7
5. 6.
Voltage retention tests alternating half-hourly with battery maintenance
Flashing
LED #5 -
Voltage retention test
For a good battery LED #5 fl ashes throughout the 30 minute test. NO CHARGE CURRENT.
If the battery voltage falls below 12,4V during the test LED #6 (red) will come on and indicate steadily.
The red LED means that after being charged the battery’s voltage is not being sustained or that despite recovery
attempts the battery was irrecoverable. This may be due to a defect in the battery itself, such as a short-circuited cell
or total sulphation, or, in the case of a battery still connected to the vehicle’s wiring system, the red LED #6 may be
signalling a loss of current through deteriorated wiring or a degraded switch or contact, or in-circuit current-consuming
accessories. A sudden load such as the headlights being switched on while the charger is connected can also cause
the battery voltage to dip signifi cantly. Always remove the battery from the vehicle, reconnect the OptiMate™ and
allow it to proceed through its programme once more.
Steady
on LED #5 or 6 -
Automatic battery maintenance
Maintenance - fl oat charge at a safe voltage limit of 13,6V and up to 2,8A is available to counter self-discharge.
Whichever LED (#5 fl ashing or #6 steady) was indicating at the end of the TEST now indicates steadily. The battery can
draw current as required to support small loads and counter self-discharge.
Maintenance and voltage retention test periods continue alternating half-hourly until the battery is disconnected.
The test result is updated during each subsequent test.
Accuracy of voltage retention test:
This test is a strongly indicative but not necessarily a conclusive test of battery
condition, which can be more precisely established by using a TestMate™mini which tests 12V batteries on the vehicle during
cranking, as well as the charging system operation.
Maintaining a battery for extended periods:
The OptiMate will maintain a battery whos basic condition is good, for
months at a time. At least once every two weeks, check that the connections between the charger and battery are secure, and,
in the case of batteries with fi ller caps on each cell, disconnect the battery from the charger, check the level of the electrolyte
and if necessary, top up the cells
(with distilled water, NOT acid)
, then reconnect. When handling batteries or in their vicinity,
always take care to observe the SAFETY WARNINGS above.
Charging time:
The time required for the OptiMate™5 to complete a charge on a fl at but not severely discharged and
otherwise undamaged battery is roughly equal to 1/3 the battery’s Ah rating, so a 60Ah battery should take no more than about
20 hours to progress to the self-discharge check (§ 5). Deep-discharged batteries may take signifi cantly longer.
NOTE:
The total charging time of the steps 4.1 and 4.2 is not limited.
More information on TecMate products can be found at
www.tecmate.com
.
