OPERATING MANUAL BETA D-50 BATTERY TESTER / ANALYZER Lamar Technologies, 14900 40th Ave NE, Marysville WA 98271 Tel: (360) 651-8869 • Fax: (360) 651-6677 www.lamartech.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SYSTEM OVERVIEW ......................................................................... .1 2. INSTALLATION ... ...................................................................................4 3. QUICK OPERATING GUIDE ... ...................................................... …..6 4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS ... ................................ ….9 5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE ... .......................................... ..18 6. TROUBLE-SHOOTING ... ....................
1. SYSTEM OVERVIEW 1. SYSTEM OVERVIEW 1.1 SYSTEM OVERVIEW The Beta D-50 Tester/Analyzer is a self contained unit for discharge capacity testing of rechargeable batteries. It has been designed to accurately test and guarantee the emergency capacity of sealed or vented lead-acid or nickel-cadmium batteries. Guaranteed emergency capacity is especially important for aircraft batteries.
1. SYSTEM OVERVIEW ACCEPT LAMP INDICATOR Illuminates at end of test when timer has completed its preset time DIGITAL VOLTMETER Displays 1) battery voltage during discharge; or 2) cutoff voltage DIGITAL DISCHARGE TIMER Displays elapsed discharge time. Can be set with push buttons DIGITAL AMMETER Displays discharge current.
1. SYSTEM OVERVIEW DISCHARGE RESISTORS AC VOLTAGE SELECT DIAL Selects mains input voltage (115 or 230 volts) COOLING FANS AC LINE FUSE protects line and equipment AC MAINS CABLE Figure 1-2. Rear view of Beta D-50 BETA D-50 TESTER / ANALYZER - OPERATING MANUAL V2.
2. INSTALLATION 2. INSTALLATION 2.1 LINE VOLTAGE The Beta D-50 can operate on either 115 or 230 Volts AC. The desired line voltage can be selected on the rear of the unit. CAUTION: Ensure that the unit is set for the appropriate line voltage before operation. A. On the back of the unit locate the AC voltage select dial. B. Set dial for appropriately marked AC voltage (115 or 230 volts) using a screwdriver. C.
2. INSTALLATION 2.3 SPACE REQUIREMENTS The Beta D-50 system occupies 15" x 10 ¼" (381 mm x 260 mm) of table top space. Place the unit on a sturdy workbench in a well-ventilated battery servicing area with the battery adjacent to it. The rear of the unit has air flow from hot resistors. Allow at least 6" (150 mm) of separation from the wall and adjacent equipment in order to maintain proper air flow. WARNING: Due to the air flow from hot resistors on the rear of the unit, use extreme caution on placement.
3. QUICK OPERATING GUIDE 3. QUICK OPERATING GUIDE This section gives an overview of how to quickly get started capacity discharge testing a battery using your Beta D-50. If there is uncertainty at any point on how to proceed, please refer to the more detailed instructions in the section 4. WARNING: Always turn the AC power switch off before connecting or disconnecting a battery NOTE: Once set, all settings are maintained and need not be reset for duplicate testing A.
3. QUICK OPERATING GUIDE F. VIEW AND SET CUTOFF VOLTAGE a. Press and hold the View Voltage Cutoff button. The set cutoff voltage is shown on the voltmeter display. b. Use a 1/16 inch (2 mm) slot blade precision type screw driver to adjust the cutoff voltage to the desired level. G. PUSH START BUTTON The audible alarm stops. The voltmeter displays the battery voltage, the ammeter reads 0 and the timer starts. The red LED on the timer illuminates. “OP” on the timer illuminates and the red LED flashes.
