Power-Sonic PSC 12800A User Manual

Battery Charger

Sealed or Valve Regulated

Lead Acid Batteries

Models: PSC 6300A, PSC-61000A,

PSC 12300A and PSC 12800A

OPERATING PROCEDURES AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

CAUTION:
TO PREVENT THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO
NOT REMOVE COVER NO USER FRIENDLY PARTS

CAUTION
THIS UNIT SHOULD NOT BE USED IN OUTDOOR APPLICATIONS.
EXPOSURE TO MOISTURE MAY RESULT IN FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD

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PSC-6300A, PSC-61000A, PSC-12300A and PSC-12800A CHARGERS

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

This document contains important safety and operating instructions for Models PSC-6300A, PSC­61000A, PSC-12300A and PSC-12800A battery chargers. Before using the battery charger, please read
all instructions and cautionary markings on the battery charger, the battery, and the product using
the battery.

CAUTION

To reduce the risk of electric shock:

Do not expose unit to rain or moisture - use indoors only.
Do not remove cover. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Refer service to qualified service
personnel. Connect the battery charger directly to a grounding receptacle. An adaptor should not
be used with this unit. This unit is equipped with a power cord having an equipment grounding
conductor and a grounding plug (3-prong). The plug must be plugged into an outlet that has been
properly installed and grounded in accordance with all local and national codes and ordinances.
Disconnect charger from AC power before attempting any maintenance or cleaning. Turning off
controls may not reduce this risk.

WARNING

Do not attempt to recharge non-rechargeable batteries. Charge only sealed or valve regulated,
lead-acid, non-automotive, maintenance free rechargeable batteries. Attempting to charge other
types of batteries may result in personal injury and battery damage.
The heat sink and enclosure will become hot during the charge cycle - DO NOT TOUCH!
Connect or disconnect the output connectors only when the unit is disconnected from AC power
or arcing and burning may result (due to the possible presence of explosive gases).

DANGER

Never alter power cord or plug provided. If it will not fit the outlet, replace the power cord with
the proper type of cord or have a proper outlet installed by a qualified electrician. Improper con­nection will result in the risk of an electric shock or fire.
Make sure cords are located so that they will not be stepped on, tripped over, or otherwise sub­jected to damage or stress. Do not operate this unit with a damaged cord or plug - replace them
immediately. To reduce the risk of damage to electric plug, pull by plug rather than cord when dis­connecting unit.
Do not operate charger if it has received a sharp blow, been dropped, or otherwise damaged in
any way. Do not disassemble charger; incorrect reassembly will result in the risk of an electric
shock or fire. Refer service to qualified service personnel.
Recharge batteries in well ventilated areas to prevent build-up of explosive gases. Allow space
around the charger and adequate air circulation to reduce internal heat buildup.

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION

This unit is a two stage, constant voltage battery charger with current limiting, current fold back, and
automatic temperature compensation of the output voltage. It is protected against shorting the out­put terminals and reversing the output terminals on a battery. Various output cables are available.
There is one indicator light. It lights green to indicate when power is applied and, when a battery is
attached, that the charger is in float mode. It lights yellow when the unit is charging the battery. It
lights red to indicate a fault condition (shorted/reversed output connector).

This unit is designed to automatically switch into a single stage, float charge mode when the
battery is charged. A single stage, parallel charger version is available for keeping a battery
fully charged when used with a permanent or intermittent parallel load. This unit is not
designed to operate as a standalone power supply.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Loosen the screws on the charger output terminal
strip. Identify the polarity of the terminal strip and
the output connector; both the charger housing
and the output cable are marked with “ + " & “ - “
symbols. Attach the two spade terminals to the
terminal strip and tighten the screws. To prevent
accidental shorting, cover the exposed terminals
with the molded press-on terminal cover.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Before using this battery charger, make sure it is compatible with your battery. Refer to the ratings on
the battery charger, the specifications in this manual, and your battery documentation. Charge only
sealed or valve regulated, lead-acid, non-automotive, maintenance free rechargeable batteries. At­tempting to charge other types of batteries may result in battery damage.

Plug the power cord into a properly grounded outlet which supplies the correct input voltage. The in­dicator light should now be on indicating that the charger is operating.

Determine the battery polarity. Most batteries identify the positive terminal with a “+" sign or the
color red and identify the negative terminal with a “-" sign or the color black. Connect the red insu-

lated output clip to the positive battery terminal and connect the black insulated output clip to the
negative battery terminal. If the charger is provided with a polarized connector, make sure your
battery plug is wired to match the output connector.

The charger should now be on and charging the battery. The indicator light should be yellow. The
yellow charge light will stay on until the battery is about 95% recharged. At this point the indicator
will turn green and the battery may be used. The battery should be left connected to the charger for
an additional three hours to ensure a 100% recharge. To ensure a full charge and to help your battery
keep its full capacity, we recommend that the battery be left connected to the charger, in float charge
mode, until ready to use. The battery may be left connected to the charger indefinitely, in float
charge mode, without danger of overcharging.

