Noco GEN MINI User Guide

User Guide

DANGER

Risk of SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

ELECTRICAL SHOCK, EXPLOSION, FIRE, AND EYE
INJURY HAZARDS.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS.

Before use, READ AND UNDERSTAND
Owner’s Manual and User Guide.

Failure to read and understand this information could
result in SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH.

DO NOT REMOVE OR COVER THIS INFORMATION.

Welcome!

Thank you for buying a NOCO Genius® GEN Mini Series
On-Board Battery Charger. SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
This User Guide contains important safety and operating
instructions.

www.no.co

What’s In The Box:

• GEN Mini Series On-Board Battery Charger

• User Guide

• Hardware Kit

Contacting NOCO:

Mailing Address:

1.800.456.6626

Phone:

[e-mail]

Email:

30339 Diamond Parkway, #102
Glenwillow, OH 44139
United States of America

DANGER

ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARD

CHARGER IS AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE THAT CAN
SHOCK AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY.

DO NOT CUT POWER CORDS.

EXPLOSION HAZARD

UNMONITORED, INCOMPATIBLE, OR DAMAGED
BATTERIES CAN EXPLODE IF USED WITH
CHARGER.

DO NOT LEAVE CHARGER UNATTENDED WHILE

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CHARGE DAMAGED OR FROZEN
BATTERIES.

USE CHARGER ONLY WITH BATTERIES OF RECOMMENDED
VOLTAGE.

OPERATE CHARGER ONLY IN WELL-VENTILATED AREAS.

IN USE.

WARNING

FIRE HAZARD

CHARGER IS AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE THAT
EMITS HEAT AND CAN BURN.

DO NOT COVER CHARGER.

DO NOT SMOKE OR USE ANY OTHER SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL
SPARK OR FIRE WHEN OPERATING CHARGER.

KEEP CHARGER AWAY FROM COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS.

BATTERY POSTS, TERMINALS, AND RELATED
ACCESSORIES CONTAIN CHEMICALS, INCLUDING
LEAD, KNOWN TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO
CAUSE CANCER AND BIRTH DEFECTS OR OTHER
REPRODUCTIVE HARM.

ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER HANDLING THESE
PRODUCTS.

2

WARNING

EYE INJURY HAZARD

BATTERIES CAN EXPLODE AND CAUSE FLYING
DEBRIS.

BATTERY ACID CAN CAUSE EYE IRRITATION.

WEAR EYE PROTECTION WHEN OPERATING
CHARGER.

AVOID CONTACT WITH EYES AND WASH HANDS
AFTER USING CHARGER.

IN CASE OF EYE CONTACT, FLUSH AFFECTED
AREA WITH PLENTY OF WATER.

WARNING

RISK OF EXPLOSIVE GASES

WORKING IN VICINITY OF A LEAD-ACID BATTERY IS
DANGEROUS. BATTERIES GENERATE EXPLOSIVE
GASES DURING NORMAL BATTERY OPERATION.

THAT YOU FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EACH TIME YOU USE
THE CHARGER.

To reduce risk of battery explosion, follow these instructions
and those published by battery manufacturer and
manufacturer of any equipment intended to be used in vicinity
of battery. Review cautionary markings on these products and
on engine.

Use of an attachment not recommended or sold by the battery charger
manufacturer may result in a risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to
persons.

To reduce risk of damage to electric plug and cord, pull by plug rather
than cord when disconnecting charger.

Do not operate charger with damaged cord or plug – replace the cord
or plug immediately.

Do not operate charger if it has received a sharp blow, been dropped,
or otherwise damaged in any way; take it to a qualified service facility.

FOR THIS REASON, IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE

Do not disassemble charger; take it to a qualified service facility
when service or repair is required. Incorrect reassembly may result
in a risk of electric shock or fire.

To reduce risk of electric shock, unplug charger from outlet before
attempting any maintenance or cleaning. Turning off controls will
not reduce this risk.

EXTERNAL CONNECTIONS TO CHARGER SHALL COMPLY
WITH THE UNITED STATED COAST GUARD ELECTRICAL
REGULATIONS (33CFR183, SUB PART I)

DO NOT USE EXTENSION CORDS unless absolutely necessary.

Using an improper extension cord could result in a risk of fire and
electric shock and may result in property damage, personal injury
or death. If extension cord must be used, make sure that:

1.) The pins on the extension cord plug have the same number,
size, and shape as those of the AC power cord plug on the
charger.

2.) The extension cord is properly wired and is in good electrical
condition.

