Motomaster Eliminator Precision Series Battery Charger

Introduction

The MotoMaster Eliminator® Precision Series Battery Charger features advanced technology that makes battery charging faster, easier, and safer while helping to maximize the performance and life of your batteries.

This battery charger is designed for use on all types of 6- and 12-volt lead-acid batteries including Wet (flooded), Maintenance-free (MF), Calcium (Ca), Enhanced Flooded (EFB), Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM), and Gel. It is suitable for charging batteries rated from 5 to 40 Amp-hours and maintaining batteries from 5 to 200 Amp-hours.

This manual will explain how to use the charger safely and effectively. Please read and follow these instructions and precautions carefully.

Important Safety Instructions

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

• Read all instructions, warnings, and cautions printed on the battery charger, battery, and vehicle or equipment using the battery.
• Do not expose the charger to rain or snow.
• 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 persons.
• To reduce risk of damage to the electric plug and cord, pull by the plug rather than the cord when disconnecting the charger.
• An extension cord should not be used unless absolutely necessary. Use of an improper extension cord could result in a risk of fire and electric shock. If an extension cord must be used, make sure:
  • The pins on the plug of the extension cord are the same number, size, and shape as those of the plug on the charger.
  • The extension cord is properly wired and in good electrical condition.
  • The wire size is large enough for the AC ampere rating of the charger, as specified in the chart on the following page.
• Do not operate the charger with a damaged cord or plug; replace the cord or plug immediately.
• Do not operate the charger if it has received a sharp blow, been dropped, or otherwise damaged in any way; take it to a qualified serviceman.
• 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 electric shock.
• To reduce risk of electric shock, unplug the charger from the outlet before attempting any maintenance or cleaning. Turning off controls will not reduce this risk.

⚠️ WARNING - RISK OF EXPLOSIVE GASES

Working in the 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.

• To reduce the risk of battery explosion, follow these instructions and those published by the battery manufacturer and the manufacturer of any equipment you intend to use in the vicinity of the battery. Review cautionary markings on these products and on the engine.

Personal Safety Instructions

• Consider having someone close by to come to your aid when you work near a lead-acid battery.
• Have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby in case battery acid contacts skin, clothing, or eyes.
• Wear complete eye protection and clothing protection. Avoid touching eyes while working near the battery.
• If battery acid contacts skin or clothing, wash immediately with soap and water. If acid enters the eye, immediately flood the eye with running cold water for at least 10 minutes and get medical attention immediately.
• Never smoke or allow a spark or flame in the vicinity of the battery or engine.
• Take extra precautions to avoid dropping a metal tool onto the battery. It may spark or create a short circuit that can cause an explosion.
• 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.
• Use the charger for charging a lead-acid battery only. It is not intended to supply power to a low voltage electrical system other than in a starter-motor application. Do not use the 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.
• Never charge a frozen battery.

AC Electrical Connections

Plugging Charger In

Your charger requires a 120 V AC electrical wall outlet receptacle installed according to local codes and ordinances.

Using an Extension Cord

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 an extension cord must be used, make sure:

• The pins on the plug of the extension cord are the same number, size, and shape as those of the plug on the charger.
• The extension cord is properly wired and in good electrical condition.
• The wire size is large enough for the AC ampere rating of the charger, as specified in the chart below:

*AWG = American Wire Gauge

Preparing to Charge

• If it is necessary to remove the battery from the vehicle to charge, always remove the grounded terminal from the battery first. Make sure all accessories in the vehicle are off so as not to cause an arc.

