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READ FIRST BEFORE OPERATING CHARGER
Renaissance Charge, LLC
8071 Main Street, Fenwick, MI 48834
www.r-charge.com
HEAVY-DUTY
BATTERY REJUVENATOR
OWNER’S MANUAL
MODELS: RC-30A12-120, RC-30A12-240,
RC-15A24-120, RC15A-24-240
Rev. 1.0 06/08
Copyright © 2008 Renaissance Charge, LLC
Contents
Section 1 Instructions for Your Safety.....................Page 2
Section 2 Battery Charging Notes............................Page 7
Section 3 Operating Instructions.............................Page 9
Section 4 Troubleshooting.......................................Page 13
Section 5 Specifications............................................Page 15
R
enaissance Charge would like to thank you for purchasing
this high performance battery charger/rejuvenator. The
revolutionary technology employed by this charger has
shown that the lives of lead-acid batteries can be extended
dramatically. In many cases, this charging system has
demonstrated the ability to charge batteries that could not be
charged with conventional, off-the-shelf chargers. New
batteries have even shown to develop larger storage capaci-
ties. We are confident that charging with the Renaissance
Charging System will give you longer run times and extended
battery life, allowing you to get the most out of your battery
powered applications. We welcome your questions, com-
ments, and testimonials at www.r-charge.com.
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Section 1: SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
DANGER! RISK OF BATTERY EXPLOSION. MAY RESULT IN BLINDNESS,
SERIOUS INJURY, PERMANENT DISFIGUREMENT AND SCARRING.
Batteries can even explode during normal operation. People have
been injured by battery parts flying in an explosion. They can
explode under normal operating conditions, such as starting your
car. They can explode under abnormal conditions, such as jump
starting, or if shorted by a tool. They can explode in a parked car
or sitting on a table.
To help reduce the risk of these dangers and injury, it is of the
utmost importance that before using your charger, you read and
understand this manual and any warnings and instructions by the
battery manufacturer.
TO MINIMIZE RISK OF INJURY, ALWAYS:
1)
Wear Personal Protective Equipment
• ALWAYS wear complete eye protection that protects from ALL
angles. Wear gloves to prevent exposure to battery chemi-
cals.
2) Avoid Flames and Sparks Near Battery and Fuel
• ALWAYS keep flames, matches, lighters, cigarettes or other
ignition sources away from battery.
• DO NOT put flammable material on, near, or under battery or
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charger. DO NOT use near gasoline vapors.
• Do not operate the charger near a source of flame or spark.
• Do not smoke near battery while charging.
• If charger is equipped with battery clips, make sure clips make
good contact by twisting or rocking them back and forth
several times.
• ALWAYS be sure to turn off the battery-powered device before
disconnecting the battery in preparation for charging.
• DO NOT disconnect battery from charger while charging.
• A tool touching both battery posts or causing electrical conduc-
tion to be made between the battery posts is a short circuit and
will spark. When using metal tools on or near battery, be extra
cautious to reduce risk of a short circuit, possibly causing a
burn, fire, or battery explosion. DO NOT drop a tool on battery.
3) Reduce Explosive Gas (Hydrogen)
• If charging a flooded (refillable) lead-acid type battery, before
connecting charger, ALWAYS add distilled water to each cell
until battery acid covers plates to help purge extra gas from
cells. DO NOT overfill. Battery acid expands during charge.
After charging, fill to level specified by battery manufacturer.
• If battery to be charged has caps, charge battery with caps in
place. DO NOT pry caps off sealed batteries. Place wet cloth
on batteries with non-flame arresting caps.
• Be sure area around battery is well ventilated before and
during charging process. NEVER charge any battery in a
closed-in or restricted area. This may result in fire and/or
explosion.
4) Stay Away From Battery When Possible
• NEVER put face near battery.
• ALWAYS locate charger as far from battery as cables permit.
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• ALWAYS keep other people away from the battery.
5) Avoid Contact With Battery Acid
• Battery posts may have chemical corrosion. DO NOT get
corrosion in your eyes. Avoid touching eyes while working
near battery.
• ALWAYS have plenty of fresh water and soap nearby in case
battery chemicals contact eyes, skin or clothing. If battery
chemicals contact skin or clothing, wash immediately with
soap and water. If chemicals contact eye, immediately flood
eye with cold running water for at least fifteen (15) minutes and
get medical help immediately.
• In very cold weather, a discharged battery may freeze.
NEVER charge a frozen battery. Gases may form, cracking
the case, and leaking battery chemicals.
