Great Planes Triton2 EQ Charger - GPMM3156 - Manual (Page 9)

9
DSCH =
Discharging
Battery
Type
NiCd dsch 00760
8.14V 0.5A 091m
Discharge
Current
Output
Voltage
Discharge capacity: This is how much capacity (energy, in “mAh”) has been
delivered from the pack during discharge. For a battery which previously had little
charge, this number could be low. For a battery which previously had been fully
charged, this number should be high (ideally within 10% of the battery’s own
mAh rating).
Elapsed discharge time: This is the number of minutes the battery has been on
discharge. For a battery which previously had little charge, this number should be
low. For a battery which previously had been fully charged, this number should be
larger.
5. When discharge is fi nished, the screen will show “END” and tones will sound for 10 seconds. The battery can now be
re-charged, or disconnected. Other data measured during discharge can be viewed in the DATA VIEW screens (see
page 16).
Notes about discharging NiCd and NiMH batteries:
•
Some transmitters might contain a diode which could prevent its battery from being discharged through the radio’s charge jack, causing a “No
battery” error to show. It’s best to remove the battery from the Tx and connect it directly to the charger for discharging (see page 5 for a list of
adapters).
• For more accurate discharge readings, it’s better to use a current which can discharge the pack in 1 or 2 hours.
• For packs having more than 6 volts, the actual amount of discharge current might automatically be limited due to the charger’s maximum
discharge power rating. See the included MAXIMUM POWER CHART for details.
• Compare the discharge capacity displayed to the capacity rating listed on the battery’s label. If a battery provides less than 70% of its rated
capacity it may need to be replaced. Additional cycles can be attempted to try and revive the battery, but if capacity measurements fail to
improve the battery should be replaced.
• Do not attempt to discharge cells to voltages lower than recommended.
• Discharge can be stopped manually by pressing MENU, or disconnecting the pack.
• In the “auto” current setting the charger will automatically set the appropriate discharge current based on the condition of the battery. The voltage
will automatically be set, based on the number of cells detected in the pack multiplied by 0.9V per cell. It is NOT recommended to use the “auto”
function if charging smaller electric fl ight type NiCd or NiMH batteries (smaller than “AA” cells).
• Discharging a battery can determine if it’s holding its rated capacity (see the CYCLING NiCd AND NIMH BATTERIES section). It can also
determine how much capacity remains in the battery after a fl ying session. This can help you gauge how much energy your fl ight system is
requiring from your battery.
CYCLING NiCd AND NiMH BATTERIES
Battery “cycling” is the process of fully charging then discharging a battery to a pre-determined cutoff point (or vise-
versa). Cycling is only recommended for NiCd and NiMH batteries (never for lithium or lead-acid batteries). This charger
can perform anywhere from one to ten cycles consecutively.
1. Decide if you want the battery to be discharged fi rst (preferred if the battery is used often), or charged fi rst (sometimes
preferred if the battery is new or has not been used for some time).
2. To cycle a NiCd battery, press BATT TYPE to fi nd the “NiCd CHARGE” screen. Turn the dial to fi nd either the “NiCd
CHG TO DSCH” or “NiCd DSCH TO CHG” screen (depending if you want to charge or discharge fi rst) and skip to
step 4.
3. To cycle a NiMH battery, fi nd the “NiMH CHARGE” screen. Turn the dial to fi nd the “NiMH CHG TO DSCH” or “NiMH
DSCH TO CHG” screen (depending if you want to charge or discharge fi rst).
4. Two current values will show – one for charge (Chg), and one for discharge (Dsch). Press the dial to cause the fi rst
current value to fl ash. It’s very important to note whether this is the charge (Chg) or discharge (Dsch) current!
Turn the dial to fi nd the desired current. Press the dial then turn to adjust the other current value. See the CURRENT
CHART for recommended charge and discharge currents.
5. To set the number of times the battery will be cycled consecutively, press the dial until “1X” starts to fl ash. Turn the dial
to adjust this setting as desired (1X is for one cycle, 9X is for nine cycles, etc.). Press the dial to confi rm the setting.
6. To START CYCLING, press and hold the dial for 2 seconds. The “BATTERY CHECK..” message will show briefl y, and
cycling will start if the battery is in suitable condition at which time you’ll see a screen like shown on the next page.