LAMAR CA-1550-CML Instruction Manual Download Page 1

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Manual No LI-4159-CML Rev A

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

CA-1550 – CML

BATTERY CHARGER / ANALYZER

PLEASE NOTE: This Manual applies to Power Products Serial Numbers Q900 and higher,

and all Power Products by Lamar serial numbers.

Lamar Technologies LLC

14900 40

Ave NE

Marysville, WA 98271

Cage Code: 3RCD2

Ph: (360) 651-8869 • Fax: (360) 651-6677

E-mail: [email protected]

Summary of Contents for CA-1550-CML

Page 1: ...R ANALYZER PLEASE NOTE This Manual applies to Power Products Serial Numbers Q900 and higher and all Power Products by Lamar serial numbers Lamar Technologies LLC 14900 40th Ave NE Marysville WA 98271 Cage Code 3RCD2 Ph 360 651 8869 Fax 360 651 6677 E mail admin lamartech com ...

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Page 3: ... 4 OPERATING GUIDE DISCHARGING 13 4 1 DISCHARGE CHARACTERISTICS 13 4 2 DISCHARGE CAPACITY TESTING 15 4 3 PREPARATION FOR TESTING 16 4 4 DISCHARGE TIME 18 4 5 CUTOFF VOLTAGE 18 4 6 SETTING DISCHARGE CURRENT 21 4 7 TEST COMPLETION AND ANALYSIS 22 5 CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE 24 5 1 OVERVIEW OF CALIBRATION 24 5 2 VOLTMETER CALIBRATION 24 5 3 AMMETER CALIBRATION 28 5 4 SHUNT VERIFICATION 31 5 5 DISCH...

Page 4: ...h constant potential and constant current to give maximum flexibility in selection of charge method The charger has an adjustable charge current from 0 to 25 amperes and an automatic timer for charge time selection The discharge unit of the CA 1550 enables battery capacity testing with a constant current of 0 to 50 amperes usually set to 80 100 of the battery s capacity rating for a preset time Th...

Page 5: ...4159 CML Rev A Page 2 Meter Calibration Test points 12 volt CP Adjust 24 Volt CP Adjust Adjustment Tool Timer Voltmeter Ammeter Battery Voltage selector Voltage cutoff adjuster Voltage Cutoff View Discharge Current Adjust Charge Discharge selector Pass Fail Indicators Charge Current Adjust Mains On Off Reset ...

Page 6: ...move any battery B Open the cover by first unscrewing the two screws on the far right of the front cover C Locate the four position terminal strip with jumper s Note There is a red stripe on top of each jumper in the photo below D Two jumpers are used for 115VAC input and one jumper across the middle two screws is used for 230VAC input See Figures below Jumpers 115 volt AC setting 230 volt AC sett...

Page 7: ...n with the heavy DC cable must be connected to the new terminal see section 5 6 2 3 SPACE REQUIREMENTS The CA 1550 system comes in a sturdy transit case It occupies 17 x 20 432 mm x 508 mm of table top space and weighs about 55 pounds Place the unit on a sturdy workbench in a well ventilated area with the battery adjacent to it The top of the unit has air flow from hot resistors Always leave the c...

Page 8: ...ate and eventually levels off when a full state of charge is reached It can be seen that the specific gravity reading lags behind the rate of ampere hour return during most of the charging cycle Consequently the specific gravity is not indicative of the available ampere hour capacity until the cell approaches a full charge state When a battery reaches a full state of charge the voltage of the batt...

Page 9: ...ecisely by multiplying the charging current with the charge time in hours However it is necessary to ensure that the battery is not charged at a high rate for an excessive period of time Such overcharging can result in overheating excessive gassing and possible damage to the battery 3 2 2 CONSTANT POTENTIAL CHARGE METHOD CP A charge source applies a fixed constant voltage potential to the battery ...

Page 10: ...ries Refer to your manufacturer s maintenance manual for the recommended discharge times 3 3 PREPARATION FOR CHARGING Before charging the battery read the component maintenance manual CMM or the operating and maintenance manual OMM for the specific battery Ensure that the charge time and current or voltage from the battery manufacturer are followed It is recommended that a visual inspection of the...

