Novak Rhino Charger User Manual
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
INTRODUCING THE RHINO
TM
DIGITAL PEAK-DETECTION CHARGER
Part #4470
IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS
The Rhino charger is a rugged and compact, constant current charger designed to charge
4 to 8 cell nickel-cadmium battery packs from a 10 to 15 volt DC power source.
The Rhino features digital peak-detection circuitry with automatic shut-off. Charge currents
from 0.5 up to 10 amps allow you to fine-tune the charging. Output jacks let you connect
an external voltmeter to monitor both the battery pack voltage and the charging current.
A Start/Stop button also allows you to interrupt and continue the charge cycle at any time.
Inside the Rhino charger, a cooling fan keeps things cool when the going gets tough, while
a serviceable air filter keeps the dirt out. For safety, the Rhino charger is equipped with Solid
State RVP™ and thermal overload protection.
SPECIFICATIONS
Charging Capacity 4 to 8 cells
Peak Detection 10 bit digital
Charging Rate 0.5 to 10 amps/adjustable (±10%)
Power Source Input 10 to 15 volts DC
Lock-Out Time 100 seconds
Reverse Voltage Protection Solid State RVP™ (Input and Output)
Overload Protection Thermal
Size (Width x Depth x Height) 4.75" x 3.75" x 2.50"
Input Connector (Source) Alligator Clips (6 foot)
Output Connector (Battery) Alligator Clips (12 inch)
NOTHING
CHARGES
LIKE A
RHINO!
™
SELECTING A CHARGE RATE
The following precautions will help to prevent possible damage to the charger, battery pack, and
the input power source.
• Charge only nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries packs.
• Never allow water, moisture, or other foreign materials to enter the charger.
• Automobile battery chargers should not be used to power the charger. False peaks can
occur, and excessive voltage spikes can damage the charger.
• Do not obstruct or cover the fan grill on the top of the charger, as this will cause it to overheat and shut down. Clean the air filter periodically to avoid overheating.
• Do not charge battery packs with less than 4 or more than 8 cells connected in series.
• Nickel-cadmium batteries can be damaged if the charging current used is too high. Maximum charging rates can be obtained from the battery manufacturer.
• Never use an input power source which exceeds 15 volts DC to power the charger.
• Using a lead-acid battery as a power source may generate hydrogen gas and should only
be used in a well ventilated area. Poor ventilation can cause build up of gases from the leadacid battery, and may ignite if sparks occur when connecting or disconnecting the charger's
alligator clips. Avoid open flames and sparks which may ignite battery gases.
• Do not allow the Rhino's output leads to come in contact with your automobile's chassis
when using a 12-volt automobile battery as a power source.
PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
RHINO QUICK SET-UP
Refer to the back page for more information.
STEP 1
• Connect the input alligator clips on the back of
the charger to a 10 to 15 volt DC power source.
The following table shows typical charging rates for popular cells used for battery packs in
the remote control industry. While higher charging rates will peak your cells sooner, use of
excessive charging rates may damage your batteries.
BATTERY PACK TYPE CHARGING RATE
SCRC cells 3.0 to 6.0 amps
SCE, P-170, and P-180 cells 2.0 to 3.5 amps
SCR cells (except Panasonic) 3.0 to 6.0 amps
Receiver Battery Pack* (50 mAh) 0.5 amp
Transmitter Battery Pack* (AA) 0.5 to 1.5 amps
*Charging at higher currents
than listed may result in battery
pack damage.
POWER SUPPLY VOLTAGE
As a general rule, the voltage of the input power source should be 1.5 volts DC above the
peak-voltage of the battery pack you are charging.
Example: (
*Older battery packs will peak at higher voltages–Do not exceed 15 volts DC input voltage
8 cell transmitter pack peak-voltage* = 13.5 volts) + (1.5 volts) = 15 volts DC (Max.)
STEP 3
• Adjust the charger to the desired charge current by rotating the AMPS dial with
your thumb.
Power Supply
CAUTION: Do not connect
to AC power side.
