary to remove battery from vehicle to charge, always remove grounded
terminal from battery rst. Make sure all accessories in the vehicle are off, so as
not to cause an arc.
3.2 Be sure area around battery is well ventilated while battery is being charged.
3.3 Clean battery terminals. Be careful to keep corrosion from coming in contact with eyes.
3.4 Add distilled water in each cell until battery acid reaches level specied by battery
manufacturer. Do not overll. For a battery without removable cell caps, such as valve
regulated lead acid batteries, carefully follow manufacturer’s recharging instructions.

• 4•
3.5 Study all battery manufacturer’s specic precautions while charging and
recommended rates of charge.
3.6 Determine voltage of battery by referring to car owner’s manual and make
sure that output voltage selector switch is set at correct voltage. If charger has
adjustable charge rate, charge battery initially at lowest rate.
4. CHARGER LOCATION
4.1 Locate charger as far away from battery as DC cables permit.
4.2 Never place charger directly above battery being charged; gases from battery will
corrode and damage charger.
4.3 Never allow battery acid to drip on charger when reading electrolyte specic
gravity or lling battery.
4.4 Do not operate charger in a closed-in area or restrict ventilation in any way.
4.5 Do not set a battery on top of charger.
5. DC CONNECTION PRECAUTIONS
5.1 Connect and disconnect DC output clips only after setting any charger switches
to “off” position and removing AC cord from electric outlet. Never allow clips to
touch each other.
5.2 Attach clips to battery and chassis, as indicated in sections 6 and 7.
6. FOLLOW THESE STEPS WHEN BATTERY IS INSTALLED IN VEHICLE
WARNING: A SPARK NEAR THE BATTERY MAY CAUSE A BATTERY
EXPLOSION. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF A SPARK NEAR THE BATTERY:
6.1 Position AC and DC cords to reduce risk of damage by hood, door, or moving
engine part.
6.2 Stay clear of fan blades, belts, pulleys, and other parts that can cause injury to persons.
6.3 Check polarity of battery posts. POSITIVE (POS, P, +) battery post usually has
larger diameter than NEGATIVE (NEG, N,–) post.
6.4 Determine which post of battery is grounded (connected) to the chassis. If negative
post is grounded to chassis (as in most vehicles), see (6.5). If positive post is
grounded to the chassis, see (6.6).
6.5 For negative-grounded vehicle, connect POSITIVE (RED) clip from battery charger
to POSITIVE (POS, P, +) ungrounded post of battery. Connect NEGATIVE (BLACK)
clip to vehicle chassis or engine block away from battery. Do not connect clip to
carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet-metal body parts. Connect to a heavy gauge metal
part of the frame or engine block.

• 5•
6.6 For positive-grounded vehicle, connect NEGATIVE (BLACK) clip from battery
charger to NEGATIVE (NEG, N, –) ungrounded post of battery. Connect
POSITIVE (RED) clip to vehicle chassis or engine block away from battery. Do
not connect clip to carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet-metal body parts. Connect to a
heavy gauge metal part of the frame or engine block.
6.7 When disconnecting charger, turn switches to off, disconnect AC cord, remove clip
from vehicle chassis, and then remove clip from battery terminal.
6.8 See Operating Instructions for length of charge information.
7. FOLLOW THESE STEPS WHEN BATTERY IS OUTSIDE VEHICLE
WARNING: A SPARK NEAR THE BATTERY MAY CAUSE A BATTERY
EXPLOSION. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF A SPARK NEAR THE BATTERY:
7.1 Check polarity of battery posts. POSITIVE (POS, P, +) battery post usually has a
larger diameter than NEGATIVE (NEG, N, –) post.
7.2 Attach at least a 24-inch-long 6-gauge (AWG) insulated battery cable to
NEGATIVE (NEG, N, –) battery post.
7.3 Connect POSITIVE (RED) charger clip to POSITIVE (POS, P, +) post of battery.
7.4 Position yourself and free end of cable as far away from battery as possible –
then connect NEGATIVE (BLACK) charger clip to free end of cable.
7.5 Do not face battery when making nal connection.
7.6 When disconnecting charger, always do so in reverse sequence of connecting
procedure and break rst connection while as far away from battery as practical.
7.7 A marine (boat) battery must be removed and charged on shore. To charge it on
board requires equipment specially designed for marine use.
8. GROUNDING AND AC POWER CORD CONNECTIONS
8.1 This battery charger is for use on a nominal 120 volt circuit. The plug must be
plugged into an outlet that is properly installed and grounded in accordance with
all local codes and ordinances. The plug pins must t the receptacle (outlet). Do
not use with an ungrounded system.
8.2 DANGER: Never alter the AC cord or plug provided – if it does not t the outlet,
have a proper grounded outlet installed by a qualied electrician. An improper
connection can result in a risk of an electric shock or electrocution.
NOTE: Pursuant to Canadian Regulations, use of an adapter plug is not allowed
in Canada. Use of an adapter plug in the United States is not recommended and
should not be used.

