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START BUTTON and CHARGE PROFILES
The BC112 is equipped with several charge profiles. Pressing the START button
sequences through these settings. Each time the START button is pressed, the next
charge profile in the sequence is displayed. Each time you press the button, the charg-
er waits for 2 seconds to see if you will press the start button again to get to the next
setting. If START is not pressed again within 2 seconds, the charger will begin charg-
ing with the selected charge profile. Multiple presses of the START button will access
the charge profiles in order as explained below.
Use the charge profiles to select the cutoff sensitivity adjustment and type of bat-
tery you wish to charge. Each successive charge profile provides less sensitivity and
will cause the batteries to get warmer than the preceding one.
First Press: "OFF"
Fast charge current is shut off. Trickle Charge current will still flow if a non-zero value
is entered in the SET-TRKLmode.
Second Press: "P0"
Charge Profile"P": This method is for minimal Peak charge. In this mode, the charger
acts as a Slope Detector, (tm) and will provide the best performance for Ni-MH cells.
It may also, however, be used with Ni-Cd cells, particularly if they are well matched.
The cutoff voltage is usually .03 volts, or less.
Third Press: "P1"
Charge Profile"P1": This method is for a normal Peak charge. This setting provides
.03-.04 volts typical cut off level, and is best used for Ni-Cd cells, but may also be used
for Ni-MH cells.
Fourth Press: "P2"
Change Profile "P2": This is the Re-Peak profile. Power-Flex settings are overiden to
PF OFF, and the peak detection is delayed to optimize the battery voltage just before
a run. Typical cutoff is .06-.08 volts. The cells will become quite warm with this setting.
Use only if desired on Ni-Cd cells, never Ni-MH cells, or excessive charging can occur.
Fifth press: "CS"
This is the Cold Start profile. Use this method for Ni-MH or Ni-Cads that have been
fully discharged. The microprocessor will automatically read the amperage, Power-
Flex and voltage curve throughout the charge cycle to attain the best results. DO NOT
EVER use the CS profile on a battery that is not a least 50% discharged, or the battery
could be over-charged and damaged.
Sixth Press: Time Charge
Charges for a set amount of time. There is no peak detection, even if the batteries
become overcharged. The display shows a countdown of minutes remaining on the
charge. The time will count down until it reaches zero, at which point the charger will
shut off. Before starting a time charge, you need to enter the desired time in the TIME-
SET mode.
Seventh Press: "OFF"
The charger shuts off and returns to the top of the sequence.
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TIMED CHARGE
To start a Timed Charge, press the MODE button until TIME SET is displayed,
then use the SET (arrow) buttons to enter a time. Next, press the START button (5
times) until the time clock is displayed. The charger will run until the timer counts
down to zero.
INDICATOR LED: The Indicator LED will glow brightly while fast charging, and will
blink slowly to indicate when trickle current is flowing. If Power-Flex is turned on, the
LED will pulse occasionally during the charge cycle.
Note: When using the "P0" , "P1", or "P2" charge profiles, you may set the AMPS SET
value up to 12 amps (rather than 10). The charger will operate at this higher setting for
3 minutes then automatically adjust back down to 10 amps. This feature is most use-
ful for re-peaking to the highest voltage.
SELECTING THE CHARGE AMPERAGE
Fast Charging
Most Ni-Cad and Ni-MH batteries can be fast charged at 2 to 3 times their rated
hourly capacity without adverse effects. If you have the Power-Flex turned ON, you can
safely go to 4 times the rated capacity. Ni-Cad batteries are usually rated for capacity
in milliamp hours (Mah). A milliamp is 1/1000th of an AMP. A 2000 Mah battery should
be charged at 4000 (2000*2) TO 6000(2000*3) milliamps, which is equal to 4.0 to 6.0
amps. A 1200 mAh cell would be charged at 2.4 - 3.6 amps. A 3000 mAh Ni-MH cell
may be charged at 4-6 amps. Unless you are in a rush, it is usually better to charge at
the lower end of the range.
There are many different cell types on the market. Some cells, such as P-170 (pur-
ple), SCRC (black), and 2000mAh (brown) deliver maximum run time but are more sen-
sitive in their charge procedure requirements. Always let these cells cool before fast
charging. These cells should be discharged fully at least once every 2-3 runs. Never
charge them at more than 3 times the rated capacity, except possibly just for a few min-
utes before running, to get an initial surge of power. Other cell types, such as SCR (red)
can withstand charging at higher amperages and peaks. You can charge these safely
at up to 4 times the rated capacity by using Power-Flex. Ni-MH cells should be charged
at 2-3 times the rated capacity maximum.Your dealer can help you determine the best
way to charge the cells you have.
When charging 12 cells, you may need to set the current below 4 amps. Otherwise
the peak voltage may exceed 19.99 volts, which will cause the charger to shut off
before it reaches a full peak.
Trickle Charging
Trickle or slow charging is usually done at 1/10th of the rated capacity. On a 2000 MAH
battery this would be 200mA or .20 amps. Trickle is used to "top off" the capacity and
equalize a battery that has been fast charged. Trickle can also be used without a pre-
vious fast charge. It would take about 12 to 16 hours to completely charge a dead bat-
tery with trickle alone.
When trickle charging at very low currents (less than .05A) the indicator LED may
not flash. You may still check the trickle current by using the AMPS display mode.
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