3.) The wire size is as specified in Table 1 below:

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM AWG SIZE FOR

TABLE 1:

EXTENSION CORDS FOR BATTERY CHARGERS

AC INPUT RATING,

AMPERES*

Equal To

Or Greater

But Less

Than

Than

0

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

6

6

8

8

10

10

12

12

14

14

16

16

18

18

20

*If the input rating of a charger is given in watts rather than amperes,
the corresponding ampere rating is to be determined by dividing the
wattage rating by the voltage rating - for example:

1250 watts/125 volts = 10

AWG SIZE OF CORD

Length Of Cord, Feet (f)

25

(7.6)

18
18
18
18
18
18
18
16
16
16

14
14

50

(15.2)

18
18
18
18
16
16
14
14
12
12

12
12

amperes

100

(30.5)

18
16
16
14
14
12
12
10
10
10

150

(45.6)

16
14
14
12
12
10
10

8
8

8
8
8

8
6

4

Use The Following Precautions When You Work Near
Lead-Acid Batteries:

• Someone should be within range of your voice or close enough to
come to your aid if you have an accident.

• Have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby in case battery acid
contacts skin, clothing, or eyes.

• Wear complete eye protection and protective clothing. Avoid touching
your eyes while working near a battery. If battery acid contacts your skin
or clothing, wash immediately with soap and water. If acid enters an eye,
immediately flood the eye with running cold water for at least ten (10)
minutes and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

• Be extra cautious when handling metal tools around a battery. If you
drop a metal tool near a battery it might spark or create a short circuit
between the battery terminals and some other metal part. Either event
may cause a dangerous electrical shock hazard, a fire, or even an
explosion, resulting in property damage, personal injury, or death.

• Never smoke or allow an open spark or flame in the vicinity of the
battery or engine.

• Remove all personal items made of metal, such as, rings, bracelets,
necklaces, and watches when working with a lead-acid battery. A lead­acid battery can produce a short-circuited current high enough to weld a
metal ring or other piece of jewelry, causing a severe burn.

• This battery charger is for charging LEAD-ACID BATTERIES ONLY. DO
NOT USE THE BATTERY CHARGER FOR DRY-CELL BATTERIES THAT
ARE COMMONLY USED WITH HOME APPLIANCES. THESE TYPES
OF BATTERIES MAY BURST AND MAY CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE,
PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

•NEVER charge a frozen battery.

Before Charging.

• To avoid an electric arc (or spark), turn off or disconnect all of the
accessories in the boat or vehicle. Always remove the cable that is
connected to grounded terminal from battery first.

• Make sure the area around the battery is well-ventilated while the
battery is being charged. If necessary, use a non-metallic material to fan
away the gas in the area.

• If necessary, clean the battery terminals. Be careful to keep the
corrosion and other debris from coming in contact with your skin or
eyes.

• If the battery is not a sealed battery, add distilled water to each cell
(if necessary) until the battery acid solution reaches the level specified
by battery manufacturer. Do not overfill. For a battery without cell caps,
such as a valve regulated lead-acid battery (VRLA), carefully follow the
battery manufacturer’s charging instructions.

• Before charging, carefully read the battery manufacturer’s specific
precautions and recommended rates of charge.

• Determine the voltage of the battery by referring to the boat’s or
vehicle’s owner’s manual and make sure that the battery charger has
compatible voltages.

• If using an extension cord, always connect to the battery charger
first, before connecting to an electrical outlet. When disconnecting,
always disconnect from the electrical outlet first. Make sure the
electrical outlet is a 120VAC GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt)
outlet.

Locating Battery Charger.

• Locate the battery charger as far away from the battery as
possible.

• Never place the battery charger directly above the battery; gases
from battery will corrode and damage battery charger.

• When reading electrolyte specific gravity or filing battery, never
allow battery acid to come in contact with the battery charger.

• Do not operate the battery charger in a closed-in area or an area
with restricted ventilation.

• Do not set a battery on top of battery charger.

Battery Specs.

The following recommendations should ONLY be considered as
guidelines. Always refer to the battery manufacturer’s recommendations
for battery charging. The GEN Mini Series On-Board Battery Chargers are
suitable for charging all types of 12V lead-acid batteries, including Wet
(Flooded), Gel, MF (Maintenance-Free) and AGM (Absorption Glass Mat)
batteries. The GEN Mini Series On-Board Battery Chargers can be used
on battery sizes up to 100Ah, but can also maintain all battery sizes.

Ignition Protected.

Conforms to UL 1236 marine ignition protection. This device is ignition
protected in accordance with USCG-33 CFR183.410 requirements.

6

Connecting To The Battery.

Before you connect to the battery(s), make sure that the AC power
plug is not connected to an electrical outlet. DO NOT CONNECT
THE BATTERY CHARGER AC POWER PLUG TO THE ELECTRICAL
OUTLET UNTIL ALL OTHER CONNECTIONS ARE MADE. Make sure
you have identified the correct polarity of the battery terminals on the
battery(s). The POSITIVE battery terminal is typically marked by these
letters or symbols (POS,P,+). The NEGATIVE battery terminal is typically
marked by these letters or symbols (NEG,N,-). If you are having difficulty
determining the polarity of the battery terminals, contact the battery
manufacturer before proceeding.

