DieHard 12/2/75 Amp Fully Automatic Battery Charger & Engine Starter Owner's Manual

Introduction

This manual provides instructions for the DieHard 12/2/75 Amp Fully Automatic Battery Charger/Engine Starter. It covers safe operation, charging procedures, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

CAUTION: Before first use, read this manual and follow all Safety and Operating Instructions. Save these instructions.

Made in U.S.A. of U.S. and imported parts. Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.

Full Three Year Warranty

Within three years from the date of purchase, if this battery charger fails due to a defect in materials or workmanship, return it to the place of purchase for repair or replacement free of charge.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Dept. 817WA, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Safety Instructions

Important Safety Instructions

WARNING: To reduce the risk of explosion, explosive gases, or injury while using your battery charger, follow the precautions listed below:

• Read all instructions and cautions printed on the battery charger, battery, and vehicle or equipment using the battery.
• Use the charger only on lead-acid type rechargeable batteries, such as those used in cars, trucks, tractors, airplanes, vans, RV's, trolling motors, etc. This charger is not intended to supply power to a low voltage electrical system.
• Use only attachments recommended or sold by the manufacturer. The use of attachments not recommended by the manufacturer may result in fire, electric shock, or injury.
• Do not disassemble the charger. Take it to a qualified service professional if service or repair is required. Incorrect assembly may result in fire or electrical shock.
• To reduce the risk of electrical shock, unplug the charger from the outlet before attempting any maintenance or cleaning.
• Always charge the battery in a well-ventilated area.
• Battery chargers get hot during operation and must have proper ventilation. Air needs to flow around the entire charger.
• Do not set the charger on flammable materials like carpeting, upholstery, paper, cardboard, etc. The charger may damage leather and melt plastic and rubber.

Help Us Help You - Remember:

• Place the charger as far away from the battery being charged as the charger cables will permit.
• Do not expose the charger to rain or snow.
• Never charge a frozen battery. If battery fluid (electrolyte) becomes frozen, bring the battery into a warm area to thaw before you begin charging.
• Never allow battery acid to drip on the charger when reading specific gravity or filling the battery.
• Never set a battery on top of the charger.
• Never place the charger directly above the battery being charged. The gases from the battery will corrode and damage the charger.
• Never use the charger for charging dry-cell batteries that are commonly used with home appliances like radios, stereos, remote controls, etc. These batteries may burst and cause personal injury.
• Never touch the battery clamps together when the charger is on. You will cause a spark.
• Never operate the charger if it has received a hard blow, been dropped, or otherwise damaged. Take it to a qualified professional for inspection and repair.
• Be sure to position the charger power cord to prevent it from being stepped on, tripped over, or damaged.
• Never pull out the plug by the cord when unplugging the charger. Pulling on the cord may cause damage to the cord or the plug.
• Do not operate the charger if it has a damaged power cord or plug. Have the cord replaced.

Personal Safety Precautions

For your own personal safety, please follow these precautions:

• Wear complete eye and clothing protection when working with lead-acid batteries.
• Be sure that someone is within range of your voice to come to your aid if needed while you work with or are near a lead-acid battery.
• Have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby for use in case battery acid contacts your eyes, skin, or clothing. If this happens, wash immediately with soap and water, then get medical attention.
• Avoid touching your eyes while working with a battery. Acid particles (corrosion) may get into your eyes. If this occurs, flush eyes immediately with running cold water for at least 10 minutes. Then immediately get medical attention.
• Remove all personal metal items from your body, such as rings, bracelets, necklaces, and watches while working with a lead-acid battery. A battery can produce a short circuit current high enough to weld a ring (or the like) to metal, causing a severe burn.
• Take care not to drop any metal tool or metal object onto the battery. This may spark or short circuit the battery or another electrical device, potentially causing an explosion.
• Always operate your battery charger in an open, well-ventilated area.
• Never smoke or allow a spark or flame in the vicinity of the battery or engine. Batteries generate explosive gases.
• Neutralize any acid spills thoroughly with baking soda before attempting to clean up.

Operation

Before Using Your Battery Charger

It is important to understand your charger's requirements. This section will tell you about your charger's electrical requirements and how to prepare a battery for charging.

Assembling Your Charger

Included with your battery charger are two cord wrap posts for storage of the clamp cables. To install, align the three tabs to correspond with the three receptacles and push until you hear a snap. Wrap clamp cord after unplugging the power cord and store your charger in a dry location.

Plugging It In

WARNING: Electrical Shock Hazard. Be sure that the power cord fits properly into the outlet. If not, have a qualified technician install a proper outlet. Never alter the AC cord or plug provided. Improper connection can result in electrical shock.

Your charger requires a 120V receptacle installed according to all local codes and ordinances.

