EarthX ETX6A User Manual

ETX Lithium

111017_N

Battery User’s

Manual

Copyright© 2016 EarthX, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained in this document is the property of EarthX, Inc. EarthX reserves the right to make changes to its documents or products without notice. It is the responsibility of each user to ensure that all applications of EarthX’s products are as intended and safe based on conditions anticipated or encountered during use. The EarthX logo is a trademark of EarthX, Inc.

I C O N K E Y

 Valuable information

Caution

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Table of Contents

Overview ........................................................................................... 1

Technology Inside ............................................................................. 1

Battery Cells .................................................................................... 1

Battery Management System (BMS) ............................................... 1

ETX – Hundred Series .................................................................... 2

Specifications .................................................................................... 4

Discharge Versus Temperature ......................................................... 9

Self-discharge Rates ....................................................................... 10

Discharge Curves ............................................................................ 11

Installation ....................................................................................... 13

Battery Installation ......................................................................... 13

Fault Monitoring Installation (ETX Hundred Series) ...................... 14

Charging ......................................................................................... 16

Storage ........................................................................................... 17

Troubleshooting .............................................................................. 18

Regulations ..................................................................................... 20

Terminology .................................................................................... 20

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Overview

EarthX’s ETX Lithium batteries are designed as a maintenance free replacement for the 12 volt lead-acid or lithium batteries. To ensure a smooth replacement process, ETX batteries are similar in dimensions to many OEM motorsport or power sport batteries. The ETX lithium battery consists of 4 Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) cells in series and one or more in parallel with built in electronics to protect the battery from over-discharge, overcharge, balance the individual cell’s charge level, short circuit protection and temperature protection to prevent overheating.

Failure to follow all application use, installation, charging, and storage instructions may result in battery damage and or fire!

Technology Inside

Battery Cells

Our batteries use cells made of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4). This chemistry is one of the highest performance and safest on the market today.

Lithium batteries are fundamentally different than lead-acid batteries. A lithium battery voltage remains relatively constant while discharging, while voltage for a lead-acid battery decreases. A lithium battery’s storage capability is nearly 100% usable (measured as AmpHour, Ah); while a lead-acid battery designed for motorsports typically only has 30% useful storage. As such, 2Ah lithium battery has the equivalent “useable” capacity to a 6Ah leadacid. Also, a lithium battery’s cranking power is stronger, for the voltage while cranking is generally higher. But when the lithium battery runs out of power it does so more abruptly.

LiFePO4 cells by the nature of their chemistry are 3.3 volt. 12V lithium batteries are created by using 4 cells in series (technically it is a 13.2 volt battery, but nominally full charge voltage is >13.3V). Lead-acid batteries are also made with cells in series (6 cell). The difference is that lithium cells are a dry cell technology, where the cells are packaged individually. In a lead-acid battery the cells are package in the same case with an acid solution that supports the transfer of charge from higher voltage cells to ones with a lower voltage. Lithium cells cannot do this, so the cell’s charge level will diverge with repeated charge/discharge cycles and age. This condition reduces the performance of the battery (reduces capacity), for the battery charge level is only as good as the charge level of the weakest cell. Moreover, charging a battery with unbalanced cells results in one or more cells reaching the maximum charge (voltage) level before the rest of the cells in the series, which leads to over-charging of the cell(s).

Battery Management System (BMS)

The ETX Lithium battery’s integrated BMS continuously monitors each cell’s voltage. If the voltage of a cell exceeds the others, the BMS circuits will work to reduce that cell’s charge

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

level. This ensures that the charge level of all the cells remains equal, even with the high discharge (> 100Amps) and charge current (>10Amps) of your vehicle.

A cell can be permanently damaged if over-charged (over-voltage) or over-discharged (drained) just one time. The BMS has circuitry to disconnect the battery from the load/charging system (your vehicle) if the voltage exceeds 15.5 volts (an over-charge condition). The ETX Hundred Series batteries have enhanced over-charge protection; see the ETX - Hundred Series section below for more details. The BMS also disconnects the battery from the load if it is drained to less than 5% remaining charge (an over-discharge condition). An over-discharged battery typically has a voltage less than 11.5V. If the BMS disconnects the battery, the voltage reading of the battery will be zero volts. Excessive

cranking protection logic includes temperature monitoring to limit “high current use”

(engine cranking) to 10 -30 seconds in any 60 second period. If a low impedance load is connected to the battery, which causes the battery volts to instantaneously dip below 6V, the battery will disconnect from the load to protect the cells and BMS from damage (short circuit protection). The ETX series is designed for short circuit protection > 1000 amps.

