FSIP DisChargePlus User manual

DisChargePlus
O P E R A T I N G I N S T R U C T I O N S
Introduction:
The DisChargePlus Battery Tester is designed to measure the
remaining capacity, or useful energy for which a 36 or 48 volt
battery set is capable. The discharge rate, time, and shut off
voltage are programmable.
Specifications:
•Operates from battery voltage, either 36 or 48 volt battery
packs (no AC power required)
•Electronically controlled (uses microcontroller)
•Programmable voltage or time shutoff - 3 rates of
discharge
•LCD digital display for easy reading
•Built-in thermal protection
•8 foot DC cord with cord wrap brackets
•Large 200 amp clamps for battery connections

Important Safety Instructions:
•Before using discharge unit, read all instructions and
cautionary markings on electric vehicle, battery, battery
charger, and all accessories using battery.
•Position the discharger on a foundation of stone, brick,
concrete or grounded metal.
•To reduce the risk of fire, do not use the discharger near
flammable materials or vapors.
•Do not expose discharge unit to rain or snow.
•Use of an attachment not recommended or sold by the
discharge unit manufacturer may result in a risk of fire, an
electric shock, or injury to persons.
•Ensure DC cord is located so that it will not be stepped on,
tripped over, or otherwise subjected to damage or stress.
•Do not operate discharge unit with damaged cord or
clamp; replace it immediately.
•To permit free air flow for cooling, allow eighteen inches
(18") minimum between the discharger and any wall or
other equipment.
•Do not touch the back or sides of the case during or just
after operation of the discharge unit. A large amount of
energy is being dissipated by the unit and the case will
become hot.
•NEVER disconnect the clamps from the batteries while
the unit is operating. The resulting arcing could cause an
explosion resulting in personal injury, and
property damage.
•Do not operate discharge unit if it has received sharp blow,
been dropped, or otherwise damaged in any way; take it
to a qualified service center.
•Do not disassemble discharge unit; take it to a qualified
service center when service or repair is required. Incorrect
reassembly may result in a risk of electric shock or fire.
•Disconnect discharge unit from batteries before
attempting any maintenance or cleaning.

Proper Care and Use of Batteries:
CAUTION: Always wear protective eye shields and clothing
when working with batteries. Batteries contain acids which can
cause bodily harm. Do not put wrenches or other metal objects
across the battery terminal or battery top. Arcing or explosion of
the battery can result. Do not wear jewelry when working around
batteries. Arcing can cause severe burns.
New batteries will not deliver their full performance until after
several cycles.
The tops of the batteries and battery hold downs must be kept
clean and dry at all times to prevent excessive self discharge and
flow of current between the battery post and frame.
Maintain the proper electrolyte level by adding water when
necessary. Never allow the electrolyte level to fall below the top
of the battery plates. Electrolyte levels fall during discharge and
rise during charging. Therefore, to prevent the overflow of
electrolyte when charging, add water ONLY AFTER the batteries
have been fully charged. DO NOT OVERFILL. Old batteries require
more frequent additions of water than new batteries.
Do not over discharge the batteries. Excessive discharge can cause
polarity reversal of individual cells, resulting in complete
battery failure.
Identifying Defective Cells/Batteries:
During the discharge cycle, batteries should be monitored by
voltage individually, and should stay fairly even. Batteries that
drop faster than the others are probably defective. Batteries that
fall much below 1.75 volts per cell should be replaced. Bad
batteries are obviously related to lower capacity ratings. Some
experience is required to judge if the pack capacity is sufficient for
the actual use it will be subjected to.
Reprogramming the Discharger:
The time adjustment is from 5-245 minutes. To change, press and
hold the MENU button until the time is displayed. Press the
START/STOP/PAUSE button to initiate change, then press either
button to increase or decrease time. Stop pressing, and time will
be held in memory.
To change shut off voltage - Press the button a second time after
MAX TIME is displayed. Raise or lower shut off voltage in the same
fashion.
To change the discharge rate - Press the button 4 times, select 25,
56 or, 75 amps on 36 volt pack – 25, or 56 amps on a
48 volt pack.
History:
The discharger holds 14 previous tests in the history menu. To
access, press the MENU button 5 times. The display will show run
time, start voltage, and shut off voltage. The first record is the last
cycle run.
Attention:
The cable length and size is critical to volt meter accuracy - do not
change. Clamp tightness is also critical. If the clamps become hot
during discharging have them replaced.
WARNING: Failure to disconnect clamps from battery pack
before moving or driving equipment will result in damage to
cords, clamps, and equipment.

Using the DisChargePlus:
Testing should be done in a cool, clean, dry, and well-ventilated
environment. Position the discharger on stone, brick, concrete or
grounded metal.
DANGER: To reduce the risk of fire, do not use the
discharger near flammable materials or vapors.
The purpose of using a discharge unit on battery sets is to
determine battery capacity, and to find defective cells or batteries
in the set.
Battery energy is measured in minutes obtained upon discharging
a fully charged 36 or 48 volt battery set. This standard is used by
all major battery manufactures’ of lead acid deep cycle marine,
golf car, or floor scrubber type batteries. For a 36 volt pack, the
discharger can be set to a load of 25, 56, or 75 amps. The default
shut off voltage is 1.75 volts per cell, or 31.5 volts. For 48 volts,
the discharger can be set to a load of 25, or 56 amps - and the
shut off voltage is 42. If the shut off voltage is not reached in 245
minutes, the discharger will time out and shut off.
1. Before the test, fully charge the battery pack. It is important
that all the batteries in the pack are fairly even. Monitor each
battery by voltage towards the end of the charge cycle. Any
battery(s) that are 3/4 – 1 volt lower than the rest of the pack
should be charged individually.
2. To start the test, observe polarity, red+ black –, and connect
the clamps to the pack.
IMPORTANT: Make sure the posts are clean, and the clamps are
tight. Bad connections will cause the unit to fault, and the cycle
to be interrupted with a “system failure” message.
3. The solenoid will close, and the system voltage will be
displayed, along with the rate of discharge.Press the
START/STOP/PAUSE button. The cycle will start, and the running
time and battery volts will be displayed.
4. The cycle may be interrupted by pressing the button, and
restarted by pressing it again. If it is not pressed again, the tester
will shut off. The fan will continue to run for about 3 minutes after
shut down.
DANGER: Never move the clamps while the red LED is lit, the
resulting arcing can cause injury and damage to personnel and
equipment.
In case of an over temp, “OT” will be displayed, and the cycle will
pause until the temperature comes down, then restart. To avoid
intermittent starting and stopping, tests should be conducted at
temperatures below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. When complete, minimum voltage, actual voltage, and cycle
time can be viewed by using the MENU button. Cycle time refers
to the time it took to reach 1.75 volts per cell. To figure capacity,
you must know how many minutes the battery is rated for at the
discharge rate selected, you then divide the actual time by the
rated time to find the percent capacity.
Example:
An 18 cell battery set is rated at 107 minutes at a 75 amp
discharge rate. The actual time it took to reach 1.75 volts per cell
is 90 minutes therefore capacity is 84%.