ELPROG Pulsar-EQUAL Instructions Manual

PULSAR-EQUAL v 1.10

Art.No.: 1126

10.12.2011

The Pulsar-EQUAL is a professionally designed and built, micro processor controlled balancer/equalizer and
tester. The Pulsar-EQUAL is able to equalize the voltage of single cells in an accupack in a very sh ort time. All
types of Lithium-Accus from 2 to 12 cells can be equalized. Because of the very high continuous performance
even high capacity cells can be handled in a minimum amount of time.

The development of the Pulsar-EQUAL concentrated on offering most complete and precise information of each
cell in an accupack. The display informs in detail about all operations in real-time and the voltage of all cells is
visible at all times. The entire processing can be captured by a PC and allows interpretation and comparison at a
later point in time.

In order to keep the charging time to the minimum, the Pulsar-EQUAL offers a very high equalizing
performance of 45 W with a maximum equalizing current of 4 A, limited to 0.75 A per single cell. The Pulsar-
EQUAL controls all charging parameters of the cells and is able to communicate with chargers like the Pulsar 2
or Akkumatik to reduce the charge or discharge current, if required. The Pulsar-EQUAL will even initiate an
emergency shut down of the charging process, if the positive charging leads are connected to it.

During the equalizing process, the cells with the highest voltage in the accupack deliver the energy for the cells
with the lowest voltage. This principle increases the overall efficiency and reduces the load on the power supply,
e.g. a starter battery.

Technical Data

Type of Accus Li-Ion, Li-Po, Li-Ph (Li-Ion FePO4)
Max. Equalizing Performance 45 W
Max. Equalizing Current per Cel l 0,25 A; 0,5 A; 0,75 A (continuous)
Min. Equalizing Current per Cell 25 mA; 50 mA ;75 mA (continuous)
Max. Operating Current of Pulsar-EQUAL Up to 1,2 A
No. Of Cells equalized simultaneously 1 to 11 (12 Channels)
Modes of Operation Test, Equal, Fast
Operating Voltage 6 to 60 V
Quiescent Current At 2 cells: 18 mA; at 12 cells: 10 mA
Timer 2 h; 4 h; unlimited
Displaytype/Size LCD / 133x64 mm
Emergency shut down at 75 V; 15 A
Air Cooler Temperature regulated
Dimensions ca. 120 x 110 x 34 mm
Weight abt. 300 g

Warnings

- READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL BEFORE THE FIRST USE OF THE PULSAR-EQUAL

- Never make any changes to the Pulsar-EQUAL, internally or externally

- Always check the correct polarity

- Avoid any moisture or dust

- Avoid any short circuits

- Do not cover the cooling fan case opening or stick anything into it

- If you detect any irregularities during operation, stop the process immediately and call the service line.

- Never leave the Pulsar-EQUAL unattended

EG-Conformity

We herewith declare the conformity of the Pulsar-EQUAL with EN 55014-1:2000+A1:2001+A2:2002 und EN
55014-2:1997+A1:2001 (Cat.II)

The Pular-Equal is labelled with: Dispose of Pulsar-EQUAL according
to your countries regulations.
Producer:

ELPROG
ul. Przemysłowa 1/611
PL 35-105 Rzeszów

General Distribution:

pp-rc Modellbau Piechowski
Weidenstieg2
25337 Kölln-Reisiek
GERMANY
Tel.: [phone] Fax: [phone] www.pp-rc.de WEEE-Reg.-Nr DE77074747

Introduction

Lithium-Accus are to be charged with the CC/CV (Constant Current/Constant Voltage) process. A specific
charge cut off voltage per cell should not be exceeded. For lithium-polymere cells this charge cut off voltage is

4.2 V. Charging above this voltage will damage the cell and may result in total de struction with the danger of
fire or even explosion.

When using li-po-accupacks, the voltage of the cells in an accupack tend to drift. This can lead to dangerous
voltage differences between the cells in an accupack.

Example: If you want to charge a 5S-Li-Po-Accupack, the charger will charg e the pack to the charge cut-off
voltage of 21V. (5 x 4.2 V). Assume 4 of the cells have a voltage of 4,1 V then the charger would end the
charging process when the fifth cell has a voltage of 4.6 V. Overcharging th is cell is dang erous and may cau se a
fire. A balancer will avoid this and protect your accupack.