Our lithium cells together with our BMS create the safest lithium battery on the market, with more starting power, and longer life.

The features of our ETX Lithium Batteries;

 Flexible battery connection – with center mounted terminals and terminal adapters,

the same batteries can be used in either left or right side polarity applications.

 Longer Storage Life –there is no need to float charge in the off season  Environmentally Friendly – no hazardous chemicals and it can be recycled

 Fast Charge – can be fully charged in less than an hour (if charged at the maximum

recommended charge rate )

 Maintenance Free!  No Special mounting direction (could even be mounted up-side-down)  Will Not Freeze or Boil Over – Lithium batteries are dry cell technology and will not

freeze or boil ever

ETX – Hundred Series

The ETX “Hundred Series” was specifically designed for the experimental aircraft market (models include the ETX680C, ETX680, ETX900, ETX1200). Only the ETX “Hundred

Series” battery models are recommended for use as the primary aircraft battery (starter

battery). In addition to the features found in the ETX series motorsports batteries, critical electronic circuits are redundant, the over-charge protection is enhanced and fault indication is included.

All components associated with main electronic battery disconnect are redundant. The built-in redundancy ensures that no single point failure results in the battery unintentionally disconnecting. The design aligns with the requirements for a FAA approved lithium battery as per RTCA performance specification DO-311.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

In the event of a charging system failure where the voltage increases to above 15.2V, the resistance to charging current increases, and above 16V the charging current is completely blocked. This design offers charge voltage protection up to 40V, exceeding the requirements of RTCA’s performance specification DO-311. The discharge current (current out of battery) is unaffected in this situation.

The battery’s micro-controller monitors all failure modes, and reports failures with a built-in LED indicator and discrete output. The discrete output for external fault monitoring is a single wire connection with ¼” quick connect terminal. The output is a “current sinking” type circuit (see diagram below) that can handle 100mA (connects the discrete output to battery ground if a fault is present). This output can be connected to an external 12V LED or general purpose discrete input of an EFSI. The fault output has two states; flashing (5 second cycle time) or solid. The flashing fault can indicate that the battery needs to be charged (check voltage of the battery and if less than 13.3V, you need to charge it) or it can indicates an abnormal condition with the batteries lithium cells such as one or more cells are over-discharged (>80% depth of discharge) or over-charged or cell voltage imbalance. The solid fault indicates a BMS hardware failure. For example, if the micro-controller fails the fault indication output is activated (on solid).



A sustained fault can indicate a serious issue with the battery or vehicle charging system that requires immediate attention. Discontinue use until the issue is resolved and the battery no longer indicates a fault. Continued use of a faulty battery can result in a cell rupture, the release of

flammable vapors, smoke and or a fire.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (lead-acid equivalent)

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

2.5 (1C rate)

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

140A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

80A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

20A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer Amps

.8 - 2A Max Charge Amps

12A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Weight

1 lb. (.5Kg)

Dimensions

4.5in x 2.6in x 3.7in (113mmX66mmX95mm)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (Lead-acid equivalent)

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

4 (1C rate)

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

220A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

135A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

40A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer Amps

.8 - 5A Max Charge Amps

20A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Specifications

Model: ETX6A-discontinued model as of 4-2016

Model: ETX12A, ETX12B (ETX12B discontinued as of 4-2016)

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Weight

1.3 lb. (.6Kg)

Dimensions

ETX12A 4.5in x 2.6in x 3.7in (113mmX66mmX95mm) ETX12B 5.3in x 2.6in x 4.1in (135mmX66mmX105mm)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (Lead-acid equivalent)

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

6.2 (1C rate)

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

340A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

230A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

60A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer Amps

.8 - 8A Max Charge Amps

30A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Weight

2.2 lb.(1Kg)

Dimensions

ETX18B 5.3in x 2.6in x 4.1in (135mmX66mmX105mm) ETX18C 5.9in x 3.4in x 4.5in (150mmX86mmX115mm) ETX18F 5.9in x 3.4in x 3.6in (150mmX86mmX93mm)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (Lead-acid equivalent)

