Heart Interface 15 User manual

PartNo.90-0123-00
Libertycombi.p6510/26/98
1
OWNER’S MANUAL
FREEDOM 458 Series COMBITM
INVERTER/CHARGER
®
A Valley Forge Company
INFORMATION IN THIS MANUAL IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
MODEL 15 Part No. 81-1510-12
MODEL 15D Part No. 81-1520-12
MODEL 20 Part No. 81-2010-12
MODEL 20D Part No. 81-2020-12

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SAFETYSUMMARY
Safety information for installation and
operation is contained throughout this
manual where it applies and is not included
in this summary.
Definitions:
Warning statements identify conditions or
practices which could result in personal injury,
loss of life, damage to equipment or other
property.
Fuse Replacement For continued protection
against the possibility of fire, replace the fuse
only with a fuse of the specified voltage,
current and type ratings.
Power Source To avoid damage, operate the
equipment only within the specified AC (line)
and DC (battery) voltages.
Servicing To reduce the risk of electric shock
do not open this unit. There are no user
serviceable parts inside. Refer all service to
qualifiedpersonnel.
The statements, specifications and instructions in this publication are believed to be correct. No warranty is made,
expressed or implied by the seller or manufacturer with respect to any results or lack thereof from the use of
information in this publication and no liability is assumed for any direct or consequential damages, personal loss or
injury. All statements made herein are strictly to be used or relied on at the user’s risk. © 1998 Heart Interface
Corporation. All rights reserved.
Thankyou forpurchasing aHeart InterfaceFreedom 458Series CombiTM Inverter/
Charger. Heart Interfacetakes pridein manufacturingquality productsspecifically
designedto meetyour powerrequirements.
FreedomCombi Inverter/Chargers providesilent, efficient andreliableAC powerfora
varietyof applications.They feature“hands-free”operation,automatic3-stagebattery
chargingand automaticAC transferswitching.For yourconvenience, serviceis available
world-wideby qualifiedservice centers.
Ifyou haveany questionsabout yourFreedom Combi,please contactHeart
Interfacetoll free:[phone].
Fortechnical supportand additionalinformation aboutHeart Interfaceproducts,visit
our web site at www.heartinterface.com or send us e-mail:
[email protected] [email protected]

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Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Things You Should Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Circuit Breaker Protection
Thermostat Controlled Cooling
InverterIdleCircuit
Low and High Battery Shutdown
Power Sharing
Temperature Sensitive Charging
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Optional Remote Control Panels . . . . . . . . .10
Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Battery Types
BatteryInterconnection
Battery Bank Ratings and Sizing
Battery Charging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Freedom Battery Chargers
Battery Charger Voltage Table . . . . . . . . .20
Installation Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
KeyInstallationPoints
Grounding
NeutralBonding
AC Wiring
ACInput
AC Output
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters
Remote Control Wiring
TSC Temperature Senstive Charging
DC Wiring
Battery Cable Fusing
Power ON Checks
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
LED Fault Status
Things to Check
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Not recommended for use in marine environment

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This owner’s manual describes the
Freedom 458 Series CombiTM Inverter/
Chargers from Heart Interface. These units
perform three distinct functions:
1. DC to AC power inverting.
2. Automatic transfer switching between
inverter power and incoming AC power.
3. Automatic 3-Stage Battery charging plus
manual battery equalizing.
• The inverter provides regulated 120 volt AC
power at a crystal controlled frequency from a
deep cycle battery bank and is rated at:
Freedom 15 & 15D 1500 watts
Freedom 20 & 20D 2000 watts
The output is a modified sine wave and is
compatible with most appliances, tools and
other 120 VAC equipment. (Note: Certain laser
printers, breadmakers, digital clocks and
small battery chargers may not operate on
modfied sinewave.) An idle mode reduces
battery power consumption when loads are
removed from the inverter. There is a low
battery cutout protection circuit and
momentary surge power of more than twice
the inverter rating for starting electric motors.
High efficiency insures the longest possible
battery life between charges.
• The internal transfer switch allows the
Freedom Inverter/Charger to be connected to
an external AC source and transfer the source
INTRODUCTION
power through directly to the loads. When the
external AC power source is disconnected, the
transfer switch allows automatic switching
back to the inverter.
The Freedom Inverter/Charger operates
as a self-contained backup power system, just
add batteries.
• Freedom battery chargers are electronically
controlled and rated at a maximum output
current:
Freedom 15 & 15D 75 Amps DC
Freedom 20 & 20D 100 Amps DC
They are designed to rapidly and optimally
charge wet, gel, or Absorbed Glass Mat
(AGM)** cell deep-cycle batteries. Battery
charging is automatically accomplished in 3
stages: Bulk Charge, Acceptance Charge and
Float Charge.
Using a Remote Control Panel or Link
Instrumentation, a manually engaged
Equalizing Charge cycle is possible. Simple,
automatic operation is made possible by the
microprocessor in the Freedom Inverter/
Charger. In most cases, no attention or
maintenance is required.
Electronic Protection
Fast-acting electronic circuits protect
the inverter from overloads and short circuits.
Other protection includes a low and high
battery voltage cutoff and automatic shutdown
if an over temperature condition occurs. When
the fault condition is corrected, the unit will
automatically reset. Example: remove
overload, charge batteries or allow to cool.
**Battery type selection is set on the front of the unit
orwithanoptional remote(Remote ControlPanel or
LinkInstrument).
Freedom 20D