Connecting Your Battery

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:

• Position AC and DC cords to reduce risk of damage by hood, door, or moving engine part.
• Stay clear of fan blades, belts, pulleys, and other parts that can cause injury to persons.
• Check polarity of battery posts. The POSITIVE (POS, P, +) battery post usually has a larger diameter than the NEGATIVE (NEG, N, -) post.
• Determine which post of the battery is grounded (connected) to the chassis.
• If the negative post is grounded to the chassis (as in most vehicles), see the section "For Negative-Grounded Vehicle". If the positive post is grounded to the chassis, see the section "For Positive-Grounded Vehicle".
• For a negative-grounded vehicle, connect the POSITIVE (RED) clip from the battery charger to the POSITIVE (POS, P, +) ungrounded post of the battery. Connect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) clip to the vehicle chassis or engine block away from the battery. Do not connect the clip to the carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet-metal body parts. Connect to a heavy-gauge metal part of the frame or engine block.
• For a positive-grounded vehicle, connect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) clip from the battery charger to the NEGATIVE (NEG, N, -) ungrounded post of the battery. Connect the POSITIVE (RED) clip to the vehicle chassis or engine block away from the battery. Do not connect the clip to the carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet-metal body parts. Connect to a heavy-gauge metal part of the frame or engine block.
• When disconnecting the charger, turn switches to OFF, disconnect the AC cord, remove the clip from the vehicle chassis, and then remove the clip from the battery terminal.

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:

• Check polarity of battery posts. The POSITIVE (POS, P, +) battery post usually has a larger diameter than the NEGATIVE (NEG, N, -) post.
• Attach at least a 24" (61 cm) 6-gauge (AWG) insulated battery cable to the NEGATIVE (NEG, N, -) battery post.
• Connect the POSITIVE (RED) charger clip to the POSITIVE (POS, P, +) post of the battery.
• Position yourself and the free end of the cable as far away from the battery as possible, then connect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) charger clip to the free end of the cable.
• Do not face the battery when making the final connection.
• When disconnecting the charger, always do so in the reverse sequence of the connecting procedure and break the first connection while as far away from the battery as practical.

A marine (boat) battery must be removed and charged on shore. To charge it on board requires equipment specially designed for marine use.

⚠️ WARNING! A SPARK NEAR A BATTERY MAY CAUSE A BATTERY EXPLOSION! Battery chargers may get hot during operation. Do not set the charger on flammable materials like carpeting, upholstery, paper, cardboard, etc. The charger may damage leather and plastic.

Controls and Indicators

A. Charge Status Indicator

This battery charger has an easy-to-follow 4-LED charge status indicator: 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%. This indicator provides an estimate of the battery's state of charge as charging progresses. During charging, the corresponding state of charge LED will be flashing. When the 100% LED lights solid (i.e., stops flashing), the battery is fully charged and the charger has entered the Maintain stage (see Understanding the Multi-stage Charging Process).

B. Fault/Error Indicator

The charger will continuously monitor charge progress and collect feedback from the battery during charging. In the event an abnormal condition is detected, charging will stop and the ⚠️ indicator will illuminate to indicate one of three possible error conditions:

• Amber (solid): Power ON but no battery detected. Check to ensure that clamp connections to the battery posts are clean and solid. If connections are good, the battery is severely discharged (<1.5 V) and may be unsafe to charge. The battery should be tested or replaced.
• Red (flashing): Fault/error: Charging aborted due to some abnormality detected such as a defective battery or short circuit (see Troubleshooting).
• Red (solid): Reverse polarity: Reverse clamp connections.

C. Charging Modes

There are 4 charging modes to choose from. Pressing the MODE button repeatedly cycles through each of the three regular modes. To select the special mode (RECONDITIONING), hold the MODE button for 3 seconds. Charging will automatically begin about 5 seconds after the charge mode has been selected.

NOTE: The battery charger will retain the last selected mode in memory. In the event AC power is disrupted (e.g., power failure), the charger will re-start in the last selected mode once power is restored.

For best results, check the charging recommendations on your battery or consult with the battery manufacturer.

For reference only. Please check the specifications listed on your battery or consult with the battery manufacturer.

Charging Your Battery

1. Connect the charger clamps to the battery (following the steps outlined in “Connecting Your Battery”).
2. Plug the charger AC plug into an electrical outlet.

   NOTE: If a fault or error is detected, the ⚠️ indicator will illuminate (see Charge Status Indicators).

3. Press the MODE button to select a regular charging program.

   NOTE: If no selection is made within 5 seconds, the charger will default to the last selection in memory and automatically begin charging.

4. Once the battery reaches full charge, the charger will automatically move into Maintain mode to safely keep your battery topped up without risk of overcharging.
5. Stop charging at any time by disconnecting the charger AC plug from the electrical outlet.