STEP 2
• Connect the output alligator clips on
the front of the charger to a 4 to 8
cell nickel-cadmium battery pack.
(1.2 volts DC/cell)
Black = Negative
Car Battery
Red = Positive
NOTE: Do not obstruct
the intake grill on top of
the charger.
ACCEPTABLE POWER SUPPLIES
Car Battery 12 volts DC
Power Supply 10 to 15 volts DC
STEP 4
• Press and hold the START/STOP button until the red LED is illuminated. The Rhino
is charging! When the red LED goes out, the battery pack is charged.
TM
DIGITAL PEAK-DETECTION CHARGER
UNACCEPTABLE POWER SUPPLIES
Automotive Battery Charger
Visit us at:
www.teamnovak.com
DETAILED INFORMATION
RHINO OPERATION
TO START CHARGING
1. Connect Rhino as in illustration on front of instructions.
2. Adjust charging current as described in the CHARGE
CURRENT section below.
3. Press and hold the START/STOP button until LED is lit.
Once the Rhino starts charging, there is a 100 second
lock-out time, during which the charger ignores voltage
peaks and will not shut off. Be careful how many times you
repeak the battery pack, as the pack voltage will continue to
drop during the lock-out and may damage the battery pack.
After the lock-out time, the Rhino's peak detection circuitry
is active. When the battery voltage peaks and begins to
drop, the charger will shut off and the LED will go out. At
this time, the batteries will be warm to the touch, and are
fully charged and ready to run.
STOPPING A CHARGING RHINO has never been easier,
just push the START/STOP button. At any time, you can
interrupt the charging sequence and then start back up
again when you are ready to continue. Each time you stop
the charger, the 100 second lock-out time is reset to zero and
will be activated when you restart charging.
CHARGE CURRENT
The Rhino can charge at a minimum current of 0.5 amp
up to a maximum of 10 amps. Adjust the charging current
by turning the current adjust dial, "AMPS", with your
thumb to line up the number of the desired charge rate
with the pointer below the dial.
ADJUST CHARGING CURRENT USING A VOLTMETER
With an external voltmeter, you can accurately adjust the
Rhino's charging current and monitor the voltage of the
battery pack during the charge cycle.
1. Set the Rhino's slide switch to 'A' for Amps.
2. Set the voltmeter to the 200 mV range (or the lowest
voltage range available).
3. Insert the RED (Positive) voltmeter probe into the red
(+) output jack on the left side of the slide switch, and
insert the BLACK (Negative) probe into the black (-)
output jack on the right side of the slide switch.
4. The charging current is equal to the mV reading on the
voltmeter divided by 10. Example: 30.0 mV on the volt
meter indicates a charge rate of 3.00 amps. Charging
current can only be measured while charging.
(Refer to photo on front)
PACK VOLTAGE
MONITOR BATTERY PACK VOL T AGE USING A VOL TMETER
1. Set the charger slide switch to 'V' for Volts.
2. Set the voltmeter to the 20 V range.
3. Insert voltmeter probes as in step 3 of the CHARGE
CURRENT section.
4. The battery pack voltage is equal to that displayed on
the voltmeter.
COOLING FAN
The Rhino has a built-in cooling fan that automatically
runs during charging. When the charger is charging the
fan will run, and when the Rhino comes to a stop the fan
will also stop. The fan will stop at the completion of
charge, or whenever you interrupt the charge cycle. When
you can no longer hear the Rhino's fan running you know
that your battery pack has finished charging.
SERVICING THE AIR FILTER
1. Remove the outer fan grill with a small flat blade
screwdriver. Insert screwdriver into the two slots at
back edge of grill and gently pry plastic forward while
lifting grill upward at the same time. Refer to photo
below.
Flat Blade
Screwdriver
2. Remove foam air filter.
3. Clean filter with mild soap and water. Thoroughly
dry the filter before replacing. Replacement air filters
are also available in Novak Kit #5650.