• 6•
8.3 USING AN EXTENSION CORD
The use of an extension cord is not recommended. If you must use an extension
cord, follow these guidelines:
• Pins on plug of extension cord must be the same number, size, and shape as
those of plug on charger.
• Ensure that the extension cord is properly wired and in good electrical condition.
• Wire size must be large enough for the AC ampere rating of charger, as
specied below:
Length of cord (feet) 25 50 100 150
AWG* size of cord 18 18 16 14
*AWG-American Wire Gauge
9. ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
9.1 Remove all cord wraps and uncoil the cables prior to using the battery charger.
10. FEATURES
7
6
8
3
4
5
2
1
1. AC Power cord
2. Digital display
3. Hook attachment
4. Battery type button
5. Charging status LED indicator
6. Battery clamp quick-connect
7. 12V accessory plug quick-connect
8. Ring terminal quick-connect

• 7•
11. CONTROL PANEL
DIGITAL DISPLAY
The digital display indicates the status of the battery and charger. See Display
Messages for a complete list of messages.
NOTE: During charging, the display will go into sleep mode and will not display any
messages. To turn the display back on, press the display button.
BATTERY TYPE BUTTON
Press button once to select lead-acid; twice for a lithium ion battery.
LED INDICATOR
GREEN LED solid (CHARGING): The charger is connected and charging the battery.
GREEN LED pulsing (CHARGED/MAINTAINING): The battery is fully charged
and the charger is in maintain mode.
GREEN LED ashing: The charge has aborted (seeAborted Charge section).
NOTE: See Operating Instructions for a complete description of the charger modes.
12. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT: Do not start the vehicle with the charger connected to the AC
outlet, or it may damage the charger and your vehicle.
NOTE: This charger is equipped with an auto-start feature. Current will not be
supplied to the battery clamps until a battery is properly connected. The clamps
will not spark if touched together.
CHARGING A BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE
1. Turn off all the vehicle’s accessories.
2. Keep the hood open.
3. Clean the battery terminals.
4. Place the charger on a dry, non-ammable surface, or use the convenient hook
attachment to hang the unit safely outside the work area.
5. Lay the AC/DC cables away from any fan blades, belts, pulleys and other
moving parts.
6. Connect the battery, following the precautions listed in sections 6 and 7.
7. Connect the charger to an electrical outlet.
8. Select the battery type.
9. When the charger starts, the GREEN LED will be solid, and the display will
show ANALYZING BATTERY while the charger determines that the battery is
properly connected and the condition of the battery.

• 8•
10. Monitor the progress of the charge by pressing the display button on the front
of the unit. When the battery is fully charged, the GREEN LED will pulse.
11. When charging is complete, disconnect the charger from the AC power,
remove the clamp from the vehicle’s chassis, and then remove the clamp
from the battery terminal.
CHARGING A BATTERY OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE
1. Place battery in a well-ventilated area.
2. Clean the battery terminals.
3. Connect the battery, following the precautions listed in sections 6 and 7.
4. Connect the charger to the electrical outlet.
5. Select the battery type.
6. When the charger starts, the GREEN LED will be solid, and the display will
show ANALYZING BATTERY while the charger determines if the battery is
properly connected and the condition of the battery.
7. Monitor the progress of the charge by pressing the display button on the front
of the unit. When the battery is fully charged, the GREEN LED will pulse.
8. When charging is complete, disconnect the charger from the AC power,
disconnect the negative clamp, and nally the positive clamp.
9. A marine (boat) battery must be removed and charged on shore.
USING THE QUICK-CONNECT CABLE CONNECTORS
Connect any of the three output cable assemblies to the charger in seconds.
IMPORTANT: Never connect the clamp and ring terminal connectors together
for use in other applications, such as external battery or other power source
charging, or to extend the output cable length, as reverse polarity and/or
overcharge conditions will occur.
BATTERY CLAMP QUICK-CONNECT
1. Connect the end of the charger output cable to the end of the battery clamp
quick-connect.
2. Follow the steps in previous sections to connect the output clamps to the battery.
3. After a good electrical connection is made to the battery, plug the power cord
into a grounded 120V AC electrical wall outlet.
4. When charging is complete, disconnect the AC cord from the outlet, remove
the negative clamp, and nally the positive clamp.