Balancer and Equalizer differ in the way they operate. A balancer can only equalize the cells during charging.
Once a cell reaches the charge cut-off voltage, charging of this cells is terminated by diverting the charge current
into resistors, converting the energy into heat.(like a Voltage Limiter) An equalizer is able to equalize the voltage
of cells in an accupack without the charging process. Up to date equalizers transfer the energy of the cells with
the highest voltage to the cells with the lowest voltage in the accupack. This principle is adopted by the Pulsar-
EQUAL. Balancing/Equalizing only makes sense at a certain voltage level. The Pulsar-EQUAL will start
equalizing at a voltage of 3.8 V per cell and will apply its full perfo rmance once the cell h as reached a voltag e of

4.0 V.

It should be mentioned, that equalizing of the cells in an accupack is not required at each charge. You will learn
from experience, how your accupacks perform regarding voltage drifting of the cells and you will know, when to
equalize the accupack.

However, we suggest to use the Pulsar-EQUAL at all times, to play it safe and always have full control over
your expensive lithium accupacks.

Connection and Control Elements

1. Display

2. Control button

3. Air cooler

4. RS 232 (connecting cable comes with the kit)

5. Sockets for charge leads (shut down function)

6. Socket to connect the accupack

Device Connection

Accupack

Connect your accupack (2 to 12 cells) with the Pulsar-EQUAL via the 15 pole plug. Please mind the polarity
and pin connections. False connections may result in damaging the Pulsar-EQUAL or your accupack. The
proper connection of pins and cells in an accupack is shown below (refer to left drawing).

8 - Temp.Sensor*
7 + Cell 12
6 + Cell 10
5 + Cell 8
4 + Cell 6
3 + Cell 4
2 + Cell 2
1 - Cell 1

Connector

on Equal

We recommend to use our accu interface, providing a communication cable to the Pulsar 2 charger and a
connection socket for the temperature sensor. The accu interface also allows to install the most popular balancer
plugs in use today (for details, refer to the drawing at top right). If you are planning on your own balancer
system, keep in mind, that pins 8 and 15 can be used to establish a connection to the Pulsar 2 via the temperature
sensor socket. In mounting a parallel temp socket to these pins, the temperature sensor will stay operational.
Required plugs, sockets and cable are available from your local electronic parts shop.

Charger

As usual, you select the desired charge
parameters at the charger. Next, you connect
the positive charge lead of the charger to one
of the red connection sockets of the Pulsar-
EQUAL. At the other red socket you connect
another charging lead to connect the
accupack. Now you connect the
communication cable to the temp sensor
socket of the Pulsar 2. Following you connect the n egative charging lead to the charger and the accupack.. After
this, you connect the balancer cable to the Pulsar-EQUAL. You are now ready to select the Pulsar-EQUAL
parameters and to start the process. Attention – the disconnection of the plus wire will be active until the
Pulsar-EQUAL is started. Before starting the Pulsar-EQUAL, the charger will not detect any accumulator. The
loop in of plus wire is not necessary if the charger can communicate with the Pulsar-EQUAL via data cable.

15 + Temp.Sensor *
14 + Cell 11
13 + Cell 9
12 + Cell 7
11 + Cell 5
10 + Cell 3
9 + Cell 1

*- Connection to Pulsar
charger

– +

EQUAL

ACCU PA

Accu interface (Minus Cell 1)

CK

+

B
–

CHARGER

+ red
– black

13 + Cell 12
12 + Cell 11
11 + Cell 10
10 + Cell 9
9 + Cell 8
8 + Cell 7
7 + Cell 6
6 + Cell 5
5 + Cell 4
4 + Cell 3
3 + Cell 2
2 + Cell 1
1 - Cell 1

Settings and Operation

General

The Pulsar-EQUAL is operated with only one control button. The Pulsar-EQUAL differentiates between
pushing the button short (less than 1 second) and long (more than 3 seconds). A short push will verify a choice
or change the operating parameters. A long push of the button will start the menu. Connecting an accupack to the
Pulsar-EQUAL is acknowledged by a short “beep”. Pushing the button once shortly will start the o peration of
the Pulsar-EQUAL, using the settings of the former process. In order to change the parameters you need to push
the control button for more than 3 seconds.
ATTENTION: If the process doesn’t start within 15 seconds, there will appear the information „PUSH
BUTTON“ and an acoustic signal.

Memory sets

After entering into configuration mode actually chosen memory set (1, 2 or 3) is flashing for ab. 3 seconds.
Each set can store different settings of: work mode, power settings, sleep or accu type. It makes settings faster
when working with different accu types. When the program number is flashing, a brief button push will switch
memory set to the next (looped 1-2, 2-3, 3-1). If nothing is to be changed, just press a button for a longer time
period – this is exit from configuration mode. However, if you want to change parameters, wait ab. 3 seconds.
After that time period Pulsar-EQUAL will enter the mode of work mode change. A memory cell change clears
all former alerts.

Work mode

Actual work mode is flashing. You can change work mode (in a loop) just by brief button push. Work modes
are: Equal, Fast, Test.

Equal this is the standard mode of operation. The voltage of the cells in an accupack are equalized during

charging/discharging or without a charger connected. Please keep in mind, that below the start voltage
for balancing (refer to table Cell Types) no equalizing will be carried out.

