000625-001 (rev A) Ascert Charger Manual

Transcript

1-6S LiPo/LiHV/LiIon/LiFe, 1-15NiCd/NiMH, 2-20V Pb 80W PROFESSIONAL BALANCE CHARGER/DISCHARGER For more information, please visit www.RadientRC.com or scan the QR code with your smart phone. Part Numbers RDNA0370 Ascert 80W LCD Charger, US RDNA0371 Ascert 80W LCD Charger, UK RDNA0372 Ascert 80W LCD Charger, EU RDNA0373 Ascert 80W LCD Charger, AU Entire contents ©2016 Radient RC. AC DC Foreword and specifications ............................................................................................................................ 01 General charging precautions and safety tips ............................................................................................ 02-03 Special features.......................................................................................................................................... 03-04 Charging/discharging cycle .............................................................................................................................. 05 Lithium polymer balance charge program connection diagram........................................................................ 06 Warning and safety notes .......................................................................................................................... 07-10 Program flow chart ......................................................................................................................................11-14 Select Languages ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Safe timer calculation ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Lithium(LiIo/LiPo/LiHV/LiFe) ............................................................................................................................ 14 Charging lithium batteries ................................................................................................................................ 15 Balance charging lithium batteries .................................................................................................................. 15 Fast charging lithium batteries .................................................................................................................. 15-16 Storage charging lithium batteries .................................................................................................................... 16 Discharging lithium batteries ............................................................................................................................ 17 Voltage balancing and monitoring during the discharge process .................................................................... 17 Charging/Discharging NiCd/NiMH batteries .............................................................................................. 18-19 Pb battery program .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Data storage program ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Various information in the program ............................................................................................................ 22~23 Extra function programs ............................................................................................................................ 23~29 Warning and error information.................................................................................................................... 29~30 Warranty and service........................................................................................................................................ 30 FOREWORD Thank you purchasing the Ascert 80W Balance charger. This product is a rapid charger with a high performance microprocessor and specialized operating software. Please read and understand this entire operating manual before using this product, as it covers a wide range of information on both the operation of the Ascert charger and safety. If in any doubt, please seek the help of an experienced user, contact support or contact the dealer where you purchased your product. Specifications Operating voltage range: Circuit power: Charge current range: Discharge current range: Current drain for balancing Li-po: NiCd/NiMH battery cell count: Li-ion/Polymer cell count: Pb battery voltage: Weight: Dimensions: DC11.0~18.0 Volt AC to DC adaptor (DC11.0~18.0V) Max.charge power 80W [DC Input] / 80W [AC Input] Max.discharge power 10W 0.1~8.0A 0.1~2.0A 460mAh/cell 1~15 cell 1~6 cell 2V~20V 590g(Net Weight) 135X145X43mm • Before using the Ascert charger, review all documentation and inspect the product carefully. If for some reason you decide it is not what you wanted, then do not continue with unpacking, setup or operation of your product. Your local hobby dealer cannot accept a product for return or exchange if the product or packaging shows signs of wear and tear. • Product specifications are subject to change without notice. Due to ongoing development, the actual product may vary from images shown. • This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. • This product is not a toy! (14+) Recommended for ages 14 and up. Adult supervision required for ages under 18 years old. Contains small parts, keep out of reach of children 3 years of age and younger. 