Clarke WIBC250 Intelligent Battery Charger-Starter User Manual

June 5, 2024
Clarke

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Clarke WIBC250 Intelligent Battery Charger-Starter

Clarke-WIBC250
-Intelligent-Battery-Charger-Starter-product

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing this CLARKE Intelligent Battery Charger-Starter. Please read this manual thoroughly, before attempting to operate and carefully follow all instructions given. It is vitally important that ALL precautions are taken, as specified, which will not only provide protection for yourself and that of others around you, but will also ensure that the Battery Charger will give you long and satisfactory service.

GUARANTEE

This CLARKE product is guaranteed against faulty manufacture for a period of 12 months from the date of purchase. Please keep your receipt as proof of purchase. This guarantee is invalid if the product is found to have been abused or tampered with in any way, or not used for the purpose for which it was intended. Faulty goods should be returned to their place of purchase, no product can be returned to us without prior permission. This guarantee does not affect your statutory rights.

ENVIRONMENTAL RECYCLING POLICY

Through purchase of this product, the customer is taking on the obligation to deal with the WEEE in accordance with the WEEE regulations in relation to the treatment, recycling & recovery and environmentally sound disposal of the WEEE. In effect, this means that this product must not be disposed of with general household waste. It must be disposed of according to the laws governing Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) at a recognized disposal facility. If disposing of this product or any damaged components, do not dispose of with general waste. This product contains valuable raw materials. Metal products should be taken to your local civic amenity site for recycling of metal products.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS

WARNING: READ THE ELECTRICAL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY.
WARNING: A 13 AMP (BS1363) PLUG IS NOT SUITABLE.
WARNING: THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED.

Connect the three-core mains cable to a suitable industrial supply isolator, or heavy-duty plug meeting the requirements of BS EN 60309. This charger must be connected to a supply having a rated capacity of greater than 16 Amps. A normal 13 Amp (BS1363) plug must NOT be used.

NOTE: The maximum input current for this unit is 47 amps.
WARNING: THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED.
IMPORTANT: The wires in this mains lead are colored in accordance with the following code:

GREEN AND YELLOW  – EARTH (E)
BLUE – NEUTRAL (N)
BROWN  – LIVE (L)

As the colors of the flexible cord of this appliance may not correspond with the colored markings identifying terminals, proceed as follows:

  •  Connect GREEN AND YELLOW colored cord to terminal marked letter “E” or Earth Symbol or colored Green and Yellow.
  •  Connect BROWN cord to terminal marked letter ‘L’ or colored Red.
  •  Connect BLUE cord to terminal marked letter “N’ or colored Black.

OVERVIEW

Clarke-WIBC250-Intelligent-Battery-Charger-Starter-
fig-1

  1. Handle
  2. Display & Control Panel
  3. Cable Rack
  4. Negative (BLACK) Lead
  5. Positive (Red) Lead
  6. Positive Lead Terminal +24V
  7. Positive Lead Terminal +12V
  8. Fuse

SPECIFICATIONS

Model Number WIBC250
Dimensions (D x W x H) 300mm x 300mm x 850mm
Weight 17.90kg
IP Rating IP20
Suitable Battery Type 12V & 24V WET, MF, EFB, STD, GEL & AGM
Min. Charging Battery Size 4 Ah
Max. Charging Battery Size 550 Ah
Operating Temp. Range 0°C to 40°C
Input Voltage @50Hz 230 V AC
Boost Duty Cycle 5 sec On / 240 sec Off
Max. Input Power Max. Input Current
Starting)** Charging Voltage
--- ---
Charge-12V-50A 1035W
12V-Start(6V) 4280W
12V-Start(3V) 5460W
Charge-24V-50A 1764W
24V-Start(10V) 8140W
24V-Start(8V) 8455W

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

WARNING: ALWAYS SWITCH OFF THE CHARGER WHEN CONNECTING OR DISCONNECTING LEADS TO AVOID SPARKING AS HIGHLY INFLAMMABLE HYDROGEN GAS CAN BE RELEASED IN THE PROCESS OF BATTERY CHARGING

PLEASE READ BEFORE USING THIS UNIT

  1.  Batteries can generate explosive gases during normal operation. ALWAYS use in well-ventilated areas.

  2.  DO NOT smoke, strike a match or cause a spark in the vicinity of the battery or engine. Avoid explosive gas, flames and sparks.

  3.  Remove all personal jewelry, such as rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches while working with a vehicle battery. These items may produce a short circuit and could cause severe burns.

  4.  Be extra cautious to reduce the risk of dropping a metal tool onto the battery. It may spark or short circuit the battery or other electrical hardware which may cause an explosion or fire.

