Xantrex Technology 2000 User Manual

t 1 408 987 6359

www.xantrex.com/support

975-0343-01-01 REV. A Printed in China

Owner's Guide

Owner’s Guide

About Xantrex

Xantrex Technology Inc. is a world-leading supplier of advanced power
electronics and controls with products from 50 watt mobile units to 1 MW utility­scale systems for wind, solar, batteries, fuel cells, microturbines, and backup
power applications in both grid-connected and stand-alone systems. Xantrex
products include inverters, battery chargers, programmable power supplies, and
variable speed drives that convert, supply, control, clean, and distribute electrical
power.

Trademarks

DURACELL® is a registered trademark of The Gillette Company, used under
license. All rights reserved.
XANTREX is a registered trademark of Xantrex International.
Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and product names are the property of
their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.

Notice of Copyright

Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger Owner’s Guide © 2007 Duracell. All rights
reserved.

Exclusion for Documentation

UNLESS SPECIFICALLY AGREED TO IN WRITING, XANTREX TECHNOLOGY INC.
(“XANTREX”)

(a) MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY, SUFFICIENCY OR SUITABILITY OF
ANY TECHNICAL OR OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED IN ITS MANUALS OR OTHER
DOCUMENTATION.

(b) ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSSES, DAMAGES, COSTS OR
EXPENSES, WHETHER SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT , CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL,
WHICH MIGHT ARISE OUT OF THE USE OF SUCH INFORMATION. THE USE OF ANY
SUCH INFORMATION WILL BE ENTIRELY AT THE USER’S RISK.

(c) REMINDS YOU THAT IF THIS MANUAL IS IN ANY LANGUAGE OTHER THAN
ENGLISH, ALTHOUGH STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO MAINTAIN THE ACCURACY OF
THE TRANSLATION, THE ACCURACY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. APPROVED
XANTREX CONTENT IS CONTAINED WITH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION WHICH
IS POSTED AT www.xantrex.com.

Date and Revision

April 2007 Revision A

Part Number

975-0343-01-01

Product Number

804-0157

Contact Information

Phone: [phone]
Website: www.xantrex.com/support

About This Guide

Purpose

This guide introduces the Duracell® 15 AMP Battery
Charger, describes the features, explains how the Duracell®
Charger charges batteries, and provides procedures for
operating the charger.

Scope

This guide provides information for the Duracell® 15 AMP
Charger.

This guide does not provide details about particular brands of
batteries. You need to consult individual battery
manufacturers for this information.

Audience

The Guide is intended for anyone who needs to install and
operate the Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger.

Organization

This Guide is organized into 4 chapters and 2 appendices:
Chapter 1, “Introduction”, Chapter 1 contains information on

the features available and the location of important parts on
the front panel of the Duracell® Charger 15.

Chapter 2, “Operation”, Chapter 2 explains how to operate
the Duracell® Charger efficiently to charge a vehicle battery.

Chapter 3, “Troubleshooting”, Chapter 3 will help you
identify and remedy the common problems than can occur
with the Duracell® Charger.

Appendix A, “Specifications”, Appendix A lists the
specifications for the Duracell® Charger.

iii

About This Guide

Appendix B, “Battery Charging”, Appendix B describes
battery charging in more detail.

Conventions Used

The following conventions are used in this guide.

WARNING

Warnings identify conditions that could result in personal injury or
loss of life.

CAUTION

Cautions identify conditions or practices that could result in
damage to the unit or to other equipment.

Important:

an item that you must pay attention to.

These notes describe an important action item or

Related Information

You can find more information about Xantrex Technology
Inc. as well as its products and services at www.xantrex.com

iv 975-0343-01-01

Important Safety Instructions

The Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger generates a low DC
voltage and high DC current to the battery being charged.
Operating the Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger incorrectly
or misusing them may damage the equipment or create
hazardous conditions for the user.

Save these instructions. This guide contains important safety
and operating instructions.

WARNING: Explosion hazard

The Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger is designed to charge 12 V
lead-acid batteries only. Do not use the product on batteries with
other voltage ratings.

WARNING: Shock hazard. Keep away from
children.

The Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger generates a low voltage
and high current DC to the battery being charged. Do not expose
the charger to water, rain, snow or spray.
Do not open the Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger. There are no
user-serviceable parts inside the unit.

WARNING: Explosion hazard

Do not use this product where there are flammable fumes or gases,
such as in the bilge of a gasoline-powered boat, or near propane
tanks. Do not use this product in an enclosure containing lead acid
batteries. These batteries vent explosive hydrogen gas which can be
ignited by sparks from electrical connections.
When working on electrical equipment, always ensure someone is
nearby to help you in an emergency.

WARNING: Explosion hazard

Battery reconditioning mode works only on flooded lead-acid 12 V
batteries. Do not attempt to recondition sealed lead-acid batteries.

v

Safety

WARNING: Explosion hazard

During battery reconditioning phase, the battery generates
potentially flammable gases. Follow all the battery safety
precautions listed in this guide. V entilate the area around the battery
thoroughly and ensure that there are no sources of flame or sparks
in the vicinity.

WARNING: Heated surface

Ensure at least 2" (5 cm) air space is maintained on all sides of the
Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger. During operation, keep away
from materials that may be affected by high temperatures.

WARNING: Explosion hazard

Never attempt to charge a frozen battery.

WARNING: Shock hazard

To reduce the risk of electrical shock, disconnect both AC and DC
power from the Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger before
attempting any maintenance or cleaning or working on any circuits
connected to the Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger. Turning AC

ON/OFF switch to OFF will not reduce this risk.

CAUTION

Do not expose the Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger to
temperatures over 104 °F (40 °C).

vi 975-0343-01-01

Safety

Precautions When Working With Batteries

WARNING: Explosion or fire hazard

1. Follow all instructions published by the battery
manufacturer and the manufacturer of the equipment in
which the battery is installed.

2. Make sure the area around the battery is well ventilated.

3. Never smoke or allow a spark or flame near the engine or
batteries.

4. Use caution to reduce the risk or dropping a metal tool on
the battery. It could spark or short circuit the battery or
other electrical parts and could cause an explosion.

5. Remove all metal items, like rings, bracelets, and
watches when working with lead-acid batteries. Lead­acid batteries produce a short circuit current high enough
to weld metal to skin, causing a severe burn.

6. Have someone within range of your voice or close
enough to come to your aid when you work near a lead­acid battery.

7. Have ple nty of fresh water and soap nearby in case
battery acid contacts skin, clothing, or eyes.

8. Wear complete eye protection and clothing protection.
Avoid touching your eyes while working near ba tteries.

9. If batte ry acid contacts skin or clothing, wash
immediately with soap and water . If ac id enters your eye,
immediately flood it with running cold water for at least
twenty minutes and get medical attention immediately.

10. If you need to remove a battery, always remove the
ground terminal from the battery first. Make sure all
accessories ar off so you don’t cause a spark.

975-0343-01-01 vii

Safety

FCC Information to the User

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instruction guide, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct
the interference at his own expense.

viii 975-0343-01-01

Contents

Important Safety Instructions
1

Introduction

Duracell® Charger Features- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1-1

Continuous Charge Rating - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1-2
Wide Voltage Range - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1-2
Protection Features - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1-2
Isolated Design- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1-3
Front Panel Selectors- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1-3

Front Panel Indicator Lights and Settings- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1-4

Charger Cable Storage Compartment- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1-6

2

Operation

Operating Conditions and Guidelines - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2-1
Choosing a Location- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2-2
Charging 12 Volt Batteries- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2-3

Charging Rates Selection Guide - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2-5

Reconditioning (Equalizing) Flooded Type Batteries - - - - - - - -2-6

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - v

3

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Reference - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -3-1
Recycling - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -3-4