1 GENERAL CHARGING PRECAUTIONS Although great for first time users, Radient RC products contain advanced and sophisticated electronics that could result in injury if used improperly. Always use caution and common sense, as failure to operate your Radient RC product in a safe and responsible manner can result in damage to the product or surrounding property. This product is not intended for use or maintenance by children without direct adult supervision. Radient RC and your local hobby dealer shall not be liable for any loss or damages, whether direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential, arising from the use, misuse, or abuse of this product or any product required to operate or maintain it. Here are some general tips that will help increase the safe operation and enjoyment of using your charger. • Do not operate your charger in direct sunlight, rain, electrical, or during thunder storms • A battery should not be connected to the charger until the charger has been connected to an input power source • Never operate your charger where the input power is unstable • Never attempt to charge a non-rechargable battery or battery type that is not compatible with this charger • Always operate in a dry, open environment away from property and cars • Always disconnect the battery from the charger after the charge or discharge cycle is complete • Never insert anything into the charger case due to risk of electrical shock or interference with the cooling fan • Always allow batteries to completely cool before charging NOTE: Only use genuine replacement or aftermarket parts available from your local hobby dealer to ensure proper operation of your Radient RC product. TIPS FOR SAFELY OPERATING YOUR CHARGER • • • • • • Avoid charging on or around flammable items Never attempt to charge a swollen or damaged battery Never leave the battery unattended while charging Never operate the charger without adult supervision Never charge a warm battery, always allow the battery to cool to room temperature before charging Inspect the battery and charger before use. Never charge a battery or operate a charger if the wire or connector has been damaged or if the battery has experienced a short circuit • Incorrect use of the battery, connections, or charging equipment can cause personal injury or property damage • Never allow batteries or charger to come in contact with moisture at any time; avoid environments with high humidity • Disconnect input power and battery immediately if the battery, connector, or charger becomes hot or changes form (swells, bulges, indents, etc.) during use. 2 VERY IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND The Radient Ascend charger has the capability of charging LiFe/Li-Ion/LiPo/LiHV (LiXX), NiCd/NiMH (NiXX) and Lead Acid (Pb) batteries. Each battery type requires significantly different charging modes. It is extremely important to choose the correct charging mode when charging your batteries. Choosing the wrong charging mode can cause a fire or explosion. Be sure to properly identify the battery chemistry, voltage and capacity of every pack before attempting to charge it to ensure the correct settings. If you are unsure of the battery type you are attempting to charge, please consult your local hobby dealer for assistance. SPECIAL FEATURES Optimized operating software The Ascert charger features an AUTO function that sets the current during the charge or discharge process. This is an especially useful safety feature for Lithium batteries as it can prevent user-errors resulting in overcharging which may lead to an explosion. The AUTO function can disconnect the charge or discharge program and sound the alarm if a malfunction is detected. Internal, independent lithium battery balancer The Ascert uses an individual-cell voltage balancer. There is no need to connect an external balancer when performing a balance charge. Balancing individual cells battery discharging During the discharging process, the Ascert can monitor and balance each of the battery’s cells individually. An error message will be be displayed and the process will be terminated automatically if the voltage of a single cell is abnormal or unusual. Suitable for a variety of different lithium battery chemistries The Ascert is capable of charging and disharging a wide variety of lithium battery chemistries including LiPo, LiHV, LiIon and LiFe series batteries. Fast lithium battery charging and storage mode Lithium battery charging requirements vary. ‘Fast’ charging reduces the duration of the charge period, whereas charging to a ‘store’ state can control the final voltage of your battery, so that batteries can be stored for an extended period of time and protect the useful time of the battery. 