TME Xtrema Instruction Manual

1. Introduction

Congratulations for purchasing TME's Xtrema Lithium (Li) Charger – Wattmeter. You are now
the owner of the most expandable, high end Li charging and monitoring system available. The
Xtrema combines the power of a high end Li charger with the versatility of a high end Wattmeter.
It also features a very useful temperature probe for monitoring your batteries and motor as well
as an over sized LCD display that shows all important data simultaneously. And the Xtrema has
an expansion port that allows for future plug in features and FREE lifetime software updates.
Our promise to you is to keep the Xtrema current with the latest Lithium advances and charger
features. This assures you that Xtrema is a solid value for many years to come. Your unit is fully
calibrated and tested during manufacturing and should provide many years of trouble free
operation.

Safety while charging is an integral part of the design of the Xtrema and a high priority at TME.
Two collective features actively prevent overcharging your battery. They serve as backup to the
normal constant voltage termination. The temperature cutoff provides the first level of protection.
It is set to shut off your charger if your battery goes over 104°F. This default temperature is
easily changeable to accommodate ambient temperature or for a more conservative cutoff. The
second method is a safety timer that aborts the charge if it takes longer than 120 minutes. This
default time can also be changed to match your charge rate.

TME Xtrema ™

Instruction Manual

(Firmware version 1.1.x) rev f

Most people find that they can easily operate the Xtrema with no manual or with very little
information. However we recommend that you take the time to read this manual to discover
features, tips, and options that may not be immediately obvious.

For example the SETUP MENU allows you to customize your Xtrema's volts per cell,
safety timer and temperature cutoff.

The Volts per cell setting is particularly important when charging M1 High Power

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Hypersonic TM Lithium Ion cells manufactured by A123 Systems since the default is set
to charge common lithium polymer cells. You can also change volts per cell to charge
your Lithium Polymer batteries to a “storage charge” level for safe long term storage.
(NOTE: M1 cells do not require a “storage charge” and can be left charged at any level
without degrading performance)

Other interesting features you will discover in setup allows you to tailor the sounds the
Xtrema makes from No Sound (library mode), Beep Once, or the default Remind Me
(nag me) mode.

Manual Revisions:
By virtue of the expansion port, the Xtrema can be easily updated to incorporate new features. This means that as

we add new features, our instruction manual becomes a living document that constantly changes. We ship each
Xtrema with a printed QUICK START manual and provide a CD with the latest manual that matches your Xtrema's
revision.

In this way we can provide you with the most up to date and complete manual without having to worry about
delaying updates because of a surplus of printed manuals. If you do not have a computer to print out your manual
you can take it to a friend or nearby library to print it out.

Updates and the latest news on the Xtrema can be located on our special Xtrema web site. Simply go to

www.theXtrema.com

Date Revision Description
07/24/06 1.0.0 First production release

08/15/06 1.1.x Added support for m1 cells from A123 Systems

In this manual the following conventions are used.

 WARNING!

This signifies that the information presented is of concern for safety. Loss of life or
property may result if these warnings are not observed. At the very least damage to your
batteries or the Xtrema may result if you ignore these warnings.

TIP!

This signifies that the information presented is a tip that will help you obtain extra
enjoyment or utility of the Xtrema

Note:

This signifies that the information presented is a note that will help you understand a
particular feature of the Xtrema.

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

2. PRECAUTIONS – WARNING!

 DO NOT CHARGE Lithium Polymer / ION batteries unattended. Ever!
 USE POLARIZED CONNECTORS on the motor and battery to prevent reversal of leads.

Red to (+) and black to (-) Although we have circuitry to protect the Xtrema, in certain situations
serious damage to Motor, speed controller, battery and the Xtrema may result. Make sure that
your connectors can handle the maximum amps your motor can draw. The Xtrema can safely
measure 50 amps continuous and up to 100 amps for short durations when used as a
Wattmeter.

 DO NOT CHARGE inside a vehicle
 DO NOT CHARGE in direct sunlight
 DO NOT CHARGE when ambient temperature is very HIGH or LOW.
 DO NOT CHARGE when Li battery pack is hot or near flames
 DO NOT USE an Automobile battery charger for the input power source. Use a regulated 12

to 13.8V DC supply or a 12 Volt Lead Acid battery capable of providing up to 20 amps

when charging at the maximum charge capacity. Your supply must maintain a minimum of

10.5V to a max of 15V to operate.

 DO NOT CONNECT MULTIPLE EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLIES, METERS ETC. WITH

COMMON GROUNDS. All three (-) Negative leads on the Xtrema are at slightly different ground
potentials. Make sure if you connect external equipment that they are electrically isolated from
each other.

 Xtrema CASE may get HOT when charging at high current.

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3. GENERAL OPERATION

To Motor Under

The Xtrema's menu system was designed to be simple and intuitive. When you first connect the Xtrema
to the input power it will display the welcome screen for a few seconds before going to the main menu.
The welcome screen will display the firmware and hardware revision numbers which should correspond
to this manual.

When in the main menu a blinking square box is used to draw your attention to the current selection or
the choice that is to be made. All operation is via a single joystick that can be slightly moved in four
directions. In all cases operation is simple as noted below.