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

8 (1C rate)

Model: ETX18B, ETX18C, ETX18F

Model: ETX24C, ETX24D

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

420A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

270A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

80A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer Amps

.8 - 10A Max Charge Amps

40A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Weight

2.6 lb. (1.2Kg)

Dimensions

ETX24C 5.9in x 3.4in x 4.5in (150mmX86mmX115mm) ETX24D 6.9in x 3.4in x 6.1in (175mm X86mm X155mm)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (Lead-acid equivalent)

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

12.4 (1C rate)

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

680A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

320A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

100A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer Amps

.8 - 15A Max Charge Amps

60A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Weight

3.9 lb. (1.8Kg)

Dimensions

ETX36C 5.9in x 3.4in x 4.5in (150mmX86mmX115mm)

ETX36D 6.9in x 3.4in x 6.1in (175mm

Model: ETX36C, D &E

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

X86mm X155mm) ETX36E 6.6in x 3.4in x 6.9in (166mm X86mm X175mm)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (Lead-acid equivalent)

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

24.8 (1C rate)

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

1200A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

600A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

150A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer Amps

.8 - 30A Max Charge Amps

120A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Weight

7.7 lb. (3.5Kg)

Dimensions

6.6in x 3.4in x 6.9in (166mm X86mm X175mm)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

12.4 (1C rate)

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

680A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

320A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

100A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer

.8 - 15A

Model: ETX48E

Model: ETX680/ETX680C

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Amps

Max Charge Amps

60A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Weight

4.1 lb. (1.9Kg)

Dimensions

ETX680 6.5in (L) x 3.1in (W) x 6.6in

(H) 166mm(L)x79mm(W)x168mm(H) ETX680C 5.9in (L) x 3.4in (W) x

4.5in (H) 150mm(L)x86mm(W)x115mm(H)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

16 (1C rate)

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

840A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

400A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

150A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer Amps

.8 - 20A Max Charge Amps

80A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Weight

4.9 lb. (2.2Kg)

Dimensions

6.5in (L) x 3.1in (W) x 6.6in (H) 166mm(L)x79mm(W)x168mm(H)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Model: ETX900

Model: ETX1200

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Nominal Voltage

13.2 V

Ah (1 hour discharge rate)

24.8 (1C rate)

Pulse Crank Amps (PCA)

1200A (3 sec @ 25 °C, voltage >9V)

Cold Crank Amps (CCA)

600A (modified SAE test, 3 sec@ 0°F, voltage >7.2V)

Max Continuous Discharge Amps

150A

Standard Charge Voltage

13.9 - 14.6 V

Maximum Charge Voltage

15 V

Recommended Charger/Maintainer Amps

.8 - 30A Max Charge Amps

120A (from vehicle charging system)

Life (Charge cycles)

4000 cycles @ 1C discharge rate, 25°C

(20% depth of discharge)

2000 cycles @10C discharge rate, 25°C

(80% depth of discharge)

Life (Years)

8 Years

Weight

7.7 lb. (3.5Kg)

Dimensions

6.6in (L) x 3.4in (W) x 6.9in (H) 168mm(L)x86mm(W)x175mm(H)

Environmental Rating (resistance to water intrusion)

IP 66 (wash down with a high pressure washer)

Operating Temperature

-30 °C to +60 °C

Storage Temperature

-40 °C to +70 °C

Discharge Versus Temperature

We use a similar Cold Cranking Amp test standard as the lead acid battery manufacturers (SAE test performed at 0°F, but 3 second discharge time vs 30 second). As such, our battery with a similar CCA rating as a lead acid battery should provide the same cranking performance at 0°F. But, below 0°F an equivalent lead acid battery will outperform a lithium battery (see the graph below).

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

100

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40

% of Peak Cranking Amps

Temp Deg C

Cranking Amps vs Temp

Lithium

Lead Acid

-30

-20

-10

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Temperature Deg C

Discharge Rate (%/Month)

Self Discharge Rate vs Temp

Self-discharge Rates

The self-discharge rate is dependent on temperature. At high temperatures (>25°C), the cell internal resistance decreases so the self-discharge rate increases. See the graph below for self-discharge rates (in % per month) versus temperature.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

0 1000 2000 3000 4000

mAh

ETX12A/B Discharge Curve (1C Rate)

25 Deg C

0 1000 2000 3000 4000

mAh

ETX12 Discharge Curve (4Ah, 25DegC)

10C

Discharge Curves

Voltage is not a good indication of the state-of-charge in lithium batteries. The first graph below shows the state-of-charge versus voltage at a 1C discharge rate for the ETX12 (representative of the ETX series batteries). Typically, lithium batteries require advanced methods like current counting to track the charge level. As seen from the graph, the voltage only varies .4V for nearly 80% of the discharge cycle at 25 deg C.

