Battery Requirements
BATTERY REQUIREMENTS
Hazardous electric current. Can cause
severe burns and start a fire if the battery terminals are
short circuited. Install the battery in the battery case. To
prevent accidental shorting across battery terminals,
close and latch the battery case securely. Do not leave
the battery uncovered.
Do not allow children to play around the battery
backup system installation.
The performance of your backup sump pump depends on
the battery used with it for power. We recommend using
our BAT40 or BAT75. You can also use a group 24M or
27M Deep Cycle battery. They will provide acceptable
performance and will stand up well to long periods of
little or no use.
This system is designed to work with either a sealed
lead-acid AGM battery or a flooded lead-acid battery.
Use of a true Gell Cell (often confused for AGM) or a
standard automotive battery with this charger is not
recommended. An automotive battery may require
charging after only 1-2 hours of continuous use, and the
repeated charging cycles may cause early plate failure in
the battery.
Use only lead-acid batteries. This unit is not designed to
use with Li-Ion, NiMh, NiCAD, Liquid Polymer, etc.
Use only the recommended battery or one of the same
type and size so it will fit in the battery box (maximum
size: 13" long x 7" wide x 10" tall (330.2mm x 177.8mm
x 254mm) including terminals) and supply enough
voltage for full performance.
BATTERY MAINTENANCE
Severe burn hazard. An acid-filled standard
lead-acid battery contains sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with
skin, eyes or clothing.
NOTICE: To protect the battery case from chipping and
gouging, do not let the battery sit on a concrete floor.
Install the battery on a shelf or protective pad (plywood,
2x4s, etc.). Always install the battery in a dry location
that is protected from flooding.
Pre-Qualification Test – 1 and 2
Charger is charging at a very low level to try to bring a
dead battery back to life. If the battery is taking too long,
try resetting the charger once or twice (push the 'SYSTEM
TEST' and 'SILENCE ALARM' buttons together to reset the
charger).
Special Features:
The charger is equipped with reverse battery, short
circuit, and "runaway charge" protection.
Possible Problems and Remedies
1. Wrong Battery Voltage
Reconnect charger to a 12 volt battery.
2. Reversed Battery Connections
Check all connections. The negative (black) on the
battery must connect to the negative (black) on
the charger, and the positive (red) on the battery
must connect to the positive (red) on the charger.
Reversing the battery connections will cause the
'SYSTEM ALERT' and 'SILENCED AUDIBLE ALARM'
LEDs to flash.
3. Thermal Runaway Condition
"Thermal Runaway" is the technical term for the
condition of the battery when some (or all) of the
cells have deteriorated to the point that they won't
take a charge. In this case, replace the battery.
4. Charge Time Monitor – 1 and 2
Battery took too long to complete its charge. The
"Charge Time Monitor" will shut down the charger
after 84 hours of continuous charging.
Possible causes are:
A) Pump ran for a long period of time during
charging, or
B) Battery is too large for the charger (including
several batteries connected in a parallel circuit).
Excessive Battery Drain
Pump may have run for a very long time, discharging the
battery. In this case:
1. If 115VAC power is OFF, the charger shuts down
until the power comes back on, but the pump will
run as long as the battery charge lasts. You may need
to replace the battery afterwards.
2. If 115VAC power is ON, the charger/controller
continues to try to charge the battery at a charging
rate of .5 AH until the battery charge is more
than 20%, at which point the charger will resume
charging at a rate of 2 AH.
3. If the pump is running and the AC power is on, you
may need to stop the pump to allow the battery to
charge.
Follow the battery manufacturer's recommendations for
maintenance and safe use of the battery.
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