Using an Extension Cord

The use of an extension cord is not recommended. If you must use an extension cord, please make sure that you follow these guidelines:

• Make sure that the pins on the charger's power cord fit firmly into the extension cord, and that the extension cord fits firmly into the receptacle.
• Check that the extension cord is properly wired and in good electrical condition.
• Make sure that the wire size is large enough for its length and for the AC ampere rating as specified in the chart below.

*AWG = American Wire Gauge

Preparing Your Battery to be Charged

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 or 6 volt lead-acid battery. Set the selector switch to match the voltage rating of the battery to be charged.
• Clean the battery terminals. Be careful to keep corrosion from getting in or around your eyes.
• For batteries with removable cell caps, if required by the manufacturer, add distilled water to each cell until the battery acid reaches the level recommended. This will help purge excessive gases from the cells. Be careful not to overfill. If you have a sealed battery without cell caps, no action is necessary. Continue to the next step.
• Take time to read all battery manufacturer's specific precautions, such as removing or not removing cell caps while charging, and recommended rates of charge.
• Wear safety glasses. See additional "Personal Safety Precautions" on page 4.
• Be sure that the area around the battery is well ventilated while it is being charged.
• If it is necessary to remove the battery from the vehicle to charge it, always remove the grounded terminal from the battery first. Turn off all vehicle accessories to avoid sparks from occurring.

NOTE: A marine battery installed in a boat must be removed and charged on shore.

Using Your Battery Charger

To obtain the best results from your battery charger, you must know how to use it properly. This section will tell you how to set the controls, how to charge a battery in or out of a vehicle, and how to use the engine start feature.

Setting the Controls

All controls are located on the front of the charger. Follow these instructions to obtain the correct charge level for your battery.

Selector Switches:

Your charger has three switches:

• Use the left switch to match the battery voltage—either 6 or 12 volt.
• Use the center switch to select a charge type—MANUAL, AUTOMATIC DEEP CYCLE, or AUTOMATIC REGULAR.
• Use the right switch to select a charge rate—2 AMP charge, 12 AMP charge, or 75 AMP ENGINE START.

Battery Voltage: Select the voltage of your battery. The most common applications will be 12 volt.

[Image description: Two battery voltage indicators, one labeled "6 VOLT" and the other "12 VOLT".]

Charge Type

• Use the MANUAL setting only if you check the charging progress frequently. The charger will not stop charging when the battery reaches full charge, possibly damaging the battery if left on too long. You must monitor and unplug the charger when the battery is fully charged.
• Use the AUTOMATIC DEEP CYCLE setting for all deep cycle battery charging. The charger will automatically stop charging when the battery reaches full charge and begin charging again when battery requires.
• Use the AUTOMATIC REGULAR setting for all but deep cycle batteries. The charger will automatically stop charging when the battery reaches full charge and begin charging again when battery requires.
• A severely discharged battery may not have enough charge to start the control circuit in an AUTOMATIC setting. In this case, charge on MANUAL until the battery has enough charge to accept an AUTOMATIC setting.

[Image description: Three control settings shown graphically: "AUTOMATIC DEEP CYCLE", "AUTOMATIC REGULAR", and "MANUAL".]

Charge Rate

• Use the 2 AMP charge rate setting for charging small batteries and warming large batteries. The lower the charge rate, the longer it will take to charge the battery.
• Use the 12 AMP rate setting for automotive, deep cycle, and other large batteries.
• Use the 75 AMP ENGINE START setting only to assist in cranking the engine.

[Image description: Three charge rate indicators shown graphically: "2 AMP", "12 AMP", and "ENGINE START".]

Ammeter

The ammeter indicates the measured amount of amperes being drawn by the battery. When you first start charging a battery, the reading will be high, with the needle near 12 using the 12 amp charging rate.

• In the MANUAL setting, as the battery charges, the needle will fall to about 5 to 6 amps, indicating a charged battery.
• In both AUTOMATIC settings, the needle will fall to zero and the charger will shut off when the charger's control circuit senses a full charge. A freshly charged battery's voltage will drop shortly after charging stops, and the charger, if left connected, may resume charging. This off-and-on cycling will continue until the battery's voltage no longer drops enough to restart the charger.
• At the 2 amp charging rate, you will notice very little needle movement.
• When cranking the engine while using the ENGINE START feature, the needle will swing into the Start (red) area of the scale.

[Image description: A gauge labeled "DC AMPS" showing a scale from 0 to 12, with markings for "CHARGE %" (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) and a "START" area. The needle is shown pointing towards the higher end of the scale.]

LED Indicator

The green LED INDICATOR will glow when the charger senses that the battery has reached a full charge.

• When using the MANUAL charge rate, stop charging when the LED glows and the AMMETER needle is about 5 to 6 amps in the 12 Amp setting.
• For deep cycle batteries, you may wish to allow the battery another one or two hours of charging after the LED glows to obtain a maximum charge.
• When using the AUTOMATIC charge rates, the LED will cycle on and off, indicating the charger is maintaining the battery's state-of-charge.