  5.  Wear complete eye, hand and clothing protection. AVOID touching eyes while working on or near a battery.

  6.  Study all battery manufacturer’s specific precautions, such as removing or not removing cell caps while charging and recommended rates of charge.

  7.  Clean battery terminals before connection with the charger. Be careful to keep corrosion from coming into contact with eyes.

  8.  When it is 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 switched off in order to prevent an arc.

  9.  This charger is NOT intended to supply power to an extra-low voltage electrical system or to charge dry cell batteries. Charging dry cell batteries may cause the battery to burst and cause injury to person or property.

  10.  NEVER charge a frozen, damaged, leaking or non-rechargeable battery.

  11.  If battery electrolyte contacts skin or clothing, wash immediately with soap and water. If electrolyte enters your eye, immediately flood eye with running clean cold water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention immediately.

  12.  DO NOT place the charger in the engine compartment, near moving parts or near the battery. Place as far away from them as the cables permit.

  13.  NEVER place the charger directly above the battery being charged, gases or fluids from the battery will corrode and/or damage the charger.

  14.  DO NOT cover the charger while charging.

  15.  DO NOT expose to rain or wet conditions.

  16.  Connect and disconnect the DC output connections only after disconnecting the charger from the main power supply.

  17.  Use of an attachment not recommended or sold by the manufacturer may result in a risk of fire, electric shock or injury to persons.

  18.  DO NOT overcharge batteries by selecting the wrong charge mode.

  19.  Operate with caution if the charger has received a direct hit of force or been dropped. Have it checked and repaired if damaged.

  20.  NEVER attempt any repairs yourself. If you have a problem with your charger contact your local CLARKE dealer or contact
    service@clarkeinternational.com

  21.  When charging is complete, ensure that the vehicle battery leads are secured to the proper terminals which should be clean, and lightly smeared with petroleum jelly to prevent corrosion. Finally, re-check the electrolyte level.

DISPLAY & CONTROL PANEL

Clarke-WIBC250-Intelligent-Battery-Charger-
Starter-fig-2

DISPLAY BUTTON

Press the DISPLAY button until the following LED is lit:

  • VOLTAGE (V) – When the charger is NOT charging a battery, the digital display will show the battery voltage.
  • BATTERY (%) – When in charging, the digital display shows an estimated charge percentage of the battery connected to the charger s battery clamps.
  • ALTERNATOR (%) – The digital display shows an estimated output percentage of the vehicle’s charging system connected to the chargers’ battery clamps, compared to a properly functioning system.

BATTERY TYPE, RATE SELECTION & FUNCTION BUTTONS 

  •  Press the BATTERY TYPE button to choose the type of battery to be charged: STD, GEL or AGM
  •  Press the RATE SELECTION button to choose the charging current required: 10A, 20A, 35A or 50A.
  •  Then press the FUNCTION button until the CHARGING LED is lit (digital display will show CHARGE-ON).

When in charging mode, pressing the BATTERY TYPE button will not work. To stop charging, press FUNCTION button again and CHARGING LED will turn off (digital display will show CHARGE-OFF)

GENERAL PREPARATION

CHARGER LOCATION

  1.  Place the charger as far away from the car battery as possible.
  2.  DO NOT let battery acid drip on anything when reading specific gravity or when topping up the battery.
  3.  DO NOT operate the charger in an enclosed space, such as inside the vehicle. NEVER cover the battery charger when in use.
  4.  DO NOT stand the battery on top of the charger.
  5.  ALWAYS stand the battery charger on a firm, level floor.
  6.  During charging, make sure that the area around the battery has good ventilation.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

CONNECTING TO A BATTERY INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE

  •  Arrange the leads carefully to reduce the risk of damage caused by sharp edges.
  •  Identify the voltage of the battery to be charged (12v or 24v) and attach the POSITIVE (RED) lead to the appropriate terminal on the rear of the charger.
  •  Identify the polarity of the battery posts. The positive battery terminal is typically marked by the letters/symbols: POS, P or +. The negative battery terminal is typically marked by the letters/symbols: NEG, N, or -.
  •  DO NOT make any connections to the carburetor, fuel lines or thin metal parts.
  •  Consult the vehicle manual to confirm if the vehicle has Negative or Positive earth.
    •  For negative earth vehicles, connect the POSITIVE (RED) lead and clamp from the battery charger to the POSITIVE terminal on the battery. Then connect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) lead and clamp to the vehicle frame or engine block away from the battery.
    •  For positive earth vehicles, connect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) lead and clamp from the battery charger to the NEGATIVE terminal on the battery. Connect the POSITIVE (RED) lead and clamp to the vehicle frame or engine block away from the battery.
    •  DO NOT connect the lead to ancillary engine components.
  •  Where appropriate we recommend that the non-earthed lead on the battery is disconnected prior to charging. It is possible that damage may occur to the vehicle’s electronic equipment.
  •  When charging is completed, switch off the charger. Remove the leads and clamps in the reverse sequence taken in the relevant step 5.
  •  A marine (boat) battery must be removed and charged on shore. To charge it on board requires equipment specially designed for maritime use.