6) Avoid Overcharging Batteries
• NEVER overcharge a battery. A battery can vent excessive
amounts of explosive gas.
• Battery chargers can overcharge a battery if left connected for
an extended period of time, resulting in loss of water, creation
of hydrogen gas, and excessive heating of the battery.
• Although it is normal for a battery to warm at the end of its
charge, a battery under charge should never stay warm for
more than a few hours before the charger shuts off. A battery
that is excessively warm or warm for an excessive amount of
time is overcharging. Batteries in substandard condition may
exhibit unusual behavior while under charge resulting in an
overcharging condition. It is a good idea to monitor the
battery on charge whenever possible to avoid this.
7) Follow Other Manufacturers' Recommendations
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• Before using charger, read all instructions for, and caution
markings on: (1) charger, (2) battery, and (3) related product
using battery. Follow their recommended rate of charge.
• This battery charger is designed for charging SPECIFI-
CALLY SIZED (25 to 250 amp-hour for 12V models, 12-125
amp-hour for 24V models), lead-acid batteries only.
Charging a battery whose amp-hour rating is below that
specified by the charger power level setting may cause
the battery to heat excessively, reducing its life and
creating a safety hazard.
ELECTRICAL WARNINGS
DANGER! RISK OF ELECTRICAL AND FIRE HAZARD. MAY RESULT IN
DEATH, SERIOUS INJURY, SHOCK OR BURNS.
This charger, like all electrical products, MUST be treated with
respect. Follow these instructions to reduce electrical hazard risk.
1) Proper Grounding and AC Power Connection
• Some charger models MUST be grounded to reduce risk of
electric shock. If the charger is equipped with an electric cord
having an equipment grounding conductor and a grounding
plug, the plug MUST be plugged into an electrical outlet that is
properly installed and GROUNDED in accordance with all
local codes and ordinances. If you ever feel even a slight
shock from this or any electrical appliance, stop, walk away.
Turn off electricity to outlet, and have it inspected by an electri-
cian. You may have a dangerous, improperly wired outlet.
• DANGER - NEVER alter AC power cord or plug provided. If it
will not fit outlet, have proper outlet installed by a qualified
electrician. Improper connection can result in a risk of an
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electric shock.
2) Remove Jewelry
• ALWAYS remove personal metal items (such as rings,
bracelets, necklaces and watches) when working with a
battery. A short circuit through one of these items can melt it
causing a severe burn.
3) Avoid Charger Abuse
• To reduce risk of electric shock, ALWAYS unplug charger from
outlet before attempting any maintenance or cleaning.
• DO NOT disassemble charger. Disassembly of the charger
WILL void the warranty.
• DO NOT expose charger to rain, snow, water, gas, oil, etc.
• DO NOT operate charger if it has received a sharp blow, been
dropped, or otherwise damaged in any way.
• DO NOT operate charger with clips shorted together.
4) Proper Wiring
• Use of improper extension cord could result in a risk of fire
and/or electric shock. If your charger model has a grounded,
3-wire plug, use ONLY a grounded, 3-wire type cord. NEVER
use a 2-wire cord and an adaptor! The cord MUST be plugged
into a grounded outlet. Make sure it is properly wired, in good
electrical condition, and wire size is large enough so there is
not significant line voltage drop.
5) Proper Use of the Charger
• DO NOT disconnect battery from charger while charging. If
the battery must be disconnected from the charger before the
charge cycle is complete, first turn the charger off before
disconnecting from the terminals of the battery.
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• To reduce risk of damage to plug and cord when disconnecting
charger, ALWAYS pull on plug - NEVER on cord.
• DO NOT operate charger with damaged cord or plug - replace
them immediately.
• Locate power cord and charger output leads so that they will
not be stepped on, tripped over, or otherwise subject to
damage or stress.
• DO NOT operate charger in or near water. Charging a battery
on board a boat floating in water requires a battery charger
specially designed to marine charging standards. Move the
battery to dry land for charging with this charger.
Section 2: BATTERY CHARGING NOTES
1) If a battery is not completely recharged after each use, chemical
buildup on the battery’s plates increases slightly with each
charge/load cycle and impedes the battery’s ability to be
charged and/or deliver power. If the battery is overcharged, the
battery will heat, causing excessive thermal expansion and
contraction. This causes damage to the internal structure of the
battery, causing it to fail as well. Renaissance chargers incorpo-
rate several innovative design techniques which minimize both
undercharging and overcharging.
2) In many cases, the Renaissance battery charger may be able to
charge and even increase the capacity of batteries that are not
able to be adequately charged with conventional battery
charging techniques employed by the majority of battery
chargers on the market today.
