Operating Instructions Multifunctional charger "V-Charge 200 Duo" Item No.
Table of Contents Page 1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................4 2. Explanation of Symbols........................................................................................................................................4 3. Intended Use.......................................................................................................................................
Page 13. Lead Batteries (Pb).............................................................................................................................................30 a) General.........................................................................................................................................................30 b) Charging Batteries ("CHARGE")..................................................................................................................
1. Introduction Dear Customer, thank you for making the excellent decision of purchasing this Voltcraft® product. Voltcraft® - This name stands for above-average quality products in the areas of measuring, charging and grid technology, characterised by technical competence, extraordinary performance and permanent innovation.
3. Intended Use The charger "V-Charge 200 Duo" has two independent charge/discharge channels that each have a two-line lit display and four operating buttons. The charger is used to charge and discharge rechargeable batteries of the type NiMH/NiCd (1 - 15 cells), LiPo/LiIon/ LiFe/LiHV (1 - 6 cells) and lead batteries (1 - 10 cells, 2 V - 20 V). The charging current for channel 1 can be set between 0.1 A and 10.0 A. The charging current for channel 2 can be set between 0.1 A and 5.
5. Safety Notes Read the operating instructions attentively and particularly observe the safety notes. If the safety notes and the information in these operating instructions regarding proper handling are not observed, we assume no liability for any resulting injury/property damage. In such cases, the warranty/guarantee will also lapse. a) General • T he unauthorized conversion and/or modification of the product is inadmissible because of safety and approval reasons.
c) Location for Installation • The charger is intended for dry indoor use only. It must not become damp or wet. Never set it up near a bathtub, shower or similar! If the charger is operated via the mains cable, there is danger to life from electric shock in case of moisture/wetness on the charger/mains cable! • Avoid direct sun irradiation, strong heat or cold. Keep the charger away from dust and dirt. The same applies to any rechargeable battery that may be connected.
d) Operation • The charger may be operated either via the mains voltage (230 V/AC, 50/60 Hz) or via a stabilised direct voltage of 11 - 18 V/DC (e.g. via an external vehicle lead battery or a suitable mains adapter). Use only one of the two connection types, but never both at once. This may damage the charger. • Do not wear any metal or conductive materials, such as jewellery (necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc.) while you are working with the charger or batteries.
6. Rechargeable Battery Notes Although use of rechargeable batteries in everyday life is a matter of course today, there are many dangers and problems. In particular, with LiPo/LiIon/LiFe/LiHV rechargeable batteries with their high energy content (in comparison with conventional NiCd or NiMH rechargeable batteries), various regulations must be observed in order to avoid the danger of explosion and fire.
• The charger has two charging channels that are independent of each other, so that up to two rechargeable batteries/rechargeable battery packs can be charged (or discharged) at once. However, only connect a single rechargeable battery/rechargeable battery pack to each of the two charging channels. Never connect the charging channels to each other! • If the product is not to be used for an extended period of time (e.g.
• Ensure that the battery does not overheat during usage, recharging, discharging, transport or storage. Do not place the battery next to sources of heat (e.g. speed controller, motor), keep the battery away from direct sunlight. There is a risk of fire and explosion if the battery overheats! The battery must never heat up to more than +60 °C (observe any additional information from the manufacturer!). • I f the battery is damaged (e.g.
7. Usable Rechargeable Battery Types Rechargeable battery type LiPo LiIon LiFe LiHV NiCd NiMH Pb Rated voltage (V/cell) 3.7 3.6 3.3 3.7 1.2 1.2 2.0 Max. charging voltage (V/cell) 4.2 4.1 3.6 4.35 1.5 1.5 2.46 Voltage for storage (V/cell) 3.8 3.7 3.3 3.85 - - - Charging current for quick charge <= 1C <= 1C <= 4C <= 1C 1C - 2C 1C - 2C <= 0.4C Min. voltage after discharge (V/cell) >= 3.0 >= 2.9 >= 2.6 >= 3.1 >= 1.0 >= 1.0 >= 1.
8.
9. Commissioning a) Connection to a Voltage/Current Supply Attention! Always connect the charger to the voltage/current supply first; only then must a rechargeable battery be connected to the charger. The charger offers two different options for operation: • Operation via the mains voltage (230 V/AC, 50/60 Hz) • Operation via stabilised direct voltage (11 - 18 V/DC, e.g. via an external vehicle lead battery or a mains adapter) Never use both operating modes at the same time.
b) Connection of a Rechargeable Battery to the Charger Please observe the following points before connecting or charging/recharging the battery: • If you have not done so already, please read chapters 5, 6 and 7 completely and ensure that you have understood the information there.