13.4V is a good indication of full charge, while 12.8V is an indication of full discharge at 25 deg C.

The two graphs below illustrates that usable Ah is nearly the same regardless of the discharge rate, with the voltage remaining above 11.5V for most of the discharge cycle.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

ETX36/680 Discharge Curve

(12Ah, 25DegC)

.1C Rate

.5C Rate

1C Rate

1.5C

0 1000 2000 3000 4000

mAh

ETX12A/B Discharge Curve (1C Rate)

-10 Deg C

-30 Deg C

25 Deg C

Like lead acid batteries, lithium batteries’ discharge performance is lower as the temperature decreases, meaning the voltages and the Ah are lower. The graph below shows the ETX12 discharge curves at a 1C rate over a wide operating temperature range. Note: there is 20% decrease in Ah and discharge voltage at -30deg C as compared to 25 deg C. All the EarthX ETX series batteries exhibit similar discharge curve profiles.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Installation

Battery Installation

Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are very robust, but if mishandled or misused they can rupture and they can burn. Never disassemble the battery or disable the built-in Battery Management System (BMS). Never jump start a battery from a car battery. Never expose the battery to fire or temperatures above 200° F or 100° C. Never short-circuit the positive and negative terminals of the battery. Follow these steps to properly and safely install your new ETX Lithium battery.

1. Remove the old battery, while paying attention to the routing and placement of

wires, cables and protective covers.

2. Check the battery cables and connectors for corrosion or damage. Pay special

attention to the positive battery cable (red cable), checking for cuts or wear marks in the insulation. Clean and or replace the battery cables as required.

3. (Skip this step if you don’t have front mounted terminals

or 5mm screws) If your vehicle’s battery cables connect

to the front of the battery, or uses 5mm screws, then you will need to use our battery terminal adapter. Connect the terminal adapter to the battery at this time. Make sure the Phillips screws are securely fastened (30-35inlbs), but do not over-tighten.

4. Measure the length, width and height of the

original battery. In some cases, the ETX Lithium battery will be smaller than the original. Use the included foam spacers to make the new battery the same or slightly bigger than the original. In some cases multiple adhesive backed foam spacers will have to be stacked together. For our larger batteries, like the ETX18C or ETX24C use two stacks of foam on each end of the bottom of the battery to build up the height (see the picture to the right).

5. Place the battery in the vehicle and check that it is a snug fit.

6. Connect the positive (red) cable first. Make sure the Phillips screw is securely

fastened (30-35in-lbs), but do not over-tighten. Next, connect the negative (black) cable. Do not connect the battery in reverse polarity (positive to negative or negative to positive).

7. Re-install the battery holder or strap and tighten securely. Re-secure all the wires and

cables with zip-ties or other fasteners.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

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Be careful that the positive battery terminal does not or will not touch any metal parts of the vehicle.

Fault Monitoring Installation (ETX Hundred Series)

The ETX Hundred Series batteries have a discrete output that can be connected to many aircraft Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) electronics or to a remote mounted LED. The diagrams below detail the required connections for both type installations.



Installation of the battery in the cockpit is not recommended, unless the battery is properly vented over-board.

To test the internal LED and or external LED, touch the fault monitoring wire to battery negative.

The discrete output for external fault monitoring is a single wire with ¼” quick connect terminal.

The ¼” quick connect terminal is an insulated “female” type and should be compatible with most

other manufacturers insulated male ¼” quick connect terminals. The following two examples detail how to connect the fault monitoring output to an EFIS general purpose discrete input. The EFIS DC source negative must be referenced to the battery negative (this is the standard configuration).