Page 11: ... MAINS POWER Turn off the AC on off reset power switch B TURN DOWN CHARGE CURRENT Repeatedly turn the Ampere Adjust knob fully counter clockwise to set charge current to zero CA 1550 CHARGER ANALYZER OPERATING MANUAL LI 4159 CML Rev A Page 8 ...

Page 12: ...s to the required charge time D SELECT CHARGE MODE Turn the Mode Select knob to the desired charge mode 1 Constant potential CP or 2 Constant current CI NOTE The factory presets are 14 5 and 28 6 volts in constant potential mode but can if desired be modified in step E 3 5 SETTING CHARGE VOLTAGE AND CURRENT The CA 1550 provides maximum flexibility in setting charge parameters Both the current and ...

Page 13: ...on off reset power switch when voltage has been adjusted CAUTION Ensure the unit is turned off before connecting the battery F CONNECT BATTERY Connect the battery DC cable to the battery Ensure the connectors are plugged in completely NOTE The factory presets are 24 5 and 28 6 volts in constant potential mode can if desired be modified in step E above G SWITCH ON MAINS POWER Turn on the AC on off ...

Page 14: ...charge time are displayed 1 CONSTANT CURRENT CHARGING The current remains constant while the voltage increases during the time of charging 2 CONSTANT POTENTIAL CHARGING The charger s end voltage remains constant while the current starts at a high value and gradually approaches zero as the battery approaches a full charge The actual charge voltage in both modes is determined by the battery until th...

Page 15: ...g the battery NOTE If in emergency it is required to stop charging switch the unit to off When charging is restarted the timer is reset to zero It may be necessary to adjust the parameters current and time before resuming charge CA 1550 CHARGER ANALYZER OPERATING MANUAL LI 4159 CML Rev A Page 12 ...

Page 16: ...ltage curve begins to drop very sharply to a value which is of no further practical use Usually this happens at 18 20 volts for a 24 volt lead acid battery and 1 volt per cell for a nickel cadmium battery see Figure 4 1 Battery manufacturers specify a cutoff voltage which the battery must exceed during a discharge test to have acceptable capacity The cutoff voltage varies with the rate of discharg...

Page 17: ...attery capacity decreases Therefore battery manufacturers usually recommend testing for a capacity equal to 80 of the original ampere hour rating Figure 4 1 Typical discharge curve for 40 ampere hour lead acid aircraft battery Figure 4 2 illustrates discharge curves for typical SLABs at different discharge rates Note that the cell voltage drops much more rapidly at the higher discharge rates i e t...

Page 18: ... which can be delivered for one hour or until the voltage decreases to 1 5 volts per cell This is considered the emergency capacity of the battery The result of the test will determine whether to accept or reject the battery and which steps could be taken to electrically recondition the battery The amount of electrical capacity available from a fully charged nickel cadmium or lead acid battery is ...

Page 19: ...cuit diagram for constant current discharge test NOTE Always read the battery manufacturer s operating instructions Some lead acid batteries are recommended at a 20 volt cutoff when tested for an hour at 80 of rated capacity Some nickel cadmium battery requirements are testing for two hours at half the rated capacity and a 1 volt per cell cutoff 4 3 PREPARATION FOR TESTING Before starting the disc...

Page 20: ...ient temperature of 70 F to 85 F 21 C to 29 C A SWITCH OFF MAINS POWER Turn off AC on off reset power switch B SELECT DISCHARGE MODE Turn the Mode Select knob to the Discharge setting C TURN DOWN DISCHARGE CURRENT Turn the 3 turn Ampere Adjust knob fully counter clockwise to set discharge current to zero This prevents excess current which may be too high for the battery once the battery is connect...

Page 21: ...the discharge current and the time passed until the voltage cutoff was reached Refer to your battery manufacturer s maintenance manual for the recommended discharge times D SET TIMER Set the timer by pushing the up down buttons to the required discharge time usually 60 minutes CAUTION For lead acid batteries the time and voltage cutoff should be set with caution If discharge continues too far beyo...

