User's Manual

21 ·
MC3000
· 20
MC3000
• Cycle - Automatically repeats the three distinct routines after the specified pattern. Useful for
unattended operation over an extended period of time or testing the degradation of China made
Eneloop after 100 cycles. Cycling a few times at high rates may help to condition new NiMH cells
or awake old batteries from slumber; interrupt the cycling when the discharge capacity has
seemingly reached a plateau. Note that a battery can be re-cycled only so many times before its
end-of-life.
• Storage - Available for rechargeable Li-batteries, generates recommended stable voltage levels
in preparation for long-term storage. Uses the technique of reduced charging (CV-phase) and
reduced discharging (inverse CV-phase) to approach the target voltage. For storing rechargeable
Ni-batteries, no such preparation is needed, see BU-702.
CAPACITY (or NOMINAL)
Primarily meant as safety option, lets the user set a reasonable upper limit for the transfer of
electric charge per discharge or charge routine of a program. Enter, for example, 4200mAh for a
20% buffer on a 3500mAh rated battery. The capacity cut-off is to prevent overcharging or
overdischarging, especially of batteries with unknown performance or capacity. Or, may be set to
stop the slot prematurely on purpose after the transfer of a well-defined amount of electric charge.
In some situations it may be convenient to just set it to OFF. In Break_in mode, this option is
labeled NOMINAL and the user is required to enter a value as exactly as possible, the nominal
capacity of the battery.
C.CURRENT
The nominal charge current. Must be set for operation modes which include at least 1 charging
routine. In Simple menu mode the charge current is set in +0.1A steps from 0.1A to 3.0A; in
Advanced menu mode it is set in +0.01A increments from 0.05A to 3.00A. It is OFF for Discharge,
and preset for Break_in operation modes. MC3000 uses constant current for charging, not pulsed
charging. Note that the initial charging current automatically decreases during the CV-phase of
LiIon charging or storage mode. For programs with even lower CC charging currents than 0.05A,
you could try to be clever with the TRICKLE C. option.
D.CURRENT
The nominal discharge current. Must be set for operation modes which include at least 1
discharging routine. In Simple menu mode the discharge current is set in +0.1A steps from -0.1A
to -2.0A; in Advanced menu mode it is set in +0.01A increments from -0.05A to -2.00A. The device
can discharge 4× Ni-based batteries at -2A/slot or 4× Li-based batteries at -1A/slot at a time.
However, the device can discharge only 1× Li-based battery at -1.01…-2.00A at a time; when
another slot is started, all busy slots would be cut in their discharge power in parallel. So in order
to guarantee 1× LiIon battery at -1.01…-2.00A undiminished discharging current, no other slot can
be busy. MC3000 uses constant current for discharging, not pulsed discharging. Note that the
initial discharging current automatically decreases when the D.REDUCE option becomes active.
For programs with even lower discharging currents than -0.05A, you could help yourself and play
with the D.REDUCE option.
C.RESTING
Defines the duration of the resting phase subsequent to the charging routine. Can be set to
anything between 0 and 240 minutes for operation modes which include at least 1 charging
routine. During this period the current is 0.00A, or trickling if TRICKLE C. was set, and the battery
can cool down and rest. It is OFF for Discharge operation mode, and there is no resting phase
after a cycling operation mode has finished.
D.RESTING
Defines the duration of the resting phase subsequent to the discharging routine. Can be set to
anything between 0 and 240 minutes for operation modes which include at least 1 discharging
routine. During this period the current is 0.00A, and the battery can cool down and rest. It is OFF
for Charge operation mode, and there is no resting phase after a cycling operation mode has
finished.
CYCLE COUNT
Number of cycles. Option relevant only to cycling operation modes such as Cycle (N=1…99) or
Refresh (N=1). It is OFF for all other operation modes including Break_in. As in sports a trade-off,
cycling repeatedly is good for present health, condition and performance on the one hand, on the
other hand it ages substance faster and shortens lifespan. Ambitious battery testers can learn
about the decline of capacity after numerous cycles.
CYCLE MODE
For our purpose, a so-called cycle be defined as sequence of at least 1 charging and 1
discharging routine, or vice versa. "D>C>D", for example, will start with an initial discharge before
performing a complete charge followed by a complete discharge. For N>1 the program repeats
the pattern such that a complete charging routine always alternates with a complete discharging
routine, or vice versa. "C>D>C, N=2" would result in (C)>D>C>D>C, "C>D, N=2" in (C)>D>C>D.
While the user can specify C.RESTING and D.RESTING to be applied between the charge
transfer routines, the program finishes directly after the final charge transfer routine with no further
rest phase applied.
TARGET VOLT
Similar to CUT VOLT, it states the direction and target, i.e. the voltage where the charging routine
is heading towards to terminate the routine. Often termed 'end voltage', the exact technical
meaning of this value differs slightly depending on battery chemistry or operation mode: the
charging of a NiMH/NiCd battery ends as soon as the off-load voltage has reached this point, or it
is the on-load constant voltage during the CV-phase of rechargeable Li- or NiZn-battery charging,
or it is the storage voltage in the Storage mode of rechargeable Li-batteries. Unless you’re sure
why you’re doing what, better stay on the safe side and do not deviate from the default values.
CUT VOLT
The discharge cut-off voltage. Applies to discharging routines of operation modes other than
Storage. It is the voltage, measured under load, at which the routine will terminate the
discharging; or, when D.REDUCE is active, it is the constant voltage during the inverse CV-phase
until the routine terminates the discharging. Before the start of the discharge, this value should be
lower than the battery voltage to make any sense. If set too low, the overdischarging will damage
the battery.
SLOT PROGRAMMING VIEW (SPV)SLOT PROGRAMMING VIEW (SPV)