Technical manual section 16

BCI Battery Technical Manual REV BCIS-16 Issued Current Revision: SEP 07 1996-08 2007-12 STANDARD FOR DEEP CYCLE BATTERY CHARGERS FOREWORD The Deep Cycle Battery Charger Standard is a performance standard which is designed to be general enough to cover any present or future technologies; yet specific enough, so that the consumer will know the recharge capabilities, methods of recharging, and the criteria under which specific data is obtained and calculated TABLE OF CONTENTS SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS CLASSIFICATION 2.1 Recharge Codes .5 2.2 Charging Methods, List Of Symbols PERFORMANCE 13 3.1 Usual Service Conditions 13 3.2 Unusual Service Conditions 13 3.3 Input voltage 14 3.4 Charging Rate .14 3.5 Charger Characteristic Curve 14 3.6 Recharge requirement for lead-acid batteries: .15 3.7 Efficiency .16 3.8 Power Factor 16 3.9 Nameplate Markings .16 SAFETY 17 4.1 General Safety Requirement 17 4.2 Components 17 4.3 Operating Instructions 17 4.4 Instruction Manual 17 4.5 Enclosure Service Grounding 18 4.6 AC Input Cable Entry 18 4.7 DC Output Cable Exit .18 4.8 DC Output Cable 18 4.9 AC Circuit Protection 18 TEST METHODS 18 5.1 General 18 5.2 Instrumentation .19 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.5.3 5.5.4 5.5.5 Performance Test 19 Safety Test 19 Production Test .19 Dielectric Test 20 Cabinet Ground Integrity Test 20 Circuit Operation Test 20 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS 1.1 Scope 1.1.1 The Deep Cycle Battery Charger Standard covers battery chargers used to recharge deep cycle batteries that are used in battery-powered equipment including, but not limited to, industrial forklifts, tuggers, personnel carriers, electrical vehicles, golf carts, mine vehicles, etc 1.2 Definitions 1.2.1 AMBIENT TEMPERATURE Ambient temperature is the environmental temperature surrounding the object under consideration 1.2.2 AMPERE-HOUR CAPACITY Ampere-hour capacity is the number of ampere-hours which a storage battery can deliver under specified conditions such as temperature, specific gravity, rate of discharge, and final voltage 1.2.3 AUDIBLE NOISE Audible noise is the sound level produced by the charger equipment, measured in decibels 1.2.4 AUTOMATIC CHARGE TERMINATION ( a ) Automatic charge termination is the ability to automatically terminate a charge when predetermined conditions are met 1.2.5 BATTERY CAPACITY Battery capacity is the ability of a fully charged battery to deliver a specified quantity of amperes over a specified period of time 1.2.6 BATTERY CHARGER A battery charger is a device used to charge a storage battery 1.2.7 CHARGE (per ANSI/IEEE Standard 100 – 1988) Charge is the conversion of electrical energy to chemical energy within the cell or battery 1.2.8 CHARGING RATE (per ANSI/IEEE Standard 100 – 1988) Charging rate is the current, expressed in amperes, at which a battery is charged 1.2.9 CHARGER EFFICIENCY Charger efficiency is the DC output voltamperes divided by the AC input watts 1.2.10 CHARGER POWER FACTOR Charger power factor is the AC input in watts divided by the AC input in voltamperes BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 1.2.11 CONSTANT CURRENT CHARGE ( I ) A constant current charge is a charge in which the value of the current to the battery is maintained at a constant value 1.2.12 CONSTANT VOLTAGE CHARGE ( U ) A constant voltage charge is a charge in which the DC voltage potential of the charger is maintained at a constant value at the output terminals 1.2.13 DISCHARGE RATE The discharge rate is the current, in amperes, at which the battery is discharged 1.2.14 DISCHARGE (per ANSI/IEEE Standard 100 – 1988) Discharge of a storage battery is the conversion of the chemical energy of the battery into electrical energy 1.2.15 EQUALIZING CHARGE An equalizing charge is an extended charge that is delivered to a charged storage battery for the purpose of minimizing voltage and specific gravity variations between the cells that may develop over time 1.2.16 FINISHING RATE (per ANSI/IEEE Standard 100 – 1988) Finishing rate is the rate of charge, expressed in amperes, to which the charging current is reduced near the end of a charge 