2. IF TEST FAILED The Fail lamp illuminates if the discharge has been discontinued because the cutoff voltage has been reached before the completion of the set discharge time. The red LED goes out. The time is frozen at the elapsed time at which the test failed. The battery is in need of reconditioning or must be rejected for aircraft service. Refer to the battery manufacturer's maintenance manual on how to proceed. K. SWITCH AC POWER OFF Switch the AC on-off/reset switch off before removing he battery.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 4.1 DISCHARGE CHARACTERISTICS The lead-acid and the nickel-cadmium cells are generally assigned nominal open circuit voltages of 2.10 volts and 1.35 volts respectively. Actual open circuit voltage at 75°F/ 25°C for a fully charged battery cell depends on state-of-charge and time after charge. During discharge, the voltage of the cell or battery immediately begins to decrease because of the effective internal resistance of the cell.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 28 40 ampere-hours of capacity delivered at this point 26 24 22 20 Minimum cutoff voltage (18 volts) 18 16 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Discharge time (minutes) 70 80 Figure 4-1. Typical discharge curve for 40 ampere-hour lead-acid aircraft battery Figure 4-2 illustrates discharge curves for typical SLABs at different discharge rates. Note that the cell voltage drops much more rapidly at the higher discharge rates, i.e.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS The discharge of a lead-acid battery beyond the point of which exhaustion of the cell is approached can be harmful, as the battery may form a sulfate deposit on its plates. This is particularly true if the battery is not soon recharged. 4.2 DISCHARGE CAPACITY TESTING The purpose of a discharge test is to determine the long-term capacity of the battery.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 4.3 PREPARATION FOR TESTING Before starting the discharge test, read the component maintenance manual (CMM) or the operating and maintenance manual (OMM) for the specific battery to be tested. Ensure that the discharge rate and cutoff voltage from the battery manufacturer are followed. It is recommended that a visual inspection of the battery is carried out in conjunction with testing and charging batteries.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 4.4.2 DISCHARGE TIME SETTING The discharge time is usually set to 60 minutes, after which a pass/fail signal is given based on whether the battery reached the cutoff voltage or not. To determine the full capacity of the battery a longer time can be set (several hours). The Beta D-50 will then continue the discharge test only until the cutoff voltage has been reached. The timer, cutoff voltage and discharge current displays will freeze at this point.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 1-hour rating Ampere Volts hours 24 10 24 15 24 20 24 30 24 40 12 10 12 15 12 20 12 30 12 40 Time (min) 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 Discharge settings Rate (amperes) 8 12 16 24 32 8 12 16 24 32 Cutoff (volts) 18/20 18/20 18/20 18/20 18/20 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 9/10 Table 4-2. Discharge test setting for sealed lead-acid batteries 4.5.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS D. CONNECT BATTERY Connect the battery DC cable to the battery and ensure the connector is plugged in completely. E. SWITCH ON MAINS POWER Turn on the AC on-off/reset power switch. An audible alarm sounds, and the Accept lamp illuminates. Meters read all 6's or 8's. F. VIEW AND SET CUTOFF VOLTAGE a. Press and hold the View Voltage Cutoff button. The set cutoff voltage is shown on the voltmeter display. b.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS G. PUSH START BUTTON The audible alarm stops. The voltmeter displays the battery voltage, the ammeter reads 0 and the timer starts. “OP” on the timer illuminates and the red LED flashes. H. SET DISCHARGE CURRENT Slowly turn the multi-turn Ampere Adjust knob clockwise to the desired discharge current. The ammeter displays the current as it is being adjusted. 4.7 TEST COMPLETION AND ANALYSIS The Beta D-50 automatically completes the test with the set parameters.
4. DETAILED OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 2. IF TEST FAILED The Fail lamp illuminates if the discharge has been discontinued because the cutoff voltage has been reached before the completion of the set discharge time. The red LED goes out, but the time is frozen at the elapsed time at which the test failed. The battery is in need of reconditioning or must be rejected for aircraft service. Refer to the battery manufacturer's maintenance manual on how to proceed. 4.7.
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE 5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE 5.1 OVERVIEW OF CALIBRATION The Beta D-50 has been calibrated before shipment from the manufacturer. A certificate of calibration has been issued and is enclosed in the back of this manual. To ensure error-free operation over time the unit should be re-calibrated every 12 months depending on usage and changes in surrounding environment. 5.1.
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE BETA D-50 BATTERY V VOLMETER TEST PORTS EXTERNAL CALIBRATED VOLTMETER Figure 5-1 - Circuit diagram for voltmeter calibration A. SWITCH OFF MAINS POWER Turn off the AC on-off/reset power switch. B. TURN DOWN DISCHARGE CURRENT Repeatedly turn the Current Adjust knob fully counter-clockwise to set discharge current to zero. C. CONNECT BATTERY Connect the battery DC cable to the fully charged battery and ensure the connector is plugged in completely. D.
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE F. SET TIMER Set the timer by pushing the buttons up or down to a time that will allow calibration to be completed before the time runs out (for example 60 minutes). G. VIEW AND SET CUTOFF VOLTAGE a. Press and hold the View Voltage Cutoff button. The set cutoff voltage is shown on the voltmeter display. b. Use a 1/16 inch (2 mm) slot blade precision type screw driver to adjust the cutoff voltage.
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE J. REMOVE THE COVER If voltmeter differs more than ± 0.2 volts, remove the unit’s L-shaped cover by unscrewing the four screws a. Two on top left side of unit b. Two on bottom right side of unit WARNING: Calibration needs to be performed with the unit’s cover removed as well as both mains power and battery connected. It should only be performed by trained personnel. If performed incorrectly it could result in electrical shock leading to injury or death. K.
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE BETA D-50 BATTERY RSHUNT mV AMMETER TEST PORTS EXTERNAL CALIBRATED MILLIVOLTMETER Figure 5-2 Circuit diagram for ammeter calibration A. SWITCH OFF MAINS POWER Turn off the AC on-off/reset power switch. B. TURN DOWN DISCHARGE CURRENT Repeatedly turn the Current Adjust knob fully counter-clockwise to set discharge current to zero. C. CONNECT BATTERY Connect the battery DC cable to the battery and ensure the connector is plugged in completely.