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Circuit Breaker Protection
The Freedom Inverter/Charger is
supplemental breaker protected. The
INVERT/CHARGE breaker on the front of the
unit protects against sustained inverter/charger
over current conditions.
The 30 Ampere AC INPUT circuit breaker
protects the incoming AC circuit. The incoming
AC circuit provides power to the battery
charger and its power is transfered to the
loads connected to the inverter AC output.
These breakers are reset by pushing the
button back in.
The output circuit breakers protect the
output AC circuits. Models are available with
one or two outputs. Note: The integral circuit
breakers provided for AC outputs 1 and 2 are
not suitable for branch circuit protection. To
comply with NEC, additional branch circuit
rated breakers should be used to power the
loads.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Thermostat Controlled Cooling
Freedom Inverter/Chargers are equipped
with a thermostatically-controlled fan that cools
the unit so it can operate continually at its rated
output.
Inverter Idle Circuit
This automatic energy saving feature
reduces battery power consumption when no
AC load is present. Response from idle is
instantaneous. In most cases, the operation of
the idle circuit is not noticeable. Use of the
Remote Control Panel or Link Instrumentation
allows the idle threshold to be adjusted. The
unit does not put out 120 volts when in idle. To
bring the unit out of the idle condition, apply a
load.
Low and High Battery Shutdown
When in inverter mode, if the battery
voltage drops to 10.0 volts, the inverter will
automatically shut off. Charge the batteries to
13.5 volts to automatically resume operation.
Voltage shut down also occurs for a high
battery condition at 15.5 volts. Operation will
resume automatically when the battery voltage
drops below 15.5 volts. Check all DC sources
on the system for the reason for the excessive
voltage.
Power Sharing
When connected to an external AC
source the battery charger and transfer
functions are engaged. A unique Power
Sharing feature automatically reduces the AC
power consumption of the battery charger
allowing necessary AC power to go to the load.
This prevents the source AC INPUT circuit
breaker from tripping within the specified rating
of the AC circuit breaker.
The Power Sharing set point of each unit
has a factory default setting. This can be
changed using the Remote Control Panel or
LinkInstrumentation.
15
15D
20
20D
INPUT
30
30
30
30
INV/CHG
20
20
25
25
OUT 1
20
15
25
15
OUT 2
N/A
20
N/A
20
Circuit Breaker Protection
INPUT
INVERT/CHARGE
OUT1
OUT2
Freedom 20D

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Temperature Sensitive Charging
When the supplied battery temperature
sensor is connected to the unit and the
batteries, the charge voltage is controlled
based on battery temperature. The charger
adjusts the charge voltage to the best level,
minimizing water loss in wet cell batteries.
Charge voltage regulation optimizes the battery
life cycle.
Freedom 20D
Battery
TSC Sensor
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