Fault Monitoring Connection to Dynon Avionics EFIS

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Fault Monitoring Connection to Garmin EFIS

The following example details how to connect the fault monitoring output to a remote 12V LED. The positive wire (anode, typically the red wire) of the LED should be connected to the electrical bus (positive), and the negative of the LED (cathode, typically the black wire) should be connected to the fault monitor wire of the battery.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Model

Charging Amps

Charging Time

ETX6

1 amp

3 hour

2 amp

1.5 hour

3 amp

45 min.

ETX12

1 amp

4 hour

3 amp

1.5 hour

5 amp

45 min.

ETX18

1 amp

6 hour

5 amp

1.2 hour

8 amp

45 min.

ETX24

1 amp

8 hour

5 amp

1.5 hour

10 amp

45 min.

ETX36/ ETX680 ETX680C

1 amp

12 hour

5 amp

2.5 hour

15 amp

45 min.

ETX900

1 amp

16 hour

5 amp

3 hour

20 amp

45 min.

ETX48/ ETX1200

1 amp

24 hour

5 amp

5 hour

30 amp

45 min.

Charging

Failure to follow these instructions may result in damage to the battery!

The ETX Lithium battery is shipped fully charged if ordered directly from EarthX, so try to start the vehicle without charging. If ordering from an authorized dealer, it is recommended you check the voltage first and if it is above 13.3V, continue to install and start vehicle. If at any time the vehicle will not start or the battery seems low, charge it for the recommended time and charge rates shown below and disconnect the charger when charging is complete. The recommended charge rates are detailed in the specification section above. The maximum charge rate in the specification section is related to the vehicle charging system. Never exceed the maximum charging amps for your battery.

This table shows typical charging times for the different ETX series batteries:

Lithium batteries have a very low self-discharge rate which means the battery, if

disconnected from your vehicle, could “hold its charge” for a year. That said, modern

vehicles like touring style motorcycles use power from the battery even with the key in the off position. In those cases we recommend disconnecting a battery cable from the battery during long term storage (greater than 2 months) or using a charger.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

The ETX Lithium battery is compatible with most “modern” lead-acid battery chargers or 4cell LiFePO4 battery chargers. By “modern” we mean a charger that automatically turns off when the battery is fully charged, a charger with a micro-processor, or a charger with multiple mode charging. The “full charge” voltage for the ETX Lithium battery is 13.3V or higher. Some lead-acid battery trickle chargers maintenance mode voltage can be below

13.3V, which is too low for a lithium battery. For example, the Battery Tender JR has a maintenance mode voltage of 13.3V which is compatible, whereas the original Battery Tender has a maintenance mode voltage of 13.2V which is too low for a lithium battery.

Never charge a faulty battery (a battery that will not accept a charge or hold a

charge).

Never use the de-sulfate setting on your charger. Be sure the charger’s output

voltage level does not exceed 15V. If the charger does not display the voltage reading, then use a voltmeter to check the voltage while charging.

If the battery gets hot while charging, discontinue charging and use.

Do not charge battery in temperatures above 140 degrees F (60C), or in direct

sunlight.

When charging a battery, place it on a non-flammable surface, and remove any

flammable items nearby.

For maximum battery and vehicle starting system life, do not crank an engine

for more than 10 seconds within any 1 minute period.

Storage

If the vehicle is to be put in storage for an extended period of time, disconnect the battery cable to eliminate drain from the vehicle’s electrical system. A fully charged battery can be put in storage for over a year without charging.

Our batteries can be stored at temperatures between -40°C to +70°C. Our batteries have no liquid inside and will not freeze.

Do not incinerate or expose to open flames!

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Troubleshooting

The ETX Lithium battery is an extremely reliable battery with a longer useful life than comparable lead-acid batteries.

Despite the high reliability, you may encounter situations where the battery does not operate as expected. Here are some potential issues you may encounter with the appropriate troubleshooting procedures.

Problem

The charger shuts down during the first few seconds of charging.

Possible Causes and Solutions

Are you using a Constant Voltage (CV) charger? CV chargers may trip when first connected to a drained battery due to a high inrush of current. If this happens, reset the charger and try again. If the problem continues, try using a different charger.

Problem

Zero voltage at the terminals or un-stable voltage (voltage reading drifts slowly to zero). With a lead-acid battery, finding a very low voltage at the terminals often indicates the battery has reached the end of its life. With an ETX Lithium battery this may not be true. Possible Causes and Solutions The ETX series lithium battery has built-in over-discharge protection circuitry, which automatically disconnects the battery if the voltage drops below 11.5 volts (98% discharged).