Page 22: ... Table 4 2 for examples of discharge test settings for sealed lead acid batteries Table 4 2 Discharge test setting for sealed lead acid batteries 4 5 2 NICKEL CADMIUM BATTERIES For nickel cadmium batteries the cutoff voltage should be 1 volt per cell when discharge tested at a current of approximately 80 of the C 1 rate For a 24 volt 10 ampere hour battery with 19 cells the cutoff voltage would be...

Page 23: ... the cutoff voltage the unit must be turned on F SWITCH ON MAINS POWER Turn on the AC on off reset power switch An audible alarm sounds and the Accept lamp illuminates Meters read all 6 s or 8 s The timer reads 0 s and its red LED is off The Discharge Mode Lamp indicator is illuminated CA 1550 CHARGER ANALYZER OPERATING MANUAL LI 4159 CML Rev A Page 20 ...

Page 24: ...arge current in amperes is normally set equal to or 80 of the battery nominal 1 hour capacity rating please refer to the battery manufacturer s maintenance manual For example a SLAB battery with a 30 ampere hour 1 hour capacity rating would be tested with the discharge current set to 24 amperes Refer to your battery manufacturer s maintenance manual for the recommended discharge times Before setti...

Page 25: ...icates the discharge has continued through the duration of the set discharge time the red LED on the timer is off without the cutoff voltage being reached The battery is usually fit for service after complete recharge See 4 7 1 and 4 7 2 for respective battery type 2 IF TEST FAILED The Reject lamp illuminates if the discharge has been discontinued because the cutoff voltage has been reached before...

Page 26: ...the end of the capacity test the battery must be reconditioned deep cycled Please refer to the battery manufacturer s maintenance manual on how to proceed L SWITCH AC POWER OFF Switch the AC on off reset switch off before removing the battery NOTE If in emergency it is required to stop the test switch the unit to off reset When the test is restarted the timer is reset to zero It may be necessary t...

Page 27: ... certified by the shunt manufacturer can be verified 5 1 2 TIMER The timer is a very accurate crystal controlled device accurate to 1 0 not prone to error It cannot be re calibrated but unless an extremely accurate time reading is required an accurate analog or digital stopwatch is adequate to validate its accuracy 5 1 3 DISCHARGE CURRENT OPERATING RANGE The CA 1550 discharge current operating ran...

Page 28: ...ration A SWITCH OFF MAINS POWER Turn off the AC on off reset power switch B SET LOW CHARGE CURRENT Repeatedly turn the Ampere Adjust knob fully counter clockwise to set zero Turn the knob forward a few turns to enable the unit to provide voltage No current will be drawn as no battery is connected CA 1550 CHARGER ANALYZER OPERATING MANUAL LI 4159 CML Rev A Page 25 ...

Page 29: ...l CP E SWITCH ON MAINS POWER Turn on the AC on off reset power switch The voltmeter reads the set voltage the ammeter reads zero The timer reads 0 s and its red LED is off The Charge Mode Lamp indicator is illuminated F CONNECT EXTERNAL VOLTMETER Set the voltmeter to a DC voltage range appropriate for the set constant potential Connect the external digital voltmeter into the voltmeter calibration ...

Page 30: ...ical shock leading to injury or death I CALIBRATE VOLTMETER The voltmeter can be found on the back side of the front panel Locate the voltmeter trimpot Using a 1 16 inch 2 mm slot blade precision type screw driver adjust the embedded trimpot located at the rear of the voltmeter Adjust until voltmeter reading matches that of the calibrated voltmeter at least within 0 2 volts J REPEAT FOR ADDITIONAL...

Page 31: ... read the millivolts dropped across the CA 1550 internal shunt when a charge current is applied The circuit diagram for the calibration can be seen in Figure 5 2 The calibration steps are outlined below EXTERNAL CALIBRATED MILLIVOLTMETER Figure 5 2 Circuit diagram for ammeter calibration A SWITCH OFF MAINS POWER Turn off the AC on off reset power switch CA 1550 CHARGER ANALYZER OPERATING MANUAL LI...

