BATTERY ChARGER/STARTER
3418
ASSEMBLY AND OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS
Read this material before using this product.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury.
SAVE ThIS MANUAL.
Copyright© 2005 by Harbor Freight Tools®. All rights reserved. No portion of this manual or any artwork
contained herein may be reproduced in any shape or form without the express written consent of Harbor Freight
Tools. Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing improvements, actual
product may differ slightly from the product described herein. Tools required for assembly and service may not
be included.
For technical questions or replacement parts, please call 1-800-444-3353.
Manual Revised 06k, 09h
8.
Do not disassemble charger; take it to a qualified serviceman when service or repair is
required. Incorrect reassembly may result in a risk of electric shock or fire.
9.
To reduce risk of electric shock, unplug charger from outlet before attempting any
maintenance or cleaning.
10.
WARNING - RISK OF EXPLOSIVE GASES.
a. 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 each time before using your charger, you read this and follow the
instructions exactly.
b. To reduce the risk of the 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
engine.
11.
PERSONAL PRECAUTIONS
a. Someone should be within range of your voice, or close enough to come to your
aid, when you work near a lead-acid 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 with running cold water for at least 10 minutes
and get medical attention immediately.
e. NEVER smoke or allow a spark or flame in vicinity of battery or engine.
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 an explosion.
g. Remove personal metal items such as rings, bracelets, necklaces, and watches when
working near 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. Use this charger for charging LEAD-ACID batteries only. It is not intended to supply
power to a low voltage electrical system other than in an automotive 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.
i. NEVER charge a frozen battery.
12.
PREPARING TO ChARGE BATTERY
a. If it becomes necessary to remove the battery from the vehicle to charge, always
remove grounded terminal from battery first. Make sure all accessories in the vehicle
are off, so as not to cause an arc.
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Page 3
b. Be sure area around battery is well ventilated while battery is being charged. Gases
can be forcefully blown away, by using a piece of cardboard or other non-metallic
material such as a fan.
c. Clean battery terminals. Be careful to keep corrosion from coming in contact with
eyes.
d. Add distilled water in each cell until battery acid reaches level specified by battery
manufacturer. This helps purge excessive gas from cells. Do not overfill. For a
battery without cell caps, carefully follow manufacturer’s recharging instructions.
e. Study all battery manufacturer’s specific precautions such as removing or not
removing cell caps while charging and recommended rates of charge.
f. Determinate 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.
13.
ChARGER LOCATION
a. Locate charger as far away from battery as the DC cable permits.
b. Never place charger directly above battery being charged; gases from battery will
corrode and damage charger.
c. Never allow battery acid to drip on charger when reading gravity or filling battery.
d. Do not operate charger in a closed-in area or restrict ventilation in any way.
e. Do not set a battery on top of charger.
14.
15.
DC CONNECTION PRECAUTIONS
a. 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.
b. Attach clips to battery and chassis as indicated in 15 (e), 15 (f), 16 (b), and 16
(d).
Follow these steps when battery is installed in vehicle. Aspark near battery may cause
battery explosion. To reduce risk of a spark near battery:
a. Position AC and DC cords to reduce the risk of damage by hood, door, or moving
engine parts.
b. Stay clear of fan blades, belts, pulleys, and other parts that can cause injury to
persons.
c. Check polarity of battery posts. POSITIVE (POS, P, +) battery post usually has
larger diameter than NEGATIVE (NEG, N, -) post.
d. Determine which battery post is grounded (connected) to the chassis. If negative
post is grounded to chassis (as in most vehicles), see (e). If the positive post is
grounded to the chassis, see (f).
e. 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 the
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Page 4
carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet-metal body parts. Connect to a heavy gauge metal
part of the frame or engine block.
f. For positive-grounded vehicle, only 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 the carburetor, fuel lines, or sheet-metal body parts. Connect to a heavy gauge
metal part of the frame or engine block.
g. When disconnecting charger, turn switches to off, disconnect AC cord, remove clip
from vehicle chassis, and then remove clip from battery terminal.
h. See operating instructions for length of charge information.
16.
