RC Groups PLD-SCC1 User manual

PLD-SCC1 User Manual
Battery Odometer
October 14, 2011
Contents
Contents 1
1 Introduction 2
1.1 Specifications ......................... 2
1.2 Productlayout ......................... 3
1.3 Installation ........................... 3
1.4 SetupProcedure........................ 4
2 Data Displays 7
3 Battery Empty, Battery recharge Reset and Power-out 10
3.1 BatteryEmpty ......................... 10
3.2 Resetting the SCC1 after a battery charge . . . . . . . . 10
3.3 Restarting the SCC1 after being powered off . . . . . . . 11
4 Appendix 12
4.1 Further information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1

Chapter 1
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the PLD-SCC1 Battery Odometer. The SCC1
is a compact and accurate mAh odometer/fuel-gauge which is simple
to install and use. The SCC1 allows you to determine your remain-
ing battery capacity using mAh counting rather than the less reliable
voltage sensing methods that are used for Ni* and Li* chemistries.
1.1 Specifications
Chemistries: All battery chemistries, including A123/LiFe
Voltage: 3.6~8.5V (2S lipo maximum)
Current: 0~9999mA (5A average max)
Charge-resolution: 0.85mAh
Weight: 10~12g ( ~0.4oz )
Size: 38 x 25 x 7mm size (1.5 x 1 x 0.25")
Connections: Two pairs of 20AWG bare silicon fly leads
Interface: Single miniature button on rear of unit. Single buzzer.
Single green LED
Packaging: Rubberised clear heat-shrink
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CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 3
1.2 Product layout
1.3 Installation
Installation of the PLD-SCC1 Odometer is very simple. The PLD-SCC1
is installed in between your current battery pack or regulated supply
and the receiver/servos/flight-equipment. Take note of the side of
the cabling to use for the battery pack (supply) and the flight equip-
ment (load) - (See figure 1.1) . Because each setup is different, the
PLD-SCC1 is supplied with high current silicon leads which you will
be required to fit your own connectors or connect directly to your
equipment. We recommend using connectors that are rated for 5A
continuous and 10A burst loads, standard “JST” connectors are not
recommended for any more than 2A continuous loads.

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 4
Figure 1.1: Installation
1.4 Setup Procedure
A note about choosing what battery capacity to configure the SCC1
with: It is recommended that you put in a capacity that is 10~15%
lower than the actual stated capacity of the battery pack, so for a
1000mAh battery, set the SCC1 to 850~900mAh. By using a lower
capacity you are less inclined to risk running out of power. Also con-
sider that between charging losses and battery internal losses you
will not be able to use the full capacity of the pack (eg, the SCC1 can
indicate that you used 100mAh but your charger puts back 110mAh,
as 10mAh was lost within the battery itself due to internal resistance
and lead losses).
To configure the SCC1 with your required battery capacity limit,
you need to perform the following sequence -

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 5
1 Boot the device. This can be achieved either by power
cycling the unit or pressing the user-button until the buzzer
sounds
2 When the boot screen appears there is a 2-second waiting
window during which you need to press and hold the
user-button until the Battery Capacity screen appears.
Figure 1.2: Boot screen
Figure 1.3: Battery capacity setup (start)

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 6
3 Press and hold the user-button until the required battery
capacity is obtained, or press the button individually to
obtain 50mAh capacity increases.
Figure 1.4: Battery capacity setup (end)
4 When the required battery capacity is entered you can
wait 5 seconds and the SCC1 will exit the setup mode and
proceed to the normal data-display mode.

Chapter 2
Data Displays
When the SCC1 initially boots or has been reset, the first display will
show the full battery mAh capacity and a zero running time. The
data display will cycle to the next screen approximately every 1.5
seconds. At all times the remaining capacity (mAh) will be displayed
on the top line of the screen.
Figure 2.1: Initial time and remaining capacity screen
After running for a period with a load, the SCC1 screen will update
depending on the load attached.
7

CHAPTER 2. DATA DISPLAYS 8
Figure 2.2: Time and remaining capacity screen after 5m32s
This screen shows that the system has been running a total of 5
minutes, 32 seconds and there 673mAh of capacity left before the
alarm will trigger.
Figure 2.3: Current battery voltage
Shows the current voltage of the battery.
Figure 2.4: Lowest average battery voltage
Shows the lowest average voltage sensed during the current power-
on period since the last forced reset.

CHAPTER 2. DATA DISPLAYS 9
Figure 2.5: Peak average current
Shows the highest average current detected during the current
power-on period since the last forced reset. The peak current de-
tection becomes more sensitive as the current levels increase, this
is due to the peak being calculated from the time interval between
consecutive pulses from the mAh counter chip.
Figure 2.6: Total mAh used
Total mAh consumed since the last forced reset or reconfigura-
tion.

Chapter 3
Battery Empty, Battery
recharge Reset and
Power-out
3.1 Battery Empty
When the SCC1 has computed that the available mAh remaining is
zero (0mAh), it will commence to emit several small beeps periodi-
cally and flash the green LED. You will be required to Reset the SCC1
to “refill” the counter again.
3.2 Resetting the SCC1 after a battery charge
When you have recharged your battery, you will need to reset the
SCC1
1. Connect the battery to the SCC1
2. Wait for the SCC1 to start displaying the data screens
3. Press and hold the user-button until you hear the beeper and/or
see the green LED light
4. Release the button
The SCC1 will now be reset (Time and battery capacity should be
reset)
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CHAPTER 3. BATTERY EMPTY, BATTERY RECHARGE RESET AND
POWER-OUT 11
3.3 Restarting the SCC1 after being powered off
When the SCC1 is powered down and powered back up, the Time
elapsed and consumed mAh capacity will be retained, however the
Peak current, minimum voltage and battery voltage will be reset.
This will be the typical behaviour during a normal flying day.

Chapter 4
Appendix
4.1 Further information
•Product site: http://nqrc.com/?vp=PLD-SCC1 ( http://nqrc.com )
•RCGroups discussion page: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1477133
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