1.2.17 FULLY CHARGED BATTERY A battery or cell is considered fully charged when additional charging with sufficient amperage will not result in additional stored capacity 1.2.18 LIVE PART A live part is a part consisting of electrically conductive material which has a potential greater than zero during normal use of the equipment 1.2.19 NOMINAL VALUE Nominal value is a value assigned for the purpose of convenient designation 1.2.20 OUTPUT VOLTAGE RATING The output voltage rating of a battery charger is the nominal voltage of the battery it is designed to charge, or the voltage range of the batteries it is designed to charge 1.2.21 RMS (ROOT MEAN SQUARE) VALUE 1.2.21.1 The root mean square value of an alternating voltage or current is the square root of the mean value of the square of the voltage or current values during a complete cycle 1.2.21.2 RMS is the effective value of an alternating current that corresponds to the direct current value that produces the same heating effect BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 1.2.22 SPECIFIC GRAVITY Specific gravity is the ratio of the weight of the solution (electrolyte) to the weight of an equal volume of water at a specific temperature 1.2.23 START RATE Start rate is the initial rate of current, expressed in amperes, delivered to a discharged storage battery 1.2.24 SWITCHING POINT ( o or O ) The switching point is a point at which the charge or discharge rate is abruptly switched to another rate, or to a pause condition 1.2.25 TAPER CHARGE ( W ) A taper charge is where the value of charging current reduces as the battery voltage increases 1.2.26 VOLTAMPERES (per ANSI/IEEE Standard 100 – 1988) The unit of apparent power in the International System of Units (SI) The voltampere is the apparent power at the points of entry of a single-phase, two-wire system when the product of the root-mean-square value in amperes of the current by the root-mean-square value in volts of the voltage is equal to one 1.2.27 WATTS (per ANSI/IEEE Standard 100 – 1988) The unit of power in the International System of Units (SI) The watt is the power required to work at the rate of joule per second CLASSIFICATION There are many types of chargers used internationally; this section is designed to standardize the specifications used in describing a specific charger or charging requirement 2.1 RECHARGE CODES - The charger “recharge code” is used to describe the capability of a charger to recharge a battery within a given number of hours after the battery has been discharged for a specified number of hours or minutes to a specified percent of its rated ampere-hour capacity 2.1.1 XXX D YY C ZZ: e.g 80D6C8: 80D5C14: Where XXX = Percent of Discharge YY = Dishcarge Rate in Hours ZZ = Hours to Recharge 80% discharge (D) at the hour rate with charge (C) time of hours 80% discharge (D) at the hour rate with charge (C) time of 14 hours OR 2.1.2 XXX DM YYY C ZZ: Where XXX = Percent of Discharge YYY = Discharge Rate in Minutes ZZ = Hours to Recharge BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 2.2 CHARGING METHODS, LIST OF SYMBOLS I - Constant current charging: Charging during which the value of current is maintained at a constant value U - Constant voltage charging: Charging during which the charger potential is maintained at a constant value W - Tapering charge characteristic: Charging where the value of charging current reduces as battery voltage increases t - Time D - Discharge: Discharge when used as part of a charging regime V - Voltage E - Equalize O or - Switch point a - Automatic Termination 2.2.1 CHARGING METHODS AND CURVES The following examples not exclude the possibility of other acceptable charging characteristics CURVE - symbol: W - operation: charge with decreasing current, manual termination Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT CURRENT VOLTAGE I VOLTAGE 2.2.1.1 V TIME BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 2.2.1.2 CURVE - symbol: Wa - operation: charge with decreasing current, automatic charge termination Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT VOLTAGE VOLTAGE I V CURRENT CURVE - symbol: Wo Wa - operation: automatic charge termination Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT