Functional Description
POWERplus User Guide 1.1.0 7 350-00104-4
Limit Settings page.
Audible Alarm
The audible alarm sounds when the battery voltage has fallen to around 0.5V above the programmed
shut-off voltage. See the CONTROL SETTINGS page for information on how to set enable or disable the
alarm.
Battery Charging
POWERplus includes a built-in battery charger suitable for charging either Lead Acid or LiFePO4 battery
types. The battery charger uses the DC input supply to charge the battery. If the DC input supply is not
connected, then the charger cannot function.
The factory default for the battery type is Lead Acid but you may change this by changing the user setting.
The charger can deliver charge currents up to 6.0A. Note because this charge current is provided from the
DC input you must size the DC power supply so the total load on the power supply is the sum of the load
current delivered to the output connectors in addition to the charge current.
You must use the User Settings to set the maximum amount of charge current to suit your battery. For
Lead Acid batteries it is normal to charge at the C/10 or C/20 rate. C is the capacity of the battery so as an
example using the C/10 rate with a 55Ah battery the maximum charge current should be set to 55/10 =
5.5A. You can of course charge at a lower rate.
It is important not to charge a battery too quickly. For example, it could be dangerous to charge a 5Ah
lead acid battery at 5A (effectively a rate of C/1).
Some types of batteries can be charged at a higher rate, but you should always consult with the
manufacturer of the battery you are using to get the information relating to the specific battery.
If you disconnect a battery from the unit it is recommended that you disable the battery charger and re-
enable when you reconnect the battery. Refer to the BATTERY SETTINGS page for information on enabling
or disabling the battery charger.
Lead-Acid Charging
The charger uses a three-phase charging cycle for Lead-Acid batteries. Before starting the cycle, the
charger checks the battery voltage to determine whether the battery is in good condition. If the battery
voltage is below 10V then the charger will enter the pre-condition phase and trickle charge the battery to
get the voltage into the acceptable range.
When the voltage rises above the minimum threshold, the charger will exit this pre-condition mode and
enter the normal charge cycle. If this voltage is not achieved, after a pre-determined period of time, the
charge cycle will be automatically terminated.
A battery in good condition but in the discharged state will initially be charged at a constant current (set
by the user) until the battery is close to the float voltage. The charger then switches to a constant voltage
mode.
It will continue to provide a small charge current to keep the battery in the fully charged state.
LiFePO4 Charging
The Lithium charger has two charging phases in addition to a pre-conditioning phase used to deal with
over discharged or defective batteries.
Initially with a normally discharged battery the charger will enter a constant current charge state with the
current set by the user.
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