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE D. PLUG IN MILLIVOLTMETER Plug in the external voltmeter into the ammeter calibration ports. Set it to a millivolts setting (most voltmeters have a 300 mV setting). E.SWITCH ON MAINS POWER Turn on the AC on-off/reset power switch. An audible alarm sounds, and the Accept lamp illuminates. Meters read all 6's or 8's. F.
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE J. COMPARE READINGS Compare the Beta D-50 digital ammeter with the external millivolt meter. The external meter reads the millivolt drop across a 50 ampere/50 millivolt shunt. Every millivolt read on the external millivolt meter represents 1 ampere. The readings should be within ± 0.2 millivolts (amperes). a. If readings differ less than ± 0.2 millivolts, the ammeter is accurately calibrated. Turn AC power off and disconnect battery. b. If readings differ more than ± 0.
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE 5.4 SHUNT VERIFICATION The Beta D-50 internal shunt is calibrated and certified by the shunt manufacturer. The shunt is a linear resistive device consisting of a heavy brass base and heavy manganin (copper alloy) resistance. It is not necessary to calibrate the shunt, however the shunt could be verified with the help of an external calibrated shunt and a millivolt meter (see figure 5-3).
5. CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE 5.5 MAINTENANCE Standard electrical equipment maintenance and cleaning procedures should be followed. 5.5.1 VENTS AND FAN Regularly check that the rear fan vents are clean to ensure adequate cooling of the unit. This is especially important when the unit is placed in a dusty or otherwise dirty air environment. 5.5.2 DC BATTERY CABLE AND LEADS Inspect DC battery cable and connector periodically. Replace damaged or worn cable.
6. TROUBLE-SHOOTING 6. TROUBLE-SHOOTING Problem Possible Cause Corrective Action A. Unit will not turn on The AC power is not connected to unit AC line fuse is blown. May be due to incorrect AC line voltage setting. Check AC line with voltmeter B. Unit turns on but will not start (timing) C. Battery voltage reading erratic or not reading D. Discharge test will not start E.
6. TROUBLE-SHOOTING Problem Possible Cause Corrective Action F. Discharge current immediately surges to a high value and blows DC fuse even though the current adjust knob is set low Reversed polarity of battery connection Ensure that polarity is respected on battery connection. If connector has been removed ensure that DC leads are not reversed.
7. SPECIFICATIONS 7. SPECIFICATIONS AC Line Input: 115 volts ± 10%, 50/60Hz, 3 amperes or 230 volts ± 10%, 50/60Hz, 1.5 amperes (selectable on rear of unit) DC Discharge Current: Capacity 0-50 amperes adjustable current Accuracy < ± 2% from discharge initiation to cut-off Timer Setting Adjustable from 0 to 999.9 minutes Accuracy < ± 0.1% Voltmeter < ± 0.2 volts Ammeter < ± 0.2 amperes Digital Meter Accuracy Cooling: Fan cooled Housing: Aluminum chassis Outer Dimensions: Height 14 in.
APPENDIX A - BATTERY OVERVIEW APPENDIX APPENDIX A - BATTERY OVERVIEW CLASSES OF BATTERIES Batteries can be divided into two major classes: primary and secondary. The primary batteries are not practically reusable once its useful energy has been discharged. The secondary battery is rechargeable. In the following only secondary batteries will be covered. SECONDARY BATTERIES Secondary batteries differ from primary batteries in that they may be recharged.
APPENDIX A - BATTERY OVERVIEW Nickel-cadmium batteries are used in auxiliary power units, aircraft engine starting, space satellite power, missile electrical systems, and electrical propulsion DEFINITIONS AMPERE-HOURS. The term "ampere-hours" is a unit of measure that refers to the electrical capacity of a battery. It is the product of the current in amperes multiplied by the period of time in hours during which the current is delivered. For example, a battery that discharges at 5.0 amperes for 4.
WARRANTY 1 YEAR WARRANTY Lamar Technologies warrants its products to be free from defects in workmanship and material for a one year period from the date of shipment to the distributor, original equipment manufacturer (OEM), or original end user. If any product shall prove to be defective during the warranty period, Lamar Technologies will repair or replace such part. There are no warranties which extend beyond the description on the face hereof.
CERTIFICATION OF CALIBRATION REPORT AND CERTIFICATION OF CALIBRATION Manufacturer: Lamar Technologies LLC, 14900 40th Ave NE, Marysville WA 98271 360-651-8869 www.lamartech.com/powerproducts Date of Test__________ NSN: 6130-01-462-6337 & 6130-21-258-4430 P/N ____________ S/N____________ Model Beta D-50 MFR Date________ Description: Military Commercial Battery Charging Battery Discharge Combination Charger/Discharger Other __________________________________________________ Notes on Calibration: 1.