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CHARGING NOTES AND TIPS

For safer and more efficient charging, batteries should be charged with higher voltages when cold and
lower voltages when warm. This unit incorporates automatic temperature compensation of the
output voltage. It will increase the charge voltage in cold conditions and decrease charge voltage in
warm conditions. For this feature to work properly, the battery and charger should be located in the
same environment (allow the battery and charger to stabilize at room temperature before charging).
Initially, the charger voltage may read a little high until its internal temperature warms during opera­tion, thereby lowering the voltage.

Make sure that you only charge the proper voltage battery. Trying to charge a lower voltage
battery will cause severe overcharging and trying to charge a higher voltage battery may
damage the charger.

These battery chargers are designed to ideally charge a battery at the C/10 rate (capacity divided by
10 hours). Therefore, an 8 amp hour battery would require an 800 milliamp charge. Larger or smaller
capacities batteries can be charged with these chargers with the following precautions (refer to these
charger specifications and your battery documentation for proper switch and charge currents to de­termine compatibility with this charger):

When charging a larger capacity battery, the battery may be overcharged due to the unit not
switching into float charge mode. Holding a battery for prolonged times at the high rate charge
voltage may damage the battery. Larger capacity batteries really require a larger current charger
or a float charger.
When charging a smaller capacity battery, the battery may be undercharged because the charger
switches into float charge mode too early (relative to capacity). Leave the battery connected to
the charger for several hours to finish charging in the float charge mode.

TROUBLESHOOTING

NO INDICATOR LIGHT - If the indicator light is dark, check to see if the receptacle is controlled by a

light switch or power strip switch. If all else appears normal then the charger probably needs repair or
replacement.

NO CHARGE INDICATOR, NOT CHARGING -If the charger will not go into charge mode (yellow indica­tor) then the battery is probably already charged. Try again with another battery which you know is
not charged.

FAULT INDICATOR - If the indicator light is red then either the outputs are hooked up in reverse or
shorted together. Make sure of the connection to the battery. Note: A nearly completely dead battery
(less than one volt) looks like a short to the charger. If you suspect the battery is dead, leave the
charger on the battery to see if it will go into charge mode. The charger will deliver a small amount of
current into a dead battery and may eventually go into normal charge mode and recover the battery.
If the charger will not go into charge mode within one hour, and then into float mode within 24 hours,
the battery is probably damaged beyond recovery.

CHARGER WILL NOT SWITCH INTO FLOAT MODE - If the charger will not switch into the float mode,
after 24 hours, then the battery is probably damaged and is not properly accepting the charge.

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Check the open circuit voltage of the battery to see if it has any shorted cells - there should be about

2.15 V/cell for a properly charged battery (divide the battery voltage by two to get the number of
cells). If the battery voltage looks correct then you may be trying to charge a battery which has too
large a capacity for the charger (see charging notes and tips).

RATTLE - If you think you hear a rattle inside the charger it is probably only a loose terminal strip
screw. Once the output cable is attached the rattle should go away.

MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS

CLEANING - Unplug the charger before attempting any cleaning. If it becomes necessary to clean the
enclosure, wipe the exterior of the enclosure with a damp cloth and a mild detergent. Do not use an
abrasive cleanser. Do not spray cleaners directly onto the charger or immerse unit in water.

BATTERY CHARGER SPECIFICATIONS

Operating temperature: 32 to 104°F (0° to 40°C )
Storage temperature: -40° to 176° F (-40° to 80°C )
Dimensions: H 3.8" (9.65 cm) x W 2.8" (7.1 cm) x D 2.8" (7.1 cm)
Weight: Less than 1.5 Ibs (0.68 kg) with standard output cable
Power Requirements: 120 V-, 60 Hz, .2 A RMS

OUTPUT RATINGS: @ 25°C

PSC-6300A

Charge Amps (lmax) 300 mA ± 2%
Charge Voltage 6.86 ± 0.06
Switch Amps (lsw) 40 mA ± 5%
Max. Continuous
Load w/ Battery 150 mA

PSC-61000A

Charge Amps (lmax) 1000 mA ± 2%
Charge Voltage 6.84 ± 0.06
Switch Amps (lsw) 75 mA ± 5%
Max. Continuous
Load w/ Battery 500 mA

PSC- 12300A

Charge Amps (lmax) 300 mA ± 2%
Charge Voltage 13.68 ± 0.12
Switch Amps (lsw) 40 mA ± 5%
Max. Continuous
Load w/ Battery 150 mA

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PSC-12800A

Charge Amps (lmax) 800 mA ± 2&
Charge Voltage 13.68 ± 0.12
Switch Amps (lsw) 60 mA ± 5%
Max. Continuous
Load w/ Battery 400mA

CHARGING BATTERIES

Our Technical Manual provides detailed information about charging procedure. A copy can be downloaded
from our website: www.power-sonic.com (go to Technical and click on the tab at the right hand side of the
page).

Power-Sonic Corporation

7550 Panasonic Way

San Diego, CA 92154 Tel: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [e-mail]

Website: http//www.power-sonic.com

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