CHARGE-DISCHARGE TESTER GCDT250A12V
USER MANUAL
Belgrade, July 2003.
1. TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. TABLE OF CONTENTS
2. GAUS CHARGE-DISCHARGE TESTER GCDT250A12V
3. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
4. LCD Display
4.1. Hierarchy of menus in GCDT
4.2. Setting mode
4.3. Main screen (display)
4.4. The list of all the messages GCDT is able to register while operating
5. INSTRUCTION FOR USE
5.1. Charge
5.2. Discharge
6. DEVICE SETTINGS
6.2. STARTING CHARGE
6.3. STARTING DISCHARGE TEST
7. ALGORITHM
7.1. CHARGE ALGORITHM
7.2. DISCHARGE TEST
8. LEGEND OF MARKS (SIGNS) AND CONCEPTS
8.1. Default values, ranges
9. PRECAUTION MEASURES
10. FIGURES
2. GAUS CHARGE-DISCHARGE TESTER GCDT250A12V
GCDT250A12V is microprocessor device for charging, maintenance and testing lead-acid 12V batteries. It is developed as a consequence of need for small, easy for use, safe, reliable and relatively cheep device for servicing and maintenance of starter batteries. GCDT is transformer-diode charger with resistance for testing the start capability. Charge regime is automatically selected depending on level of emptiness of battery or on conditions in main supply. Charging is realized by combining 4 phases (2 phases of intensive charge, recharge phase, “maintenance” phase), voltage, current, duration and capacity are controlled and many precaution measures are implemented (figure 5.).
Device is microprocessor, with measuring current, voltage, temperature of heat sink of rectifier diodes and energy transformer, so it is possible to implement different algorithms. It is possible to change voltage and current limits, conditioning of charge characteristic, pausing, waiting for event (measuring Ah during charge), conditioning end of charging, connection with PC computer, analyze and printing charge and discharge graphs etc.
Thanks to voltage limit, it is possible to charge without surveillance, because there is not over charge (over night or during weekend). As well, in a case of main power failure during charge, after it’s returning device automatically continues charging with parameters which were previously set (before power failure). Discharging is dissipative with indication of current, voltage, elapsed time and dissipated capacity. LCD display with 2x16 characters shows values of current, voltage, time, capacity, warnings, wrong actions etc. Device is placed in red plasticified steel box with PVC distancers and handle. Main switch, start (scroll) and stop (select) buttons, switches C/D (Charge/Discharge) and R/S (Ready/Set), led diodes, LCD display for indication and connector for communication with PC computer are placed on the devices front panel (figure 1.). Charge and discharge cables and connectors (de montage-figure 3.), power supply cable, automatic fuse in DC circuit of charger, fuse in AC circuit and holders for cables are on the back panel of device (figure 2, figure 4.).
With software GCDTS v1.01 (figure 6,7,8.) it is possible to connect device with PC computer via RS232 serial port. Software gives opportunity of showing charge and discharge graphs in real time, possibility of reading charge and discharge data in case that device wasn’t connected with PC, printing and storing the results, creating reports etc.
Discharge resistor value is chosen in a way to achieve 250A from battery when voltage on it’s ends is 10V (0.04R). LCD display and sound signalization help discharge operation by stopwatch and beeping each 5 sec, as well as by freezing last discharge values (at the end of discharge test). After finishing discharge operation, user could read on LCD display complete memorized results of discharge test (values of voltage, current, capacity for each second during test).
Gaus Charge-Discharge Tester GCDT250A12V has following protections:
- No sparks during connecting or disconnecting plugs from battery in charge operation
- Forced air cooling
- Control of a minimum of allowed connected battery voltage (forbidden start for voltages less than 2V)
- Temperature protection on heat-sink of semiconductor energy components
- Temperature protection of energy transformer (bad conditions in main supply)
- In case of main power failure, after its restoring, charging automatically continues with earlier set parameters
- Slow fuse 4A 20mm in AC circuit
- Automatic slow fuse 40A in DC circuit
- Soft start circuit for energy transformer
- Impossible start of charge and discharge simultaneously
- Short circuit protection (if detected current is more than 30A charger is automatically turned off)
- Over voltage protection
- Protection from plugs (cables) falling during charge (freezing device until solving of problem)
Please note:
Be careful about polarity of plugs in charge! In case of mistake, the only protection is automatic fuse 40A, so there is a risk of permanent damage.
3. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
-Type of voltage converter: transformer-diode charger, resistance discharger
-Supply 230V +/- 10%, 50Hz 450W;
-Nominal input current:2,5A
-Maximal start current:3,5A
-Instruments:LCD display 2x16 characters, ampermeter 0-40,00A, voltmeter 0-20,00V, stopwatch 0-99sec, temp1 –99 do 99C, temp2 –99 do 99C
-Nominal charge current 22A (electronic control system permits current between 25A i 30A for a max. of 5 minutes)
-Charge voltage: 17,2V (phase of intensive charge, choice from 14.4 to 18V), 16V (“maintenance”)
-Number of combinations of transformer windings in primer: 4
-Minimal charge voltage 2V;
-Dimensions (WxDxH): 245x460x160mm;
-Weight: 16kg;
-Cables with Pb plugs: l=1,5m, S=6/16mm2
-Ambient temperature: 0 do +40C
Please note:
-Easy changing of charging parameters and algorithm, possibility of communication with PC computer…
Charger:Current range / 0-24A
Voltage range / 2-18V
Charge voltage / 18V max,
For Ca-Ca bat. 17.2V, 16V (see algorithm)
For Sb Pb bat. 16.2V, 15.2V
Output power / 370VA
Supply / Monophase 50Hz, 450W, 230VAC +/-10%
Capacity / Charging of one 12V battery (six cells in serial connection) from Cn=33Ah to Cn=210Ah
Resolution / 100mA i 25mV
Accuracy / Better than 10%
Waveform of current / Full diode bridge
Power unit / Rectifier diodes, transformer
Over current protection / 30A
Over voltage protection / 19V
Ŋ / 75%
Cooling / Forced air
Control characteristic / Charger with voltage and current limit
Control variable / Current, voltage, capacity Ah, time
LCD display during charge / Status, current, voltage, phase, Ah…
Discharger:
Discharge current / 250A when voltage on resistor is 10V, duration max 20sec, pause of min. 5min between two successive tests
LCD display during discharge / Time of discharging with resolution 0.1sec, beep signal on each 5sec, freezing of last measured values during discharge
GCDT250A12V:
Display / LCD display with 2x16 characters
Control elements / Main switch, start and stop buttons, switches C/D and R/S, LED diodes
Housing / Steel red plasticified box
Dimension (WxDxH) / 245x460x160mm
Weight / 16kg
4. LCD Display
4.1. Hierarchy of menus in GCDT
4.2. Setting mode
Setting mode can be entered only while the device is in READY mode (charge or discharge process has not been started). By turning R/S switch on the device turns into a setting mode and yellow led diode is on. In this mode buttons STOP and START take new meanings such as SCROLL and SELECT respectively. Navigation through menus is done by SCROLL button, by pressing SELECT one can enter submenu. If there are not sub-menus, than SCROLL acts like an increment of specific numeric values, and SELECT is used to confirm the set value. It is possible to reach desired specific value even faster by constant pressure onto SCROLL button. At any point it is possible to turn setting mode off and return to READY mode by simple click onto R/S switch when yellow LED diode turns off and the green turns on. All the previous done setting has been saved.
4.3. Main screen (display)
The example of enlarged main screen:
C / H / R / 6 / . / 2 / A / h / 1 / 5 / . / 4 / 8 / V0 / 0 / : / 3 / 1 / : / 4 / 9 / ! / 3 / 1 / 4 / . / 3 / A
The first three characters in the first line of LCD display show the condition of device and they can be:
CHR-marks charge operation,
DIS -marks discharge operation,
FIN-marks finished operation,
PA-marks the condition of pause during alarm,
RDY-marks ready condition after reset or at turning on the device.
The following 7 characters are reserved for capacity display. Second line begins with a clock (altogether 8 characters for hours, minutes and seconds during charge process and 7 characters for minutes, seconds and tenths during discharge process).