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OPERATION
The Freedom Inverter/Charger provides
120 volt AC power from auxiliary DC batteries,
automatic battery charging and automatic AC
transfer switching between an external AC
source and inverter mode.
External AC Power
When external AC power is available, the
3-stage battery charger, transfer switching,
and Power Sharing automatically function.
When external AC power is not available
and the INVERT switch is ON (either through
the auxiliary switch or the INVERT button on
the remote), the inverter will automatically turn
ON. If the INVERT switch is OFF (the INVERT
LED will not be illuminated), the inverter will be
OFF.
If installed with the Remote Control Panel
or Link Instrumentation, the unit will be set up
and controlled from the remote. Refer to the
remote manual for more information.
Front Panel Controls and Indicators
INVERT MODE
The INVERT push-button switch is
located on the front of the unit and has two
functions:
• Turn the inverter ON/OFF and reset after
a fault condition. Pressing the INVERT switch
turns the inverter ON. The green INVERT LED
will be ON when the inverter is inverting.
When the inverter is ON, pressing the INVERT
switch turns the inverter OFF.
INVERT
CHARGE
• Battery type setup. To enter the battery
type select mode, press and hold the INVERT
switch for five seconds. The status LEDs will
change from indicating status information to
indicating battery type. The selection of the
battery type is made with the Charge switch.
Turning the INVERT OFF will reduce
battery power consumption to a very low level.
This is recommended if the unit will not be
used for an extended period of time.
CHARGE MODE
The CHARGE push-button switch has
two functions:
•Turn the charger ON and OFF
If external AC is present, pressing the
CHARGE switch will turn the charger ON.
The green CHARGE LED will be ON when the
charger is charging. When the charger is ON,
pressing this switch will turn the charger OFF.
•Select the battery type After holding
the INVERT switch for 5 seconds, press the
CHARGE switch to select the battery type.
One of the four LEDs will rapidly blink
indicating the present battery type setting.
Press the CHARGE switch again to change
the battery type. Continue to press until the
desired battery type is selected. If the
CHARGE switch is not pressed for 5 seconds,
the unit will return to normal operation and the
battery type selection will have been made.
When the 12 volt input to the unit is
disconnected, the battery type setting is stored
in non-volatile memory. When the unit is
reconnected, the battery type selection
conveniently returns to the setting.
Freedom 20D (Dual Output)

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STATUS LEDs
Each Status LED performs two functions,
providing battery type selection and operation
status.
OPERATION
Operation Status
INVERT - Green LED
• When the LED is solid green, the unit is
in invert mode. This occurs by pressing the
INVERT switch.
• When the LED is blinking slowly (1 time
per second), the inverter is in standby with AC
power applied and the transfer switch engaged
• When the LED is OFF, the inverter is
OFF.
CHARGE - Green LED
• When the LED is solid green, the unit is
in the charge mode and external AC power is
beingsupplied.
• When the LED is blinking slowly, (1 time
per second) the charger is ready, but external
AC power is not available.
• When the LED is OFF, the charger has
been manually turned OFF. This can only be
accomplished while AC power is being
supplied.
NOTE: When AC power is available, the
default setting for the charger is ON. If the unit
was manually turned OFF and AC power is in-
terrupted and becomes available again, the
charger will return to ON.
LOW BATTERY - Red LED
•When the LED is OFF the battery
voltage is normal, between 10.5 and 15.0
volts DC.
• When the LED is solid red, it indicates a
battery warning condition, the battery voltage is
below 10.5 volts DC or above 15.0 volts DC.
• When the LED is blinking slowly, (1 time
per second), a battery shutdown has occurred.
The voltage is either below 10.0 volts DC or
above 15.5 volts DC.
• When the LED is blinking rapidly (5
times per second), a potential problem in the
DC system has been detected. Check your
batteries, battery cables and DC loads.
OVERTEMP/OVERLOAD - Red LED
•When the LED is Off operation is
normal.
• When the LED is red, there is an over
temp or overload condition. Check for
excessive loads or short circuit on the output
of the inverter. Correct the condition and restart
by pushing the INVERT switch.
• When the LED is blinking slowly (1 time
per second), an over current condition or a
short circuit has occured. The system has
shut OFF and will not automatically restart.
Correct the fault condition and manually restart
the system.
INVERT CHARGE REMOTE TSC
INVERT/WET
Battery Type Selection
After holding the INVERT button down for
5 seconds, use the CHARGE button to select
battery type :
WET GEL 1 GEL 2 AGM
CHARGE/ GEL1
LOWBATTERY / GEL2
OVERTEMP
OVERLOAD/ AGM
StatusLEDs