Follow these steps when battery is outside vehicle. A spark near battery may cause
battery explosion. To reduce risk of a spark near battery:
a. Check polarity of battery posts. POSITIVE (POS, P, +) battery post usually has
larger diameter than NEGATIVE (NEG, N, -) post.
b. Attach at least a 24-inch-long 6-gauge (AWG) insulated battery cable to NEGATIVE
(NEG, N, -) battery post.
c. Connect POSITIVE (RED) charger clip to POSITIVE (POS, P, +) post of battery.
d. Position yourself and free end of cable as far away from battery as possible- then
connect NEGATIVE (BLACK) charger clip to free end of the cable.
e. Do not face battery when making final connection.
f. When disconnecting charger, always do so in the reverse sequence of connecting
procedure and break first connection while as far away from the battery as
practical.
g. A marine (boat) battery must be removed and charged on shore. To charge it on
board requires equipment specially designed for marine use.
SAVE ThESE INSTRUCTIONS
Specific Safety Rules for the Battery Charger
1.
2.
MaintainlabelsandnameplatesontheBatteryCharger.Thesecarryimportantinformation.
If unreadable or missing, contact Harbor Freight Tools for a replacement.
Always wear safety impact eye goggles and heavy work gloves when using
the Battery Charger. Using personal safety devices reduce the risk for injury.
Safety impact eye goggles and heavy work gloves are available from Harbor
Freight Tools.
3.
4.
Maintain a safe working environment. Keep the work area well lit. Make sure there
is adequate surrounding workspace. Always keep the work area free of obstructions,
grease, oil, trash, and other debris. Do not use a power tool in areas near flammable
chemicals, dusts, and vapors. Do not use this product in a damp or wet location.
Avoid unintentional starting. Make sure you are prepared to begin work before turning
on the Battery Charger.
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5.
Always unplug the Battery Charger from its electrical outlet before connecting
its cables to a battery, or performing and inspection, maintenance, or cleaning
procedures.
6.
7.
Keep extension cord off wet ground and away from water.
Use this Battery Charger with lead/acid batteries only. When charging a maintenance-
free battery, always monitor the progress of the charge by viewing the ammeter. Do
not over charge a maintenance-free battery.
8.
Do not attempt to charge non-rechargeable or defective batteries.
Keep connections and cable clamps clean and free from corrosion.
Never simultaneously charge several batteries.
9.
10.
11.
Do not discard used batteries in the trash. Properly recycle according to local
environmental codes.
12.
13.
WARNING: This product contains or, when used, produces a chemical known to the
State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
(California Health & Safety Code § 25249.5, et seq.)
WARNING: People with pacemakers should consult their physician(s) before using this
product. Electromagnetic fields in close proximity to a heart pacemaker could cause
interference to or failure of the pacemaker.
14. Risk of Explosion!
• If you detect gas, do not switch off the unit. Do not disconnect the charging
clamps. Immediately ventilate the room by opening windows and doors. Do
not switch on an electrical fan. When the air has cleared of gas, unplug the unit
from the electrical outlet.
• Charge the battery in a well-ventilated area.
• To prevent sparking due to electrostatic discharge, never wear clothes made of
synthetic materials when charging the battery.
• Avoid creating or working around any flames or sparks; flames or sparks can ignite
the gasses caused by charging and cause an explosion.
UNPACKING
When unpacking, check to make sure that the item is intact and undamaged. If any
parts are missing or broken, please call Harbor Freight Tools at the number on the cover of
this manual as soon as possible.
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Page 6
SETUP
About Charging Batteries
Batteries draw as much power as they need from the charger. The charger does not
force current into the battery. When a battery is close to dead or very low charged, it will want
to draw more current. When a dead or low battery is charged, the charger’s ammeter will
register at the high end. As the battery charges, the reading will move down toward the low
end, resting on zero, when the battery is fully charged. See FIGURE 1 below.
Note: The ammeter shows the amount of current being drawn from the charger. It does not
show what the charger is capable of delivering. When the battery is fully charged and
registering zero on the ammeter, a small trickle charge will continue to move from the
charger to the battery. If you do not disconnect the charger from the battery, eventually
the heat build up from the trickle charge will cause the battery acid to boil and overcharge
the battery causing damage to the battery. You must constantly monitor battery charging
progress and if battery gets warm, stop charging it immediately.