• 9•
RING TERMINAL QUICK-CONNECT
The ring connectors permanently attach to the battery, providing easy access
to quickly connect the charger to your battery. This application is appropriate for
motorcycles, lawn tractors, ATVs and snowmobiles.
1. To permanently attach to a battery, loosen and remove each nut from the bolt
at the battery terminals.
2. Connect the red POSITIVE connector ring to the POSITIVE battery terminal.
3. Connect the black NEGATIVE connector ring to the NEGATIVE battery terminal.
4. Replace and tighten the nuts to secure.
5. Connect the cable to the end of the charger output cord.
Take care to keep the wires and plug away from metal and moving parts.
6. Plug the charger power cord into a grounded 120V AC electrical wall outlet.
7. Select the battery type.
8. When charging is complete, disconnect the AC cord from the outlet, and then
disconnect the quick-connect cable from the charger output cord.
12V ACCESSORY PLUG QUICK-CONNECT
Charge or maintain your battery without lifting the hood.
1. Connect the end of the 12V accessory plug quick-connect to the charger.
2. Insert the 12V accessory plug into the 12V accessory outlet.
3. Route the power cord from the charger through the vehicle’s open window.
4. Plug the charger power cord into a grounded 120V AC electrical wall outlet.
5. If the vehicle’s ignition key has to be on in order for the accessory outlet to
supply/receive power, turn the key, without starting the engine.
6. Select the battery type.
7. When charging is complete, disconnect the AC cord from the outlet, and then
remove the 12V accessory plug from the 12V outlet.

• 10 •
BATTERY CHARGING TIMES
APPLICATION BATTERY
SIZE CHARGING TIME (Hours)
2A 6A 8A 10A
POWERSPORTS 6Ah 6
32 Ah 15
AUTOMOTIVE 300 CCA 12
1000 CCA 30
MARINE 50 Ah 15
105Ah 33
2
5
4
10
5
11
1.75
4.5
3.5
8.5
4.25
9.5
1.5
4
3
7
3.5
8
Times are based on a 50% discharged battery and may
change, depending on age and condition of battery.
AUTOMATIC CHARGING MODE
When an automatic charge is performed, the charger switches to the maintain
mode automatically after the battery is charged.
BATTERY CONNECTION INDICATOR
If the charger does not detect a properly connected battery, charging will not
start and the digital display will show one of two messages. If the display shows
CONNECT CLAMPS, make sure the charger is connected to the battery and the
connection points are clean and making a good connection. If the display shows
WARNING CLAMPS REVERSED, unplug the charger from the AC outlet, reverse
the connections at the battery, and then plug the charger back in.
CHARGE COMPLETION AND MAINTAIN MODE (FLOAT MODE MONITORING)
Charge completion is indicated by the GREEN LED pulsing and the digital display
showing FULLY CHARGED AUTO MAINTAINING. This means that the charger has
stopped charging and has switched to the Maintain Mode of operation. NOTE: If the
charger has to provide its maximum maintain current for a continuous 12 hour period, it
will go into Abort Mode (see Aborted Charge section). This is usually caused by a drain
on the battery, or the battery could be bad. Make sure there are no loads on the battery.
If there are, remove them. If there are none, have the battery checked or replaced.
MAINTAINING A BATTERY
This unit maintains 12 volt batteries, keeping them at full charge. It is not
recommended for industrial applications.
NOTE: The maintain mode technology allows you to safely charge and maintain a
healthy battery for extended periods of time. However, problems with the battery,