4. Replace air filter and outer fan grill. Insert the curved
front edge of the fan grill into the slots in the case, then
snap the back edge of the fan grill down into place.
BATTERY TIPS
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BATTERIES
Getting the most run time and the longest life from your
batteries requires more than just charging at the correct
current. Proper care is a must for your battery packs.
REPEAK FOR MAXIMUM CAPACITY
When the battery pack voltage peaks at the end of the
charge and begins to drop, one or more cells are fully
charged and have started to 'self-discharge'. The energy
that is put into the cell after it has peaked results in the
dissipation of heat. You may notice when the battery pack
peaks, that some of the cells get warmer than others. This
is because the charge times differ slightly from cell to cell.
A good way to reduce the problem of some cells having a
more complete charge than others, is to repeak the battery pack after about 30 minutes. This allows the cells that
have over-charged to discharge down to the level of the
remaining cells in the pack. Repeaking after the cells have
equalized with each other brings all the cells up together
for maximum capacity. It is best to time this process so
that you are able to run immediately after repeaking, this
will minimize the 'self-discharging' of the batteries.
DISCHARGE FOR EXTENDED RUN TIME AND LONG LIFE
When you are done for the day, you should fully discharge
your battery packs to prepare them for the next time you
use them. Storing and then recharging a partially charged
battery pack will result in decreased performance from
your batteries, and will also reduce the number of effective
charge cycles you will get from your batteries.
The simplest method to discharge your batteries is to put
a 30 ohm/10 watt resistor across the battery terminals as
shown below. As the pack discharges, some of the cells
will become reversed (the cell voltage becomes negative)
and will charge backwards. Charging a cell backwards at
high rates will damage the cell. However, the current
drawn through a 30 ohm resistor is low enough for the
cell to tolerate without damage. Connect the resistor to
the battery until the resistor cools to room temperature.
This may take several hours. Remove the resistor from the
battery at this time. Damage to the battery pack can also
occur if the resistor remains attached to the pack for a time
period longer than 24 hours.
Discharging Battery Pack
30Ω / 10W
Resistor
• Always discharge your battery packs after using them to
get the maximum performance and longest battery life.
PRODUCT WARRANTY
Novak Electronics, Inc. guarantees the
Rhino charger to be free from defects in
materials or workmanship for a period of
120 days from the original date of purchase (verified by dated, itemized sales receipt). This warranty does not cover components worn by use, damage
due to using an input voltage higher than 15 volts DC,
damage due to charging more than 8 or fewer than 4
cells, damage to battery packs resulting from improper
connection or charging of a receiver battery pack, any
splices to the input or output wires, component damaged
from excessive force when pressing the START/STOP button or over-rotating the AMPS dial, disassembling the case
(other than the intake grill), tampering with the internal elec-
tronics, allowing water, moisture, or any other foreign
material to enter charger or get onto the PC board, or
allowing any exposed wire to short-circuit.
In no case shall our liability exceed product's original cost.
We reserve the right to modify the provisions stated in this
warranty without notice.
Because Novak Electronics, Inc. has no control over the
connection and use of the charger, no liability may be assumed, nor will liability be accepted for damages resulting
from the use of this product. Every charger is thoroughly
tested before leaving our facility and is, therefore, considered operational. By the act of connecting or operating
this charger, the user accepts all resulting liability.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
CUSTOMER SERVICE HOURS (PST)
Monday-Thursday: 8:00am-5:00pm
Friday: 8:00am-4pm (closed every other Friday)
(949) 833-8873 • FAX (949) 833-1631
©1998 Novak Electronics, Inc. • All Rights Reserved
No part of these operating instructions may be reproduced without the
written permission of Novak Electronics, Inc.
All Novak chargers are designed and manufactured in the U.S.A.
Rhino Digital Peak-Detection Charger and Digital Peak Detection Circuitry
are trademarks of Novak Electronics, Inc.
Printed in the U.S.A. (7/98) #IM-4470-2
TROUBLE-SHOOTING GUIDE
This section describes typical charger problems, causes,
and solutions. If you are unable to solve the problem, call
our Customer Service Department for assistance.