Charging Your Battery Inside the Vehicle

Follow these steps to charge your battery while it is still in the vehicle:

1. Arrange the power cord and charging leads carefully to avoid damage that could be caused by the hood, door, or moving engine parts.
2. Keep clear of fan blades, belts, pulleys, and other parts that can cause injury.
3. Check the polarity of the battery posts as indicated on the battery case: POSITIVE (POS, P, or +) and NEGATIVE (NEG, N, or -). NOTE: The positive post on top-post batteries is usually larger than the negative post.
4. Identify which battery post is ground 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. Rock or twist the clamps back and forth to make a solid connection. Then connect the black (NEGATIVE) clamp to a heavy, unpainted metal part of the chassis or engine block, away from the battery. DO NOT connect clamp to carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet metal parts. (See Figure A.)
6. To charge a positive grounded post system: Connect the black (NEGATIVE) battery charger clamp to the ungrounded NEGATIVE (NEG, N, -) post of the battery. Then connect the red (POSITIVE) clamp to a heavy, unpainted metal part of the chassis or engine block, away from the battery. DO NOT connect clamp to carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet metal parts. IMPORTANT: Wear safety glasses and turn face away from the battery when making connections.
7. For automatic charging, select AUTOMATIC DEEP CYCLE or AUTOMATIC REGULAR as a charge type, then select a charge rate. The charger will stop charging when the battery is fully charged.
8. For manual charging, select MANUAL as a charge type then select a charge rate. The charger will not stop charging when the battery is fully charged; you must monitor and unplug the charger when the battery is fully charged. Avoid over charging; monitor the AMMETER frequently when in the MANUAL mode.
9. Next, plug the power cord into an AC outlet.
10. When the battery is fully charged, in the MANUAL mode, the AMMETER pointer will fall to about half the charge rate selected. For specific positions, refer to the "Ammeter" section in "Using Your Battery Charger" on page 6.
11. When the battery is fully charged, unplug the charger power cord before attempting to disconnect charger clamps.
12. Standing away from the battery, remove the charger clamp from the chassis first, then from the battery post.

[Image description: Figure A illustrates a "NEGATIVE GROUNDED SYSTEM". It shows a battery with positive (+) and negative (-) terminals. The red charger clamp is connected to the positive terminal. The black charger clamp is connected to a point on the vehicle's chassis/engine block, away from the battery.]

Charging Your Battery Outside the Vehicle

Follow these steps to charge your battery when it is removed from the vehicle:

1. Remove the battery from the vehicle, making sure to disconnect the grounded terminal first, with all accessories and lights turned off in 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 post than the negative one.
3. Connect the red (POSITIVE) charger clamp to the POSITIVE post of the battery. Be sure to rock the clip back and forth to make a solid connection.
4. Attach a 6-gauge (AWG) or a 4-gauge (SAE) insulated battery cable at least 24-inches long to the NEGATIVE battery post. This cable will provide a safer connection; if arcing and sparking occur, it will be at a distance from the battery. NOTE: The battery cable is not provided with the charger, but may be purchased at most automotive stores.
5. Take the other end of the 6-gauge (AWG) or a 4-gauge (SAE) insulated 24-inch cable and, standing as far away from the battery as possible, connect the black (NEGATIVE) lead of the charger to the free end of the cable. Rock the clamp to make a solid connection. IMPORTANT: Wear safety glasses and face away from the battery while making this final connection.
6. For automatic charging, select AUTOMATIC REGULAR or AUTOMATIC DEEP CYCLE depending on the type of battery, then select a charge rate. The charger will quit when the battery is fully charged and will restart if the battery voltage drops too low.
7. For manual charging, select MANUAL as a charge type, then select a charge rate. The charger will not stop charging when the battery is fully charged; you must monitor and unplug the charger when the battery is fully charged. Avoid over charging; monitor the AMMETER frequently when in the manual mode.
8. Plug the power cord into an AC outlet.
9. When the battery is fully charged in the MANUAL mode, the AMMETER pointer will fall to about half the charge rate selected. For specific positions, refer to the "Ammeter" section in "Using Your Battery Charger" on page 6.
10. When the battery is fully charged, unplug the charger power cord before attempting to disconnect charger clamps.
11. Standing away from the battery, remove the negative lead from the insulated cable connected to the NEGATIVE post first. Then remove the lead from the POSITIVE post.
12. Clean and store the charger in a dry location.

[Image description: Figure B shows the setup for charging a battery outside the vehicle. It includes the battery, the battery charger, a 24-inch, 6-gauge cable, the power cord, and the grounded power outlet. The red clamp connects to the positive battery terminal, and the black clamp connects to the free end of the 6-gauge cable attached to the negative battery terminal.]