CONNECTING TO A BATTERY REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE

  1.  Make sure that you know the polarity of the battery posts.

  2.  Identify the voltage of the battery to be charged (12v or 24v) and attach the POSITIVE (RED) lead to the appropriate terminal on the rear of the charger.

  3.  ALWAYS remove the grounded (earth) terminal from the battery first, making sure that all electrical accessories in the vehicle are switched off to prevent sparking before removing the battery from the vehicle.

  4.  Clean the battery terminals. Be careful to prevent battery electrolytes from coming in contact with your eyes.

  5.  Except for sealed units, add distilled water to each cell until the battery acid reaches the level specified by the battery manufacturer.
    This helps drive unwanted gas from the cell. Do not overfill. For a battery without cell caps, consult the manufacturer’s instructions.

  6.  Follow all the battery manufacturer’s specified precautions: for example, removing or not removing cell caps while being charged, and recommended rates of charge.

  7.  Connect the POSITIVE (RED) lead and clamp to the POSITIVE post on the battery.

  8.  Connect the NEGATIVE (BLACK) lead and clamp at arm’s length to the NEGATIVE post on the battery.

  9.  When you disconnect the charger/starter from the battery, ALWAYS do it in the opposite order to the sequence of connections and remove the first connection at arm’s length from the battery.

CHARGING STEPS

Clarke-WIBC250-Intelligent-Battery-Charger-Starter-
fig-3

  •   ANALYSING 1: Checks if battery is connected with the charger.
  •   DESULPHATION: Pulsing charging to remove sulfate.
  •   SOFT START: Charges with gradually increasing charging current.
  •   CONTROLLED CURRENT CHARGE: Adjusts the charging current intelligently.
  •   ANALYSING 2: Tests if the battery can absorb charge.
  •   CONSTANT OUTPUT CHARGE: Charges with constant voltage and compensates fake full charge caused by high current charging.
  •   RECOVERY CYCLE CHARGE: Absorbs more charge and compensates side effect of reduced charging current.
  • ABSORPTION: Charges with constant trickle current for maximum battery voltage.
  • ANALYSING 3: Tests if the battery can hold charge.
  • MAINTENANCE: Continuously monitors the battery and charger with trickle current once the voltage is lower than threshold.

STARTING A CAR – BOOST

The battery charger can be used to start a car if the battery is low. Follow all safety instructions and precautions for charging your battery. Wear eye
protection and protective clothing. The procedures are as follows:

  1.  Connect the charger to the battery following the instructions given on page 10.
  2.  Press the FUNCTION button until the START LED is lit.
  3.  Turn on the vehicle’s ignition until it starts or 3 seconds have passed. If the engine does not start, wait 4 minutes before trying again. This allows the charger and battery to cool down.
  4.  If the engine fails to start, use the CHARGE maximum rate (50A) to charge for some minutes before trying to attempt to start the engine again.
  5.  After the engine has started, disconnect the battery charger clamps from the battery/vehicle.

During the starting sequences listed above, the charger is set to one of three states:

  • START-READY: The charger waits until the engine’s ignition is activated before delivering the amps for the engine start.
  • CRANKING: When the ignition is detected, the charger will automatically deliver up to its maximum output as required by the starting system for up to 5 seconds.
  • COOL DOWN: After ignition, the charger enters a mandatory 240 seconds cool-down state (Pressing any button will not work). The digital display indicates the remaining cool-down time in seconds. It starts at 240 and counts down to 0. After 240 seconds, the digital display will change from displaying the countdown to displaying START-READY.

REPAIR FUNCTION

Press the FUNCTION button until the REPAIR LED is lit to enter this mode (digital display shows REPAIR-ON). It is an advanced battery recovery mode for repairing old, idle, stratified or sulfated batteries. Not all batteries can be recovered. For optimal results, take the battery through a full charge cycle, bringing the battery to full charge, before using this mode. This mode uses a high charging voltage and may cause some water loss in WET cell batteries. Some batteries and electronics may be sensitive to high charging voltages. To minimize the risks, disconnect the battery from the vehicle before using this mode. To stop repairing, press the FUNCTION button again and the REPAIR LED will turn off (digital display will show REPAIR-OFF).

