Schumacher Electric DSR127 Owner's Manual page 8

BATTERY VOLTAGE BUTTON
Use this button to select one of the following:
12V – The battery is a 12V type and charges at the corresponding rate.
CAUTION: Do not use the 12V setting for a 6V battery. Overcharging will occur. The battery may burst
and cause injury to persons and damage to property.
6V – The battery is a 6V type and charges at the corresponding rate. 6V setting is not available for
lithium ion batteries.
If a 12V battery is detected (battery voltage above 8V), the button setting will automatically change to 12V,
with the voltage of the battery displayed; the 6V setting will not be allowed.
Recovery – For 12V non-lithium ion batteries only. This rate uses a unique recovery algorithm to
recover a sulfated battery. The display will show "REC" for the entire recovery/charge/maintain cycle until
this option is deselected by the user. The battery %, amperage and voltage will not be shown.
CAUTION: Use the Recovery setting only for 12V batteries. The Recovery setting cannot be used with 6V
batteries. The 12V setting is automatically applied when Recovery is selected. Selecting Recovery for a 6V
battery will cause overcharging. The battery may burst and cause injury to persons and damage to property.
BATTERY TYPE BUTTON
Use this button to select the type of battery.
NOTE: Batteries should be marked with their type. If charging a battery that is not marked, check the
manual of the item that uses the battery.
NOTE: When the "LITH" battery type is selected, only the "12V" voltage setting is available.
Standard – Used in cars, trucks and motorcycles, these batteries have vent caps and are often marked
"low maintenance" or "maintenance-free". This type of battery is designed to deliver quick bursts of energy
(such as starting engines) and has a greater plate count. The plates are thinner and have somewhat
different material composition. Standard batteries should not be used for deep-cycle applications.
Deep-Cycle – Set button to AGM.
Deep-cycle batteries are usually marked as "Deep-Cycle" or "Marine". Deep-cycle batteries are usually
larger than the other types. This type of battery has less instant energy but somewhat greater long-
term energy delivery than regular batteries. Deep-cycle batteries have thicker plates and can survive a
number of discharge cycles.
AGM – The Absorbed Glass Mat construction allows the electrolyte to be suspended in close proximity
with the plate's active material. In theory, this enhances both the discharge and recharge efficiency. The
AGM batteries are a variant of Sealed VRLA (valve regulated lead-acid) batteries. Popular uses include
high-performance engine starting, power sports, deep-cycle, solar and storage batteries. AGM batteries are
typically good deep cycle batteries and they deliver best life performance if recharged before the battery
drops below the 50 percent discharge rate. If these AGM batteries are completely discharged, the cycle life
will be 300 plus cycles and this is true of most AGM batteries rated as deep-cycle batteries.
Gel – Set button to AGM. The Gel Cell is similar to the AGM style because the electrolyte is suspended,
but different because the AGM battery is still considered to be a wet cell. The electrolyte in a GEL cell has a
silica additive that causes it to set up or stiffen. The recharge voltages on this type of cell are lower than the
other styles of lead-acid battery. This is probably the most sensitive cell in terms of adverse reactions to over-
voltage charging. Gel batteries are best used in VERY DEEP cycle applications and may last a bit longer in
hot weather applications. If the incorrect battery charger is used on a Gel Cell battery, poor performance and
premature failure is certain.
LITH (Lithium Ion, LiFePO only) – The LiFePO (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery is lithium-ion based and
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offers good safety characteristics. The LiFePO cell has a very constant discharge voltage. This allows the
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cell to deliver virtually full power until it is discharged. Because of the nominal 3.2 VDC output, four cells can
be placed in series for a nominal voltage of 12.8 V. This comes close to the nominal voltage of six-cell lead-
acid batteries. This makes the LiFePO a good replacement for lead-acid batteries in applications such as
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automotive and solar. Like a gel cell, the LiFePO cell is sensitive to overcharging.Its cells are balanced before
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they are assembled, and an internal protection system is implemented, preventing too deep a discharge.
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