When the battery is “disconnected”, the voltage at the battery terminal should be zero.

Some volt-meters may initially indicate a voltage, but it will decay to zero within ten seconds or so. For a drained battery, simply connect the battery to a charger to restore charge (charge with 2A for 20-30 minutes), and then re-check the voltage. If the voltage is 12.8V or greater, the battery should be ok and can be fully charged. Not all chargers will charge a battery that displays zero volts, so check our website for a list of compatible chargers, and specifically chargers that will work for recharging an “over-discharged” battery for which the BMS’s over-discharge protection has activated. This condition is sometimes referred to as a BMS reset.

Problem

The battery seems to suddenly stop working.

Possible Causes and Solutions

A lithium battery voltage remains relatively constant while discharging, but when the battery runs out of power it does so abruptly. Try charging the battery for 30-60 minutes at 1 – 2 Amps. If the battery still does not work, or the measured voltage is less than 12V, the battery may be permanently damaged and needs to be replaced.

Problem

The battery does not hold a charge.

Possible Causes and Solutions

There may be a problem with the vehicle charging system: While the charging system is in operation, it should output approximately 13.9 -14.6 volts. If the voltage is below this level, the charging system needs to be repaired.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

The vehicle electrical system may have a short circuit or current drain: Measure the current out of the battery when the vehicle and all vehicle accessories are shutoff. The current reading should be near zero (less than 3mA). If not, the vehicle has an electrical problem that needs to be fixed. The terminals on the battery are not tightly connected: Tighten the terminal connections. A cell may be defective: there is no fix for this except replacing the battery. The battery may have reached the end of its life: Replace the battery.

Problem

The vehicle does not want to start in cold weather.

Possible Causes and Solutions

Lithium batteries internal resistance increases as the temperature decreases, so the battery will put out fewer amps in cold weather (less than 32 deg F). You may need a larger Ah / cranking amp battery.

Problem

How do I know if my battery charger is working? Possible Causes and Solutions The newer fully automatic chargers need to be hooked up to a battery before they will output any voltage. This is primarily a safety feature that prevents spark when hooked up, and protects the charger against reverse polarity hookup. Some chargers need to ‘see’ as much as 9.5 volts before they recognize that they are attached to a battery. Once the charger is hooked up, it’s output voltage should increase, up to 14.6 volts. If your charger does not do this, you may want to contact the charger manufacturer for further troubleshooting tips.

Problem

How do I know if my vehicle charging system is working? Possible Causes and Solutions Connect a voltmeter to the battery. Measure the voltage before the vehicle is started (should be approximately 13- 13.6V. Start the vehicle and run the engine at 3000 – 4000 RPM for one minute. The voltage should increase after the vehicle is started, to approximately 13.9 -

14.7 volts. If your charging system does not output a voltage higher than the battery (when the vehicle is stopped), there may be a problem with the charging system.

Problem

The battery gets hot when discharging or charging. Possible Causes and Solutions Lithium batteries can “heat up” when subjected to high amperage discharging and charging. If your battery feels hot during use, stop using it (charging or dis-charging it) and let it cool down. If this continues it is an indication of a serious problem and the battery needs to be replaced.

E T X S E R I E S L I T H I U M B A T T E R I E S

Ah Amp-Hour is a unit of measure of charge that can be stored in a battery.

BMS

The Battery Management System refers to the collection of electronics responsible for monitoring and controlling the cell charge level, providing over charge protection and over discharge protection

Cell

A single encased electrochemical unit (one positive and one negative electrode) which exhibits a voltage differential across two terminals.

OEM

Original Equipment Manufacturer

IEC

International Electro-technical Commission on safety standards.

Regulations

The ETX Lithium battery was tested to the following safety regulations as outlined in:

 IEC 62660-2  IEC 61960:2011  CE — EU consumer safety, health and environmental regulations. Signifies

conformity with EMC directive (2004/108/EC)

These standards set the level of safety required for lithium batteries. The standard addresses normal and abnormal operating conditions.

Lithium batteries have special requirements for transportation (shipping) per UN 38.3 and Title (part) 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations or CFR’s. Title 49 CFR Sections 100-185 of the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

Terminology

The following table describes the terminology used in this document.

EarthX ETX6A User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual