Principles of Operation
Page 4
LI-282 Rev. 2.2 September 2019
After the topping charge is complete or when the battery reaches 28.6 Volts, the
Activator 282 turns off the charge current and just monitors the open-circuit
battery voltage. The green “READY” light is on. The Activator 282 draws its
operating power from the AC and draws only 125 micro-amps (0.000125 Amps)
from the battery while monitoring the self-discharge of the battery. As the
battery self-discharges below 25.30 Volts the Activator 282 will automatically
begin another charge cycle, lighting the yellow “CHARGING” light. At the end
of this second charge cycle, the topping charge time is approximately 30
minutes. The battery is allowed to self-discharge again, and a third charge cycle
will occur. The topping charge for third and subsequent charge cycles is only
two minutes.
In the event the battery is sulfated or has some other problem, it may heat up
even at the modest 2 to 3 ampere charging rate. A thermostat mounted in the
battery connector will close at about 50°C (122°F). The Activator 282 will show
a red “OVERTEMP/FAULT” light flashing about once per second, display the
voltage detected and the message “Er3” on the LCD, and will suspend charging.
When the battery terminals have cooled by about 5°C (9°F) the thermostat will
open. However, the Activator 282 will not resume charging after a temperature
fault until the AC power is cycled “OFF”, then back “ON”.
This heating is very unusual with a good battery unless the environment is close
to 50°C (122°F). If the flashing red light and error code “Er3” are observed in a
cool environment, it is suggested the battery condition be independently tested.