HITEC X1 Touch: AC/DC, Multi-Chemistry, Touch Screen Battery Charger - Manual (Page 6)

10 11
- A faulty or damaged battery
- Batteries installed in a device or which are electrically linked to other
components
- Batteries that are not expressly stated by the manufacturer to be suitable for
the currents the charger delivers during the charge process
PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THE FOLLOWING POINTS BEFORE COMMENCING CHARGING:
• Did you select the appropriate program suitable for the type of battery you are
charging?
• Did you set up the adequate current for charging or discharging?
• Have you checked the battery voltage? Lithium battery packs can be wired in
parallel and in series, i.e. a 2-cell pack can be 3.7V (in parallel) or 7.4V (in series).
• Have you checked that all connections are firm and secure?
• Make sure there are no intermittent contacts at any point in the circuit.
WHEN ADjUSTING YOUR X1 TOUCH CHARGING PARAMETERS, BE SURE YOU
SELECT THE PROPER BATTERY TYPE AND CELL VOLTAGE FOR THE TYPE OF
CELL YOU ARE CHARGING. CHARGING BATTERIES WITH THE WRONG SET-
TINGS MAY CAUSE THE CELLS TO BURST, CATCH FIRE OR EXPLODE.
Charging
Before charging your batteries, it is critical that you determine the maximum al-
lowable charge rate for your batteries. The X1 Touch is capable of charging at high
rates that may not be suitable or safe for your particular batteries. For example,
Lithium cells are typically safe to charge at 1C, or the total mAh÷1000. A 1200mAh
battery would have a 1C charge rate of 1.2 amps. A 4200mAh battery would have a
1C charge rate of 4.2 amps. Some manufacturers are offering Lithium cells that can
be charged at greater than 1C but this should ALWAYS be verified before charging
a Lithium battery at rates higher than 1C. Voltage is just as critical as the charging
amperage rate and this is determined by the number of cells in series, or “S”. For
example, a 3S LiPo is rated at 11.1 volts (“S” multiplied by a single LiPo cell with a
nominal voltage of 3.7 volts DC. 3 cells x 3.7 volts each equals 11.1 volts DC).
Connect the battery’s main leads to the charger output: red is positive and black is
negative. Keep in mind that the gauge or thickness of your charging leads from the
X1 Touch to your battery must be of an acceptable current rating to handle the ap-
plied charge current. For maximum safety and charging effectiveness, always match
or exceed the main battery lead rating when assembling or selecting your charg-
ing leads. If you charge a battery at a high current rate (amperage) with a charging
lead not rated for the chosen amperage, the wire could get hot, catch fire, short
out and/or potentially destroy your battery and the charger. When in doubt, always
use a higher gauge wire (lower AWG number). It is common to see charging leads
constructed of 14AWG, 16AWG or 18AWG wire.
Always refer to recommendations from your battery manufacturer for your specific
battery type and size before initiating a charge or discharge process.
Do not attempt to disassemble or modify Lithium or Lead-Acid battery packs.
Discharging
The X1 Touch discharging functions are for two specific purposes:
• Refreshing the capacity of a Nickel-based battery that has lost capacity over time
(NiMH or NiCd).
• Reducing the voltage of a Lithium battery for safe storage.
LITHIUM CHEMISTRY BATTERY PACKS SHOULD ONLY BE DISCHARGED TO
THEIR MINIMUM SAFE VOLTAGE, NO LOWER. DEEP DISCHARGING A LITHIUM
CELL WILL DO PERMANENT DAMAGE. REFER TO THE STANDARD BATTERY
PARAMETERS TABLE ON PAGE 10 OF THIS MANUAL FOR MINIMUM DIS-
CHARGE VOLTAGES.
LiPo charge/discharge cycling – Lithium batteries are known to reach full capacity
after a break-in period of about 10 charge/discharge cycles. We do not recommend
you use the X1 Touch charger to do this, normal use and recharging will achieve
the same results. If you wish to perform a Lithium break-in on the bench with the
X1 Touch, discharging to minimum acceptable voltages and performing a balance
charge at 1C maximum rate is recommended. If you choose to break in your Lithium
batteries under normal use, charging at only 1C for the first ten cycles will help
ensure full performance and service life from your Lithium cells.
WARNINGS AND SAFETY NOTES (cont.) WARNINGS AND SAFETY NOTES (cont.)
LiPo LiIon LiFe NiCd NiMH Pb
Nominal Voltage 3.7V/cell 3.6V/cell 3.3V/cell 1.2V/cell 1.2V/cell 2.0V/cell
Max. Charge Voltage 4.2V/cell 4.1V/cell 3.6V/cell 1.5V/cell 1.5V/cell 2.46V/cell
Storage Voltage 3.8V/cell 3.7V/cell 3.3V/cell n/a n/a n/a
Min. Discharge Voltage 3.0-3.3V/cell 2.9-3.2V/cell 2.6-2.9V/cell 0.1-1.1V/cell 0.1-1.1V/cell 1.8V/cell
Standard Battery Parameters