Schumacher SC1281 Battery Charger User Manual
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
- This manual contains important safety and operating instructions.
- This charger is not intended for use by children.
- Do not expose the charger to rain or snow.
- Use of an attachment not recommended or sold by Schumacher® Electric Corporation may result in a risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons.
- To reduce the risk of damage to the electric plug and cord, pull by the plug rather than the cord when disconnecting the charger.
- 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 YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EACH TIME YOU USE THE CHARGER.
b.
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 PRECAUTIONS
- Consider having someone close enough 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 your 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.
- Be extra cautious to reduce the risk of dropping a metal tool onto the battery. It might spark or short-circuit the battery or another electrical part that may cause an explosion.
PREPARING TO CHARGE
- If 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.
- Be sure the area around the battery is well-ventilated while the battery is being charged.
- Clean battery terminals. Be careful to keep corrosion from coming in contact with the eyes.
- Add distilled water in each cell until battery acid reaches the level specified by the battery manufacturer. Do not overfill. For a battery without removable cell caps, such as valve-regulated lead acid batteries, carefully follow the manufacturer’s recharging instructions.
- Study all battery manufacturer’s specific precautions while charging and recommended rates of charge.
- Determine the voltage of the battery by referring to the car owner’s manual and make sure that the output voltage selector switch is set at the correct voltage. If the charger has an adjustable charge rate, charge the battery initially at the lowest rate.
CHARGER LOCATION
- Locate the charger as far away from the battery as DC cables permit.
- Never place the charger directly above the battery being charged; gases from the battery will corrode and damage the charger.
- Never allow battery acid to drip on the charger when reading electrolyte-specific gravity or filling the battery.
- Do not operate the charger in a closed-in area or restrict ventilation in any way.
- Do not set a battery on top of the charger.
DC CONNECTION PRECAUTIONS
- Connect and disconnect DC output clips only after setting any charger switches to the “off” position and removing the AC cord from the electric outlet. Never allow clips to touch each other.
- Attach clips to the battery and chassis, as indicated in sections 6 and 7.
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
Remove all cord wraps and uncoil the cables prior to using the battery charger.
CONTROL PANEL
DIGITAL DISPLAY
The Digital Display gives a digital indication of voltage, % of charge or time. The display will show the battery VOLTAGE when the charger is not charging a battery. When it goes into charging mode, the display will automatically change to ON (to show charging has started) and then show the percent-of-charge of the battery being charged and either 6 or 12 (the battery voltage determined by the charger). If you manually stop the charging process (by pressing the START/STOP button) before the battery is fully charged, the display will show OFF.
NOTE: During charging, the display will go into sleep mode and will not show the percentage of charge or voltage of the battery. To turn the display back on, press any button.
LED INDICATORS
Digital Display LEDs:
- % – The digital display shows an estimated charge percentage of the battery connected to the charger’s battery clamps.
- Voltage – The digital display shows the voltage at the charger battery clamps, in DC volts.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING: A spark near the battery may cause an explosion.
CHARGING A BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE
- Turn off all the vehicle’s accessories.
- Keep the hood open.
- Clean the battery terminals.
- Place the charger on a dry, non-flammable surface.
- Lay the AC/DC cables away from any fan blades, belts, pulleys and other moving parts.
- Connect the battery, following the precautions listed in sections 6 and 7.
- Connect the charger to a live grounded 120V AC outlet.
- Select the battery type and charge rate.
- Press the START button to begin charging immediately. If the START button is not pressed within ten minutes after the unit was first powered up, and the charger detects a battery that is properly connected, the charging process will automatically begin and finish. Unit will automatically switch between BOOST and CHARGE rates as needed.
- When charging is complete, or if you are done using ENGINE START or BOOST modes, press STOP button, disconnect the charger from the AC power, disconnect the clamp attached to the vehicle’s chassis, and finally remove the clamp from battery terminal.
CHARGING A BATTERY OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE
- Place battery in a well-ventilated area.
- Clean the battery terminals.
- Connect the battery, following the precautions listed in sections 6 and 7.
- Connect the charger to a live grounded 120V AC outlet.