1.) Confirm that you have a 12V battery(s). This battery charger is for
12V LEAD-ACID BATTERIES ONLY.

2.) Connect the POSITIVE (Red) eyelet terminal connector to the
POSITIVE (POS,P,+) battery terminal.

3.) Connect the NEGATIVE (Black) eyelet terminal connector to the
NEGATIVE (NEG,N,-) battery terminal.

4.) Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each battery bank.

5.) When disconnecting the battery charger, disconnect in the reverse
sequence, removing the NEGATIVE first.

How To Start Charging.

1.) Confirm that you have connected the eyelet terminal connectors
properly.

2.) Connect the battery charger’s AC power plug into a suitable
electrical outlet. DO NOT FACE THE BATTERY WHEN MAKING THIS
CONNECTION.

3.) Charge battery(s) until fully charged. A Green LED will illuminate solid
when the battery is fully charged.

4.) The battery charger can be left connected to the battery at all times
to provide maintenance charging. However, it is good practice to check
the battery periodically.

Charger Maintenance.

GEN Mini Series On-Board Battery Chargers do not require any
maintenance. Do not attempt to open or repair the battery charger
as it will invalidate the limited warranty. A damp cloth may be used to
clean dust, dirt, or other debris off of the battery charger. BEFORE
ATTEMPTING TO CLEAN THE BATTERY CHARGER, MAKE SURE YOU
REMOVE THE AC POWER PLUG FROM THE POWER SOURCE.

Understanding The LED.

Each battery bank contains two (2) LEDs - a CHARGE LED and an
ERROR LED. The CHARGE LED indicates the charging process
(Red when charging, Green when charged) and the ERROR LED
displays a Reverse Polarity or Error Condition. To understand the
LED Light configuration better, see the chart below:

LED Explanation

When Charging

RED

When Charged

GREEN

Reverse Polarity

ORANGE

When the battery is charging, the CHARGE
LED will be illuminated RED. The CHARGE
LED will remain a solid RED color (not
blinking) until the battery is fully charged.

When the battery is fully charged, the
CHARGE LED will be illuminated GREEN.
The CHARGE LED will remain a solid
GREEN color (not blinking) until either the
battery charger is disconnected or the
battery becomes discharged.

If a Reverse Polarity condition exists, the
ORANGE ERROR LED will illuminate. This
ERROR condition will be displayed whether
the charger is plugged in or disconnected
from an AC power source. Reverse the
battery connections to fix this ERROR.

Error Condition

FLASHING

If an ERROR condition exists, all LEDs
will flash. There are several reasons an
ERROR condition could exist. For help
troubleshooting ERROR conditions, see the
section entitled TROUBLESHOOTING.

8

Firewall.

Multi-level safety barrier prevents
unsafe and abnormal conditions.

Optimization.

Stabilizes internal battery chemistry for
increased performance and longevity.

Maintenance Plus.™

Keeps the battery fully charged without
overcharging, indefinitely.

Energy-Save.

Minimizes energy consumption when
full power is not needed.

Interactive.

Alters the charging process based on
organic battery feedback.

Safe.

Protects against reverse polarity, sparks,
overcharging, overcurrent, open-circuits,
short-circuits and overheating.

Recovery.

Applies a high-voltage pulse charge
when low-voltage, sulfation or lost
capacity is detected.

Rugged.

Dirt, water, UV, impact and crush
resistant.

Ignition Protected.

Non-igniting and temperature
controlled for safe and worry-free
operation.

Charging Times.

The time required for the GEN Mini Series to charge a
normally discharged battery is shown below. Deeply
discharged batteries may take longer to charge depending
on the depth of discharge (DOD). The charge time is based
on an average depth of discharge to a fully charged battery.

Battery Size

(Ah)

20
30
40
50
60
70
80

90
100
110
120

*Note: The above table is for reference purposes only. Actual data may
differ due to battery conditions. The time required to charge a normally
discharged battery is based on an average DOD of 50%.

Approximate Time To Charge*

(Hours)

2.5

3.7

5.0

6.2

7.5

8.7

10.0

11.2

12.5

13.7

15.0

10

Charging Steps.

Voltage (V)

Step

Current (A)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Analyze

Recovery

Diagnose

Step 1 & 2: Analyze & Diagnose
Checks the battery’s initial condition, including voltage, state­of-charge and health, to determine if the battery is stable before
charging.

Step 3: Recovery
Initializes the Recovery desulfation process (if needed) for deeply
discharged or sulfated batteries by pulsing small amounts of
current.

Step 4: Initialize
Starts the charging process with a gentle (soft) charge.

Step 5: Bulk
Begins the Bulk charging process based on the condition of the
battery and returns 80% of the battery’s capacity.