Ninth character of second line (such as exclamation mark) can be:
SPACE-marks process with factory values,
!-Marks process with user defined values,
P-marks intensive charge phase (see charge algorithm)
Tenth character in second line is a number 0-4. It shows current active winding of a transformer through which the charge current is realized. Zero (0) stands for OFF, number one (1)-winding with the lowest charge current, number four (4)-winding with the highest charge current. The following character might be:
SPACE-the device has a tendency of stable current
-The device has a tendency of lowering the current
-The device has a tendency of increasing current.
Second line finishes with current info. Blinking the alarm message on the main screen shows alarm conditions.
4.4. The list of all the messages GCDT is able to register while operating
It shows while turning the switch on if the device is plugged (Power ON).Right after turning the device it’s been checked whether it had turned off by pressing OFF button or by power failure during charge process. If GCDT detects this situation the previous charge process continues automatically.
When the user decides to set Voltage Limit & Charge Duration onto factory set values (17.2V & 24h), after selected menu, GCDT informs him on the ending of this operation
If the user sets a new value to Charge Duration, after that charge process will be stopped (if it hasn’t been stopped for other condition or manually).
If the user did not set new value to Charge Duration it would have a factory set value (24 hours). After that time charge process would be stopped (if it had not been stopped earlier under any other condition or even manually).
If the user set Capacity Limit (it had not been set in the factory), charge process would be stopped when the battery gets a certain amount of Ah. E.g. Capacity Limit=66Ah will stop charge when the battery get 66Ah.
This message appears when the user manually stops charge process by pressing STOP button.
If START switch is pressed in discharge mode, the device expects battery connection for discharge process.
By disconnecting a load, the stopwatch automatically “freezes” with last measured current, voltage and capacity values. When this message appears it is possible to continue discharge process by reconnecting the load again (Cumulative Capacity).
This is a kind of alarm that happens when GCDT detects discharge current during charge process (user’s mistake). At this stage charge process completely stops and discharge process is automatically activated.
Alarm, when a higher voltage battery has been connected. Charge start is not possible!
Alarm caused by a load disconnection, automatic fuse fail, and low battery voltage or cable disconnection. By turning the alarm off charge will automatically be continued.
If charge process was started by user setting (not ones set by factory), this warning would inform him and would give him an opportunity to give up.
If the transformer temperature is over 80C charge process will automatically be stopped. Start is not possible at this stage. The charge process will automatically be continued when the temperature falls under 60C unless the user resets the device earlier.
If diode bridge heat sink temperature is over 80C charge process will automatically stop. Start is not possible. The charge process will automatically be continued when the temperature falls under 60C unless the user resets the device earlier.
Ambient temperature is too low. Start is not possible. If charge was on it would be stopped until temperature exceed –15C. Then it automatically continues unless the user hasn’t manually reset GCDT.
Device will show this message if the last operation wasn’t discharge operation or if discharge lasted less than a second.
After intensive charge phase is finished, regular charge process begins and timer is started (30 minutes). If in 30min battery voltage doesn’t reach PVOLT LIMIT, the battery is considered damaged, charge process stops and this message appears on the screen.
5. INSTRUCTION FOR USE
5.1. Charge
Figure 1, figure 7.
1.Turn the power supply socket on;
2.Turn POWER switch on;
3.An intro message will appear on LCD display and will be on for 3 seconds. After this message the device will automatically continue charging process if it has already been on, or off by power fail or by a violent switching off. In that case another message, from the previous list, will be shown, charging process will be either continued or finished by pressing STOP button. If R/S switch is in READY position (green READY LED diode is on) MAIN SCREEN will be shown on LCD display and it is possible to read current battery voltage. If R/S switch is in SET mode (yellow LED diode is on), it should be turned into READY mode. At this level some settings could be made (that will be explained in the following text);
4. Connect charger loads onto the battery in a right way. Red load connects onto plus pole, and the black one onto a minus pole of the battery. PLEASE NOTE! Poles on the battery should be cleaned and a load properly fixed. Should be kept in mind to choose a connection for charge;
5.Turn C/D switch into CHARGE position (red LED diode CHARGE is on);
6.By pressing START button the device will ask you to select one out of five capacity values that are offered (see device setting). Selection is made by SCROLL button (STOP button), and the set value is being confirmed by pressing SELECT (START button) once again, which starts charging process;
7.It is possible to follow charging process on LCD display (time that passed, charge current, charge voltage, inserted Ah capacity, current active winding of a transformer through which the charge current is realized, charge tendency as well as the process status and eventually appeared irregular states caused by load disconnecting, warming-up etc.);
8.It is possible to stop the charging process at any time by pressing STOP button.