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OPERATION
LOW BATTERY & OVERTEMP/OVERLOAD
- Red LEDs
• When both LEDs are blinking, an AC
backfeed has been detected. A backfeed
occurs when AC power from an external
source is connected to the output of the
inverter. Inspect wiring for possible input/output
wiring error. This condition will damage the unit
and must be corrected before further
operation.
TSC (Temperature Sensitive Charging)
This provides for the connection of a
sensor to measure battery temperature for
compensated charging. If no sensor is
connected the charge voltage levels are set to
defaults based on battery type.
OPTIONAL REMOTES
If using one of the remotes, refer to the
installation instructions included with the
remote.
Note: When a Remote Control Panel or
Link is installed, the jumper included in the
parts plastic bag is not used in the Auxiliary
Switch Port (AUX SWITCH) on the front panel
of the inverter/charger. See page 23 for more
details.
Remote TSC
Overtemp
Low
Battery
Freedom 20D
Auxiliary Port

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LINK 2000
The Link 2000 has the same features as
theLink 1000, providing inverter/charger
control and complete battery state-of-charge
information. It monitors two battery banks.
OPTIONAL REMOTE CONTROL PANELS
Remote Control Panel
An optional remote control panel is
available. The LED bargraphs on the remote
control panel shows battery voltage and DC
current in both inverter and charger modes.
Easy to see red, yellow and green LEDs
show the battery state-of-charge. Power
Sharing, charger ON/OFF, inverter ON/OFF
controls are provided. Set up features include
selection of Idle Threshold, Battery Type and
Battery Capacity.
Advanced Remote Control Panels
Link Instrument
Advanced remote control panels are also
available: the Link 1000, 2000 and 2000R.
LINK 1000
Link 1000 controls the Freedom Inverter/
Charger and provides complete battery
state-of-charge information including DC
voltage, current, Amp-hours consumed, Time
Remaining and historical data for a single
batterybank.
LINK 1000
LINK 2000
LINK 2000R
The Link 2000R adds the ability to
regulate an engine-driven alternator. The
precision regulator in the LINK 2000R allows
the alternator to be controlled as a 3-stage
battery charging system.
If Link Instrument is used to control the
inverter/charger, refer to the Link Owner’s
Manual for setup and control information.
The jumper is not installed in the AUX
Switch Port on the front panel of the
inverter when the Remote Control Panel
or Link Instrument is used. See page 23
for more details.
Refer to the Remote Control Panel
or LINK Owner’s Manual for
installation and operation instructions
Remote Control Panel

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BATTERIES
BATTERY TYPES
Use only deep-cycle batteries with your
Freedom Inverter/Charger. These fall into three
broad categories: wet cell, gel cell and
AdvancedAGM(AbsorbedGlassMat)
batteries.
Wet Cell Batteries
True deep-cycle wet cell batteries are
characterized by relatively thick internal plates
that are alloyed with antimony.
Common 12 volt marine/RV deep-cycle
batteries are acceptable. Golf cart
batteries perform well and may have a
longer life. These 6 volt batteries must be
used in series connected in pairs. High
quality deep-cycle batteries offer good
performance and are available in a wide
variety of sizes.
Wet cell batteries will give off gas as a
natural result of charging and will experience
some water loss. It is very important that the
electrolyte level be checked frequently and
topped off with distilled water when necessary.
Follow the battery manufacturer’s
recommendations for maintenance.
Never allow the top of the battery plates to
be exposed to air, as contamination of the cell
will result. Keep the top of batteries clean.
Alwaysprovideadequate ventilation for the
battery storage compartment.
Do not use ordinary car batteries or
engine starting batteries with your inverter/
charger. Beware of any battery that is rated in
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA). This is a rating
which applies only to engine starting batteries.
In general, most wet cell batteries that are
described as hybrid type batteries, suitable for
either engine starting or deep-cycle
applications, are a compromise and will have
limited life if deeply discharged.