3) It is very important to choose the right charging rate for your
application. For example, the RC-30A12-120, set to the highest
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power level, would provide a fairly gentle charge to a 250
amp-hour battery. However, if a 90 amp-hour battery is substi-
tuted for the 250 amp-hour battery, the charger will charge the
battery much faster and more forcefully. As such, any possible
gain in capacity, resulting from the use of this type of charger will
be more quickly and dramatically seen in the 90 amp-hour (the
smaller) battery. In order to maintain the long life of a healthy,
newer battery, a slower, gentler charge is recommended. In
order to rejuvenate (and/or equalize) an older battery in substan-
dard condition, use a faster, more forceful charge.
4) Charger models RC-30A12-120, and RC-30A12-240 are
designed to charge flooded type deep cycle lead-acid batteries
that are rated between 25 and 250 amp-hours (AH). Charger
models RC-15A24-120, and RC-15A24-240 are designed to
charge flooded type deep cycle lead-acid batteries that are rated
between 12 and 125 amp-hours (AH). Using the charger to
charge batteries whose capacities are smaller than the
charger’s rated range can result in excessive heating of the
battery causing premature failure of the battery. Charging
batteries larger than specified by the charger’s rated range may
take an excessive amount of time during which the charger may
prematurely end its automatic charging cycle and/or overheat.
5) Sealed (maintenance-free) Batteries
Many batteries whose capacity range lies within the recom-
mended ratings for this charger are sealed (non-refillable). And,
although these batteries have the inherent advantage of being
unspillable, because the water inside these batteries cannot be
replenished, the batteries eventually “dry out”. When this
happens, the battery’s life is over. These batteries are particu-
larly susceptible to being destroyed prematurely by overcharg-
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ing which causes excessive offgassing (water loss). In many
cases, however, these batteries are rendered useless by under-
charging, and, in many cases, conventional charging techniques
are ineffective in charging them. Use the Renaissance charger,
in these cases, to rejuvenate these batteries by breaking
through the chemical layers and dendrite formation when other
chargers cannot to amazingly restore capacity and extend
battery life. Then, after these batteries have had their capacity
restored, it may be of advantage to return to a slower, gentler
charge or charging rate for normal routine charging. The potent,
rejuvenating power of the Renaissance charger has been found
to be of tremendous advantage to battery longevity when used
in CHARGE mode as part of a regularly scheduled maintenance
charging routine (for example, 1 out of every 5-10 charge
cycles).
Section 3: OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
FOLLOW THESE THREE STEPS IN THIS ORDER.
DO NOT attempt to charge batteries that will not charge
under the normal procedures outlined in this manual.
Dispose properly and immediately of all batteries that
will not take a charge.
STEP 1. BEFORE OPERATING CHARGER
1) Place the charger and the battery away from any combustible
material. Choose a location in accordance with the safety
instructions in Section 1 of this manual.
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Part 6.)
3) Select either CYCLE or CHARGE mode.
CYCLE mode should be reserved for batteries in poor condition
whose capacity has fallen below usefulness for their particular
application. CYCLE mode will alternately deeply discharge
and then charge the battery with higher potency pulses than
the normal CHARGE mode. Also, CYCLE mode has a built in
equalize feature which charges the battery for an extended
time at the end of the battery’s charge after a pre-determined
cool down period. The alternate deep discharge/charge cycling
of CYCLE mode wil continue until battery capacity is
maximized. One should be especially conservative when
deciding to use CYCLE mode on a starter type battery (rated in
CCA instead of AH). These types of batteries have much
thinner plates than those of deep-cycle battereis, and as such,
each unnecessary deep discharge may shorten the lifespan of
these batteries.
If CHARGE mode is selected, the charger will charge the
battery once until the battery can accept no further charge, then
automatically shut off. CHARGE mode, although less
agressive than CYCLE mode, is still far more potent than
conventional charging. Use CHARGE mode from time to time
on a conventionally charged battery, as part of a regularly
scheduled maintenance routine, to keep it functioning optimally
and maintain maximum longevity.
At the completion of either the CYCLE or CHARGE process,
the charger will shut down and display a solid green LED
status, after which the charger will automatically “float” charge
charge. Some old batteries may not accept a charge and will
heat up on charging. It is common for a battery’s first few
charge cycles on the Renaissance charger to take longer than
normal as a result of the charger’s rejuvenating characteristics.
CAUTION
If at any time the battery:
1) Gets hot (above 140°F or 60°C) or
2) Stays warm (above 100°F or 38°C) for more than 4 hours,
STOP CHARGING.