Note: This charger is not recommended for batteries with a built in Hydrometer eye. The
reading of the built in eye will conflict with the ammeter readings.
DO NOT PLUG ThIS ChARGER IN UNTIL DIRECTED TO DO SO
IN ThE FOLLOWING PAGES OF ThIS MANUAL.
Preparing the Battery
1.
If necessary, remove the battery from the vehicle to charge it. When removing the
battery, always remove the grounded battery cable first.
Reminder: The vehicle’s engine must be OFF when removing, replacing, or charging
a battery.
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2.
If necessary, add distilled water to the battery cells before charging. Read and follow
the battery manufacturer’s instruction manual. Never add water to a battery while
attached to a charger, or in close proximity to the charger. Do not overfill.
3.
4.
Clean battery terminals.
Check the battery manufacturer’s instructions on whether or not to have the cell caps
on when charging. If not stated, leave the cell caps on.
ChARGING BATTERIES
Caution: Do not overcharge maintenance-free batteries.
1.
2.
3.
Place the Battery Charger and battery in a well-ventilated area.
Determine the voltage of the battery from the battery labels.
Push the Charge / Start switch to the Charge mode. Push the Select Setting switch to
the desired battery voltage: 6V or 12V.
4.
5.
If charging a battery while in a vehicle, leave the hood open and do not leave the charger
unattended. Separate the charger and battery as much as possible.
With the Battery Charger unplugged, connect the positive (red) Cable Clamp (2) to the
positive terminal of the battery.
If charging a battery mounted in a vehicle, first remove the vehicle’s red cable from the
battery; otherwise damage may occur to the vehicle’s electrical system. If in doubt, refer
to the vehicle’s service manual.
6.
7.
8.
Connect the negative (black) Cable Clamp (2) to the negative terminal of the battery.
Plug the Power Cord (3) into the electrical outlet.
Note: If the Red Reversed Connection LED is lit, the cables are connected to the wrong
terminals of the battery. If this happens, immediately switch off the charger, unplug it,
and switch the connections.
For a quick charge assist to enable starting the engine, charge for 5 to 10 minutes.
For a full charge, leave the Battery Charger running. If the charger is in manual mode,
it must be monitored and shut off when the battery is charged; NEVER leave a
battery unattended while charging. IF ThE ChARGER IS IN AUTOMATIC MODE,
when the battery is fully charged the Battery Charger will automatically cycle through a
trickle charge, and the green LED will remain lit.
Optionally, only with the battery removed from the vehicle and the ChARGER IN
AUTOMATIC MODE, the Battery Charger can be left on while connected to the battery.
When the battery becomes weak, the Battery Charger will automatically turn on. When
the battery is once again charged, the Battery Charger will automatically shut off. It will,
however, keep sensing the charge of the battery. Note: Do not leave Battery Charger
on for long duration without checking the distilled water level of the battery; do not allow
distilled water to boil off. Note: Do not leave a charging battery unattended.
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Page 8
9.
When finished charging the battery, push the Function Switch to the Off position and
unplug the Power Cord (3) from the electrical outlet.
10. Disconnect the Cable Clamps from the battery.
Ammeter Readings
The ammeter shows how much charging current is drawn from the charger (to the
battery). When a dead or low battery is charged the charger’s ammeter will register at the
high end. As the battery charges, the reading will move down toward the low end, resting
on zero, when the battery is fully charged. When using the battery in engine starting mode
(discussed further down this page) the needle on the ammeter will peg toward the high end
of the ammeter.
Do not depend on reading the ammeter to approximate how long charging will take.
Even at full charge the ammeter will still be providing as much as 50 percent of the charger’s
output rating. It’s best to monitor the battery’s charge. Sometimes, certain conditions such
as a cold battery, a sulfated battery, or a deeply discharged Lead Calcium battery (on many
newer cars) may cause the ammeter to read near a full charge, when the charging process
is only beginning.
Note: Cold batteries (at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit) begin charging at a low rate and then
increase as the battery warms. When the battery charges up, the rate will decrease
at a normal rate. Do not charge a frozen battery.
ShORTED BATTERIES will read on the ammeter as a high end peg at the beginning of the
charging process. If after 5-10 minutes the needle does not move off of the high end, the
battery probably has a short circuit. Unplug the charger and discontinue use. Have the battery
checked by a qualified technician.
