Great Planes Triton2 EQ Charger - GPMM3156 - Manual (Page 11)

11
SELECTING LiPo, Li-Ion OR LiFe BATTERY TYPES
Triton2 EQ can handle lithium-polymer (LiPo), lithium-ion (Li-Ion), and lithium ferrite phosphate (LiFe, such as A123
brand) battery types. While similar in many ways, there are some slight differences amongst these battery types. Setting
Triton2 EQ for the proper lithium type is necessary for safety, and will result in better performance for your packs. Refer
to the Main Menu fl owchart:
1. If using LiPo batteries, skip to the next section. If using Li-Ion or LiFe packs, press BATT TYPE to fi nd the “LiPo
CHARGE” screen.
2. Turn the dial to fi nd the “Lithium type” screen.
3. Press the dial, then turn to fi nd the desired lithium type. Select “Li-Ion” for lithium-ion batteries. Select “LiFe” for
lithium-ferrite nanophosphate batteries. Re-press the dial to confi rm the selection. Once the lithium type has been
changed in this screen, all screens and settings relating to lithium batteries will follow the nominal voltage ratings for
the battery type selected (as explained on page 5).
BALANCED VS. NON-BALANCED LITHIUM PACKS
Lithium batteries for R/C are commonly available in two different assembly/wiring confi gurations: wired for balancing, and
non-balanced. It’s important to know which confi guration you have before proceeding. Consult your battery supplier
if you are unsure if your battery is wired for balancing, if it’s not wired for balancing but has a built-in safety
circuit, or neither.
WARNING! It is NOT recommended to charge a LiPo battery which is not wired for balancing, or
which does not have a built-in protection circuit! Such types of LiPo batteries have NO means to
protect the equipment or the user from damage that could result from an overcharge condition of
any single cell in the pack.
Packs wired for BALANCING have a unique connector which has more than two wires
going to the pack itself. Each wire is connected to an individual cell inside the pack, by
which the charger/discharger monitors the condition of the individual cell and controls
whether it should be charged or discharged. Such packs SHOULD be charged with a
LiPo charger that is capable of balancing, or with a LiPo charger that is connected to a
separate LiPo cell balancer. Triton2 EQ has a built-in balancing circuit.
To balance a LiPo battery during charge or discharge, connect the appropriate adapter to match your battery to the
charger’s balancing jack (top left). The red wire will always be on the left. Then connect the battery to the balancing
adapter. Lastly, connect the battery’s main power lead to the adapter connected to the charger’s banana jacks (note
proper polarity). Note: Anytime a lithium battery is connected to the balancing jack – but NO fast charge or discharge
is in progress – the charger will attempt to slowly balance the pack by discharging any cells of higher voltage. The LCD
will briefl y show “SLOW BALANCING” every fi ve seconds during this time. See pages 12 and 13 for details about fast
charging and discharging of lithium batteries.
NON-BALANCED packs are wired so the charger can only detect the voltage of the entire pack (not individual cells),
so there is only one charge lead. It’s highly recommended to ONLY use such types of LiPo packs if they have a built-in
charge safety circuit which prevents any single cell in the pack from being overcharged. Simply connect the battery’s
main power lead to the charger’s banana jacks (note proper polarity).
Balancing
Connector