5.2. Discharge
Figure 6, figure 8.
- Switch the power supply socket;
- Connect the black cable load marked by minus onto a minus pole of the battery. The red cable load (exit Charge plus) must be disconnected from the battery.
- Turn the POWER switch ON.
- An INTRO message will appear on LCD display and will be on for 3 seconds. After this message the device will automatically try to continue charging process if it has already been on, or eventually off by a power fail. In that case another message, listed before, will be shown and pressing STOP button should stop the process. If R/S switch is in READY mode (green READY LED diode is on) MAIN SCREEN will be displayed on LCD display. If R/S switch is in SET mode (yellow LED diode is on) it should be turned into READY mode.
- Turn C/D switch into DISCHARGE (red LED diode DISCHARGE is on).
- By pressing START button the CONNECT DISCH message will be displayed. WAITING CURRENT informs the user that another cable should be connected (contact needle on a red DISCHARGE cable) onto batteries plus pole.
- Connect the needle to plus pole of the battery by a very strong action to avoid sparkles. The stopwatch will automatically be activated and measure discharge time.
- It is possible to follow discharging process on LCD display (time that passed, discharge current, battery voltage, emptied Ah capacity). If it is not possible to see data on the display, there is a programmed sound signaling system that can activate a buzzer at a certain time intervals (see device setting). That interval was set at 5 seconds according to production evaluation and could be changed if necessary. Discharging process should not exceed 15 seconds for it may cause device damage!
- It is possible to stop discharging process at any time by disconnecting current needle from battery’s plus pole.
Please note: Voltage values on LCD display during charge and discharge process are different from those on battery loads (because of voltage drop on cables).
6. DEVICE SETTINGS
6.1. USER SETTINGS
Default settings – By this command all the original settings (set by a producer) are back. Charge Condition – This is a group of conditions that can be given while charging.
Time Condition – is given when it is necessary to stop charger after specific time of charging (default – 24h).
Capacity Condition – is given when it is necessary to stop charger after the set capacity is reached during charging.
Voltage Condition – is used to set voltage limit that determines a voltage from which the charge will start lowering the current, the point where it will pass into the recharging phase.
Buzzer Time – set the interval of time for buzzer signaling during the discharge test. (default – 5 sec). Since power load pressing moment, the buzzer will mark time interval to stop discharge process, just in case it is invisible on display.
System Settings – This is a group of settings especially set only by producer or authorized and skilled person. You need a password to enter.
Power Fail last process – This option shows the number of power fails during charge process. Discharge Results in last test – There are results in last test in this menu. Results are arranged by durability in sec. (20 sec. Max). They show the current and the voltage, written at a certain second of a discharge test.
Please note: All settings, except for «System Settings», remain saved only till the first switching off. The original settings are back after the following activation.
6.2. STARTING CHARGE
Certain settings have to be done regarding the way of charge when START button is pressed.
User Settings Press Start – Warns the user that certain settings are changed so that charge process will follow user’s settings. Charge process begins by pressing START button. After certain time (while charging) “!” mark appears on the display, which means that charge follows user’s settings.
Select Unconditional Capacity – This is option that gives user a possibility to select unconditional charge regime. Option NONE skips this charge phase and switches onto a normal battery charge. Every option that follows will start intensive charge phase. Within this phase charge input capacity is given. Please note! No voltage and current limits are applied in this phase (except for the alarm ones). Battery is charged without restrictions. Only alarm conditions are important for this phase (alarm voltage and current higher than 30A). So the user has to precisely estimate which capacity will battery be able to accept without overcharge or damage. There is a “P” letter shown on display during this phase.