Engine Starting
Note: This charger’s high-current output can help start vehicles with weak batteries. Please
note that some of the newer vehicles with onboard computers may be damaged from this
process. Thoroughly read the vehicle owner’s manual before using this procedure.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Connect the charger to the battery as discussed on pages 7 and 8, but leave the battery
cables attached.
Set the charger to charge the battery for 5-10 minutes according to the appropriate
charge rate for the size of the battery as explained on the previous 2 pages.
Set the select function switch (See FIGURE 1 on page 6) to Start and the select switch
(see FIGURE 1 on page 6) to 55A.
Try to start the vehicle. If it doesn’t start in 2-3 minutes, stop and wait for the vehicle
to charge for 5-10 minutes more and try again. Repeat this process until successful.
Note: If the engine continues to spin but will not start after several tries, than you may have
another problem unrelated to charging. Stop attempting to start/charge the battery
until the problem is found and corrected. Continued engine cranking may damage
the vehicle’s starter.
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MAINTENANCE
WARNING: Make sure the Power Switch of the Battery Charger is in its “OFF”
position and that the unit is unplugged from its electrical outlet before per-
forming any inspection, maintenance, or cleaning procedures.
1.
Before each use, inspect the general condition of the Battery Charger. Check for loose
screws, cracked or broken parts, damaged electrical wiring, and any other condition that
may affect its safe operation. If abnormal noise occurs, have the problem corrected
before further use. Do not use damaged equipment.
2.
3.
4.
Periodically recheck all nuts, bolts, and screws for tightness.
After each use, wipe down the Cable Clamps and apply a light grease.
Store in a clean and dry location.
PARTS LIST AND ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM
Part
Description
Q’ty
1
2
3
Charger
Clamps
1
2
1
Power Cord
1
3
2
PLEASE READ ThE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY
THE MANUFACTURERAND/OR DISTRIBUTOR HAS PROVIDED THE PARTS DIAGRAM IN THIS MANUALASAREFERENCE
TOOL ONLY. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR DISTRIBUTOR MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND TO THE BUYER THAT HE OR SHE IS QUALIFIED TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS TO THE PRODUCT OR THAT HE OR
SHE IS QUALIFIED TO REPLACEANY PARTS OF THE PRODUCT. IN FACT, THE MANUFACTURERAND/OR DISTRIBUTOR
EXPRESSLY STATES THATALL REPAIRSAND PARTS REPLACEMENTS SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY CERTIFIEDAND
LICENSED TECHNICIANS AND NOT BY THE BUYER. THE BUYER ASSUMES ALL RISK AND LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF
HIS OR HER REPAIRS TO THE ORIGINAL PRODUCT OR REPLACEMENT PARTS THERETO, OR ARISING OUT OF HIS
OR HER INSTALLATION OF REPLACEMENT PARTS THERETO.
Note: Some parts are listed and shown for illustration purposes only and are not available individually as replacement parts.
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LIMITED 90 DAY WARRANTY
Harbor Freight Tools Co. makes every effort to assure that its products meet high quality
and durability standards, and warrants to the original purchaser that this product is free from
defects in materials and workmanship for the period of 90 days from the date of purchase. This
warranty does not apply to damage due directly or indirectly, to misuse, abuse, negligence or
accidents, repairs or alterations outside our facilities, criminal activity, improper installation,
normal wear and tear, or to lack of maintenance. We shall in no event be liable for death,
injuries to persons or property, or for incidental, contingent, special or consequential damages
arising from the use of our product. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of
incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation of exclusion may not apply to
you. THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS.
To take advantage of this warranty, the product or part must be returned to us with
transportation charges prepaid. Proof of purchase date and an explanation of the complaint
must accompany the merchandise. If our inspection verifies the defect, we will either repair or
replace the product at our election or we may elect to refund the purchase price if we cannot
readily and quickly provide you with a replacement. We will return repaired products at our
expense, but if we determine there is no defect, or that the defect resulted from causes not
within the scope of our warranty, then you must bear the cost of returning the product.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which
vary from state to state.
3491 Mission Oaks Blvd. • PO Box 6009 • Camarillo, CA 93011 • (800) 444-3353
REV 08d
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