CURRENT VOLTAGE I VOLTAGE 2.2.1.3 TIME V TIME BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 2.2.1.4 CURVE - symbol: WU - operation: automatic charge with limitation of voltage Characteristic Charge Cycle V CURVE - symbol: WUWa - operation: automatic charge with limitation of voltage and automatic termination Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT CURRENT VOLTAGE I VOLTAGE 2.2.1.5 CURRENT VOLTAGE VOLTAGE I V TIME BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 2.2.1.6 CURVE - symbol: U - operation: fast charge with constant voltage Characteristic Charge Cycle V CURRENT VOLTAGE VOLTAGE I CURRENT CURVE - symbol: Ua - operation: as Example 2.2.1.6 with automatic charge termination Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT CURRENT VOLTAGE V VOLTAGE 2.2.1.7 TIME I TIME BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 2.2.1.8 CURVE - symbol: I - operation: charge with constant current Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT VOLTAGE VOLTAGE I V CURRENT CURVE - symbol: Ia - operation: as Example 2.2.1.8 with automatic charge termination Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT CURRENT VOLTAGE I VOLTAGE 2.2.1.9 TIME V TIME 10 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 2.2.1.10 CURVE - symbol: Io Ia - operation: high current at start of charge, then reduced current with automatic charge termination Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT VOLTAGE VOLTAGE I V CURRENT CURVE - symbol: I U - operation: charge with constant current, then constant voltage Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT CURRENT VOLTAGE I VOLTAGE 2.2.1.11 TIME V TIME 11 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 2.2.1.12 CURVE - symbol: I U Ia - operation: as example 2.2.1.11 but completion of charging with low constant current and automatic termination Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT VOLTAGE VOLTAGE I V CURRENT CURVE - symbol: W U Wa E - operation: automatic charge with limitation of voltage and automatic termination and equalize Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT CURRENT VOLTAGE I VOLTAGE 2.2.1.13 TIME V TIME 12 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 2.2.1.14 CURVE - symbol I 0I 0I 0I a - operation: step constant current Characteristic Charge Cycle CURRENT VOLTAGE VOLTAGE I V CURRENT TIME PERFORMANCE 3.1 USUAL SERVICE CONDITIONS – Following are usual service conditions: 3.1.1 Ambient air temperature between 32°F (0°C) and 104°F (40°C) 3.1.2 Altitudes not exceeding 1000 meters (3300 feet) above sea level 3.1.3 AC supply voltage and frequency given in section 3.3 3.1.4 Battery size (voltage and ampere hour rating) within the charger's nameplate rating 3.1.5 A battery maintained within the manufacturer's operating parameters 3.2 UNUSUAL SERVICE CONDITIONS – The following unusual service conditions may require specific design considerations and should be brought to the attention of the manufacturer: 3.2.1 Exposure to damaging fumes (corrosive air contaminants); 3.2.2 Exposure to excessive moisture 3.2.3 Exposure to excessive dust; 3.2.4 Exposure to abrasive or conductive dust; 3.2.5 Exposure to steam; 3.2.6 Exposure to oil vapor; 3.2.7 Exposure to explosive mixtures of dust or gases; 13 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 3.2.8 Exposure to salt air; 3.2.9 Exposure to outdoor use; 3.2.10 Exposure to abnormal vibration, shocks, or tilting; 3.2.11 Exposure to dripping water; 3.2.12 Exposure to unusual transportation or storage; 3.2.13 Unbalanced AC voltages; 3.2.14 Departure of AC system voltages from a substantially sinusoidal waveform; 3.2.15 Input supply voltage and frequency outside ranges given in 3.3 3.2.16 Operation in ambient temperatures more than 104°F (40°C) or less than 32°F (0°C) 3.2.17 Operation at altitudes more than 1000 meters (3300 feet) above sea level 3.2.18 Batteries with electrolyte temperatures at the start of charge less than 50°F (10°C) or more than 104°F (40°C) 3.2.19 Battery size (voltage and ampere hour rating) not within the charger's nameplate rating 3.2.20 A battery not maintained within the manufacturer's operating parameters 3.3 Input