TROUBLESHOOTING AND ERROR CODES
| CODE | DESCRIPTION | REASON/SOLUTION |
| F01 | The battery voltage is still under 10V (for a 12V battery) or 5V (for a 6V battery) after 2 hours of charging. | The battery could be bad. Have it checked or replaced. |
| F02 | The charger cannot desulfate the battery. | The battery could not be desulfated; have it checked or replaced. |
| F03 | The battery was unable to reach the “full charge” voltage. | May be caused by trying to charge a large battery or bank of batteries on too low of a current setting. Try again with a higher current setting or have the battery checked or replaced. |
| F04 | The connections to the battery are reversed. | The battery is connected backwards. Unplug the charger and reverse the connections to the battery. |
| F05 | The charger was unable to keep the battery fully charged in maintain mode. | The battery won’t hold a charge. May be caused by a drain on the battery or the battery could be bad. Make sure there are no loads on the battery. If there are remove them. If there are none, have the battery checked or replaced. |
| F06 | The charger detected that the battery may be getting too hot (thermal runaway). | The charger automatically shuts the current off if it detects the battery may be getting too hot. Have the battery checked or replaced. |
Troubleshooting
| PROBLEM | POSSIBLE CAUSE | SOLUTION |
| Battery clamps do not spark when touched together. | The charger is equipped with an auto-start feature. It will not supply current to the battery clamps until the START button is pressed. The clamps will not spark if touched together. | No problem; this is a normal condition. |
| The charger will not turn on when properly connected. | AC outlet is dead.
Poor electrical connection. | Check for open fuse or circuit breaker supplying AC outlet.
Check power cord and extension cord for loose fitting plug. |
SPECIFICATIONS
- Input Voltage…………………………………..120V AC @ 60Hz, 4A continuous/19A intermittent
- Output Voltage………………………………………………..6V or 12V, with Auto Voltage Detection
- Output Current Rating…………………………….2A/6A/12A continuous; 30A/100A intermittent
BEFORE RETURNING FOR REPAIRS
If these solutions do not eliminate the problem, or for more information about troubleshooting, contact customer service for assistance:
- services@schumacherelectric.com
- www.batterychargers.com
- or call 1-800-621-5485
- Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm CST
For REPAIR OR RETURN, contact Customer Service at 1-800-621-5485. DO NOT SHIP UNIT until you receive a RETURN MERCHANDISE AUTHORIZATION (RMA) number from Customer Service at Schumacher Electric Corporation.
LIMITED WARRANTY
THE WARRANTY IS NOT VALID IN MEXICO.
SCHUMACHER ELECTRIC CORPORATION, 801 BUSINESS CENTER DRIVE, MOUNT PROSPECT, IL 60056-2179, MAKES THIS LIMITED WARRANTY TO THE ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASER OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS NOT TRANSFERABLE OR ASSIGNABLE.
THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS THE ONLY EXPRESS LIMITED WARRANTY AND THE MANUFACTURER NEITHER ASSUMES NOR AUTHORIZES ANYONE TO ASSUME OR MAKE ANY OTHER OBLIGATION TOWARDS THE PRODUCT OTHER THAN THIS WARRANTY.
Schumacher® and the Schumacher logo are registered trademarks
of Schumacher Electric Corporation.
How do I reinstall power cord on Schumacher battery charger model sc1281 that was accidentally yanked out?
Repairing a power cord on any electrical device, including the Schumacher battery charger, requires some basic understanding of wiring and safety precautions
Open the Charger:
You’ll likely need to open the casing of the charger. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws holding the casing together.
Once opened, identify where the power cord was connected.
Preparation of the Cord:
If the cord was yanked out and the wires are frayed, trim the damaged part.
Strip about half an inch to an inch of insulation off the ends of the wires to expose the bare wire.
If there are multiple wires (typically a live and neutral), ensure you can distinguish between them. They might be color-coded, for instance, black and white in the USA.
Reconnect the Cord:
Locate the points where the power cord was initially connected inside the charger.
If the device had screw terminals: Loosen the screws, loop the exposed wire under the screw (ensure you connect to the correct terminals), and tighten it.
If the device had soldered connections: Resolder the wire back to its original location. If you’re not experienced with soldering, you might want to seek help or practice on a scrap piece first.