Piranha Digital Peak Charger
Contents
1. To use 110V AC for input power connect the black AC plug to a regular 110V wall outlet When input power is applied the charger will automatically detect the input voltage level to determine if it is adequate for operation The error message Input V Error will be displayed if the AC or DC input voltage is too high or too low Double check the power source at this time to determine what problem might exist WARNING Never connect the DC input leads to any power source simultaneously with AC input as permanent damage to your charger may result SELECTING A MEMORY SETTING The Piranha Digital Peak Charger contains 10 memory selections numbered from 0 to 9 whereby different charge configurations for 10 different types of batteries can be stored Once configurations are set into memory this convenient feature makes it extremely easy to switch from charging one battery type to another without having to re configure the charger each time When power is applied to the charger the LCD will show the LAST memory setting used This will be referred to as the default display The memory number will show between the arrows on the top line of the display such as lt 1 gt To help identify the proper memory selection all charge configurations will automatically scroll on the bottom line of the LCD while sorting through each memory selection If the default memory selection is NOT appropriate for the next battery to be charged s2. threshold from 3mV 20mV to custom match the charger to specific batteries e Adjustable trickle charge rates 0 100 200mA e Two line 8 character LCD for easy programming and data display e Displays battery voltage peak detection mV charge time current and capacity e Displays errors for improper input voltage poor battery connections and reverse polarity on the output e Store pre set charge parameters in memory for multiple batteries e Multiple sound cues and melodies e Microprocessor controlled intelligence and reliability e Solid state reverse polarity and short circuit protection on input and output SPECIFICATIONS 110V AC 60Hz 11 15V DC nickel cadmium NiCd nickel metal hydride NiMH 1 8 cells 0 1 5 0A 3 0A maximum w AC input 0 1A 100mA zero delta peak 100mA 200mA selectable 2 line 8 character LCD individual tones and pre set melodies store parameters for 10 battery packs spring loaded terminals 5 x 3 4 x 5 5 127 x 86 x 140mm 2 94 Ib 13359 Input Voltage Compatible Cell Types Cell Counts Peak Charge Rate Charge Rate Increments Fast Charge Termination Trickle Charge Rate Display Type Sound Cues Memory Pre sets Output Connectors Case Size Weight IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS Do not charge battery types other than nickel cadmium NiCd or nickel metal hydride NiMH rechargeable batteries Damage may occur from other types of batteries e
3. DIGITAL PEAK CHARGER DIGITAL PEAK CHARGER Programmable custom LCD Congratulations on your purchase of the Piranha Digital Peak Charger by DuraTrax Designed for peak detection charging of nickel cadmium NiCd and nickel metal hydride NiMH rechargeable batteries the Piranha Digital Peak Charger offers programming flexibility normally found in expensive upper end computerized chargers at an amazingly affordable price It s great for batteries containing from 1 to 8 cells with fully adjustable fast charge current peak detection sensitivity and trickle charge rates and the addition of a custom 2 line LCD for displaying a wide variety of battery and charge data The Piranha Digital Peak Charger is an unbeatable value in today s market and another great choice from DuraTrax The Leader in Awesome R C Included with this instruction manual is a quick reference menu flowchart which shows how the entire program structure for the Piranha Digital Peak Charger is designed Retain this flowchart for reference when reading this manual and for future use SPECIAL FEATURES e AC DC convenience is great for use at home or at the track e Peak charges 1 8 cell NiCd or packs e Peak charge current adjustable from 0 1 to 5 0 amps 3 0A maximum with AC input e Automatic charge mode feature automatically charges batteries if specific charge settings are not pre set e Adjustable peak detection sensitivity or
4. Do not connect DC power sources to the charger simultaneously Do not attempt to charge batteries at excessive fast charge currents Do not use automotive type battery chargers to power the charger Do not leave the charger unattended while charging Disconnect the battery and remove input power from charger immediately if the charger becomes hot Allow the charger or battery to cool down before reconnecting Do not allow water moisture or foreign objects into the charger e Do not place the battery or charger on or near a flammable object while in use Keep away from carpets cluttered workbenches etc Do not cover the air intake holes on the charger as this could cause the charger to overheat e Always disconnect charger from power source when not in use e Adult supervision required when used by a child Do not attempt to charge AA AAA or smaller batteries above 1A rate Do not connect the battery to the supplied connector until it has been locked into the charger The Piranha Digital Peak Charger is capable of charging both nickel cadmium NiCd and nickel metal hydride battery chemistries as identified by this symbol Look exclusively for battery chargers with this symbol to handle both NiCd and NiMH charging needs IMPORTANT CARE amp HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NIMH BATTERIES While similar in appearance to sub C NiCd batteries and having the
