Thomas & Betts 20D, 15D owner manual Battery Charging, Freedom Battery Chargers

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BATTERY CHARGING

Battery Charging

Completely charging wet cell deep-cycle batteries requires the battery voltage to be raised beyond what is known as the gassing point. This is the voltage at which the battery begins to bubble and gas is given off. If charging stops short of this point, sulfate is left on the plates and deterioration of the battery begins. The gassing point will vary with battery temperature.

At 77 degrees F, the gassing point of a 12 volt battery is about 14.0 volts.

AGM and Gel cell batteries must not be charged to their gassing point. In fact, high voltage charging which gasses these batteries is harmful to them. They typically require a lower bulk charge voltage and a higher float voltage than wet cell batteries. Consult the battery manufacturer for specifications.

Freedom Battery Chargers

Freedom battery chargers are designed to overcome the limitations of conventional chargers by utilizing 3 distinct charge stages, each designed for optimal charging of wet, gel cell and AGM deep-cycle batteries. Battery type selection is made on the front panel of the inverter/charger or through the Remote Control Panel or a Link Instrumentation. For more information on battery type selection, see page 7 or refer to the Remote Control Panel manual.

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Part No. 90-0123-00 Libertycombi.p65 10/26/98

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Contents INVERTER/CHARGER Safety Summary Table of Contents Electronic Protection IntroductionFreedom 15 & 15D Watts Freedom 20 & 20D Freedom 15 & 15D Amps DC Freedom 20 & 20D15D 20D Things YOU should KnowTemperature Sensitive Charging Charge Mode External AC PowerFront Panel Controls and Indicators Invert ModeOperation Status Battery Type SelectionLOW Battery Red LED Status LEDsLOW Battery & OVERTEMP/OVERLOAD TSC Temperature Sensitive ChargingOptional Remotes Link 2000R Remote Control PanelAdvanced Remote Control Panels Link Instrument LinkBattery Types Wet Cell BatteriesQuality deep-cycle batteries offer good Batteries Battery InterconnectionBattery Bank Ratings and Sizing ParallelOnly similar batteries should be AMP-HOUR Consumption Formulas Typical Power ConsumptlonBattery Charging Battery ChargingFreedom Battery Chargers Battery charger stages are Acceptance to Float Transition Points Battery Charging Battery Charging Battery Charger Voltage Settings Typical Tools Needed Installation PrecautionsUnvented compartments containing Confirm that your shipping carton containsInstallation Auxiliary Switch Port Jumper Neutral Bonding GroundingAC Wiring InstallationDC Wiring Ground Fault Circult InterruptersPathMaker Models Recommended Fuse UL Listed Class T Battery Cable FusingTest the transfer function InstallationTest the battery charger function Troubleshooting LED Status Troubleshooting Glossary LED Light Emitting Diode Indicator light Specifications Phone numbers 253 Warranty