voltage and frequency – The charger shall be able to deliver its rated output when supplied at the rated input voltage It shall, however, be capable of operating under the following conditions of input voltage and frequency in such a way that the safety of persons is not reduced and neither does the charger or battery sustain any damage *AC Line variations: *AC Line frequency variations: 3.4 + 6%, - 10% of nameplate rating +/- 0.2% of nameplate rating Charging Rate The following criteria are based on: The charger is being operated within its nameplate rating The battery is performing within its design criteria 3.4.1 For lead-acid batteries The charger output current shall not exceed a value that will cause an increase in battery temperature of more than 40°F (22.2°C) during the charge 3.5 Charger Characteristic Curve 3.5.1 The following conditions must be met: 3.5.1.1 The battery used shall have the same ampere-hour capacity as the charger 3.5.1.2 The discharge shall be in accordance with the charger classification 14 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 3.5.1.3 The initial battery temperature shall be 77° F (25°C) 3.5.1.4 The battery charger shall be run at nominal input voltage 3.5.1.5 The charger used shall be typical of the product being represented 3.5.1.6 Data shall be recorded and plotted at intervals of 30 minutes or less 3.5.2 The following must be plotted: 3.5.2.1 DC output current (in percent of battery capacity) versus time; 3.5.2.2 DC voltage (in volts per cell at battery terminal) versus time; 3.5.2.3 Percent of Ampere-Hours returned, versus time 3.6 Recharge requirement for lead-acid batteries: 3.6.1 Charger with automatic controls 3.6.1.1 MINIMUM RECHARGE: The charger shall be capable of returning a minimum of 2% overcharge,( based on 100% rating of the battery), after the battery has satisfied the maximum discharge per the charger classification code, with the charger set for its normal mode 3.6.1.2 MAXIMUM OVERCHARGE: The charger shall return a maximum of 15% overcharge (based on the 100% rating of the battery), after a discharge of 50% or more with the charger set for its normal mode 3.6.1.3 The table and graph below show recharge requirements for various depths of discharge RECHARGE REQUIREMENT CHART AND GRAPH IN % OF BATTERY 100% RATING RECHARGE REQUIREMENT 120 110 MAXIMUM 100 OVERCHARGE 90 80 % RECHARGE 70 MINIMU RECHARGE 60 50 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 % DISCHARGE 15 95 85 100 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 Percent Discharge 100 90 80 70 60 50 Percent Recharge Min Max 102 115 92 105 82 95 72 85 62 75 52 65 3.6.2 Charger with manual controls 3.6.2.1 Instruction shall be provided that would enable the user to properly set the charger to meet the limits in 3.6.1 3.7 EFFICIENCY 3.7.1 The charger efficiency shall be determined by measuring the input watts at the AC input terminals by means of wattmeters and by measuring the average values of the direct voltage and current at the output terminals From the values thus measured, the charger efficiency shall be calculated in accordance with the following: Percent Charger Efficiency = (average DC voltampere output x 100) / (input watts) 3.7.2 The charger efficiency over the complete charge cycle shall be calculated as follows: Percent Charge Cycle Efficiency = (kilowatt-hours output x 100) / (kilowatt-hours input) 3.8 POWER FACTOR 3.8.1 The power factor for single-phase and three-phase battery chargers shall be calculated as follows: Percent Power Factor = (Σ watts per phase x 100) / (Σ rms voltamperes per phase) 3.8.2 For single-phase rectifiers, the input watts can be measured with a wattmeter and the voltamperes can be calculated from measurements of the true rms input voltage and true rms input current, using true rms responding meters For a balanced three-phase source and load, the input power factor shall be calculated as follows: Percent Power Factor = (input watts x 100) / (1.732(line volts)(line current)) where the line volts and line current are rms values measured with rms responding meters 3.8.3 The charger power factor over the complete charge cycle shall be calculated as follows: Percent Charge Cycle