Using Reconditioning Mode

If a lead-acid battery is left sitting in a low state of charge, or is deeply discharged, or is never given the opportunity to fully charge, it can suffer capacity loss due to sulphation and/or stratification. Such a battery can appear to have a normal open circuit voltage and yet it will have a noticeable drop in performance. Using Reconditioning mode may help to reverse the effects of sulphation and stratification, restoring lost battery capacity.

To maximize battery life and performance, recondition your battery once per year or after deep discharges. For best results, take the battery through a normal full charge cycle before using this mode. A Reconditioning charge can take up to 4 hours to complete.

CAUTION: USE THIS MODE WITH CARE. RECONDITIONING USES A HIGH CHARGING VOLTAGE AND MAY CAUSE WATER LOSS IN THE BATTERY. IT IS BEST SUITED FOR WET (FLOODED) BATTERIES WITH REMOVABLE VENT CAPS WHICH ALLOW FOR WATER LEVELS TO BE TOPPED UP. RECONDITIONING IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR AGM OR GEL BATTERIES. TO MINIMIZE RISK OF HIGH VOLTAGE TO SENSITIVE ELECTRONICS, DISCONNECT THE BATTERY FROM THE VEHICLE (OR ANY OTHER EQUIPMENT) WHEN USING THIS MODE.

Understanding Factors That Affect Charging Time

The time it takes to fully recharge a battery depends on several factors including:

1. Battery Depth of Discharge

   The greater the depth of discharge, the longer it will take to fully charge a battery. For example, a battery discharged to a level of 50% will take about twice as long to fully charge than a battery discharged only 25%.

2. Battery Size

   If charged at the same current, a larger (higher capacity) battery will require more time to fully charge than a smaller (lower capacity) battery. This difference can be overcome by charging larger batteries at a higher current.

3. Battery Age and Condition

   As a battery ages, its internal resistance will increase, impacting its ability to accept current. This effect is particularly noticeable in batteries that have not been well-maintained over their life.

4. Battery Type

   Some battery chemistries, such as AGM and gel, have lower internal resistance, which means they can accept charge better without generating damaging heat. Such batteries can charge up to 2 times faster than traditional wet battery types.

5. Charge Rate

   The charge rate is measured in amperes (A). A battery charged at a lower rate will take longer to fully charge than a battery charged at a higher rate. This does not mean that one should always charge a battery at the highest ampere available, as this can cause overheating and premature battery failure. A battery should be charged at a rate appropriate for its size; a good, safe rule of thumb is about 1/10th its Amp-hour capacity (e.g., 100 Ah battery x 1/10 = 10 A).

6. Cold Temperature

   Cold temperatures slow down the chemical reaction that takes place inside a battery when it is charging. Charging a battery at a cold temperature can greatly increase the amount of time required to charge the battery. Ideal charging temperature is between 10 to 25°C (50 to 77°F).

Understanding the Multi-Stage Charging Process

The multi-stage charging process involves several steps to optimize battery charging and maintenance. The stages are:

• Stage 1: Desulphation: Pulses of voltage and current help recover sulphated or deeply discharged batteries. (This stage is optional and only occurs if needed.)
• Stage 2: Soft Start: Gently introduces current to condition deeply discharged batteries and prevent overheating that could damage the battery.
• Stage 3: Bulk: Charging with maximum current to bring the battery to about 80% capacity.
• Stage 4: Absorption: Charging with constant voltage while reducing current to safely bring the battery to 100% capacity. This stage is key to maximizing battery performance and battery life.
• Stage 5: Analyze: Tests if the battery is holding charge.
• Stage 6: Maintenance: Monitors battery voltage and provides top-up charging when necessary to keep the battery fully charged.

Maintenance and Care

• Wipe clean cords and clamps after each use.
• Store the power and output cables neatly to prevent damage.
• The charger housing may be cleaned using a damp cloth and mild cleaning agent.
• Always unplug the charger when not in use.
• Keep the charger stored in a cool, dry place.

Troubleshooting

Technical Specifications