General Functionality; The Charging Process - tbs electronics Omnicharge DC OCD12/12-50 Mode D'emploi

voltages are not compensated against temperature. However, the temperature sensor
is still used to prevent charging the lithium battery when the temperature has dropped
below 0°C.

3. GENERAL FUNCTIONALITY

3.1

The charging process

All selectable charge programs, perform a three stage IUoUo charging process comprising of
a "Bulk" , an "Absorption", and a "Float" stage. The image below visualizes the three stage
charging process:
When charger is turned on, it will start in the Bulk stage. In this stage the charger delivers full
output current and typically returns approximately 80% of charge back into the battery once
the absorption voltage is reached. When this voltage has been reached, the Absorption
stage will be entered. This stage will return the final 20% of charge to the battery. The
output voltage is kept at a constant level and the charge current decreases as a function of
the battery's state of charge. When the charge current has dropped below a certain value,
the Float stage will be entered. For lithium batteries, more than 80% of charge has been
returned to the battery already. So for this chemistry the Absorption stage will be relatively
short.
In the Float stage the battery voltage will be held constant at a safe level for the battery. It
will maintain the battery in optimal condition for as long as the battery remains connected
to the activated charger. Connected battery loads will be directly powered by the charger
up to the charger's maximum output current level.
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