Step 6: Absorption
Brings the charge level to 90% by delivering small amounts of
current to provide a safe, efficient charge. This limits battery gassing
and is essential to prolonging battery life.

Step 7: Optimization
Finalizes the charging process and brings the battery to maximum
capacity. In this step, the charger utilizes multi-layered charging
profiles to fully recapture capacity and optimize the specific gravity
of the battery for increased run time and performance. The charger
will switch to Maintenance if the battery tells the charger that more
current is needed.

Step 8: Maintenance
Continuously monitors the battery to determine when a
maintenance charge should be initiated. If the battery voltage falls
below its target threshold, the charger will restart the Maintenance
cycle until voltage reaches its optimal state and then discontinues
the charge cycle. The cycle between Optimization and Maintenance
is repeated indefinitely to keep the battery at full charge. The battery
charger can be safely left connected indefinitely without the risk of
overcharging.

Initialize

Bulk

Absorption

Optimization

Maintenance

Battery Testing And Diagnostics.

The battery charger will not begin delivering any current to the
battery(s) until the battery charger detects a ‘stable’ battery.
A ‘stable’ battery means the eyelet terminal connectors are
connected to the battery with the correct polarity (POSITIVE­TO-POSITIVE, NEGATIVE-TO-NEGATIVE) and have a tight,
clean connection to the battery being charged. If the battery is
not stable for at least three (3) seconds, the battery charger will
not begin charging the battery and the battery charger will go
into an ERROR condition. If the battery is connected in reverse
polarity, it is considered an ‘unstable’ battery and the ERROR
LED will illuminate until the ERROR is cleared by reversing the
eyelet terminal connectors.

Technical Specifications.

Battery Banks

Input Voltage AC

Working Voltage AC

Nominal Voltage

Charging Voltage

Back Current Drain

Charger Type

Type of Batteries

Battery Chemistries

Battery Capacity

Housing Protection

Output Leads (Length)

AC Cord (Length)

Dimensions (L x W x H)

GEN Mini 1

1

Amps/Bank

4A

Total Amps

4A
110-120VAC, 50-60Hz
70-130 VAC, 50-60Hz
12VDC

Efficiency

~90%

14.4V
<5mA

Ripple

<2%
8 Step, Fully Automatic, Switch-Mode
12V Lead-Acid
Wet, Gel, MF & AGM
Up To 120Ah; Maintains All Battery Sizes
IP68

Cooling

Natural Convection

6.3 Feet

6.0 Feet

6.6 x 3.8 x 2.2”

Weight

3.3 Pounds

GEN Mini 2

2
4A
8A

12VDC x 2

7.9 x 5.5 x 2.2”

5.8 Pounds

GEN Mini 3

3
4A
12A

12VDC x 3

8.9 x 6.9 x 2.6”

8.6 Pounds

12

Troubleshooting.

When Flashing Leds Illuminate.

When the battery charger detects an ERROR condition, the CHARGE
LED and ERROR LED will flash. If you are seeing this ERROR condition,
it could be the result of one of the following situations:

• Battery Voltage Incompatibility.

Check to make sure you have a 12V battery. This battery charger is for
12V batteries only. If you attempting to charge a battery that is other
than 12V, it could cause this ERROR condition. Charge the appropriate
battery to resolve this ERROR condition.

• Low Voltage Battery.

If the battery voltage is below 2.0VDC (12V), it could cause this ERROR
condition. In this situation, the battery charger has determined that the
battery voltage is too low to begin a normal charge cycle. To increase
the battery voltage and allow the battery charger to begin charging, you
will need to jump start the battery.

• Abnormality Protection.

This ERROR condition is the result of the battery charger being in the
Bulk mode for more than eighty (80) hours. This ERROR condition is
the result of a bad battery. To resolve this ERROR condition, take the
battery to a local battery store for an evaluation.

• Blown Fuse In Battery Connector Harness.

Check the fuse in the battery connector harness. If the fuse in the
battery connector harness has blown, it could cause this ERROR
condition. Replace the fuse with a 15A Automotive Blade Fuse to resolve
this ERROR condition.

• Corrosion On Battery Terminals.

Check the battery connections for battery corrosion. If battery corrosion
is present on the battery connections, it could cause this ERROR
condition. Remove the battery corrosion to resolve this ERROR
condition.

• Loose Battery Connections.

Check the battery connections to the battery. If the battery connections
are loose, it could cause this ERROR condition. Tighten the battery
connections to resolve this ERROR condition.

• Sulfated, Damaged, Or Weak Battery.

If you have checked all other possible ERROR conditions and cannot
clear the ERROR, it is probably the result of a sulfated, damaged, or
weak battery. To properly diagnose a sulfated, damaged, or weak
battery, take the battery to a local battery store for an evaluation. The
battery store will advise if the battery can be charged or needs replaced.