IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
MODELS L1240/L1240T
40 AMP AUTOMATIC TAPER PARALLEL CHARGER
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS:
This manual contains important safety, operating and
warranty information about your new charger. Before
using the charger, please read all instructions and
cautionary messages on the battery charger and on
the battery.
PROTECT YOUR EYES:
Always wear goggles when doing battery service. It is
very easy to accidentally get acid in your eyes by
wiping your eyes or face with your hands. In the event
of a battery explosion, the acid usually splashes up
into your face and eyes. Safety goggles are an
intelligent precaution so use them, please.
CAUTION:
To reduce the risk of injury, charge only automotive
type lead-acid batteries.
Please be careful: any
attachment or modification not recommended by
manufacturer might cause fire, electric shock or risk of
injury.
POWER CORD CARE:
Do not operate the charger with a damaged cord or
plug; replace them immediately. To reduce the risk of
damage to the electric plug and cord, please pull by
the plug rather than the cord when disconnecting.
Make sure that the cord is located so that it will not be
stepped or tripped on or otherwise subjected to
damage or unnecessary wear.
EXTENSION CORDS:
An extension cord should not be used unless
absolutely necessary.
An improper extension cord could result in a risk of fire
or electric shock.
If you find that an extension cord must be used, please
make sure that:
a)
b)
the pins on the plug of the cord are the same
number, size and shape as those on the charger
line cord.
the cord is properly wired and is in good electrical
condition.
c)
the wire size is at least #12 AWG or larger and no
longer than 50 feet.
GROUNDING AND AC POWER CORD
CONNECTION INSTRUCTIONS:
This charger must be grounded to reduce risk of
electric shock. It is equipped with an electric cord
having an equipment-grounding conductor and a
grounding plug. The plug must be plugged into an
outlet that is properly installed and grounded in accordance with all local codes and ordinances.
DANGER: Never alter the AC cord or plug provided.
If it will not fit the outlet, have a proper outlet installed
by a qualified electrician. An improper connection can
result in a risk of an electric shock.
DANGER: Never use a two-pole adapter with the
charger. It must have a grounded plug.
MAINTENANCE:
Do not disassemble this charger. Incorrect assembly
may result in a risk of electric shock or fire. To reduce
the risk of electric shock, unplug the charger from
outlet before attempting any maintenance or cleaning.
Turning off the controls will not reduce this risk. Do
not operate charger if it has been damaged in any
way. Take it to a qualified service center in your area
when service or repair is needed.
WARNING:
WARNING: RISK OF EXPLOSIVE GASES
WORKING IN THE VICINITY OF A LEAD-ACID
BATTERY IS DANGEROUS.
BATTERIES GENERATE EXPLOSIVE HYDROGEN GASES DURING
NORMAL BATTERY OPERATION. THUS IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT THAT EACH OPERATOR OF THIS
CHARGER READS AND UNDERSTANDS THIS
MANUAL AND FOLLOWS THE INSTRUCTIONS
VERY CAREFULLY.
To reduce the risk of battery explosions follow these
instructions and those published by the battery
manufacturer and the manufacturer of any other
equipment used in the vicinity of batteries. Also review
the cautionary messages on this charger, on the
battery and on the vehicle.
PERSONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
Someone should always be within range of your voice
or close enough to come to your aid when you are
working near a lead-acid battery. Have plenty of fresh
water and soap nearby in case battery acid contacts
your skin, clothing, or eyes.
Never allow battery acid to drip on the charger when
reading gravity or filling the battery. Do not set a
battery above, on top of charger or next to vents where
fan may draw acid fumes inside the charger. Do not
operate the charger in a closed-in area or restrict
ventilation in any way.
Always wear complete eye and clothing protection.
Avoid touching eyes while working with batteries. If
battery acid contacts skin or clothing, wash
immediately with soap and plenty of water. If acid gets
in your eye, immediately flood the eye with running
water for at least 10 minutes and get medical attention
as soon as possible.
To provide maximum reliability, free air circulation
method of cooling (no cooling fan) is used. They must
be installed in a well-ventilated area and in a manner
so that airflow through the charger is not restricted.
Severe damage may result if airflow through the
cabinet is obstructed.