Procedure when connecting a battery pack to the charger: 1. Connect the charger to the voltage/current supply. 2. Select one of the two charging channels. First connect the charging cable to the two 4 mm round sockets of the corresponding charging output (#1 or #2). Ensure correct polarity (red cable = plus/+, black cable = minus/-). The charging cable must not be connected to the rechargeable battery yet! There may be a short-circuit of the charger plugs; there is a danger of fire and explosion! 3.
c) General Information on Operation of the Menus • Select the desired submenu from the main menu using the "BATT TYPE./STOP" or the "DEC" button as described and confirm your selection with the button "START/ENTER". • In a submenu, you can call the different settings with the buttons "INC" and "DEC". • To modify a value, push the "START/ENTER" button - the display then flashes. Modify the value flashing in the display using the "INC" and "DEC" buttons. For quick adjustment of a value (e.g.
10. Main Menu After connection to the voltage/power supply, the start message will appear briefly. Then the charger is in the main menu.
11. Lithium Batteries (LiPo, LiIon, LiFe, LiHV) a) General The rechargeable battery programmes for LiPo, LiIon, LiFe and LiHV rechargeable batteries generally differ only in the voltages and the permitted charging current, see table in chapter 7. When charging a lithium battery, there are two different phases. First, the rechargeable battery is charged with a consistent current. When the rechargeable battery reaches its maximum voltage (at a LiPo rechargeable battery, e.g., 4.
b) Charging Batteries without Balancer Connection ("CHARGE") Of course, you can also charge multiple-cell lithium rechargeable batteries with a balancer connection with the rechargeable battery programme "CHARGE". However, the individual cell voltages are not reconciled here, so that one or several cells may be overcharged.
If these two numbers do not match, please check the settings on the charger and the battery itself. It may be that the LiPo battery has been completely discharged, or a cell may be faulty. In this case, the battery should not be charged, as there is a risk of fire and explosion! You can return to the previous configuration menu using the "BATT TYPE./STOP" button. • If the two numbers match, you can start the charging process by briefly pushing the "START/ENTER" button. • Charging begins.
Briefly push the "INC" button or the "START/ENTER" button so that the charger will return to the normal display. Important! Only a battery pack with exactly the same voltage for each cell provides the maximum performance and service life for a model airplane/vehicle. Variations in the quality of the materials used and the internal structure of multiple-cell lithium battery packs mean that the cells may have different voltages once discharged.
d) Discharging Rechargeable Batteries ("DCHG") Normally, it is not necessary to discharge lithium batteries (contrary to NiCd batteries) before charging. The battery can be charged immediately, independent of its current status. If you want to discharge a rechargeable lithium battery anyway, you can set the discharge current. The maximum possible discharging current depends on the battery type, battery capacity and number of cells. The max. discharge output of the charger is 15 W for each channel.
• After starting the discharging process, various information about the current progress is shown in the display. In the upper left, the rechargeable battery type and the cell number are displayed ("Li3S" = Lithium rechargeable battery with 3 cells); the discharging current is shown in the upper middle and the current rechargeable battery voltage in the upper right. Li3S 1.0A 12.
12. NiMH and NiCd Rechargeable Batteries a) General The rechargeable battery programmes for NiMH and NiCd rechargeable batteries generally differ only in the internally used charging procedures. The settings in the menus are the same. The charger must be in the main menu. Select the rechargeable battery type matching the rechargeable battery used here with the button "BATT TYPE./STOP" or "DEC" (NiMH or NiCd), see figures on the right. Confirm the selection by pressing the "START/ENTER" button.
Charge a NiMH or NiCd battery as follows: • First, choose the rechargeable battery type with the button "BATT TYPE./STOP" or "DEC" as described in chapter 11. a) (NiMH or NiCd) and push the button "START/ENTER". • Select the rechargeable battery programme "CHARGE Man" with the button "INC" or "DEC". The value at the lower right represents the currently set charging current. NiMH CHARGE Man CURRENT 0.
c) Automatic Charge Mode ("CHARGE Aut") In automatic charge mode, the charger checks the condition of the connected rechargeable battery (e.g. the inner resistance) and calculates the charging current from this. You need to set an upper limit for the charging current so that the rechargeable battery is not damaged by a too-high charging current. NiMH CHARGE Aut CUR LIMIT 1.
• When no display is flashing anymore, keep the "START/ENTER" button pushed (approx. 3 seconds), to start discharging. • The charger now examines the connected rechargeable battery. In case of an error, a warning signal is output and the corresponding information is displayed. You can stop the warning signal by pressing the "BATT TYPE./ STOP" button. You then return to the previous configuration menu. If no error is found, e.g. the display shown on the right will appear.
• Set the cycle number with the buttons "INC" and "DEC" (1 - 5 cycles are possible). Push the "START/ENTER" button briefly then to confirm the setting. The display stops flashing. • To start cycle programme, keep the "START/ENTER" button pressed for longer (approx. 3 seconds). • The charger now examines the connected rechargeable battery. In case of an error, a warning signal is output and the corresponding information is displayed. You can stop the warning signal by pressing the "BATT TYPE.
13. Lead Batteries (Pb) a) General Lead batteries are completely different from lithium, NiMH or NiCd batteries. Despite their high capacity they can only provide low currents. The charging process is also different. The charging current for modern lead batteries must not exceed 0.4C; 1/10C is perfect for lead batteries.