Fast this special operation mode has been developed for charging in the Fast-mode of the Pulsar 2 charger.
Test in this mode, all cell parameters will be displayed on the display or can be recorded on your PC.

EQUALIZING WILL NOT TAKE PLACE. No charger needs to be connected in this mode. With the
test mode the behaviour of an accupack can be recorded, simulating the actual loads on the accupack
during its use in the model.

Following the selection of the mode of operation please wait 3 seconds and the Pulsar-EQUAL will
automatically switch to the settings of the performance levels.

Setting the Performance Level

The Pulsar-EQUAL offers an outstanding equalizing performance which is well above those of other
comparable balancers/equalizers. The Pulsar-EQUAL is perfectly suited for new and coming cell technologies
with even higher capacities and charge rates.
For cells with smaller capacities this performance may be too high. In this part of the menu you can therefore
reduce the performance to adapt the equalizing power to those smaller cell capacities.
Available are three levels of performance:

I = 0,25; I = 0,5; I = 0,75

These values represent the maximum continuous equalizing current per cell in Amperes. For charging cells up to
a capacity of 2000 mAh with a charge current of 1.5 C, the lowest performance level of I = 0.25 is sufficient.
When charging cells with higher capacities or charging in fast mode, the level can be increased. The Pulsar-
EQUAL is able to equalize cells in accupacks with a capacity from 100 mAh to over 10 Ah.

Sleep

Once having set the performance level you can now limit the maximum operating time. Selecting “0H” disables
this function. Selecting „2H“ and „4H“ you set the maximum operating time to 2 hours and 4 hours respectively.
When approaching the maximum operating time the Pulsar-EQUAL interrupts the charging via the positive
charging leads and terminates any equalizing.

A sleep termination is indicated on the display with a flashing “sleep” instead of the performance level.
Nevertheless, change of the settings is always possible, even after a sleep termination has occurred.

Type of Accupack

The last item on the menu is the setting of the accu type. Following settings are available right now:
Li-Po (Lithium-Polymer); Li-Ion (Lithium-Ionen); Li-Ph (Lithium-FePO

)

4

Display contrast adjustment

Push the button until 2 beep heard (after the first one, display go es blank). Short pressing of the button after that
will increase display’s contrast to the desired level (20 step loop). After desired contrast level is achiev ed, leave
the button for 6s to store your adjustment.

Process Control – Display Elements

Graphics

Having started the equalizing process, you can switch
between three display modes by pushing the control
button shortly:

1. Number of memory

2. Battery load indicato

3. Battery load in % *

4. Voltage of accupack

5. Work mode

6. Maximal equalizing current (for single channel)

7. Sleep timer after 0 (switched off), 2 or 4h

8. Cell type (Li-Pol, Li-Ion, Li-Ph)

9. Voltage of accupack, divided by No. of cells

10. Highest cell voltage in the accupack

11. Difference between the cell with the highest and the
lowest voltage in the accupack

12. Lowest cell voltage in the accupack

13. Moment performance level

14. Number of cells in the accupack

15. Line, indicating +0,05 V above average

16. Average voltage and voltages differences of all cells
displayed as bar chart

17. Line, indicating -0,05 V below average

18. Equalizing level, represents the equalizing current

19. Bartery pack charge (%) *

20. Time scale line (10/5 min)

21. Voltage curve

22. Line, indicating the charge cut off voltage

23. Line, indicating the discharge cut off voltage

24. Time scale (10 min/5 min)

25. Voltage of each cell in the accupack. The cell with the
highest and lowest voltage is indicated with arrows up
and down. (here the cells No. 1 and 12)

26. Column graph - shows charge of each, single cell
during equalizing of battery pack.

27. Max charge (Ah) of a weakest cell - adequate to 100%
of the column graph p.19 (highest column)

* - estimated value (different packs can show different numbers)

More Important Information on the Processing

• In Fast mode the Pulsar-EQUAL will start equalizing at a voltage difference of 20 mV or greater. Equalizing

will stop at a voltage difference of 10 mV or less. In Equal mode the values are 10 mV and 5 mV.

• In case of extreme voltage differences within the cells of an accupack, the Pulsar-EQUAL may even start an

equalizing process below the balancing start voltage. This algorithm is based on a Fuzzy-Logic-approach.