A

Specifications

Physical Specifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A-1
Electrical Specifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A-2
AC Input Specifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A-3
Protection Features- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A-3
Approvals - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A-3

ix

Contents

B

Battery Charging

Bulk Charge - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B-1
Absorption Charge - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B-1
Float Charge - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B-2
Calculating External Battery Charging Time- - - - - - - - - - - - - B-3
Battery Reconditioning Mode- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B-4

About Reconditioning - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B-5

Warranty and Return Information

- - - - - - - - - - - - -WA-1

x 975-0343-01-01

1

Introduction

Chapter 1 contains information on the features available and
the location of important parts on the front panel of the
Duracell® 15 AMP Battery Charger.

Duracell® Charger Features

The Duracell® Charger is an advanced battery charger
designed specifically for high performance, deep-cycle lead­acid engine batteries. It is smaller and lighter than many other
chargers.

Duracell® Charger changes the alternating current (AC)
supply from the utility to the controlled low-voltage, direct
current (DC) required to charge a 12 V battery by using high­frequency, switching-mode power conversion circuits. The
high-frequency power conversion method is similar to that
used in power supplies for computers and other electronic
equipment. It results in a significantly smaller and lighter
charger than other power conversion methods allow.

The Duracell® Charger has AC to DC isolation, a surge
protector, and many other safety features which reduce
potential shock and fire hazards.

1-1

Continuous Charge Rating

The Duracell® 15 AMP Charger delivers 2/8/15 amp
charging current. Traditional (low frequency) chargers only
deliver their rated charging current for a short initial part of
the charge cycle. The Duracell® Charger only reduces the
charging current below these rated levels when the battery is
approaching full charge. Because it delivers rated current
over most of the charge cycle, Duracell® Charger charges
your batteries faster than many other chargers with the same
or higher rating.

Wide Voltage Range

Duracell® Charger maintains the correct charging voltage for
your battery when the AC line voltage drops as low as
104 VAC or rises as high as 127 VAC. A surge protector in
Duracell® Charger protects it from surges and spikes on the
AC power line.

Protection Features

Duracell® Charger provides the following protection
features:

• Overheating protection

• Reverse polarity warning indicator light

• Overvoltage protection

• Bad battery indication

• Over current protection

• Charging time out protection

1-2 975-0343-01-01

Isolated Design

The DC battery charging circuits of Duracell® Charger are
galvanically isolated by a transformer from the AC power
circuits. This feature reduces the risk of electric shock and
helps to prevent corrosion in marine applications.

Front Panel Selectors

Display Selection

The Display Selection push button allows you to toggle the
display to show the vehicle battery voltage and charging
current during the charging mode. The display indicates the
battery capacity when the AC is not plugged in.

Charge Rate

The Charge Rate push button allows you to select the optimal
charge current for your battery. Refer to Table 2-2 on page 2­5 for appropriate charge rate selections.

Battery Reconditioning

The Battery Reconditioning push button (pin-hole type)
allows you to recondition a bad flooded battery that does not
accept charge.

Duracell® Charger Features

975-0343-01-01 1-3

Front Panel Indicator Lights and Settings

This section describes the parts of the Duracell® Charger.
Figure 1-1 shows the front panel. Descriptions are provided
in the table.

34

2

1

10

Figure 1-1

Panel
Item Description

1 Digital Display displays the numerical value of the

2 Incorrect Connection light, under the Battery Charger

3 Charging Error light illuminates when a fault condition

4 Charging Status light indicates the charging status of the

Duracell® Charger F r ont Panel

battery voltage, charging current and capacity. The
Volts (V), Current (A), Battery % lights indicate which
condition is being reported.
The digital display is also used to indicate error codes
when Charging Error light (Item 6) is illuminated. See
Chapter 3, “Troubleshooting”.

section, illuminates when a reverse polarity is detected at
the charging cable.

is detected.

battery. A blinking light indicates that charging is in
progress. A solid light indicates that the battery is fully
charged.

5

9

6

8

7

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