The maximum possible charging current depends on the battery type and number of cells. The maximum charging power is 100 W for each channel. Confirm the set charging current with the "START/ENTER" button. • The number of the cells in the lower right of the display flashes. Set the number of the cells with the buttons "INC" and "DEC". Keep the respective button pressed for quick adjustment. Confirm the number of the cells by pressing the "START/ENTER" button.
c) Discharging Battery ("DISCHARGE") This rechargeable battery program can be used to put partially charged lead batteries into a defined starting condition or to perform a measurement of the rechargeable battery capacity. The maximum possible discharging current depends on the battery type, battery capacity and number of cells. The max. discharge output of the charger is 5 W. This limits the max. possible discharge current of rechargeable batteries with multiple cells.
14. Saving/Loading Rechargeable Battery Data The charger has 10 memory slots in which you can store often-used settings. For example, the data (cell number, charging procedures, charging current) for 3 different LiPo flight batteries can be saved there, so that you do not have to set them anew every time. a) Saving Battery Data • Select the function "Memory Save" in the main menu of the charger with the button "BATT TYPE./STOP" or "DEC". • Confirm the selection by pressing the "START/ENTER" button.
b) Loading Battery Data • Select the function "Memory Load" in the main menu of the charger with the button "BATT TYPE./STOP" or "DEC". • Confirm the selection by pressing the "START/ENTER" button. • Select one of the 10 memories (0....9) with the button "INC" or "DEC". The data stored in the memory are displayed, e.g. rechargeable battery type, rechargeable battery programme, cell number, charging and discharging current.
15. System settings The system settings of the charger summarise various basic settings. They are pre-applied with the most common values in the delivery condition. Depending on the rechargeable batteries you want to charge or discharge, however, certain changes to the values are sensible. Proceed as follows: • Select the function "User Set" in the main menu of the charger with the button "BATT TYPE./STOP" or "DEC". • Confirm the selection by pressing the "START/ENTER" button.
Set the voltage for Delta-U-recognition (for NiMH or NiCd only) The charger uses the delta-U charging procedure for NiMH and NiCd rechargeable batteries to see if the rechargeable battery is fully charged. Instead of the internal default settings, the voltage value can be specified manually (in mV per cell). NiMH Sensitivity D.Peak Default NiCd Sensitivity D.Peak Default If the value is set too high, the charger may not recognise that the rechargeable battery is fully charged.
Automatic deactivation at specific charging capacity This safety function of the charger terminates charging automatically when a certain capacity has been "loaded" into the battery. However, do not set a capacity which is too low; otherwise the rechargeable battery cannot be fully charged and charging will be interrupted early. Capacity Cut-Off ON 5000mAh The safety function can be switched on ("ON") or off ("OFF").
Loading factory settings (reset) This recovers the factory settings (reset). Keep the button "START/ENTER" pressed for more than 2 seconds. Factory reset Press Enter > 2S Then the charger starts again and will then be in the main menu. Observe that all values set by you are then reset to factory settings; the 10 rechargeable battery memories (see chapter 14) are also deleted.
16. Fixed Voltage Output The charger offers the option of using the charging output (the two 4 mm output sockets) like a conventional controllable mains unit. In this case, the charger supplies a direct voltage to the output sockets; setting of 5.0 V/DC to 24.0 V/DC is possible. The output current can be set to between 0.1 A and 10.0 A. Observe that the maximum output current is not possible for the maximum current; the charger can only supply 80 W at most.
• To set the output current and the output voltage, briefly push the "START/ENTER" button. Caution, important! A connected consumer can be damaged when changing the output voltage. Therefore, disconnect the connected consumer from the output sockets of the charger before changing the output voltage. The same applies, if applicable, when changing the output current. The output current is now flashing in the display.
17. Warning Messages on the Display REVERSE POLARITY The polarity of the rechargeable battery connections has been switched. CONNECTION BREAK The connection to the rechargeable battery has been disrupted, e.g. if the battery has been disconnected during the charging process. SHORT ERROR There is a short circuit at the output of the charger. INPUT VOL ERR A problem has been identified at the direct voltage input of the charger. BREAK DOWN The charger is defective.
18. Information on the Charger Various information is indicated on the display during a charge/discharge process by repeatedly pressing the button "DEC". If you do not push any button for a few seconds, the charger will return to the normal display. The information that can be displayed depends on the connected rechargeable battery type. Voltage of the battery at the end of charging/discharging End Voltage 12.
19. Maintenance and Cleaning The product does not require any maintenance. You should never take it apart. The product should only be maintenanced/repaired by a specialist or specialist workshop or it may be damaged. Any rechargeable battery connected must be disconnected from the charger before cleaning. If the fixed voltage output is activated, disconnect any connected consumer from the charger. Then disconnect the charger from the voltage/current supply.
21. Technical Data Operating voltage ���������������������������������������� Mains voltage input: 230 V/AC, 50/60Hz Direct voltage input: 11 - 18 V/DC Never use both inputs at the same time. This may damage the charger. Loss of guarantee/warranty! Charging/discharging channels ������������������� 2 Charge current ��������������������������������������������� 0.1 - 10.
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