So, you’ve purchased a Diehard Portable Battery 950. Congratulations! This battery can provide both jumping power and deep cycling performance. In this article, we’ll discuss the features of the battery, how to use it, how to charge it, and how to use it safely.
Charging and Care
The battery in the Diehard is sealed and non-spillable, but it can still be a fire hazard and cause injury if not properly used, so use it in a well-ventilated area and keep it out of the reach of children.
First, you’ll need to charge the battery immediately after you buy it, after every use, and every 30 days as well. This will ensure that you are never in a situation where you need a jump but your own battery needs a jump too!
Press the button labeled ‘Display, to check the battery’s charge. The charge level will be most accurate when the battery has been disconnected from all devices and power sources for at least an hour, and up to a day. You will need a 120V AC source from which to charge your battery. Charging can take up to 48 hours, but once fully charged, the battery will switch to ‘float-mode’ so it will not overcharge and become damaged.
You should store your battery somewhere between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm environments will speed up the loss of power in the battery. You should not leave it stored uncharged for too long, as this will deplete the battery’s life span. You should charge the battery every month to ensure it will last as long as possible.
*Don’t operate the battery while it’s charging*
You can also charge the battery while you’re driving if you plug the accessory cable into the battery and the other end into the car’s lighter socket.
Jump-Starting Your Vehicle
First off, you’ll want to make sure that your clothing, hair, and jewelry won’t get in the way while you’re jumping your battery. Secondly, be sure to turn the engine off before you jump it. Place the 950 on a flat surface away from moving engine parts. Put the red clamp on the positive terminal of the vehicle battery. Connect the black clamp to an unmoving and unpainted part of your vehicles, such as the chassis or engine block. Don’t connect it to the fuel lines, carburetor, or parts of the vehicle containing sheet metal.
*If you have connected the clamps to the wrong terminals, the alarm will sound. Don’t turn the 950 on. Instead, switch the terminals to the correct position. This will cause the alarm to stop. You should never allow the cables to touch either each other or the same metal part of the vehicle. Do not charge your battery if it is frozen.*
Now you should switch on the 950 and turn the key in the engine all the way. If it doesn’t start right away, turn it off again and give it one minute before you try again, so that the battery can cool down between tries.
Once the engine starts, you can turn off the 950 and unclamp the cables. Then you should recharge the 950 again as soon as you are able.
Using the 950 to Charge Your Devices
You can also use your 950 to charge any 12V DC accessory. The 950 is equipped with a circuit breaker that will reset automatically if it becomes overheated. To charge your accessories, open the front panel of the 950, and plug your device into the DC power outlet. If it requires more than 15A, the 950 will temporarily power off, but if you unplug it and plug it back in again, the circuit breaker will reset. Once that happens, you should be able to charge your device without a problem. Note that charging your devices will drain the battery, so you should recharge the device fully after each time you use it for this purpose.
There is also a built-in light in the 950 that you can use to illuminate your workspace when necessary. Simply turn the power switch to the ‘Light’ setting. It should provide between 18 to 30 hours of continuous light.
Replacing the Internal Battery
When replacing the battery, first make sure that the battery is off. Then slide the clamps off of the storage pegs on the back of the 950. Remove the eight screws from the door, and slide the door off. Remove first the negative and then the positive nuts and bolts securing the cable to the battery. Slide the cables back and carefully pull out the internal battery.
Slide the new battery in, then tighten the negative, then the positive nuts and bolts back into place. Replace the door and tighten the eight screws to put it back into place. Lastly, replace the clamps on the storage pegs.
You can view more details about the 950 Diehard here and you can view more details about the replacement battery here.