Never smoke or allow a spark or flame in vicinity of a
battery or vehicle engine. Be extra careful not to drop
any metal tool onto a battery. It might spark or shortcircuit the battery or some other electrical part that
may cause an explosion.
DC CONNECTION PRECAUTIONS:
Connect and disconnect the DC output clamps only
after setting the power switch to off position and
removing the AC cord from the electric outlet.
Attach the clamps to battery posts and twist or rock
them back and forth several times to make a good
connection and to keep the clamps from slipping off
the terminals. This will help to reduce the risk of
sparking.
Use this charger for charging lead-acid batteries only.
It is not intended to supply power to any low voltage
electrical system other than in an automotive application.
Do not use this charger on common
household dry cell batteries. These batteries may
burst and cause serious injuries and property damage.
Remove personal metal items such as rings, bracelets,
necklaces and watches when working with an automotive lead acid battery. The battery can produce a
short circuit current large enough to weld a ring or
other jewelry, causing a severe burn.
Never try to charge a frozen battery.
PREPARING TO CHARGE:
If necessary to remove battery from vehicle to charge,
always remove the grounded terminal from battery
first. Make sure all accessories in the vehicle are off to
avoid the chance of a spark. Be sure the area around
the battery is well ventilated while it is being charged.
Gas can be fanned away by using a piece of
cardboard or other non-metallic material as a fan.
Clean the battery terminals thoroughly. Be careful to
keep corrosion from coming in contact with your eyes.
Add distilled water in each cell until battery acid
reaches the proper level. This helps purge excessive
gas from the cells.
Do not overfill. Since the acid will expand during
charging, add only sufficient water to cover the plates.
For a battery without cell caps, follow the manufacturer's recharging instructions.
Refer to the
instructions regarding removing or not removing cell
caps while charging, and the recommended rates of
charge.
When charging in a vehicle, all electrical switches such
as lights, radio, heater, ignition, etc., should be turned
off.
CHARGER LOCATION
Locate the charger as far away from the battery as the
DC cables permit. Never place the charger directly
above battery being charged since gases from the battery will corrode and damage the charger.
FOLLOW THESE STEPS WHEN BATTERY IS INSTALLED IN VEHICLE. A SPARK NEAR A BATTERY
MAY CAUSE THE BATTERY TO EXPLODE. TO
REDUCE RISK OF A SPARK NEAR BATTERY:
a) Position AC and DC cords to avoid damage by
the hood, door, or moving engine parts.
b) Stay clear of fan blades, belts, pulleys, and other
parts that can cause personal injury.
c) Check the polarity of the battery posts. The
positive ("POS", Red or "+") battery post usually
has a larger diameter than the negative ("NEG",
Black or " ") post.
d) Determine which post of the battery is grounded
(connected to the chassis). In most vehicles, the
negative post is grounded to chassis.
e) For negative-grounded vehicles, connect the red
positive ("POS", or "+") battery charger clamp to
the positive ("POS", Red or "+") ungrounded
battery post. Connect the black negative ("NEG"
or " ") clamp to the vehicle chassis or engine
block away from the battery. Do not connect the
negative clamp to the carburetor, fuel lines, or to
sheet metal body parts. Connect it to a heavy
gage metal part of the frame or engine block.
f)
For positive grounded vehicles, connect the black
negative ("NEG" or " ") battery charger clamp to
the negative ("NEG", Black or " ") ungrounded
battery post. Connect the red positive ("POS", or
"+") clamp to the vehicle chassis or the engine
block away from battery. Do not connect the
clamp the to carburetor, fuel lines, or to sheet
metal body parts. Connect it to a heavy gage
metal part of the frame or engine block.
g) When disconnecting the charger, turn timer
switch to OFF. Remove the clamp from vehicle
chassis first, and then remove the clamp from the
battery terminal.
h) See operating instructions for charging time
information.
