GRAUPNER ULTRAMAT 12 Instructions D'utilisation page 11

Contents
Chapter
1. Introduction
2. Warnings and safety notes, please read and observe!
3. General notes on using the charger
4. Recommended charge leads, polarity
5. Controls, using the charger, starting the charge process
6. Charge and discharge programs
7. Program flowchart
8. Selecting the charge program group
9. Using the charger for the first time
10. Starting the charge / discharge process
11. Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) charge programs
12. Nickel-Metal-Hydride (Ni-MH) charge programs
13. Lithium-Ion (Li-Io) / Lithium-Polymer (Li-Po) charge programs
14. Lead-acid (Pb) charge programs
15. Screen displays, cycle data display
16. Monitor displays
17. Error messages, warnings
18. Cleaning and maintenance
19. Notes on handling rechargeable batteries
20. Specification
Guarantee certificate
1. Introduction
Please study these instructions, reading them completely and attentively, before using
the unit for the first time. This will guarantee that you will be able to exploit all the
facilities of your new battery charger. The warnings and safety notes are particularly
important. Please store these instructions in a safe place, and be sure to pass them on
to the new owner if you ever dispose of the charger.
In the ULTRAMAT 12 you have acquired a mature product with an excellent performance. It
incorporates the latest semi-conductor technology, controlled by a high-performance RISC
micro-processor, to provide superior charging characteristics combined with simple operation
and optimum reliability. These features can normally be expected only from much more expensi-
ve units. The ULTRAMAT 12 represents a reliable method of charging sintered Nickel-Cadmium
(NC, Ni-Cd) packs, Nickel-Metal-Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries, Lithium-Polymer (Li-Po), Lithium-
Manganese (Li-Mn) and Lithium-Ion (Li-Io) batteries, and also lead-gel and lead-acid (Plumbum:
Pb) batteries These sealed, gas-tight batteries have proved excellent for our purposes in RC
models. They are mechanically robust, can be used in any attitude and are generally highly
reliable. They require no special measures for storage apart from protecting the cells from
becoming deep-discharged. The ULTRAMAT 12 can also be used to discharge your batteries
and balance the cells in a pack.
Note
It is important always to observe the charging instructions supplied by the battery manufacturer,
and to keep to the recommended charge currents and times Do not fast-charge batteries unless
the manufacturer states expressly that they are suitable for the high currents which flow during
these processes. Please bear in mind that new batteries do not reach their full capacity until they
have been charged and discharged several times. When charging new batteries you may also
encounter problems with premature charge termination. Whenever you wish to use a new
battery it therefore makes sense to carry out a series of monitored test charges, so that you
can check that the automatic charge termination circuit works correctly and reliably with your
packs, and charges them to full capacity.
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Protect the charger from dust, damp, rain, heat (e.g. direct sunshine) and vibration. It should only be
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operated in dry indoor conditions.
19 The case slots serve to cool the charger, and must not be covered or enclosed; set up the charger
with space round it, so that cooling air can circulate unhindered.
20
The charger is designed to be powered by a 12 V car battery only. It is not permissible to modify the
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charger in any way.
21
The charger and the battery to be charged should be set up on a heat-resistant, non-inflammable
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and non-conductive surface before use. Never place the charger directly on a car seat, carpet or
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similar. Keep all inflammable and volatile materials well away from the charging area. Provide good
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ventilation.
23
Connect the charger directly to the car battery using the original cables and connectors supplied.
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The car's engine must be stopped all the time the ULTRAMAT 12 is connected to the car's battery.
23
Do not recharge the car battery at any time when the ULTRAMAT 12 is connected to it.
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The charge output sockets and connecting leads must not be modified, and must not be inter-
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connected in any way. There is a danger of short-circuit between the charge outputs and the vehicle's
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bodywork when the charger is connected to the car battery. The charge leads and connecting leads
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must not be coiled up when the charger is in use. Avoid short-circuiting the charge output or the
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model battery with the car bodywork. For this reason the charger must never be placed directly on the
31 vehicle's bodywork.
Never leave the charger running or connected to the car battery unsupervised.
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Only one battery may be connected to the unit for charging at any one time.
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The following types of battery must not be connected to the charger:
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- Ni-Cd / Ni-MH batteries consisting of more than 14 cells, Lithium-Ion / Lithium-Polymer batteries of
Back cover
more than 5 cells, or lead-acid batteries with a nominal voltage of more than 12 V.
- Batteries which require a different charge method from Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, Lithium or lead-acid types.
- Faulty or damaged cells or batteries.
- Batteries consisting of parallel-wired cells, or cells of different types.
- Batteries consisting of old and new cells, or cells of different makes.
- Non-rechargeable batteries (dry cells). Caution: explosion hazard!
- Batteries which are not expressly stated by the manufacturer to be suitable for the currents which
this unit delivers during the charge process.
- Packs which are already fully charged or hot, or only partially discharged.
- Batteries or cells fitted with an integral charge circuit or charge termination circuit.
- Batteries installed in a device, or which are electrically connected to other components.
To avoid short-circuits between the banana plugs fitted to the charge leads, please always connect
the charge leads to the charger first, and only then to the battery to be charged. Reverse the sequence
when disconnecting.
As a basic rule always check that the charge quantity is approximately the same as you expected after
the charger has indicated that the pack is fully charged. This is a simple method of detecting a problem
reliably and in good time, should the charge process be terminated prematurely for any reason. The
likelihood of premature termination varies according to many factors, but is at its highest with deep-
discharged packs, low cell counts and particular cell types which are known to cause problems.
We recommend that you carry out a series of test charges to satisfy yourself that the automatic
termination circuit is working perfectly. This applies in particular when you are charging packs consisting
of a small number of cells. If the cells feature has a poorly defined voltage peak, the charger may fail
to detect the fully charged state.
Before charging please check: have you selected the appropriate charge program for the battery?
Have you set the correct charge or discharge current? Have you set the important cut-off voltage
when charging Ni-Cd and Ni-MH packs? Are all connections firm, or is there an intermittent contact at
any point in the circuit? Please bear in mind that it can be dangerous to fast-charge batteries. For
example, if there is a brief interruption due to an intermittent contact, the result is inevitably a
malfunction such as a restart of the charge process, which would result in the pack being massively
overcharged.
2. Warnings and safety notes
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