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b) Connecting a battery to the charger
Please read the following section carefully before connecting or charging/discharging a battery:
•
If you have not already done so, read the information in sections 5, 6 and 7.
• Do you know the battery's specifications? Do not connect, charge or discharge a battery if the specifica
-
tions are not printed on the casing!
• Have you selected the correct charging/discharge mode for the type of battery you are using? Selecting
the wrong mode may damage the charger and the battery and cause a fire or explosion!
• Have you selected the correct charging/discharge current?
• Have you selected the correct voltage (e.g. for multi-cell LiPo batteries)? In certain scenarios, a dual-cell
LiPo battery can be connected in parallel (3.7 V) or series (7.4 V).
• Are all cables and plugs intact? Do the plugs fit securely into the sockets? Worn-out plugs and damaged
cables must be replaced.
•
Only connect a single battery/battery pack to the charger. Never connect several batteries/battery packs
at the same time.
•
Always connect the cable to the charger before connecting a battery. When disconnecting, proceed in
the reverse order – disconnect the rechargeable battery from the charging cable, and then unplug the
cable from the charger.
Disconnecting in the wrong order may lead to a short circuit, which can cause a fire or explosion!
•
If you wish to charge a self-assembled battery pack, the cells must be identical (same type, capacity
and manufacturer).
The cells must also be charged to the same level (lithium batteries can be balanced out using the bal-
ancer, but this is not possible with other battery packs such as NiMH or NiCd).
•
Before connecting a battery/battery pack to the charger, disconnect the battery from your device (e.g
speed controller).
Important information on charging/discharging a lithium battery pack with a balancer connection:
Multi-cell lithium battery packs normally have a balancer connection. This enables the charger to monitor the voltage
of each individual cell.
The charger balances the voltages of the cells in the event that the voltage is different. This prevents the cells from
over or undercharging. The balancer therefore prevents individual battery cells from overcharging (which could cause
a fire or explosion) and overdischarging and ensures that the battery pack provides optimal performance.