DO NOT attempt to charge batteries that will not charge under
the normal procedures outlined in this manual. Dispose
properly and immediately of all batteries that will not take a
charge.
7) This charger is not intended nor designed to supply power for
applications other than battery charging. Never charge a
battery while the battery is powering another appliance or load.
STEP 3. TURNING THE CHARGER OFF
As stated previously, after the battery is charged, the LED indicator
will turn to solid (non-flashing) green, indicating that the charging
cycle is finished. After the charging cycle is over, the charger will
continue to perform a maintenance (float) type charge, flashing the
LED green from time to time. If the LED is either solid red or
flashing green, it is important to turn the charger off before discon-
necting the battery from the charger. The charge cycle may be
stopped at any time by turning the charger’s power switch OFF.
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ONE (1) YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
This equipment is warranted to be free from defects in material or workman-
ship for one (1) year from date of purchase. Repair (or, at our option,
replacement) will therefore be made of any unit which proves to be defective
during this period provided the unit is returned properly packed, with all
transportation charges prepaid, to the store from which it was purchased.
Any repair approved hereunder will be made without charge to the owner for
parts and/or labor. This limited warranty extends only to the original
purchaser, is not transferable, and is limited to the purchase price of the
equipment. In no event will Renaissance Charger, LLC. be liable for any
incidental or consequential damages resulting from the equipment or any
defect.
Claims under this limited warranty must be accompanied by the original
sales receipt or shipping documents that establish date of purchase.
This limited warranty does not extend to units which have been subjected to
misuse, abuse, neglect, or accident or to units that have been used in
violation of operating instructions. Equipment which, in our judgment, shows
evidence of having been altered, modified, or serviced without our authoriza-
tion will be ineligible for service under this limited warranty.
This warranty gives you specific rights, and you also may have other rights
which vary from state to state. Some states do not allow the exclusion or
limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above exclusion(s)
or limitation(s) may not apply to you.
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2) Connect charger to proper voltage AC power outlet
(110-120VAC for model numbers RC-30A12-120 and
RC-15A24-120, 220-240VAC for models RC-30A12-240 and
RC-15A24-240).
3) Disconnect battery from any circuitry the battery may be power-
ing.
4) Check to make sure DC circuit breaker on rear of unit is not
tripped. The lever should be in the ON position.
STEP 2. TURNING THE CHARGER ON
1) Connect each of charger’s output connectors to the
corresponding battery terminal, making sure that the charger’s
positive ‘+’ red clip is connected to battery’s positive ‘+’ terminal
and charger’s negative ‘-’ black clip is connected to battery’s
negative ‘-’ terminal. (See figure 1 below). If the battery
terminals are unlabeled, connect one way and if charging
doesn’t begin reverse the connections. The charger is reverse
polarity protected and will not be damaged if polarity is inadver-
tently reversed.
2) Choose the appropriate power setting to match the capacity of
the battery to be charged. One may choose to deviate from the
recommended settings as marked on the panel in order to
increase or decrease the charge rate as desired. (See Section
2: Part 3.) However, attempting to charge a battery too fast,
using a power setting higher than recommended may cause
the charger overheat the battery. This can be dangerous and
certainly is not beneficial to the battery. (See Section 3: Step 2:
• There is no power to the AC wall receptacle.
• The AC circuit breaker on the rear panel has tripped. Press the
white button in the center of the breaker to reset it. If the
breaker trips again, DO NOT attempt to operate charger.
Have charger serviced by factory-authorized service center
only.
2) Charge cycle will not begin (flashing LED)
• Battery is not connected to charger. Check to make sure good
electrical contact is made. The battery connections may have
become corroded or tarnished, preventing the charger from
detecting the presence of the battery. If this is the case, clean
the battery clips and/or battery terminals and try again.
• Charger polarity is reversed. Battery ‘+’ is not connected to
charger ‘+’, ‘-’ to ‘-’, etc. Reverse battery connections and try
again.
• DC circuit breaker has tripped. Check to make sure the
battery is of proper rated voltage (12V for RC-30A12 models
or 24V for RC-15A24 models). Reset the breaker on the back
panel by switching the lever to the ON position. If the circuit
breaker persistently trips, lower the POWER setting, allow
circuit breaker to cool, then attempt to restart charging
process. If tripping continues, battery may have shorted cells
and may need to be replaced.
• Battery resting voltage is extremely low. This is easily verfied
by checking the battery with a voltmeter.
If this is the case,
another battery can be connected in parallel with the dead
battery in order to initiate the charge process. Once charging
begins, after a few minutes, turn the charger off (to avoid
sparking) and remove the jumper battery.