Up  or down  buttons on the joystick select menu or value options Left  goes back to previous selection,right
 button accepts option and goes to next step

Note: Pressing the joystick button to the Left  while in the Main Menu will force the

Xtrema to shut off the display and go into a standby / off state. Momentarily pressing the joystick
again in any direction will restart the Xtrema back to normal operation

Temperature

probe connector

Expansion

port

Test

LCD

Display

POWER INPUT

(10.5 – 15 volts DC)

4.CHARGING a Lithium (Li) Battery

Overview - How the charger works

The Xtrema charges lithium batteries using the constant current to constant voltage method
(CC/CV) recommended by Lithium battery manufacturers. When you start a charge cycle, the
first thing the Xtrema does is test to see if the pack voltage is plausible for the cell count and
volts per cell you have selected. It does this during the TESTING phase

If all is OK, the Xtrema proceeds to increase the battery voltage just enough to maintain the
charge current you selected. This is called the constant current phase and is indicated with
"Charge CC" on the display. This constant current phase continues until the voltage eventually
climbs to the end value. (Volts per cell X cell count)

Joystick

Fan

(on side)

To Battery

At that point the Xtrema enters the constant voltage phase indicated by "Charge CV" on the

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display. Generally a battery is about 80 to 90% charged at this point. During this phase the
Xtrema holds the terminating voltage constant. As the battery charges up, it naturally begins to
draw less and less current as it "fills up". The Xtrema simply maintains a constant voltage on the
battery while watching the current go down. When the charge current drops to 1/10 of the initial
charge current, the Xtrema considers the battery fully charged. This is indicated by the word
"COMPLETE" on the display accompanied by repetitive beeps (unless beeps have been
disabled in Setup)

Connect the Xtrema to charge a battery

1 . Connect the red (+) and black (-) Xtrema inputs directly to a 12Volt automobile battery
or regulated power supply. Be careful to observe polarity.

Note:Make sure that the input voltage does not go below 10.5 Volts while charging or the

Xtrema will stop the charging process. Also charging will terminate if the voltage is above 15.0
Volts. When either of these conditions occurs the charge will terminate with a BAD INPT

message in the upper right status area of the display.

Note: Upon power up you will see the Xtrema welcome screen. This will display the

firmware and hardware revision and then beep. You will also notice that the fan will momentarily
come on and then shut off performing a power up fan test.

 WARNING! DO NOT CONTINUE USING THE CHARGER if you do NOT hear or feel

the fan come on during power up. Also if you hear any unusual fan noise such as a bad bearing,
please return the unit for service. For long fan life, the fan is designed to only come on during high
power charging. The cooling it provides is an integral part of the Xtrema's power to charge large
packs.

WARNING! Your charger comes with factory default settings of 4.2 volts per cell. These settings
are ideal for obtaining the maximum charge from Lithium Polymer type cells. These settings must
be changed to 3.6 volts per cell when charging M1 High Power Hypersonic TM Lithium Ion

cells manufactured by A123 Systems. (See Li Settings section below before proceeding.)

2 . Connect the Li battery to the connector labeled “BATTERY”. CAUTION: Insure that
there is nothing connected to the “MOTOR” connector because the battery voltage will be present
there regardless of mode.

 WARNING! USE POLARIZED CONNECTORS on the motor and battery to

prevent reversal of leads. Although we have circuitry to protect the Xtrema in case of reverse
battery, in certain situations serious damage to Motor, speed controller, battery and the Xtrema
may result if polarity is not observed. Therefore please use polarized connectors that match you
largest battery connector and use polarized adapters for smaller packs.

3 . You may optionally connect the temperature probe to the battery using the hook and
loop strap. We recommend always using the temperature probe for maximum safety during charge.

TIP! FOR MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS you will want to set the temperature cutoff to a

few degrees above the starting pack temperature. The factory default is 104°F. (To do this see
the instructions under the SETUP MENU.) For example if the pack temperature is 80°F then you
may want to set the temperature cutoff to 85°F. (You can determine the pack temperature by
attaching the thermometer to the battery with the supplied hook/loop band and temporarily
entering the Wattmeter function,)

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Lithium batteries are amazingly efficient during a charge and rarely go up in temperature at all
when charging properly.

 WARNING! This feature is not designed to save your batteries. If a pack starts to

overheat, itis an early sign that the pack has already been damaged or that you have
programmed the current too high. Shutting off the Xtrema early (as a result of an overheated
battery) is designed to greatly minimize the probability of smoking or igniting the battery. UNDER
NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you rely on this feature in lieu of being close by while charging
batteries.

NEVER CHARGE Lithium Polymer / ION batteries unattended. Ever!

Set to Li Charge mode

4 . “Li Charger” should be selected on the display. (If not push the up  or down 
buttons on the joystick until it is selected.) Press the joystick to the right  to enter Li Charger
mode.

Xtrema Main Menu:
o ’ Li Charger ‘
f “ Wattmeter

f ..setup..

Select the cell count and milliamps

Slct ” 2 750
Batt’ 3cell 2000mA‘
Mem: “ 5 5000
10 3500

5 . You will see four battery pack configurations that can be customized and
remembered by the Xtrema. These can represent four of your most common pack configuration.
Use the up  or down  buttons on the joystick to pick the pack you want. If none of them match,
pick any one of the four you want to change. In the next step, you will be able to change the values
to match your battery. Your setting will be automatically remembered the next time you enter this
menu. Press the right  button when you have made your selection.

Note: If at first you do not see any pack like the ones you own, simply pick any one of the

batteries. You are ALWAYS given the option to change those settings of the memorized location
and the current pack.

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