3 Maximum Safety Delta-peak sensitivity: The automatic charge termination method is based on the principle of Delta-peak voltage detection. When the battery’s voltage exceeds the threshold, the charge process will be terminated automatically. Automatic limit of charging current You can set the charging current’s upper limit when charging your NiCd or NiMH battery. This is particularly useful when charging NiMH batteries with low impedance and capacity using the ‘AUTO’ charging mode. Capacity limit The charging capacity is always calculated as the charging current multiplied by time. If the charging capacity exceeds the limit, the process will be terminated automatically when you set the maximum value. Temperature threshold* During charging, the battery’s internal chemical reaction will cause the temperature of the battery to rise. If the temperature limit is reached, the charge process will be terminated. *This function is available by connecting an optional temperature probe, which is not included with the Ascert charger. Processing time limit You can limit the process time to reduce the risk of defects. Input power monitoring If using a car battery as the power source, its voltage is monitored to protect it from damage. The voltage drops below the lower limit, the charge process will be terminated automatically. Battery data storage Charge and discharge data for a maximum of five batteries can be stored for convenience. Users can call up this data at any time without any special program settings needed. 4 CHARGE / DISCHARGE CYCLING A sequence of 1 to 5 charge>discharge and discharge>charge cycles can be used to refresh, balance and restore a battery’s peak performance. Output charge lead 4mm banana plug LCD screen 2S to 6S JST-XH ports Input power cable 110-240V AC Input power cable 11~18V DC Scroll through the Main Menu or stop the charge process Resume of start the charge process or confirm an action Alter values and see the status of indidual cells being balanced or charged 5 LITHIUM POLYMER BALANCE CHARGE PROGRAM CONNECTION DIAGRAM This diagram shows the correct way to connect your battery to the Ascert charger when carrying out a balance charge. WARNING : Failure to connect as shown in the diagram below may damage this charger. If using alligator clips or a charging squid, ensure that none of the connector contacts can touch (together or a conductive surface) and short out which could cause damage to the charger and/or battery. WARNING AND SAFETY NOTES These warnings and safety notes are particularly important. For maximum safety, please follow these instructions. Failure to follow these instructions may cause damage to the battery or charger and at worst it may cause a fire. 6 Never leave the charger unattended when it is connected to its power supply. If any malfunction is found, TERMINATE THE PROCESS AT ONCE and refer to this manual. Keep the charger away from dust, damp, rain, heat, direct sunshine and vibration. Never drop the charger. The allowed input voltage is 11-18V DC or 110-240V AC. NEVER connect the charger to two both AC and DC inputs at the same time. The charger and battery being charged or discharged should be put on a heat-resistant, non-flammable and non-conductive surface. Never place them on a car seat, carpet or similar material. Keep inflammable or volatile materials away from operating area. Make sure you know the specifications of the battery to be charged or discharged to ensure it meets the requirements of this charger. If the program is set-up incorrectly, the battery and charger may be damaged and may lead to a fire or explosion if it results in over-charging. The warranty is not valid for any damage arising as a result of a misuse or failure to observe the procedures outlined in this manual. NiCd / NiMH Voltage level: 1.2V/cell Allowable fast charge current: 1C-2C(depends on the performance of cell) Discharge voltage cut off level: 0.85V/cell(NiCd),1.0V/cell(NiMH) LiIon Voltage level: Maximum charge voltage: Allowable fast charge current: Discharge voltage cut off level: 3.6V/cell 4.1V/cell 1C or less 2.5V/cell or higher LiPo Voltage level: Maxiumum charge voltage: Allowable fast charge current: Discharge voltage cut off level: 3.7V/cell 4.2V/cell 1C or less 3.0V/cell or higher LiHV Voltage level: Maximum charge voltage: Allowable fast charge current: Discharge voltage cut off level: 3.8V/cell 4.35V/cell 1C or less 3.0V/cell or higher 7 LiFe Voltage level: Maximum charge voltage: Allowable fast charge current: Discharge voltage cut off level: Pb (Lead-acid) Voltage level: Maximum charge voltage: Allowable fast charge current: Discharge voltage cut off level: 3.3V/cell 3.6V/cell 4C or less 2.0V/cell or higher 2.0V/cell 2.46V/cell 0.4C or less 1.75V/cell or higher Never attempt to charge or discharge the following types of battery: A battery pack which consists of different types of cells (including cells from different manufacturers). A battery that is already fully charged or only slightly discharged. Non-rechargeable batteries (explosion hazard). Batteries that require a different charge technique from NiCd, NiMH, LiPo or Gel cell (Pb, Lead acid). A faulty or damaged battery. A battery fitted with an integral charge circuit or a protection circuit. Batteries installed in a device or which are electrically linked to other components. Batteries that are not suitable for charging at the rates that the charger delivers during the charge process. 