Power Factor = (kilowatt-hours input x 100) / (kilovoltampere-hours input) 3.9 NAMEPLATE MARKING The following minimum information shall be given on the nameplate if applicable: 3.9.1 Model number 3.9.2 Serial number 16 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 3.9.3 Type of battery for which the charger was designed, e.g., LA(lead-acid); PB(lead-acid); VRLA (valve regulated lead-acid); NC(nickel-cadmium); NCVR(nickel-cadmium valve-regulated); all types 3.9.4 Number(s) of cells in series 3.9.5 Nominal output voltage 3.9.6 Ampere-hour capacity 3.9.7 Rated output in amperes 3.9.8 Nominal AC supply voltage(s) 3.9.9 Supply frequency 3.9.10 Phase 3.9.11 Rated AC line amperes 3.9.12 Number of charging circuits (if more than one) 3.9.13 Date code 3.9.14 Classification code SAFETY 4.1 GENERAL SAFETY REQUIREMENT 4.1.1 All BCI labelled products shall perform and be tested in accordance with the Underwriters' Laboratories Standard for Industrial Battery Chargers #1564, or the safety standard(s) applicable at the location of use, (if known) 4.2 COMPONENTS – The battery charger shall contain at least the following components: 4.2.1 A transformer or other device to electrically isolate the battery being charged from the AC source 4.2.2 Means for manually terminating the charging current 4.2.3 A device indicating charger operation 4.2.4 Output overcurrent protective devices 4.3 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 4.3.1 A label with clear and precise operating instructions shall be provided 4.4 INSTRUCTION MANUAL – An instruction manual shall be provided with each charger and shall include at least the following information: 4.4.1 Safety instructions 17 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 4.4.2 Installation instructions 4.4.3 Operating instructions 4.4.4 Schematic or wiring diagrams, or both 4.4.5 Trouble shooting instructions 4.4.6 Maintenance procedures 4.5 ENCLOSURE SERVICE GROUNDING 4.5.1 A separate, clearly identified grounding terminal shall be provided for the connection of the AC input grounding conductor All dead metal parts of the unit shall be conductively connected to this grounding terminal 4.6 AC INPUT CABLE ENTRY 4.6.1 The charger cabinet shall be provided with an entry hole or knockout located as near as possible to the input connection terminals If the charger is supplied with AC input cable, a strain relief shall be provided 4.7 DC OUTPUT CABLE EXIT 4.7.1 The charger cabinet shall be provided with an exit hole(s) or knockout(s) to accommodate the required strain relief located as near as possible to the output connection terminals If the charger is supplied with DC output cable(s), a strain relief(s) shall be included 4.8 DC OUTPUT CABLE 4.8.1 When battery charger DC cables are supplied, they shall be of a size and rating that will safely carry the output current The polarity of the output shall be plainly identified 4.9 AC CIRCUIT PROTECTION 4.9.1 The charger must be provided with protection against overload or short circuit in all ungrounded AC input power conductors, unless cord-connected with an attachment plug for connection to the supply circuit TEST METHODS 5.1 GENERAL This section is intended to provide test methods to evaluate the performance and safety characteristics of battery chargers Tests shall be divided into three categories: 5.1.1 Performance tests 5.1.2 Safety tests 5.1.3 Production tests 18 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 5.2 INSTRUMENTATION 5.2.1 Measuring apparatus shall have sufficient resolution, stability, and accuracy so as to ensure a limit of error not exceeding 1% of the measured quantity For each test, sufficient metering and monitoring shall be provided so as to ensure conformance with the test conditions 5.3 PERFORMANCE TESTS – Performance tests are those that must be made on a representative sample of every battery charger model(s) that represents the worst set of operating conditions (usually the maximum kilowatt output in a particular enclosure) and that are repeated whenever a change is made that modifies the performance of the charger The battery charger shall be operated for a complete charge cycle to establish its performance in accordance