Cell Type Parameters

Name Li-Ion LiPo LiPh

Name Lithium-Ionen Lithium-Polymer Lithium-FePO
Nominal Voltage 3,60 V 3,70 V 3,30 V
Discharge Cut Off Voltage 3,00 V 3,30 V 2,80 V
max. Charge Cut Off Voltage 4,10 V 4,20 V 3,65 V
Voltage causing current reduction 4,15 V 4,25 V 3,80 V
max. Emergency Shut Off Voltage 4,25 V 4,35 V 4,10 V
min. Emergency Shut Off Voltage 2,50 V 2,70 V 2,00 V
Voltage to start equalizing 3,85 V 3,95 V 3,48 V

4

Emergency Shut Off

If one cell in the accupack exceeds the max. or min. emergency shut off voltage, the Pulsar-EQUAL indicates
this with an acoustic alarm signal.
A sound alert is started whenever a switch off voltage value is reached (see: Cells). In the same time accu pack
will be disconnected from charger (if it was connected to the charger via balancer's switching socket – a two, red
connectors). This sound alert can be switched off by button push. An average voltage value (graphics p.1) and
number of the cell which caused this alert will be flashing on the display (Graphics p.8 or p.18).

Connecting of balancer to Pulsar 2 (starting from v.2.10) or Pulsar 2+

Whichever cell reach voltage of current reduction (see: Cells), a charger will decrease charging current until cell
voltage fall under that value. If a sound alert is being generated, but accu pack isn't connected via balancer's
switching socket, charger will decrease charging current. A number of the cell which caused this charging
current decrease will be flashing on the display (Graphics p.8 or p.18)

Firmware-Upgrade

The Pulsar-EQUAL is ready for a simple Firmware-Upgrade with your PC. First download the software (exe­File) to you PC-hard drive. The Pulsar-EQUAL must be connected to your PC at a COM-Port and the Pulsar-
EQUAL needs to be connected to an accupack via the balancer connector. The control button should not be
pushed after switching on the Pulsar-EQUAL. As soon as the connection is being established, the exe file can be
executed. In order to prevent problems during the upgrade, close all other programs in advance and make sure to
select the right Com-Port (COM 1 to 11).

run Software

Interrupting the Upgrade may lead to damage of the Pulsar-EQUAL.

COM-Selection

Set COM-Port

PC

The Pulsar-EQUAL may be connected to a PC using one of its COM-Ports Thus data is transferred to the PC for
real time analysis. In case your PC or Laptop does not have a Com-Port, simply use any USB>COM-adapter.

Start the Upgrade

PC-Software (Pulsar-EQUAL v 1.08)

The Pulsar-EQUAL comes with a Software CD. The RS-232-Port is located at the back side of the Pulsar­EQUAL housing enable ling communication between the Pulsar-EQUAL and your PC. This is a helpful feature

to analyse the state of cells in an accupack.

Installation

The software provided is compatible to Windows Operating Systems 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista. The
installation is self explanatory and only requires the right COM-Port, to which the Pulsar-EQUAL will be
connected.(COM 1 to 11).

Attention: In case your PC or Notebook does not have a COM-Port, you may use any USD>COM-Adapter, to
connect the Pulsar-EQUAL.

Equal Data Window

This window displays the data in form of real time numbers.
(Voltage, Equalizing Performance (%), Process time, min/max
Voltage, delta-Voltage, Number of Cells, cell type, mode of
Operation and Voltage for all cells). Clicking on the single cell
symbol in the upper left corner (x1), the voltage will be displayed
calculated for one cell.

Bar Chart Window

The green bars show the voltage differences of single cells versus
the average voltage per cell of the accupack. The numbers below
or above the bars tell the difference in mV.

By clicking "Ah" button (on the main window) you can display
charge (Ah) of each cells during equalizing of battery pack. Value
"Ah" corresponds to the highest column and is adequate to 100%.
Columns are scaled in %.

The red bars at the bottom inform about the equalizing
performance of each channel.

Average Window

In selecting the average symbol on the task bar allows you to
switch between two display modes.

The first display mode shows the voltage of each cell during
charging/equalizing in differently colored curves. A mouse click
on one of the curves results in a bold display of this curve.

The second display mode offers the following information:
The green bold curve represents the average voltage (avr V).
The yellow curve represents the cell with the highest voltage (max
V) and the orange curve represents the cell with the lowest voltage
(min V)
The blue curve at the bottom represents the voltage differences
between the cells in the accupack (Delta)

Zoom and Scroll

With your left mouse button you can zoom into a fraction of the cu rves. A double click gets you back to the
original window (unzoom). With your right mouse button you can scroll to the right and left in the zoomed
Window.

Button Rec

Clicking on the „REC“ symbol will start or stop the data recording on your PC.

Remarks

You might experience, that the charge/discharge curves displayed at your PC are not smooth, but will show
voltage drops. This will occur, whenever you use a charger with impulse charge mode. These chargers, like the
Pulsar 2 and the Pulsar-EQUAL, measure the cell voltage in charging/equalizing breaks. Synchronizing these
breaks would require extensive software development and was therefore not realized. The accuracy of the
voltage curves is not affected by this.