5. could cause a short You tamper with any of the electronic components You exceed minimum or maximum cell specifications for the battery pack You allow water moisture or any foreign material to enter the charger case E You apply reverse voltage by connecting the battery pack backwards gt Under no circumstances will the purchaser be entitled to consequential or incidental damages This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state If you attempt to disassemble or repair this unit yourself it may void the warranty For service to your DuraTrax product either in or out of warranty send it post paid and insured to Hobby Services 1610 Interstate Drive Champaign IL 61822 217 398 0007 e mail hobbyservices hobbico com Internet Address www duratrax com DTXZ4099 for DTXP4005 V1 0 DEFAULT DISPLAY SELECT MEMORY START 42 OCFTES EERE ODES NiMH Press ENTER to change memory Hold ENTER to start peak charge START 42 gt 3000mAh AUTO SCROLL START 42 gt 3 0A START 42 10mV C PEAK GHARGER MEMORY TRICKLE CHARGE CONFIGURATION AUDIBLE TONES oe 42 PRESS USER gt SETUP SETUP PRESS ENTER PRESS ENTER SELECT BAT TYPE SET RATE TRICKLE NiCd or 0 100mA 200mA NiMH 200mA ENTER SET MAX SELECT 50mAh CAPACITY 1 thru 5 MELODY 5000mAh 3000mAh ENTER ENTER RA
6. TE CURRENT 145 3 0A ENTER SET SENSITIVITY bers 3mV 20mV 10mV C DIGITAL
7. allow the charger s positive and negative output terminals to be shorted while a battery is connected as permanent damage to the battery will result Make sure no stray strands of wire accidentally make contact with both the positive and negative terminals or battery connections Make sure that the spring terminals have a positive lock by gently pulling on the connector If the wires easily pull out of the spring connector reinsert the wire Positive lock is essential for accurate charging thus helping to eliminate false peaks The connector should be hooked up to the charger before connecting the battery to the charger PEAK CHARGING Choose the proper memory selection to match the battery to be charged Review all charge parameters for the memory selection before proceeding will scroll on the bottom line of the display Re select the proper memory selection if necessary 1 When the LCD shows the default display press and hold ENTER for approximately 3 seconds to begin peak charge which will be accompanied by an audible melody and the Charge Start message on the display 2 Several conditions might exist which could prevent the charger from starting or completing the peak charge sequence The LCD might display any one of the error messages shown below After making the necessary error correction return to step 1 in this section to re start the peak charge process a No Battery will be display
8. arge rate selection Selecting will deactivate the trickle charge mode 3 The MELODY setting determines which melody will be played at various points during operation of the charger On initial set up Melody1 will automatically play At any time while Melody1 plays press the or buttons to hear any of the other four pre set melodies which will play automatically The melody option can be disabled by selecting Melody Off Press ENTER to confirm the melody selection and return to the USER SETUP menu 4 Press the left hand button twice to return to the default display and begin the charge process BATTERY CONNECTION The output connections for this charger consist of two spring loaded terminals These terminals offer the optimum in convenience for using any charge connector of your choice A pre assembled standard battery connector is included with this charger Securely connect the battery to be charged to the terminals with the positive battery lead connected to the red positive terminal and the negative battery lead to the charger s black negative terminal WARNING Always make sure to follow proper polarities when connecting the charge leads to the charger Failure to do so could result in permanent damage to your battery and the charger Match the positive battery lead to the charger s red terminal and the negative battery lead to the charger s black terminal Do not
9. arge too soon as voltage fluctuations on the battery and power source are more dramatic at high charge rates A low sensitivity setting higher numerical value instructs the charger to be less precise when detecting peak This means the battery will likely be less full when fast charge is terminated but the charger is less likely to prematurely terminate fast charge as a result of possible voltage fluctuations A low sensitivity setting is usually unnecessary when a low charge current is selected but could be more beneficial when a high charge current is selected Once the desired peak sensitivity selected press ENTER to confirm the setting The display will return to the default display at this time We recommend using a setting at 6mv c for NiCd and 8mv c for NiMH TRICKLE CHARGE amp AUDIBLE TONES The Piranha Digital Peak Charger includes the option to choose from three different trickle charge rates and five different audible melody selections which will sound at various times during the operation of the charger 1 While the charger shows the default display press the right hand button twice to access the USER SETUP menu 2 Press ENTER The TRICKLE setting establishes the exact trickle charge current in milli amps which will automatically be delivered to the battery immediately after peak charge has been terminated Press or to select from OmA 100mA or 200mA Press ENTER to confirm the trickle ch