Using the Engine Start Feature

Your battery charger can be used to jump start your car if the battery is low. Follow these instructions on how to use the ENGINE START feature.

1. Connect the charger to the battery and vehicle as instructed in the "Charging your battery" section on page 8.
2. Set the right-hand SELECTOR SWITCH to ENGINE START.
3. Crank the engine for no more than 5 seconds. If it does not start, wait at least 4 minutes before cranking again. In extreme cold or if the battery is severely discharged, charge the battery in the 12 amp position for about 5 minutes before cranking the engine.
4. After the engine starts, unplug the charger power cord from the AC outlet. Then disconnect the charger from the battery.

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 up, there is not a problem with the starting system; there is a problem somewhere else in the vehicle. STOP cranking the engine until the other problem has been identified and corrected.

Calculating Charge Time

Battery Rating Method

Use the following table to more accurately determine the time it will take to fully charge a battery that is initially at 50% State-of-Charge. Identify your battery type and its associated Charge Time in the table. Common battery types are:

• Small batteries, motorcycles, garden tractors, etc., are usually rated in Amp-Hours (AH).
• Car and truck batteries, usually rated in Reserve Capacity (RC), Cold Cranking Amps (CCA), or both.
• Marine, or deep cycle batteries, usually rated in either Amp-Hours or Reserve Capacity (RC).

NA = Not Allowed. DO NOT charge at this setting

Voltmeter Method

To find the time needed to fully charge your battery, determine the battery's charge level with a voltmeter or electronic State-of-Charge Tester. Use the table below to convert Voltmeter and State-of-Charge readings at room temperature to the appropriate Charge Factor. Then use the formulas that follow the table to determine the approximate Charge Time.

Charge Time Needed if Amp-Hours is Known

• Find the Charge Factor for your battery in the table on page 11.
• Multiply by the Amp-Hour rating of the battery.
• Divide by the Charger Setting (either 2 Amp or 12 Amp).
• Multiply by 1.25 to get the approximate Hours Needed to bring the battery to full charge.

Example: 15 Amp-Hour (AH) Battery, 50% State-of-Charge, 2 Amp Charger Setting

[(AH x Charge Factor) ÷ Charger Setting] x 1.25 = Hours Needed

(15 x 0.5) ÷ 2 x 1.25 = 4.7 Hours

Charge Time Needed if Reserve Capacity is Known

• Find the Charge Factor for your battery in the table on page 11.
• Multiply by the Reserve Capacity rating of the battery.
• Divide by the Charger Setting (either 2 Amp or 12 Amp).
• Multiply by 0.73 to get the approximate Hours Needed to bring the battery to full charge.

Example: 95-Minute Reserve Capacity (RC) Battery, 25% State-of-Charge, 12 Amp Charger Setting

[(RC x Charge Factor) ÷ Charger Setting] x 0.73 = Hours Needed

[(95 x 0.75) ÷ 12] x 0.73 = 4.3 Hours

Maintenance and Care

To keep your battery charger working properly for years:

1. Clean the clamps each time you are finished charging. Wipe off any battery fluid that may have come in contact with the clamps to prevent corrosion.
2. Coil the input and output cords neatly when storing the charger. This will help prevent accidental damage to the cords and charger.

Troubleshooting

Performance problems often result from little things that you can fix yourself. Please read through this chart for a possible solution if a problem occurs.

If the above solutions do not eliminate the problem, call toll-free from anywhere in the U.S.A. 1-800-SEARS-64 • (1-800-732-7764) 7 AM to 4:30 PM CST Monday through Friday.

Parts

This section shows an illustration of your battery charger. Use it to become familiar with where all the parts are located, and what they look like.

Replacement Parts List Model 713121

[Image description: An exploded view diagram of the battery charger, showing the location of numbered parts corresponding to the replacement parts list.]

Wiring Diagram

[Image description: A detailed wiring diagram of the battery charger, showing connections between the transformer, meter, switches (2A, 12A, 75A), diode, and external clamps (red and black) and power cord. Wire colors like BLACK, RED, BRN, YEL, GRAY, BLUE, ORG, WHITE are indicated.]

Contact Information

For information about troubleshooting, call toll-free from anywhere in the U.S.A. 7 AM to 4:30 PM CST Monday through Friday: 1-800-732-7764.

For repair or replacement parts, call 7 AM - 7 PM, 7 days a week: 1-800-366-PART (1-800-366-7278).

For the location of an authorized Sears Service Center in your area, call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-488-1222.

When requesting service or ordering parts, always provide the following information:

• Product Type: 12/2/75 AMP Fully Automatic Battery Charger
• Model Number: 200.713121
• Part Number (See Page 14)
• Part Description (See Page 14)