8 To avoid a short circuit between the charge leads, always connect the charge leads to the charger first, then connect the battery. Reverse the sequence hen disconnecting. If using a charging squid, ensure that none of the connector contacts can touch (together or a conductive surface) and short out which could cause damage to the charger and/or battery. Do not connect more than one battery to the charger at one time. Please bear in mind the following points before commencing charging: Have you selected the appropriate program suitable for the type of battery you are charging? Did you set up the correct current for charging or discharging? Have you checked the battery voltage? Lithium battery packs can be wired in parallel and in series, i.e. a 2 cell pack can be 3.7V (in parallel) or 7.4V (in series). Have you checked that all connections are firm and secure? Make sure there are no intermittent contacts at any point in the circuit. Charging: During charge process, a specific amount of electrical energy is fed into the battery.The charge quantity is calculated by multiplying charge current by charge time. The maximum permissible charge current varies depending on the battery type or its performance, and can be found in the information supplied by the battery manufacturer. Only batteries that are expressly stated to be capable of quick-charging are allowed to be charged at rates higher than the standard charge current. Connect the battery to the correct charger terminal: Red is positive and Black is negative. Due to the difference between resistance of the cable and connector, the charger cannot detect the resistance of the battery pack, the essential requirement for the charger to work properly is that the charge lead should be of adequate conductor cross-section, and high quality connectors which are normally gold-plated should be fitted to both ends. 9 Always refer to the battery manufacturer’s data sheet or manual for the recommended charging current and charging time. Lithium batteries should be charged strictly in accordance to the charging instruction provided by the manufacturer. It is always recommended that you balance charge Lithium batteries wherever possible. Special attention should be paid to the connection of Lithium batteries. Do not attempt to disassemble a Lithium battery pack. Please note that Lithium battery packs can be wired in parallel and in series. In parallel connection, the battery's capacity is calculated by multiplying single battery's capacity by the number of cells with the total voltage staying the same. As a voltage imbalance between the cells may lead to fires or an explosion, we recommend that ony Lithium batteries wired in series are charged. Discharging: The main purpose of discharging is to clear the battery’s residual capacity, or to reduce the battery's voltage to a defined level. The same attention should be paid to the discharging process as charging.The final discharge voltage should be set up correctly to avoid deep-discharging. Lithium batteries should not be discharged to a value lower than the minimum voltage, or it will cause a rapid loss of capacity or a total failure. Generally, Lithium battery do not need to be discharged. Please pay attention to the minimum voltage of Lithium battery to protect the battery. Some rechargeable batteries have a memory effect. If they are partly used and recharged before the whole charge is used, they ‘remember’ this and will only use that part of their capacity next time. This is a ‘memory effect.’ It is said that NiCd and NiMH batteries can suffer from memory effect. NiCd have more memory effect than NiMH. We recommend only partial (rather than full) discharge of lithium batteries. Frequent full discharging should be avoided if possible. Instead, charge the battery more often or use a battery of larger capacity. Full capacity cannot be used until it has been subjected to 10 or more charge cycles.The cycling process or charge and discharge will optimize the capacity of battery pack. 10 Program flow chart The Ascert charger is set to the default user settings when it is connected to a 12V DC source for the first time. The screen displays the following information in sequence and the user can change the parameters on each screen. If you need to alter the values in any program, press the ‘Start/Enter’ key to make the value blink, then change the value with the ‘Increase’ or ‘Decrease’ key. The value can be stored by pressing the ‘Start/Enter’ key once. LiHV Chk Time 11 The screen shows the nominal voltage of a Lithium battery.There are four kinds of Lithium battery: LiFe (3.3V), LiIo (3.6V), LiHV (4.35V) or LiPo (3.7V). This information is of critical importance. You must check the battery carefully to make sure it is set up correctly. If it is different from correct value, a fire or explosion can occur during the charge process. To avoid damage from incorrect settings being input, the Ascert automatically detects the cell count of Lithium batteries at the beginning of the charge or discharge process. However, a battery that has been deep-discharged may not be detected correctly.To avoid this error, the time allowed for the processor to verify the cell count can be varied. Normally,15 seconds is enough to detect the cell count correctly. You may need to extend the time limit for large capacity batteries. Note that the charge or discharge process may terminate if you set the time limit too long when using small capacity cells. The default value is recommended to use first. Only adjust this if the cell count is not detected correctly. The screen shows the сut-off temperature of a Lithium battery. You can press ‘Decrease’ or ‘Increase’ to adjust the сut-off temperature (The temperature range is: 20~80°C). The maximum temperature of the battery can be set during the charge process. The process will be terminated automatically to protect the battery if the battery’s temperature reaches this value.This feature is only available when using a temperature probe (option part - not included). 