Charger Stops Before Battery Pack Is Fully Charged
• Input power supply is unstable. Connect the charger
input to a 12 volt DC automobile battery to check.
•
The battery pack has one or more bad cells in it. Try
charging different battery packs. Monitor the battery pack
voltage while charging. If the voltage starts to drop before
the charger shuts off, the charger is operating normally.
• The charging current is too high. If charging current is
too high for the battery pack, it will heat up prematurely
and cause the voltage to drop, shutting off the charger.
Reduce the charge current.
• The charging current was lowered while charging after
the lockout time expired. Press the STOP/START button
to restart the charge cycle.
• Poor connection to the input power source or battery
pack. Check, clean, and tighten all connections.
• Charger has over-heated and has thermally shut down.
(See Below)
Charger Stops And Will Not Restart
Thermal Shut-Down has occurred
• Air filter clogged or something blocking fan grill. Clean
filter or clear the air path.
• The internal cooling fan is not running. Fan should run
whenever the charger is operating. Check fan grill for
obstruction. Fan may need replacing.
• Charger input voltage too high or charge current set
too high. Reduce input voltage to 1.5 volts DC above
the peak-voltage of the battery pack being charged or
reduce charging current. This more commonly happens
when charging 4 cell packs at too high of a current.
Charger Will Not Start
• Charger has thermally shut down and is cooling off.
Charger can be restarted after a few minutes when the
proper operating temperature has been reached.
• Battery pack voltage is too low. Connect the charger to
the battery pack and wait a few minutes before starting
the charger.
• Press and hold the START/STOP button until the LED
glows evenly. Pushing the button rapidly does not allow
the circuitry to stabilize.
•
Bad connection in charging circuit. Check input and output connections. Try charging a different battery pack.
Charger Stays On but Battery Pack Does Not Charge
• Input voltage too low. Input voltage to the charger
should be at 1.5 volts DC above the peak-voltage of the
battery pack being charged.
• Charge current set too low. Increase current.
Charge Current Will Not Adjust Properly
• Input voltage too low. The input voltage to the charger
should be 1.5 volts DC above the peak-voltage of the
battery pack being charged.
Charger Starts By Itself and Will Not Shut-Off
• Internal damage. Return for service.
SERVICE PROCEDURES
Before sending your Rhino charger in for service, review
the Trouble-Shooting Guide and Instructions. The charger
may appear to need service when other problems exist in
the system.
PLEASE NOTE: Chargers that operate normally when received will be charged a minimum service fee and return shipping costs.
WHAT TO SEND: Fill out all of the requested information
on the enclosed CHARGER SERVICE CARD and return it
with your charger. Service cards can also be downloaded
from our website at www.teamnovak.com.
WARRANTY WORK: For warranty service work, you MUST
CLAIM WARRANTY on the CHARGER SERVICE CARD and in-
clude a valid, dated, cash register receipt, or an invoice
from previous service work. If any warranty provisions have
been voided there will be a service charge.
SERVICE COSTS: Customer is responsible for service costs
(parts, labor and shipping/handling charges). chargers are
returned UPS/COD CASH ONLY. See CHARGER SERVICE
CARD for other payment and shipping options.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
• Hobby dealers/distributors are not authorized to replace chargers thought to be defective.
• If a hobby dealer sends your charger for service, submit a
completed CHARGER SERVICE CARD to
make sure it is sent with the charger.
•
Novak Electronics, Inc. does not make any electronic compo
nents (transistors, resistors, etc.) available for sale.
• To provide the most efficient service possible to our customers, it is not our policy to contact customers by
phone or mail.
FOR SERVICE, SEND CHARGERS TO:
NOVAK ELECTRONICS, INC.
Attn: Service Department
18910 Teller Avenue,
Irvine, CA. 92612 USA
the dealer and
TM
DIGITAL PEAK-DETECTION CHARGER
Visit us at:
www.teamnovak.com
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