ALTERNATOR CHECK

To check the alternator percentage, carry out the following steps:

  1.  Connect the charger to the battery following the instructions given on page 10.
  2.  With the charger connected to the battery and chassis, press the DISPLAY button until the ALTERNATOR% is lit.
  3.  Start the vehicle and turn the vehicle’s headlights on. The percentage will show on the display screen.

The alternator percentage range is from 0% to 100%. readings below 0% will read LO and readings above 100% will read HI. If you get a HI or LO reading, have the electrical system checked by a qualified technician. CHARGING TIME DURATION

CHARGING TIME DURATION

Different battery capacity, residual voltage, and charging current will all affect charging time. The following table is for guidance in the case of a fully
discharged battery.

Battery Size – Ah Approx. Time to Charge
12V 24V
5A 10A
10 2h
20 4h
40 8h
80 17h
160 33h
320 65h
550 111h

FUSES

The starter/charger is equipped with a safety fuse which will protect the unit under the following circumstances:

  •  Overload – too high a current to the battery.
  •  Short Circuit – clamps touch or cross-connection to battery.
  •  Prolonged starting attempts.

REPLACING THE FUSE

The fuse fitted is rated at 50A and is fitted behind the clip-on cover on the rear of the charger for easy replacement.

  1.  Isolate the mains power to the charger.
  2.  Allow the unit to cool down and establish the reason for the failure and correct.
  3.  Pull off the fuse cover before unscrewing the nuts to remove the fuse. Replace only with an identical fuse and with the same rating, as supplied with your charger.

MAINTENANCE

This charger requires minimal maintenance. As with any appliance or tool, a few common-sense rules will prolong the life of the battery charger.

WARNING: ALWAYS BE SURE THE CHARGER IS ISOLATED FROM ITS POWER SUPPLY AND ANY BATTERY BEFORE PERFORMING ANY MAINTENANCE OR CLEANING.

  •  Clean the case and leads with a moist cloth.
  •  Clean corrosion from the clamps with a solution of water and baking soda.
  •  Examine the leads at regular intervals for damage and have them replaced if necessary

WARNING: ALL OTHER SERVICING/REPAIRS SHOULD BE DONE BY QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL ONLY.

STORAGE

  1.  Wind up the positive and negative connecting leads onto the cable rack when not in use.
  2.  Store in a clean, dry area.

PARTS DIAGRAM

Clarke-WIBC250-Intelligent-Battery-Charger-Starter-
fig-5

PARTS LIST

NO DESCRIPTION
1 Front Cover
2 Upper Cover
3 Bottom Cover
4 Base Plate
5 Main PCB Radiator
6 Control PCB
7 Wheels
8 Wheel Button
9 Roller
10 Fan
11 Fan Holding Plate
12 Rectifier Bridge Holding Plate
13 Relay
14 Transformer
NO DESCRIPTION
--- ---
15 Rectifier Bridge
16 Fuse Posts
17 12V Positive Cable Joint (Showing Positive Cable Attached)
18 24V Positive Cable Joint
19 Power Cable
20 Negative Cable & Clamp
21 Fuse
22 Fuse Cover
23 Positive Cable & Clamp
24 Handle Rod Support Frame
25 Back Cover
26 Cable Rack
27 Handle Rod
28 Handle

ERROR MESSAGES

  1.  E01 Display + ERROR LED lit: Reverse connection
  2.  E02 Display + ERROR LED lit: Temperature in charger is too high
  3.  E03 Display + ERROR LED lit: The battery cannot store electric charge (dead battery)
  4.  E04 Display + ERROR LED lit: No battery connected/battery voltage is lower than 1 volt (dead battery)
  5.  REPAIR-ON displayed + REPAIR LED flashing: Charger automatically enters repairing mode
  6.  REPAIR-ON displayed + REPAIR LED solid lit: Manually choose repairing mode

TROUBLESHOOTING

Problem Cause Solution
Battery does not charge Lack of AC input power. Make sure that the

electrical circuit the charger is on has power.
Faulty connections to battery terminals.| Check the battery connections; ensure that there is a good connection at the battery terminal/post and/or vehicle chassis.
Wrong charge voltage selection.| Check that the correct charge voltage was selected for the battery being charged.
Battery voltage too low.| Ensure enough charging time was allowed to charge battery.
Charging a very cold battery.| If the battery being charged is extremely cold (below freezing), it will not accept a high rate of charge, so the initial charge rate will be slow.

The rate of charge will increase as the battery warms.

NEVER attempt to charge a frozen battery.

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