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Beware of so-called maintenance-free
batteries. These batteries have calcium
alloyed with the lead and hold the liquid
electrolyte in a sponge-like material. They are
sealed and water can not be added. Do not
confuse them with true gel cell or AGM
batteries, they will not hold up well to deep
discharging and repeated cycling.
Gel Cell Batteries
Gel cell batteries are lead-acid batteries
similar in many ways to the common wet cell
battery, but differences in the chemistry and
construction provide some unique features.
•NoMaintenance
• Low Self-Discharge Rate
• Low Internal Resistance
Even though gel cells are sealed
batteries, the battery compartment should still
beventilated.
Advanced AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat)
Batteries
This battery is lead acid but maintenance-
free. The performance is similar to gel cell
batteries. The charge parameters are similar
to wet cell batteries.
Battery Selection
The most important feature to consider in
making your battery selection is to select true
deep cycle batteries rated in Amp-hours (AH)
and sized to match your power requirements.
BATTERY INTERCONNECTION
In most cases, you will be using a bank of
two or more batteries with your inverter/
charger. You may connect batteries together in
two configurations, series and parallel
dependingontheirvoltage.
BATTERIES
Series
Connecting two batteries in series will
double the voltage of the battery bank. For
instance, two 6 volt batteries connected in
series will produce 12 volts. The Amp-hour
capacity of the battery bank will be the same
as each individual battery. Example, two 6 volt
220 Amp-hour batteries in series will produce
one 12 volt 220 Amp-hour battery bank.
Series
++
+
Series IncreaseVoltage
EACHBATTERY
CAPACITY:
220
AMP-HOURS
@ 6 VDC
TOTALBATTERY
BANKCAPACITY:
220
AMP-HOURS
@ 12 VDC
6V 6V
++
__
+
_
12VINVERTER

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Parallel
Connecting two batteries in parallel will
double the Amp-hour rating of the battery bank,
while the voltage will be the same as each
individual battery. Example, two 12 volt 105
Amp-hour batteries in parallel will produce one
12 volt 210 Amp-hour battery bank.
BATTERIES
Parallel
Parallel IncreaseAmp-hourCapacity
EACHBATTERY
CAPACITY:
105
AMP-HOURS
@ 12 VDC
TOTALBATTERY
BANKCAPACITY:
210
AMP-HOURS
@ 12 VDC
Only similar batteries should be
connected together in one bank. Do not
connect old and new batteries together or wet
and gel cell batteries together. In the above
drawing, the load is connected to the positive
terminal of the first battery and the negative
terminal of the last battery. This practice helps
to balance the battery bank and is called
cross-connecting the battery bank.
Note: It is not advisable to connect
batteries of different case sizes or Amp-hour
ratings in the same battery bank.
Always use properly sized wire and
terminals for your interconnecting battery
cables. For size information refer to NEC
requirements or contact your local
electrician.
BATTERY BANK RATINGS AND SIZING
Deep-cycle batteries are usually rated in
Amp-hours. The Amp-hour rating is based on
a 20-hour discharge rate, therefore, a 100
Amp-hour battery can deliver 5 Amps for 20
hours. If the discharge rate is greater than 5
Amps, the available Amp-hours are de-
creased. For example, if the load is increased
to 100 Amps, only about 45 Amp-hours will be
available at this rate of discharge.
Deep-cycle batteries can be discharged
about 80% of capacity before damage occurs.
Shallow cycling will result in much longer
battery life. Calculating a battery bank size
based on 50% discharge cycling is generally
considered to be a good compromise between
long battery life and size.
++
12V 12V
++
__
+
1 2VINVERTER
_

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14
To achieve 50% cycling you should
calculate your Amp-hour consumption
between charging cycles and use a battery
bank with twice that capacity**. Each AC
appliance or tool has a rating plate on it and will
be rated in either AC Amps or Watts or AC VA
(Volt-Amps) apparent power. To calculate Amp-
hour consumption, use one of the formulas to
the right to calculate the DC Amp-hour draw
for a 12 volt system.
Calculate the Amp-hours for every AC
appliance or tool that will be operated on the
inverter. This will provide the total number of
Amp-hours used between recharges. Size the
battery bank using this number as a guideline.
A good rule to follow is to size the battery bank
a minimum of 2 times larger than the
total Amp-hour load requirement. Plan on
recharging when 50% discharged.
BATTERIES
(AC Amps x 10) x 1.1 x hours of
operation = DC Amp-hours
(Watts/ DC Voltage) x 1.1 x hours of
operation = DC Amp-hours
(AC VA/ DC Voltage) x 1.1 x hours of
operation = DC Amp-hours
DC Voltage is 12, 24 or 32 depending on
your system.
**Batteries are typically charged to 85% of full
charge when charging with alternators without 3-stage
regulators.
Typical Power Consumptlon
The chart identifies typical power
consumption for common AC loads. Use it as
a guide when identifying your power
requirements.
Many electric motors have
momentary starting require-
ments well above their opera-
tional rating. Start up watts are
listed where appropriate.
Individual styles and brands of
appliances may vary.
If using the same battery
bank for the inverter and other
DC loads, be sure to consider
the power consumption of the
DC loads when sizing the
batterybank.
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In all formulas, 1.1 is the correction factor for
inverter efficiency.
AMP-HOUR CONSUMPTION FORMULAS
NOTE Certain laser printers, breadmakers,
digital clocks and appliance/tool chargers
may not operate on modified sine wave.