DO NOT attempt to
charge batteries that will not charge under the normal
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Section 6: SPECIFICATIONS
RC-30A12-120 12V Battery Rejuvenator
•INPUT: 110-120V AC, 8.5A MAX, 50-60 HZ
•OUTPUT: 2-35A DC INTO 12V BATTERY
RC-30A12-240 12V Battery Rejuvenator
•INPUT: 220-240V AC, 4.2A MAX, 50-60 HZ
•OUTPUT: 2-35A DC INTO 12V BATTERY
RC-15A24-120 24V Battery Rejuvenator
•INPUT: 110-120V AC, 8.5A MAX, 50-60 HZ
•OUTPUT: 1-17A DC INTO 24V BATTERY
RC-15A24-240 24V Battery Rejuvenator
•INPUT: 220-240V AC, 4.2A MAX, 50-60 HZ
•OUTPUT: 1-17A DC INTO 24V BATTERY
MADE IN U.S.A.
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Charging Notes:
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the battery from time to time while displaying a flashing green
LED status.
4) Turn the charger on. LED should flash red until battery is
connected.
If charging does not begin, check the DC circuit
breaker on the rear panel and be sure it is switched to the ON
position. If charging still does not begin, check to see that
battery polarity is not reversed (Section 3: Step 2: Part 1). If
charging still does not begin, battery voltage may be too low for
the charger to detect it. If this is the case, another battery can
be connected in parallel with the dead battery in order to initiate
the charge process. Once charging begins, after a few
minutes, turn the charger off (to avoid sparking) and remove
the jumper battery.
During the charging process, the LED
indicator will show solid (non-flashing) red.
5) Make sure the battery does not become disconnected from the
charger while the charger is charging the battery. This can
make a dangerous spark which can cause an explosion. Note
also that if the battery gets disconnected and reconnected while
under charge, the automatic charge cycle will be reset, possibly
causing the charging process to take longer than necessary.
6) Generally, if the charger’s power level is set in accordance with
the printed recommended range for the battery on charge,
charging should complete within 6-10 hours. Charging may take
longer for the large batteries at the top end of of the range of the
charger’s highest power setting. Also, charging times for
identically rated (sized) batteries may be different from these
depending on brand, condition, or ambient temperature. If the
battery is only half discharged, it will need only half the time to
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Section 4: DATA OUTPUT OPTION
Operation status, loading data, and battery capacity gains may all
be optionally monitored through the use of the RS-232 serial data
port located on the rear panel of the rejuvenator, a COM port
installed on a personal computer, and a VT100 terminal emulation
program such as Hyperterminal® or Tera Term Pro which is
currently available for free download at the following link.
http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA002416/teraterm.html
In order to function correctly, a COM port must be properly
installed, selected, and set on the computer. COM settings should
be set in ther terminal emulation program as follows:
Terminal Size = 80 x 24 (for optimal viewing)
Baude Rate = 2400
Data = 8 Bit
Parity = None
Stop = 1 Bit
Flow Control = None
Use the software’s logging feature to save the data output to a text
file for later reference if desired.
Section 5: TROUBLESHOOTING
1) Charger will not come on (no LED)
• Charger is not plugged into AC wall receptacle.
procedures outlined in this manual. Dispose properly and
immediately of all batteries that will not take a charge.
3) Battery becomes too hot (greater than 140° F or 60°C)
• Battery is too small for charger. See Section 2.
• Battery is in poor condition. If one area of the battery is exces-
sively hotter than another area while battery is under charge or
load, this may indicate a failed cell. Replace battery.
4) Charging cycle doesn’t end (green light never comes on).
• Interrupted power source. If the line voltage is interrupted,
surged, or erratic (i.e. a brownout, blackout etc.), the circuitry
in the charger may cause the charger to act erratically.
Disconnect the charger from the power source, disconnect the
batttery from the charger, and check to see that the battery is
charged. If not, then, repeat the charging process as normal
after correcting any abnormal line voltage condition(s).
• Battery connections are not secure. Poor electrical connection
can cause intermittent electrical contact, causing the charge
cycle to keep repeating. Correct as necessary.
5) Erratic data or no data viewed though optional COM port
connection
• COM port not installed correctly. Verify through the computer’s
operating system that the COM port has been installed and is
working properly.
• Wrong COM port selected in terminal emulation program.
Verify that the COM port reported as working by the operating
system is the same number as that chosen in the terminal
emulation program.
• COM port set incorrectly. Verify that the settings in the terminal
emulation program match those stated in Section 4.
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