-
-
-
-
FOLLOW THESE STEPS WHEN BATTERY IS NOT
INSTALLED IN VEHICLE. A SPARK NEAR THE
BATTERY MAY CAUSE THE BATTERY TO
EXPLODE. TO REDUCE RISK OF A SPARK NEAR
BATTERY:
a) Check the polarity of the battery posts. The
positive ("POS", Red or "+") battery post usually
has a larger diameter than negative ("NEG",
Black or " ") post.
b) Attach at least a 24-inch long 6-gauge (AWG)
insulated battery cable to the negative ("NEG",
Black or " ") battery post.
c) Connect the red positive ("POS", or "+") charger
clamp to the positive ("POS", Red or "+") battery
post.
d) Position yourself and the free end of cable (Step
b) as far away from the battery as possible. Then
connect the black negative ("NEG" or " ") charger
clamp to the free end of cable.
e) Do not face battery when making final connection.
f)
When disconnecting charger, always do so in
reverse sequence of the connecting procedure
and remove first clamp connection while as far
away from the battery as possible.
g) A marine (boat) battery must be removed and
charged on shore. To charge it on board requires
charging equipment specially designed for marine
use.
-
-
UNPACKING:
If any damage has occurred during shipping, call the
transportation carrier at once for an inspection and file
a damage claim.
CAUTION: CHECK BATTERY/CABLE POLARITY:
Be very careful to make sure that the clamp polarity is
not reversed. This charger does not have polarity protection to prevent sparks due to reverse connections.
First connect the red clamp to the positive battery terminal. Next connect the black clamp to the negative
terminal.
Watch carefully as the black clamp is connected. Any
sign of sparks indicate reverse connections, which
must be corrected before the clamp is attached.
Heavy lumber must be used throughout and with
substantial bracing to prevent swaying.
3. Bus bars can be mounted on wood uprights at the
back of the bench or through the center, which
permits batteries to be charged on both sides.
Recommended copper bus bar for charging bench
is 1/8" X 1/2". Positive and negative leads must be
attached to the bus bars for parallel connection to
the batteries.
Christie type CL-24 charging leads are
recommended for this purpose. They are supplied
in pairs, one positive and the other negative.
Leads are #10 wire, 24 inches long, with a lug on
one end for bolting to the bus bar and battery
clamp on the other end, including color coded
insulator (red for positive and black for negative).
When connecting leads to bus bars, make sure all
surfaces are clean and connections are tight.
CONNECTING TO BATTERIES:
Although the charger is designed to charge 12-volt
batteries, 6-volt batteries may also be charged by
connecting two of them in series, which makes the
equivalent of a 12-volt battery. Christie type SC-18
series connectors are recommended. BE CAREFUL
NOT TO REVERSE CONNECTIONS, WHICH WILL
CAUSE EXTREME SPARKING AT TERMINALS.
BATTERY GASES ARE HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE AND
EASILY IGNITED. For convenient storage and to
prevent shorting of charging clamps when not in use,
connect red clamps to positive bus bar and black to
negative.
CONTROLS AND INDICATORS:
ON-OFF SWITCH (L 1240): Manually used to start or
terminate charging. 24 hr. timer (L-1240T) used to
start charge, time duration of charge and automatically
terminate charging.
PILOT LIGHT: lights when
charger is turned on and is off when charger is turned
off. AMMETER: Indicates amount of current flowing
from charger to batteries. VOLTMETER: Indicates
charging voltage at bus bars.
1. CHRISTIE
MODEL
PCS-2,
PARALLEL
CHARGING STAND or BR-1 CHARGING RACK
may be ordered separately. Self-contained units
are complete, ready for making connections to
charger and batteries.
CHARGING:
Plug supply cord into outlet and set switch to ON
position. On L 1240T, set timer to desired charging
time. CHARACTERISTICS: The ferroresonant circuit
design of the Christie battery charger has been
carefully engineered to deliver an ideal tapering
charge.
Finish charge voltage is held constant
irrespective of fluctuations in A-C supply voltage of up
to 10%. Current limiting prevents charger output
overload.
OUTPUT ADJUSTMENT: Each battery
charger is set at the factory for the proper end charge
voltage
and
no
adjustment
is
necessary.
DISTRIBUTION OF CHARGING CURRENT: Total
amount of current being delivered is shown on the
ammeter. This current is divided among the batteries
connected, but does not mean that all batteries will
receive the same amount of current initially. Examples
are as follows:
2. Custom Charging Benches can be constructed to
any height, width, length and configuration desired.