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Battery Charging
Completely charging wet cell deep-cycle
batteries requires the battery voltage to be
raised beyond what is known as the gassing
point. This is the voltage at which the battery
begins to bubble and gas is given off. If
charging stops short of this point, sulfate is left
on the plates and deterioration of the battery
begins. The gassing point will vary with battery
temperature.
At 77 degrees F, the gassing point of a 12
volt battery is about 14.0 volts.
AGM and Gel cell batteries must not be
charged to their gassing point. In fact, high
voltage charging which gasses these batteries
is harmful to them. They typically require a
lower bulk charge voltage and a higher float
voltage than wet cell batteries. Consult the
battery manufacturer for specifications.
BATTERY CHARGING
Freedom Battery Chargers
Freedom battery chargers are designed
to overcome the limitations of conventional
chargers by utilizing 3 distinct charge stages,
each designed for optimal charging of wet, gel
cell and AGM deep-cycle batteries. Battery
type selection is made on the front panel of the
inverter/charger or through the Remote Control
Panel or a Link Instrumentation. For more
information on battery type selection, see page
7 or refer to the Remote Control Panel manual.

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BATTERY CHARGING
NOTE: Freedom battery chargers are ON
whenever AC power is connected to the
charger input. The charger can be turned OFF
using the CHARGE switch on the front of the
unit. This sequence will occur each time
external AC power is available. The charger
can be turned ON/OFF using the Remote
Control Panel or Link Instrumentation.
Each time the battery charger is engaged,
the 3-stage charger proceeds automatically,
resulting in an efficient complete charge and
safe battery maintenance. Use of the Remote
Control Panel or Link Instrument provides the
abilitytoperiodically apply an equalizing
charge.
Refer to Remote Control Panel or the
Link Instrument Owner’s Manual for more
information.
The battery charger stages are:
Stage 1 -
Bulk Charge During the bulk
charge stage most of the energy that has been
consumed during discharge is returned to the
battery bank. This phase is engaged as soon
as the battery charger is activated. Full rated
charger current is delivered to the battery bank
until the bulk charge voltage limit is reached.
This results in a relatively rapid recharge.
Generally, a wet cell battery bank should
not be charged at a rate which exceeds 25% of
its capacity.

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17
Gel cell and Advanced AGM batteries can
accept a higher rate of charge. Consult the
manufacturer for specifications.
Stage
2 - Acceptance Charge The
acceptance stage immediately follows the bulk
charge stage. During this stage the
battery voltage is held constant at the bulk
charge voltage limit and the current gradually
ramps down. During this stage the battery is
accepting its final amount of charge current
and the last of the sulfate on the plates is
removed.
The acceptance stage lasts until the
charge current reaches the transition point. A
timer will terminate the acceptance stage if this
current level is not reached.
BATTERY CHARGING
Freedom 15 & 15D
Freedom 20 & 20D 10 Ampere DC 15 Ampere DC
ACCEPTANCETOFLOAT TRANSITIONPOINTS
Maximum acceptance time is 1 hour for
wet and AGM cells and 3 hours for gel cells.
Gel cell acceptance time can be longer
because they are less likely to gas. Expect wet
cell batteries to gas somewhat during
acceptance, this is a necessary part of the
charging process.
NOTE: The acceptance stage timer is not
used when Link Instruments control the
charger. Refer to the Link Owner’s Manual.
Stage 3
- Float Charge When the
acceptance stage is terminated, either
because the charge current ramped down to
the transition point or the timer engaged, the
charge current will shut off. The unit monitors
the battery voltage while it drifts down from the
acceptance charge voltage limit. When it
reaches the float voltage set point, the float
charge stage is engaged.
The float charge stage holds the battery
voltage constant at a preset lower level, where
it is safe for long term battery maintenance.
During the float charge stage, the full output
current of the battery charger is available to
operate any DC appliances that may be on the
system, while constantly maintaining the float
chargevoltage.
The battery charger remains in the float
charge stage indefinitely until the charger is
disconnected from incoming AC power or
turned OFF on the unit or with the Remote
Control Panel or Link Instrumentation.
Stage 4 -
Equalizing Charge This is the
only battery charger stage which is not
engaged automatically. It must be manually
initiated each time. Applying an equalizing
charge is possible only with a Remote Control
Panel or Link Instrument.
Periodic equalizing is recommended by
most wet cell deep-cycle battery manu-
facturers. There are no firm rules for how
often an equalizing charge should be applied.
Follow the battery manufacturer’s recommen-
dations for equalizing.

