This month, we stopped at Cool Cars of Louisville, Kentucky, in hopes of getting some insight from their expert crew regarding battery charging basics. Of course this topic would seem to be pretty elementary, but the Cool Cars staff reminded us that it can be an often overlooked aspect of car and engine care. "We get a lot of customers asking car care questions about the simple things that some of us have done so many times and we tend to take it for second nature," they explained. We took this into consideration, and decided to inquire about the ins and outs of battery charging. I know some of you are probably wondering why we would discuss something so seemingly unimportant. Well, think back and remember when you built your first car. I'm sure there were things that you didn't know at the time and you wish you did. In this "How To" we are going to demonstrate the use of two different battery chargers that Cool Cars recommends and offers. The first charger will be the CCE 5/10 amp multi charger, and the second will be the CCE Industrial series 8 battery charger. Now follow along, as Cool Cars takes us back to basics. 1 First of all, we need to discuss safety. Always be sure that the ground on your setup is disconnected. Make sure the charger is in a well ventilated area.1 First of all, we need to discuss safety. Always be sure that the ground on your setup i 2 Be sure that your battery connections are tight and the terminals are clean with no corrosion. Always make sure your charger is turned off and unplugged before you start.2 Be sure that your battery connections are tight and the terminals are clean with no cor 3 Once you have completed these steps, you are ready to begin. For this demonstration we are going to charge a 48 volt bank of batteries (4 batteries). The CCE 5/10 Amp Multi Charger is capable of charging up to six batteries in series.3 Once you have completed these steps, you are ready to begin. For this demonstration we 4 First locate your positive post (where your power goes to the solenoids), in this case 48 volts, which will be the fourth battery from the ground. Next, take the positive clamp (Red) from the charger and attach it to the positive post. Then locate the negative post on the bank. (This would be the post with the quick disconnect that goes to the battery rack or frame on the car). Attach the negative clamp (Black) to the negative post of the battery bank.4 First locate your positive post (where your power goes to the solenoids), in this case 5 On the charger, set the dial to the proper voltage, in this case 48 volts.5 On the charger, set the dial to the proper voltage, in this case 48 volts. 6 Now you may plug the charger into the wall outlet and turn on the charger to 5 or 10 amps depending on the time that you want to spend on the charging.6 Now you may plug the charger into the wall outlet and turn on the charger to 5 or 10 am 7 At this time you should hear the charger come on and see the gauge move. To increase the battery life, you should choose 5 amps or a slow charge, as this will increase you battery life! If you need a quick charge, use 10 amps. The further the gauge moves to the right, the more your batteries need charged. This process could take several hours, so be sure to check on the charge periodically. Once the needle on the gauge is all the way to the left, your batteries are finished charging.7 At this time you should hear the charger come on and see the gauge move. To increase th 8 Your second charging option is our CCE Industrial Series Fully Automatic Microprocessor Controlled Battery Charging Station. If you'll notice, there are eight individual chargers in one unit. This will allow you to charge eight individual batteries at a time; with eight individual control panels along with digital read outs! You will be able to see if you have a battery that is charging slower than the others (early sign of battery failure). This unit is also equipped with eight individual charging cords that can be plugged into the control panels as needed. This charger is also safe for the charging of AGM and Gel cell batteries. We are using a 96 volt system for this demonstration. (8 batteries)8 Your second charging option is our CCE Industrial Series Fully Automatic Microprocessor 9 You'll need to make sure your ground is disconnected and the charger is unplugged, just like the other style charger. Locate the positive post of the first battery in the bank. Attach the positive clamp (+ red) to the positive post of the first battery. Attach the negative clamp (- black) to the negative post of the first battery. Plug the cable into the control panel.9 You'll need to make sure your ground is disconnected and the charger is unplugged, just 10 Repeat the steps as needed up to eight batteries. 11 Plug the unit into a wall outlet. Turn the charger on and all eight displays will then show the current voltage of the batteries. For AGM and Standard Lead Acid Batteries, leave the control panels set on standard. For Gel cells, you must set the controls as such.11 Plug the unit into a wall outlet. Turn the charger on and all eight displays will then 12 At each individual control panel, you must press the start/stop button and the "charging" light will come on. Once the charger has run its cycle and the battery or batteries are charged, the "charged" light will then come on. You then need to once again press the start/stop buttons, as this will shut the charging down. After you've done this, simply turn off the main power, unplug the unit and then disconnect the individual cords. Now you should be ready to ride. Be safe out there, see you in the streets!12 At each individual control panel, you must press the start/stop button and the "chargi SOURCE Cool Cars 7514 Preston Hwy. Louisville KY 40219 502-969-7600 By LRM Staff Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