with Sec Performance tests shall include the following: 5.3.1 Battery temperature rise 5.3.2 Charging curve 5.3.3 Charger efficiency 5.3.4 Power factor 5.4 SAFETY TEST 5.4.1 Safety tests are those that must be made on a representative sample of every battery charger model(s) that represent the worst set of operating conditions (usually the maximum kilowatt output in a particular enclosure) and that are repeated whenever a change is made that affects the safety characteristics of the charger 5.4.2 The substitution of a higher rated direct replacement component does not necessitate retesting the representative charger model 5.4.3 Safety tests shall include the following: 5.4.3.1 Dielectric 5.4.3.2 Fire hazard 5.4.3.3 Mechanical integrity 5.4.3.4 Audible sound level limit 5.4.3.5 Component temperature test 5.5 PRODUCTION TESTS 5.5.1 Production tests shall be made on all production units for the purpose of maintaining safety, quality, and performance 5.5.2 Production tests for battery chargers shall include the following: 5.5.2.1 Dielectric 5.5.2.2 Cabinet ground integrity 19 BCIS-16 Rev SEP 07 5.5.2.3 Circuit operation 5.5.3 DIELECTRIC TESTS 5.5.3.1 A battery charger shall be capable of withstanding for minute, without breakdown, the application of a 50 or 60 Hertz essentially sinusoidal test voltage with the battery charger at the maximum operating temperature which it reaches in normal use As an alternative, 120 percent of the specified test voltage shall be applied for second 5.5.3.2 Primary circuits to dead-metal parts and primary circuits to secondary circuits shall be capable of withstanding the application of 1000 volts plus twice the rated primary voltage Secondary circuits operating at 50 volts or less shall be capable of withstanding 500 volts between these circuits and dead-metal parts Secondary circuits operating at more than 50 volts shall withstand 1000 volts plus twice the maximum rated secondary circuit voltage between the circuits and dead-metal parts 5.5.3.3 The leakage current for these test voltages shall not exceed 0.75 milliampere on cord connected chargers and 5.0 milliamperes on conduit-connected chargers, under all rated operating conditions 5.5.3.4 The charger shall be tested with one of the following types of test equipment or equivalent: 5.5.3.4.1 A 500 volt-ampere or larger transformer with voltmeter 5.5.3.4.2 A less than 500 volt-ampere transformer having output voltmeter, audible and visual indication of breakdown and reset button The test voltage as specified above shall be applied between the following points: 5.5.3.4.2.1 Alternating-current input terminals to dead-metal parts 5.5.3.4.2.2 Alternating-current input terminals to direct-current output terminals 5.5.3.4.2.3 Direct-current terminals to dead-metal parts 5.5.3.4.3 For these tests, all semiconductors, capacitors and sensitive control components shall be short-circuited; printed circuit control boards shall be removed Contactors and relays shall be in their operating mode 5.5.4 CABINET GROUND INTEGRITY TEST 5.5.4.1 The resistance of the ground connections in the charger cabinet shall be checked with a continuity tester that has a current source of 1mA or greater One lead from the tester shall be connected to the cabinet grounding terminal and the other lead used to probe the cabinet grounding terminals and exposed dead metal parts 5.5.5 CIRCUIT OPERATION TEST 5.5.5.1 The battery charger shall be tested to ensure that all of its components are properly interconnected and adjusted to function according to the typical voltampere curve designated for that charger 20 ... provided 4.4 INSTRUCTION MANUAL – An instruction manual shall be provided with each charger and shall include at least the following information: 4.4.1 Safety instructions 17 BCIS -16 Rev SEP 07 4.4.2... DISCHARGE 15 95 85 100 BCIS -16 Rev SEP 07 Percent Discharge 100 90 80 70 60 50 Percent Recharge Min Max 102 115 92 105 82 95 72 85 62 75 52 65 3.6.2 Charger with manual controls 3.6.2.1 Instruction... information shall be given on the nameplate if applicable: 3.9.1 Model number 3.9.2 Serial number 16 BCIS -16 Rev SEP 07 3.9.3 Type of battery for which the charger was designed, e.g., LA(lead-acid);