10. ed if the charger does not detect a battery connected to the outputs Re check for solid connections for each the black and red connection b Wrong Polarity will be displayed if the battery is connected backwards to the charger Make sure the battery s positive lead is connected to the red positive terminal on the charger and the negative lead is connected to the black negative terminal on the charger c Open Circuit will be displayed anytime the battery becomes disconnected from the charger during peak charge mode Re check for solid connections for each of the black and red connections ACTIVE CHARGE DATA Once peak charge has begun the charger will automatically begin displaying data regarding the charge process on TWO different LCD screens Press or anytime to alternate between the two screens as follows SCREEN ONE Fast charge amps 3 0 2300 12 000 V SCREEN TWO T 000 00 12 00 Vi Input voltage to charger Charge input capacity in mAh Output voltage Fast charge minutes count up FINAL CHARGE DATA After peak detection has been achieved the display will flash Charge Complete for 10 seconds accompanied by an audible melody and the charger will automatically switch to trickle charge The display will automatically change to show final charge data on two different screens which will automatically alternate Data will maintain on the display until another command is manually giv
11. elect the appropriate memory to match the battery as follows 1 Briefly push the middle ENTER button marked as E The memory number on the top line of the LCD will begin to flash Do not hold the enter button This will cause the charger to begin charging 2 Scroll up or down through the memory selections 0 9 by pressing or 3 Press ENTER once the proper memory selection has been located which will be confirmed as the memory number will stop flashing CONFIGURING EACH MEMORY SETTING Follow these steps to configure a memory setting 1 While the charger shows the default display press the button to access the BATT SETUP menu 2 Briefly press ENTER The BAT setting will be displayed Press the or buttons to set either NiCd or NiMH to match the exact chemistry of the battery to be charged This tells the charger exactly how to identify peak charge for the battery to be charged Press ENTER to confirm the setting For CAPACITY press or to set the charge input capacity to the desired mAh milli amp hour level This selection ranges from to 5000mA in increments of 50 Press ENTER to confirm the chosen setting The uses for this feature are as follows a This can be used as a Safety feature If for some reason a battery never reaches peak this feature tells the charger to terminate fast charge after this pre set level of input capaci
12. en to the charger Data displayed will be as follows SCREEN ONE Fast charge 3 0 2300 12 000 V Final charge capacity to battery in mAh amp setting Output voltage 1 Final charge capacity Compare this number to the maximum rated capacity of the battery being charged The displayed data can be used to determine how well the battery accepted charge If this value is considerably lower than the rated capacity of the battery it could be an indication of one of the following conditions a Poor battery condition Battery replacement may be necessary b The chargers peak detection sensitivity could require adjustment Re setting the peak sensitivity setting to another value could improve results c The charger s peak charge current setting may be too high or too low Re setting the peak charge current to another value could improve results d Poor connection between battery and charger Make sure all connectors are free of dirt and debris 2 Output voltage this is voltage measured on the output of the charger If the displayed voltage is lower than the rated voltage of the battery it could be an indication of one of the problems listed above SCREEN TWO Total minutes T 000 00 for fast charge 12 00 Vi Input voltage to the charger Total minutes for fast charge this is the total number of minutes which were required to complete peak charge of the battery SCREEN THREE At any time after peak charge has ended pressin
13. g the and buttons simultaneously will temporarily show the final measured peak voltage and charge input capacity delivered to the battery After 3 seconds the charger will revert back to the default display 8 780Vp 1580 mAh Final charge input capacity Peak voltage data can help determine the overall condition of the battery which was charged This is NOT necessarily the final measured voltage of the battery but its HIGHEST measured voltage as it was being charged Typically a battery in good condition will exhibit a higher peak voltage than a battery of poorer condition and can often result in the battery being able to deliver more output power It is normal for the peak voltage value of a battery to gradually decrease over the useful lifetime of the battery TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE PROBLEM Display does not work when unit is connected CAUSE AND CURE 1 Check power supply for improper power Entire Contents Copyright 2002 Peak voltage 2 Check input connections for proper contact 3 Internal problem Contact Hobby Services for details PROBLEM Charger doesn t recognize battery CAUSE AND CURE 1 Battery may be connected backwards Connect battery leads properly 2 Faulty connection or wiring Correct or replace charge lead 3 Defective cell in the pack Replace battery pack or cell PROBLEM Does not automatically terminate peak charge properly CAUSE AND CURE 1 Check all connections for proper co
