Orbit POCKETLADER User Manual

Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Contents

Preface.......................................................................................... 3

Safety Notes.................................................................................. 4

Technical Specifications................................................................5

Connectors.................................................................................... 6

Controls......................................................................................... 7

Turning On and Off....................................................................... 8

Charging and Discharging.............................................................9

1. NiCd and NiMh (NiXx) Batteries .......................................... 9

2. Lithium Ion and Lithium Polymer Batteries......................... 14

3. Lead and Lead Acid Batteries (Pb).....................................18

Setup Mode................................................................................. 22

Configurable Setup Parameters............................................. 23

The SIO Interface........................................................................ 25

Updating the POCKETLADER Firmware............................... 26

Specifications of the SIO Interface......................................... 28

Accessory: Orbit LiPo-Checker 4.2 V..........................................29

Recommended Charging Currents (Overview) .......................... 30

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Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Preface

With the Orbit POCKETLADER, we have rounded out our range
of reliable Orbit battery chargers. Our objective with this device
was to create a compact and rugged charger for universal use.
With the POCKETLADER, all common battery types, such as
nickel metal hydride (NiMh), nickel cadmium (NiCd), lead acid
(Pb) and especially lithium ion polymer batteries (LiPo + Lion)
from 1 V to 21 V and 50 mA to 4 A, can be charged and
discharged.

Due to a new technical concept, all functions of the battery char­ger are managed by a fully digital control system. Furthermore,
the technical innovations of the POCKETLADER also include a
step-up/step-down converter, which can charge up from a single
battery cell with a full 4 Amperes. This principle not only assures
an extremely low power dissipation, but also a reduction of the
operating current to a minimum with small numbers of cells.

The POCKETLADER can be upgraded to support all common
and future battery types and charging methods by means of a
simple software update. The latest control software (firmware)
can be downloaded at any time via the Internet from the Orbit
website (http://orbit-electronic.de) and saved in the flash memory
of your POCKETLADER. Thus your POCKETLADER is optimally
prepared for today's and tomorrow's applications.

Its ultra-compact dimensions and robust design make the Orbit
POCKETLADER a constant companion for both indoor and out­door R/C adventures. We wish you a lot of fun and always a
good flight or drive!

Yours Orbit team Orbit electronic

Falkenweg 32
52379 Langerwehe
Germany
Phone: [phone]
http://orbit-electronic.de

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Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Safety Notes

In order to guarantee a safe operation of your POCKETLADER,
please always observe the safety notes on this page. Orbit
electronic takes no responsibility for damage caused by improper
use.

● Only connect suitable power adapters (8 V - 15 V DC, stab-

ilised) or batteries for power supply.

● The housing of the charger serves as a heatsink. Operate the

device in a place where the heated air around the housing can
be dissipated.

● If the charger, the power adapter or the battery gets very hot,

immediately interrupt the power supply. A moderate warming
of the charger (up to approx. 45 °C / 110 °F) is normal at high­power operation.

● When connecting the battery, take care of the correct polarity

(red +, black –).

● Always observe the charging current and voltage limits

recommended by the battery manufacturer. Excessive
currents or voltages can damage or explode the battery.

● Do not charge or discharge unattended batteries. Especially

lithium batteries have a high risk of fire and explosion.

● Do not operate the device in a wet environment (for example,

do not place it on wet grass).

● Do not open the housing. In case of defects of the device,

please contact Orbit electronic directly.

● Do not clean the device with aggressive detergents, but with a

soft, dry or barely damp cloth.

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Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Technical Specifications

Power supply (reverse
polarity protected):

8 V - 15 V DC (stabilised) or battery

Operating current:

typ. 54 mA - max. 5 A

Stand-by current (OFF):

< 100 µA

Output (reverse polarity
protected):

1 V - 21,5 V / 50 mA - 4 A
Corresponding to:

1 - 12 (14) NiCd/NiMh cells
or 1s - 5s lithium
or 2 - 16 V lead battery

Charging power:

10 - 65 W (adjustable)

Discharging:

50 mA - 3 A, max. 7 W

LCD display:

2 x 16 characters, backlit

SIO interface:

Connector for PC measurement
curves, flash software updates (via
Orbit Microlog software) and
extensions such as the Orbit LiPo­Checker for individual cell balancing
[Art. no. 0605]

Dimensions (L x W x D):

110 x 69 x 24 mm

4.3“ x 2.7“ x 0.9“

Weight:

200 g / 0.44 lb

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Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Connectors

On the left side of the housing, you will find the connector for the
power supply (stabilised DC power adapter or battery).

On the right side are the plug sockets for the connection of the
battery to be charged as well as the SIO interface for data ex­change with a PC (e.g. for recording charging curves or for firm­ware updates).

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Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Controls

All keys and displays for controlling the device are located on the
upper side of the housing.

More information about using the keys and the meaning of the
displays can be found in the following sections.

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Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Turning On and Off

First connect the power supply (stabilised DC power adapter with
8 V - 15 V or a sufficiently dimensioned battery) to the charger.

● To turn the device on, keep the SET key pressed for 2

seconds.

You can also configure the device to switch on automatically
as soon as the power supply is connected (see section Setup
Mode, page 22, setup parameter 16:POWERUP-ON YES).

● By keeping the SET key pressed for 4 seconds when turning

the device on, the charger switches into Setup mode. In this
mode, you can modify the basic configuration settings of your
POCKETLADER. For more information, see the section Setup
Mode starting on page 22.

● To turn the charger off, press the SET key again and keep it

pressed until the device switches off.

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Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Charging and Discharging

First select the charging program (mode) suitable for your battery
type by pressing the Up/Down keys. The program is shown in
the upper left corner of the display.

1. NiCd and NiMh (NiXx) Batteries

These battery types are charged with a selectable constant cur­rent. The charging process is terminated either by delta peak de-

tection (▲-cut-off when the battery is full) or by charging current
drop-down (NiXx). At the latest, after 14 hours (cut-off timer). The
display shows the following information:

For each battery type (NiMh and NiCd), two different delta peak
switch-off values can be selected, symbolised by the size of the
triangle icon (delta) after the program name. The NiXx mode
uses CC/CV (constant current/constant voltage), see SETUP22:
NiXx-cell.

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Manual – Orbit POCKETLADER 2.1

Program Delta peak per cell

NiMh ▲ -0.30 % ≈ -4.5 mV

NiMh+▲

-0.50 % ≈ -7.5 mV

NiCd ▲

-0.70 % ≈ -10.5 mV

NiCd+▲

-1.30 % ≈ -19.5 mV

NiXx CC/CV Voltage SETUP22: NiXx-cell

To achieve an optimal charging result and temperature beha­viour, we recommend the higher delta peak values (programs
NiMh+ and NiCd+) for charging currents up to 1.5 C* and the
smaller values (NiMh and NiCd) for currents above 1.5 C*.

Charging current preselection

To select the charging or discharging current, first press the SET
key and then the Up/Down keys to switch between the available
values.

● For charging, select a positive current value

(+0.05 A to +4.0 A).

● For discharging, select a negative current value

(-0.05 A to -3.0 A).

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