Great Planes Triton EQ Charger - GPMM3155 User Manual
Page 5
5
DETERMINING BATTERY TYPE AND SPECIFICATIONS
IMPORTANT: It is always CRUCIAL to know your battery’s exact type, rated voltage and capacity!! To
avoid causing permanent damage to your battery, carefully read your battery’s label and/or instruction sheet or
consult your battery supplier and determine:
1.
Type: Is the battery a nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), lithium-polymer (LiPo), lithium-ion (Li-
Ion), lithium ferrite nanophosphate (LiFe), or lead-acid (Pb)?
2.
Rated capacity: This should be listed on the battery’s label in “mAh” (“milli-amp hours”). Capacity is also referred to
as the “C” rating. Charge and discharge currents are also expressed as a function of this “C” rating. For example, a
2100mAh battery would have a “1C” charge or discharge current rate of 2100mA or 2.1 amps. This battery’s 2C rating
would be (2.1 x 2) 4.2 amps, etc.
3.
Rated voltage: NEVER guess the rated voltage of a lithium battery! If not printed on the battery’s outer label, consult
your battery supplier or determine pack voltage as follows:
a. NiMH and NiCd batteries: multiply the total number of cells in the pack by 1.20.
b. LiPo batteries: multiply the total number of cells in the pack by 3.70.
c. Li-Ion batteries: multiply the total number of cells in the pack by 3.60.
d. LiFe batteries (A123): multiply the total number of cells in the pack by 3.30.
e. Lead-acid (Pb): multiply the total number of cells in the battery by 2.0.
GETTING STARTED – MAIN MENU
All main functions (charge, discharge, cycle) for all battery types are found in the Main Menu. When power is applied, the
charger will start at one of the “CHARGE” screens as seen along the top of the Main Menu. More specifi c details about
all settings for all battery types can be found in the included fl owcharts.
IMPORTANT: Different parameters exist for each battery type. It‘s CRUCIAL to use functions in the
menu which are marked for your exact battery type!!
To change battery types, press BATT TYPE until the proper battery type is found (moving right across the
programming fl owchart).
CARE AND HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NiMH BATTERIES
• NEVER allow NiMH batteries to overheat, as this could adversely affect their performance or damage the cells. If this
happens, disconnect the battery from the charger immediately and allow to cool!
• NEVER deep cycle NiMH batteries as permanent damage could result.
• NEVER attempt to use the NiCd, Pb, or lithium functions with NiMH batteries.
• Store NiMH packs with some voltage remaining on the cells (refer to battery supplier).
CHARGING NiCd or NiMH BATTERIES
1. In the MAIN MENU, fi nd the “NiCd CHARGE” screen to charge a NiCd battery and skip to step 3.
2.
To charge a NiMH battery, press BATT TYPE until the “NiMH CHARGE” screen is found. Press ENTER to confi rm
this battery type.
3.
To change the charge current, press ENTER to cause the value to fl ash. Press INC or DEC to fi nd the desired
charge current (0.1 – 5.0 amps). See the chart on the next page for recommended current settings. Note that “0.1A”
is the same as 100mA… “0.8A” is the same as 800mA, etc. Press ENTER, or wait 5 seconds and TritonEQ will
automatically confi rm this selection.