12 - + DEC INC - + DEC INC DEC INC - + DEC INC DEC INC DEC INC The battery becomes warm after completig the charge/discharge process.The program will allow a time delay after each charge/discharge process to allow the battery enough time to cool down before beginning the next cycle of the charge/discharge process.The valid value ranges from 1 to 60 minutes. When the charge process starts, the integral safety timer also starts to run at the same time. If an error is detected or the termination circuit cannot detect whether the battery is fully charged or not, the Ascert is programmed to prevent overcharging by terminating the charge using the safety timer. - + DEC INC - + DEC INC The program provides a maximum capacity protection function. If the Delta peak voltage cannot be detected or the safety timer times out, the charge process will stop automatically when the battery reaches the user-set maximum charge capacity. DEC INC A beep is used to confirm that a button has been pressed. The beep or a melody sounds at various times during operation to confirm there has been a mode change. These functions can be switched on or off. DEC INC - + DEC INC This function monitors the voltage of the input battery used to power the Ascert charger. If the voltage falls below the user-set value, the program will automatically terminate to protect the input battery. - + DEC INC 13 DEC INC In this program, you are provided with two language options - English and German (Deutsch). Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button again, and a beep will sound and the ‘English’ language will flash. Now press ‘ Decrease’ or ‘Increase ’ to change the language. The screen shows the selected language. Safety timer Calculation When charging NiCd or NiMH batteries, divide the capacity by current, then divide the result by 11.9. Set this number of minutes as the value for the safety timer setting. If the charger stops at this time threshold, around 140% of the capacity will have been fed into the battery. For example: Capacity Current Safety Timer 2000mAh 2.0A (2000/2.0=1000)/11.9=84 minutes 3300mAh 3.0A (3300/3.0=1000)/11.9=92 minutes 1000mAh 1.2A (1000/1.2=833)/11.9=70 minutes Lithium (LiIo/LiPo/LiHV/LiFe) program 14 This program is only suitable for charging/discharging Lithium-polymer batteries with a nominal voltage of 3.3/3.6/3.7 and 3.8V per cell. There are two methods known as constant voltage and constant current. The charge current varies according to battery capacity and specification. The final voltage is very important. It should exactly match the voltage of the battery: LiPo is 3.7V, LiHV is 3.85V, LiIo is 4.1V and LiFe is 3.6V. The current and voltage of the battery should be correctly set. When you want to change the values of these parameters, press ‘Start/Enter’ button to make the value blink and then use the ‘Decrease’ or ‘Increase’ button to change the value. Now press the ‘Start/Enter’ button again to store the value. Balance charging Lithium batteries This function is for balancing the voltage of Lithium-polymer battery cells while charging. In balance mode, the battery must use a balance lead to connect to the individual port in the right hand side of the charger. When charging in this mode, the built-in processor monitors the voltage of each cell and controls the current fed into individual cells to normalize the voltages. The left side of the first line shows the type of battery you have chosen. Under it is the user-set current value. After setting the current and voltage, press the ‘Start/Enter’ key for more than 3 seconds to start the process. This displays the number of cells you have selected (S) and the charger’s processsor has detected (R). If both numbers are identical you can start charging by pressing the ‘Start/Enter’ button. If not, press the ‘Battery Type/Stop’ button to go back to previous screen to carefully check the number of cells is correct. This screen shows the real-time status during the charge process. Press the ‘Battery Select/Stop’ key once to stop the charge process. Fast charging Lithium batteries The value on the left of the second line shows the charge current. The value on the right of the second line is the battery pack's voltage. After setting the current and voltage, press ‘Start/Enter’ for more than 3 seconds to start the process. This displays the number of cells you have selected (S) and the charger’s processsor has detected (R). If both numbers are identical you can start charging by pressing the ‘Start/Enter’ button. If not, press the ‘Battery/stop’ button to go back to previous screen to carefully check the number of cells is correct. This screen shows the real-time status during the charge process. Press the ‘Battery Type/Stop’ key once to stop the charging process. 15 The charge current will reduce when the charge process reaches the end. When fast charging, the current will reduce to 1/5 when the charging process has 1/10 charge remaining. The charge capacity will reduce to that of normal charging, but charging time will be shortened accordingly. You can set-up the battery’s charging current and voltage. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button to display the confirmation of the set voltage. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button again to confirm and begin the charge. This screen shows the real-time fast-charge status. Press the ‘Battery Type/Stop’ button once to stop the charge process. Storage program for Lithium batteries. This function is used for charging/discharging batteries which are not going to be used for a period of time.This program is designed to charge of discharge Lithium batteries to their original state of charge. The charge voltage is classified by type: 3.75V LiIo, 3.85V LiPo, 3.85V LiHV and 3.3V LiFe.The program will begin a discharge cycle if the cell voltage exceeds the original state of charge. In this screen you can set-up the battery pack’s current and voltage. The Ascert will either charge or discharge the battery to bring the voltage to the storage state. This screen shows the real-time charge status. Press the ‘Battery Type/Stop’ key once to stop the charge process. 16 Discharging Lithium batteries The value of discharge current on the left should not exceed 1C, and the value on the right must not be set below the voltage recommended by the manufacturer to avoid deep discharging. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for more than 3 seconds to start charging. This shows the real-time status of the discharge cycle. You can press the ‘Battery Type/Stop’ button to stop discharging. Voltage balancing and monitoring when discharging batteries The processor monitors the voltage of each cell in the battery pack during the ‘storage’ and ‘discharge’ process. To use this feature, the battery’s balance lead must be connceted to the charger. If the voltage of any cell is abnormal, the Ascert will show an error message and terminate the program. If there is an abnormal cell in your battery, press the ‘Increase’ button when you see the error message to view which cell has the problem. The processor has detected that one cell’s voltage is too low. The 4th cell can be seen with a much lower voltage than the others so this is the problem cell. The voltage value will fall to zero if the cell is disconnected. 17 Charging NiCd and NiMH batteries This program is for charging and discharging the popular NiCd/NiMH batteries that are so common in R/C model applications. Simply press the ‘Start/Enter’ button to make the value blink, then use the Increase or Decrease buttons to change the parameter value. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ key to store the value. This program charges the battery using the current value you input. In the ‘auto’ state, you should set the charge current’s upper limit to avoid damaging the battery by using excessive current. Some batteries with low resistance and capacity can lead to higher current draw in the ‘auto’ charging mode. But in the manual mode, it will charge using the current you set. Press the ‘Increase’ and ‘Decrease’ buttons simultaneously when in the current field to switch between Auto and Manual modes. The screen shows the real-time charge status. Pressthe ‘Batt.type/Stop’ key to end the program. A sound will be emitted to indicate the program has ended. Discharging NiCd and NiMH batteries Set the discharge current on the left and the final voltage on the right. The range of the discharge current is 0.1-2.0A and the range of final voltage is 0.1-25.0V. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ key for more than 3 seconds to start the program. This screen indicates the discharge state. You can press the ‘Start/Enter’ button to alter the discharge current. Press ‘Start/Enter’ button again to store the value. Press the ‘Battery/Stop’ button to stop discharging. A sound will be emitted to notify you that the discharge program has been stopped. 18 NiCd and NiMH battery charge/discharge and discharge/charge cycles You can set up the charge and discharge sequence on the left and the number of cycles on the right. You can balance, refresh and break-in a battery using this function. You can also set a temporary cool-off (or ‘waste time’) procedure. Press the ‘Battery/Stop’ button to stop the program. You can press the ‘Start/Enter’ button to alter charge current. A sound will be emitted to indicate the end of program. When it approaches the end of the cycle,you can see the capacity of the battery being charged or discharged. You can also press the ‘Increase’ or ‘Decrease’ button to display the result of each cycle. Pb (Lead Acid) battery program This program is only suitable for charging Pb (lead-acid) batteries with nominal voltages from 2 to 20V. A Pb (lead-acid) battery is completely different from a NiCd / NiMH battery. These batteries can only deliver a much lower current lower in comparison to their capacity. The same restriction applies to the charging process. Therefore the optimum charge current should only be 1/10 of the capacity. Do not attempt to fast charge a Pb battery. Please follow the instructions provided by the battery manufacturer. Press the ‘Start / Enter’ button to make the charge current blink and then alter the value using the ‘Increase’ or ‘Decrease’ buttons. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button to store the value. 19 Charging Pb batteries Set the desired charge current on the left and nominal voltage on the right. The current range 0.1-8.0A. The voltage should match the voltage of the battery being charged. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for more than 3 seconds to start charging. The screen displays the real-time charging status. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ key to alter the charge current. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button again to store the value. Press the ‘Battery/Stop’ key to end the program. Discharging Pb batteries Set the desired discharge current on the left and nominal voltage on the right. The current range is 0.1-2.0A. The voltage should match the voltage of the battery being discharged. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for more than 3 seconds to start charging. The screen displays the real-time discharging status. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ key to alter the discharge current. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button again to store the value. Press the ‘Battery/Stop key to end the program. 20 I6AC+ 80W Data storage program For convenience, the Ascert charger has a data storage and load program. Data and specifications for up to five batteries can be stored. You can read back this information when charging or discharging without needing to set up the program again. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button to make the value blink and use the ‘Incease’ or ‘Decrease’ buttons to adjust the parameter. Setting the parameters in this screen will not affect the charge and discharge process - they just show the specification of the battery. This example is for a 12 cell NiMH battery pack with a capacity of 3000mAh. Set up the charge current in manual mode, or current limit in auto mode. Press the ‘Increase’ or ‘Decrease’ key simultaneously to make the current field blink to change the charge mode. Adjust the discharge current and final voltage. Set up the charge/discharge sequence and number of cycles. Save the data. 21 I6AC+ 80W Load data program This program is used to load the data stored in the ‘save data’ program. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button to make the data field blink and then press the ‘Increase’ or ‘Decrease’ buttons for more than 3 seconds to load the data. Choose the stored data number that you wish to read back. The data will be displayed. Loading the data. Various information in the program You can view a variety of information on the LCD screen during the charging and discharging process. Press the ‘Decrease’ button to display the user settings. Press the ‘Increase’ button to monitor the voltage of each cell while the battery is connected to the charger’s port. 22 The maximum final voltage can be set to avoid over-charging. The maximum capacity value can be set to reduce the risk of over-charging. The safety timer is set to terminate the charge process if the termination circuit cannot detect whether the battery is fully charged or not. The USB port can be enabled in this display. If an external temperature probe is installed, the external temperature is displayed in this display. 23 1>Measure Internal Resistance Program In this program, the charger can not only measure the internal resistance of the battery pack, it can also measure the internal resistance of each individual cell. This feature is only available for lithium batteries. Use this program to measure the internal resistance of a lithium battery pack. The two lines show the first to the sixth cell’s internal resistance. This information is only available for lithium batteries. Press the ‘Decrease’ or ‘Increase’ button to display more information. This screen displays the battery pack’s internal resistance. Press the ‘Dec’ or ‘Inc’ button to display the status information. 2>Check a battery’s capacity Use this program to check the capacity of a lithium battery. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button again and then press the ‘Decrease’ or ‘Increase’ button to select the battery type (LiPo/LiHV/LiFe/Lilo). Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for longer than 3 seconds. The display will show the lithium battery’s status during the balancing of the pack. Press the ‘Decrease’ or ‘Increase’ button to display the capacity of your battery pack once itbalanced. has been balanced. 24 3>Balancing a LiXx battery In this program,you can simply balance your 2-6S LiXX batteries using the integral balancer. The program displays the voltage for each cell in your battery pack. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button again, then press the ‘DEC’ or ‘Inc’ button to select your battery type (LiPo/LiHV/LiFe/LiIo). Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for greater than 3 second to begin the balancing process. The total voltage of the battery is displayed. The voltage of each cell is shown in this display. 4>Set up DC power supply voltage and current The charger's output can be used as a DC power supply. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button and a beep will sound. Press the ‘Decrease’ or ‘Increase’ button to adjust the digital power’s voltage and current. The voltage range is 5.0-25.0V and the current range is 0.1-10.0A. 25 Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for more than 3 seconds. The display will show the current, voltage and digital power duration. Note that the maximum power is 80W. You can easily break-in a new bushed electric motor using a variable voltage and running time. With this function you also check the motor’s performance to optimize your power-train.The break-in process is essential for maximizing the power of a new brushed motor.New motors have square brushes which press up against the curved cpmmutator.The break-in process gently shapes the brushes so that they develop a curved surface that fits snugly against the commutator giving greater conducting surface area with lower losses and higher effciency. The value shown on the right of the first line sets the test duration in minutes. The second line shows the upper current limit on the left and the drive voltage on the right. After setting the current and voltage, press the ‘Start/Enter’ for more than 3 seconds to start the new process. A beep will sound. The test time range is 1-90 min, Current is 0.1-20A, and the test voltage is 1-15V MOTOR 0.0A 19.87V DRV 000:43 0.0W MOTOR 0.0A 19.87V STOP000:00 0.0W 26 The top line of the display shows the drive current and voltage.The second line shows the output capacity (mAh) and in the lower right corner, it alternately displays the output power or total run time. You can stop the test at any time by pressing the ‘Start/Enter’ button. 6>Hot Wire Foam Cutter Drive In this mode, the charger acts as a convenient power supply for a hot wire foam cutter. 6>Hot Wire Foam Cutter DRV ---> FOAM CUT 30min 2.0A 12.00V The value on the right side of the first line shows the duration in minutes. The second line shows the upper current limit on the left side and the voltage on the right. After setting the current and voltage press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for more than 3 seconds to start the process. A beep will sound. The running time range is 0-90min, the Current is 0.1-20A and the voltage range is 1-40V. FOAM 0.0A 19.87V RUN 001:48 0.0W The top line of the display shows the foam cutting current and voltage. The second line shows the status and in the lower right corner alternately displays the output power or total run time. FOAM 0.0A 19.87V STOP000:00 0.0W You can stop the process at any time by pressing the ‘Start/Enter’ button. 7> Check ESC/Motor PPM and BL Motor RPM The Ascert is the first charger that incorporated a feature which allows you to check your brushless motor’s sensors and even measure motor RPM. In combination with the built-in receiver simulator port you can even control the motor’s speed to check for correct function. The receiver simulator port also allows servos to be checked. Press the ‘Start/Enter’ button, then press the ‘Decrease’ or ‘Increase’ button. After setting the max. and min. signal, press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for more than 3 seconds to start the process. The min. pulse width range is 700~1500us and max. pulse width range is 1500~2300us. 27 The status display screen shows the output signal and motor RPM. In this program, you can easily calculate the thrust of a propeller. Press the ‘Decrease’ or ‘Increase’ button to set up the RPM. The screen displays the thrust calculator and its power. After setting the RPM, press the ‘Start/Enter’ button for more than 3 seconds to start the process. 10.00V 20.0A Pi:200W Ef:84% 9>Measure External Temperature 9>Measure Ext. Tempra: 0C In this program, the charger can measure the external temperature using the optional temperature sensor. A>Measure Input Voltage and Output Voltage A> Measure VOL I:12.1V O:19.87V 28 In this program, the charger can measure DC Voltage. B>Measure TR/RX B>Measure TR/RX Signal: 0us In this program, the charger can measure the signal between Transmitter and Receiver. Warning and error information The Ascert incorporates a variety of safety functions that verify the processes and electronics. In the event of an error occuring, the screen will display the cause and emit a warning sound. Connected with incorrect polarity. Battery connection has been interrupted. Output terminals have been shorted. The voltage from the power source has been incorrectly set . The voltage of the battery pack has been incorrectly set . The charger has a malfunction. Seek the advice of a professional. The voltage is lower that the value that has been set. Carefully check the number of cells in the battery 29 The voltage is higher that the value that has been set. Carefully check the number of cells in the battery The voltage of one cell in the battery pack is too low. Check the voltage of each cell. The voltage of one cell in the battery pack is too high. Check the voltage of each cell. The charger has not been able to accurately detect the voltage of the battery from the connector. Please check the connector and leads. The internal temperature is too high. Allow the charger to cool. The processor cannot control the current required by the process Radient products are covered by the currently valid statutory warranty regulations. Radient and its authorised representatives accept no liability for loss, damage or costs which are caused by the incorrect or incompetent use of the product. For further information, please see the attached Warranty and Conformity document that is applicable to your territory. 30 For more information, please visit www.RadientRC.com or scan the QR code with your smart phone. 000625-001 (REV A)