14. ntacts 2 Bad battery pack Replace battery 3 Internal problem with charger Disconnect battery immediately and contact Hobby Services for further details PROBLEM Battery voltage low after peak charge below 1 2V per cell CAUSE AND CURE 1 Charge rate setting too low See Configuring Each Memory Setting to reset charge current 2 Battery connected in reverse Connect battery leads properly 3 Defective battery needs to be replaced WARRANTY DuraTrax warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase During that period we will repair or replace at our option any product that does not meet these standards You will be required to provide proof or purchase date receipt or invoice If during the 1 year period your DuraTrax product shows defects caused by abuse misuse or accident it will be repaired or replaced at our option at a service charge not greater than 50 of the current retail price Be sure to include your daytime telephone number in case we need to contact you about your repair This warranty does not cover components worn by use application of reverse voltage cross connections poor installation subjection of components to foreign materials any alterations to wires or tampering In no case shall our liability exceed the original cost of the product Your warranty is voided if You allow any wires to become frayed which
15. properly match the battery In addition while in the Auto setting if the battery type selected earlier in the instructions was set as NiCd the charger will automatically set the peak detection sensitivity level see below to 3mV If the load battery selection is NiMH the charger will automatically set the peak sensitivity level to 5mV Note When 110V AC input power is used the maximum charge current will be approximately 3 0A even if the display setting for charge current is set above 3 0A Full charge current can be delivered with proper DC input power WARNING Do not set the charge current too high for the battery to be charged This could result in overheating of the battery and lead to bodily harm or permanent damage to the battery and or the charger 5 The A or delta peak setting determines the charger s sensitivity level for detecting peak charge of a battery This is sometimes referred to as a threshold setting Press or to select the desired peak detection sensitivity This selection ranges from a high sensitivity setting of 3mV C milli volts per cell in the pack to a low sensitivity setting of 20mV C A higher sensitivity setting lower numerical value instructs the charger to be more precise when detecting peak This is often most accurate when charge current is set at a low rate If charge current is set at a high rate the charger could possibly terminate fast ch
16. same 1 2V rating per cell cells contain a different chemical makeup which requires different care and handling Do not to allow NiMH batteries to overheat at any time Heat can adversely affect the performance of NiMH batteries If overheating is observed disconnect the battery from the charger immediately and allow to cool e Do not deep cycle NiMH batteries as permanent damage could result NiMH cells do not exhibit the memory effect like NiCd cells so little cycling is needed e Store NiMH packs with some voltage remaining on the cells e Use a battery pack no more than three cycles per day with a two to three hour break in between for cooling More frequent use is likely to overheat the pack NiMH cells have a self discharge rate of approximately 20 25 compared to 15 for NiCd batteries Thus if NiMH batteries have been inactive for more than a few days it is important to recharge them immediately prior to use INPUT POWER To use a 12V DC battery or power supply for input power attach the chargers red alligator clip to the positive terminal on the battery or power supply and the black alligator clip to the negative terminal It s best to use a clean DC power source whose output is filtered to remove unwanted electrical noise To achieve the maximum potential with this charger the source battery must be capable of delivering at least 6 amps of current while maintaining 12V DC
17. ty has been delivered to the battery b Many NiMH cell manufacturers recommend to leave a partial charge on a battery before putting it in storage for an indefinite period of time Adjusting this capacity level setting before charging to a pre determined percentage of the battery s maximum rated capacity will automatically supply partial charge to the battery c If this capacity setting is too low the battery will not likely receive full charge Conversely if capacity setting is too high it may not provide ample overcharge protection if the charger fails to recognize peak charge on the battery d To bypass the capacity feature set the capacity level to maximum or 5 000mAh Caution must be used in doing so as the charger must not be left unattended If the battery s rated capacity is not known or listed consult your supplier to get the exact specifications for the battery 4 The CURRENT setting determines how much current is to be delivered to the battery during peak charge Press or to choose the desired charge current in amps This selection ranges from 0 1 amp 100mA to 5 0amps in increments of 0 1A Once the desired charge current is selected press ENTER to confirm the setting If the 5 0A selection is exceeded the display will advance to the Auto setting Here the charger will detect the internal resistance of the battery being charged every 1 minute and automatically adjust the charge current to
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