Page 32: ...p down buttons to a time that will allow calibration to be completed before the time runs out for example 60 minutes D SET CONSTANT CURRENT CHARGE MODE Turn the Mode Select knob to Constant Current CI E CONNECT BATTERY Connect the battery DC cable to the dis charged battery Ensure the connectors are plugged in completely CA 1550 CHARGER ANALYZER OPERATING MANUAL LI 4159 CML Rev A Page 29 ...

Page 33: ...d to reach a 15 ampere current H CONNECT EXTERNAL VOLTMETER Set the voltmeter to a DC millivolt range Connect the external digital voltmeter into the ammeter calibration points I COMPARE AMPERE READINGS Compare the CA 1550 digital ammeter reading with the external calibrated millivoltmeter The external meter reads the millivolt drop across a 50 ampere 50 millivolt shunt Every millivolt read on the...

Page 34: ...he rear of the voltmeter Adjust until voltmeter reading matches that of the calibrated voltmeter at least within 0 2 amperes or millivolts L REPEAT FOR ADDITIONAL CURRENT SETTINGS To verify the accuracy over the range of the meter additional current settings can be checked Since the CA 1550 digital meters are linear checking two or three current settings are adequate to verify the range The easies...

Page 35: ...ipment maintenance and cleaning procedures should be followed 5 6 1 VENTS AND FAN Regularly check that the fan vent next to the front panel is clean to ensure adequate cooling of the unit This is especially important when the unit is placed in a dusty or otherwise dirty air environment 5 6 2 DC BATTERY CABLE AND LEADS Inspect DC battery cable and connector periodically Replace damaged or worn cabl...

Page 36: ...ere AC line fuses 1 one 40 ampere DC charge line fuse and 1 one 70 ampere discharge line fuse See specification in section 7 for the specific types of fuses required WARNING Disconnect AC voltage and battery before attempting to replace any fuses To replace any of the fuses open the front panel of the CA 1550 by removing the two screws on the right side of the panel Locate the two AC fuses on the ...

Page 37: ... time or incorrectly to seconds or low decimal unit Increase the timer setting see section 4 4 Cutoff voltage set higher than the actual battery voltage Reset the cutoff voltage to a lower voltage see section 4 6 or recharge battery The lead acid battery is sulfated and will not support a load Recondition or reject the battery E Battery sufficiently charged but discharge test fails immediately as ...

Page 38: ...black 1 x1 25mmx25mm power module Check resistance between terminals with ohmmeter If short circuit call Power Products technical support G The DC charge fuse blown Reversed polarity of battery connection Ensure that polarity is respected on battery connection If connector has been removed ensure that DC leads are not reversed Defective charge power control module With AC voltage and battery disco...

Page 39: ...of timer from 0 1 to 999 9 Accuracy 1 0 Digital Meter Accuracy Voltmeter 0 2 volts Ammeter 0 2 amperes Cooling Fan cooled Housing Compact transit case Outer Dimensions Height 14 in 356 mm Depth 15 in 381 mm Width 10 in 260 mm AC Line Cord AWG 14 3 wire grounded IEC320 connector 6 ft long with 115 volt 15 ampere plug supplied User required to change to 230 volt IEC320 cord if needed DC Discharge Ca...

Page 40: ...at extend beyond the description on the face hereof This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties express or implied LAMAR excludes liability for incidental and consequential damages An action for breach of this warranty must be commenced within one year after the breach is or should have been discovered LAMAR specifically disclaims all other representations to the first user purchaser and all ...

Page 41: ...timeter _____________________________ c Shunt ________________________________________ Auxiliary Non Calibratable Equipment Used Batteries _____________________________ _____________________________ Lamar Technologies LLC Test Procedure LTS 1190 VERIFICATION AMMETER WITHIN TOLERANCE ___________ VOLTMETER WITHIN TOLERANCE ___________ SERIAL NO __________________ DATE OF MANUFACTURE __________ VERIF...

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Page 44: ...cturer of Aircraft Lead Acid and Nickel Cadmium Battery Support Equipment Since 1980 Lamar Technologies LLC 14900 40th Ave NE Marysville WA 98271 Cage Code 3RCD2 Ph 360 651 8869 Fax 360 651 6677 E mail admin lamartech com ...

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