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18
BATTERY CHARGING
The equalizing charge is a timed, 8-hour
cycle. The cycle can be ended early by inter-
rupting the AC power to the charger at any
time during the cycle. Equalizing should only
be engaged after the batteries have been fully
charged by a normal battery charging cycle.
During this equalizing stage, the battery
voltage will increase to the equalize voltage.
This will cause the battery bank to gas
profusely and will accomplish the following:
1. Removal of residual sulfate. Each time a
battery is cycled (discharged and charged), a
small amount of sulfate is left on the plates.
Over time, this gradual build-up of sulfate will
compromise the performance of the battery.
By applying an equalizing charge, the sulfate is
returned back to the electrolyte, raising the
specific gravity and fully exposing the active
material of the plates.
2. Bring all cells to the same potential. All
lead-acid batteries are made up of individual 2
volt cells. As the battery bank is cycled, slight
differences in the cells result in different cell
voltages, affecting the overall charge
effectiveness. Equalizing brings all cells to the
same voltage and the electrolyte in each cell to
the same specific gravity.
3. Mixing up of the electrolyte. Electrolyte in
battery cells tend to separate into layers of acid
and water. The vigorous bubbling action of the
battery during equalizing serves to physically
mix the electrolyte. Refer to the Remote
Control Panel and Link Owner’s Manuals for
additional cautions on equalizing.
Note: Do not equalize gel cell batteries.

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1. Do not equalize gel cell batteries.
Check remote default settings.
2. Always monitor the equalize charge
cycle. Provide proper ventilation for
battery fumes. Do not allow any sparks
during equalizing. If one or more cells
beginto overflow, terminate theequalize
cycle.
3. Check the battery electrolyte both
before and after the equalizing charge.
Do not expose the battery plates to air.
Leave the battery caps on while
equalizing.Top off afterequalizing.
4. Remove all loads from the DC
system before equalizing. Some DC
loads may not tolerate the high charge
voltage.
5. With the Remote Control Panel
the
battery state-of-charge LEDs sequence
during equalizing. When the equalization
cycle is complete, the charge automati-
cally goes to float and the green float LED
battery status light is on. With Link
Instrumentation, the red charge LED
flashes during the equalizing cycle. When
the equalization cycle is complete, the
charger automatically goes to float and the
green float LED is illuminated.
WARNINGS
BATTERY CHARGING

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BATTERYCHARGERVOLTAGESETTINGS
PMET 0EPYT 1EPYT 2EPYT 3EPYT
lleCteW *1leG *2leG MGA
F° C°TPECCATAOLFTPECCATAOLFTPECCATAOLFTPECCATAOLF
021 945.215.210.310.310.310.319.219.21
011 346.317.215.310.310.414.319.319.21
001 838.319.217.312.311.415.310.410.31
09 230.411.318.313.312.416.311.411.31
08 722.413.310.415.313.417.312.412.31
**07 **124.415.311.416.314.418.313.413.31
06 616.417.313.418.315.419.314.414.31
05 018.419.314.419.316.410.415.415.31
04 50.511.416.411.417.411.416.416.31
03 1-2.513.417.412.418.412.417.417.31
* There are two gel battery settings. Check with the battery manufacturer to determine the
proper setting for your batteries. Usually, Gel 1 is for long battery life; Gel 2 is for rapid charging.
**Default setting when the temperature sensor is not connected.