1. Discharged batteries will receive more current than
those that are half charged.
APPLICATION:
The charger is designed to charge groups of 12-volt
batteries connected in parallel. Six-volt batteries may
also be charged by connecting two of them in series
(making the equivalent of a single 12-volt battery).
METHODS OF PROVIDING PARALLEL
CONNECTION TO BATTERIES:
2. Warm batteries will receive more current than those
that are cold.
3. Sulfated batteries will accept very little if any
current.
4. Batteries with shorted cells will take high current
and should not be put on the charging line.
5. All other conditions being equal, a large battery will
receive more current than a small battery.
When batteries have been on the charging line for
several hours, current will then be distributed equally
and all come up to full charge at about the same time.
AMOUNT OF CHARGING TIME: Will vary, depending
on the number of batteries connected, but also
involves conditions stated under "DISTRIBUTION OF
CHARGING CURRENT". Normally, with ten 12-volt
batteries connected, recharge time would be
approximately 18-24 hours.
With five batteries
connected, charging time would be approximately 9-12
hours. When charging overnight, never charge less
than two batteries.
DEFECTIVE BATTERIES:
If one battery in the line is overheating and gassing
excessively, it is defective and must be removed. If
one battery in the line is not coming up to full charge, it
may be defective. Also check charging leads to make
sure all connections are clean and tight.
BATTERY CHARACTERISTICS:
When a battery is being charged, acid is "driven out" of
the plates and into the water. Since acid is heavier
than water, an increase in the specific gravity of the
electrolyte will take place. This is observed by taking
hydrometer readings before and after the charge. A
discharged battery reads 1.150 specific gravity or less.
A full charged new battery reads 1.265 when at room
temperature. Older batteries will be somewhat less.
If a hydrometer reading is taken immediately after the
fast charge (while battery is warm) be sure to use a
temperature corrected hydrometer. In old batteries,
part of the active material in the plates may have been
"shed" or dropped off. These batteries cannot be
restored to full capacity by any charger.
A completely discharged battery will accept a higher
initial charging rate and requires more charging time
than a partially discharged battery. A cold or sulfated
battery will not readily accept a high rate of charge, so
must be charged for a longer period of time. Heavyduty commercial batteries will take longer to charge
than a passenger car battery. All cold or sulfated
batteries will take longer to fully recharge than normal
because of reduced charge acceptance.
HOW TO OBTAIN SERVICE:
Parts and warranty/repair services for Christie
equipment are available through a nationwide system
of Authorized Service Centers, which are carefully
selected by Christie. A list of these service centers is
available
on
our
web
site
at
www.christieautomotive.com.
Check this list to find the closest location. Contact the
Service Center by telephone to verify availability of
parts. Deliver or ship the unit to the Service Center. If
shipped, be careful to provide adequate packing
material to prevent damage. Identify with proper
shipping and return address.
Attach a note to the Service Center, giving them your
name, address and telephone number.
Explain
trouble experienced with the charger and if still under
warranty, ask for warranty service. If not under
warranty, ask for an estimate on cost of repair, which
will help to eliminate misunderstanding. When charger
is ready for shipment, either phone one of your local
truck lines, or if preferred, deliver to Authorized Service
Center.
WARRANTY:
This battery charger is warranted to the original
purchaser to be free from defects in workmanship and
materials for a period of one year from date of
purchase. If the product fails within this period, it will
be repaired or replaced at the option of the
manufacturer.
If the product fails within the first 90 days from date of
purchase by original purchaser, Christie will pay
transportation charges one way to from the Service
Center. If the product fails on or after 90 days from
date of purchase by original purchaser, the owner will
pay all transportation charges to and from the Service
Center.
Liability under this warranty is expressly limited to
repairing or replacing the defective product or parts
thereof. This warranty does not apply to a product or
part which fails as a result of accident, alteration,
misuse, abuse, or improper packing of returned
equipment.
A Clore Automotive Brand
8600 NE Underground Dr., Pillar 248
Kansas City, MO 64161
Phone 913.310.1050 • Fax. 913.310.1075
www.christieautomotive.com
842-214-000