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Hot Topics for New
Owners
Q: I am seeing "Err3" at the end of the charge when charging my battery
pack. Is this normal?
Err3 indicates a normal charging termination due to high
temperature. It is the equivalent to a full charge. This is the
MH-C777PLUS's way of telling you that it stopped charging because it sensed
a temperature value that corresponded to a full charge. These does not
necessary imply overcharging. Err3 will appear more frequently if you are
charging less than 3 battery cells (or battery pack 3.6V or less). When
charging battery cells, they will appear to be somewhat warmer because they
are not enclosed in a plastic case like other battery packs.
Q: I am charging a Lithium Ion battery pack. The charger seems to take
very long (>10 hours) to fully charge my battery pack. Is this normal?
When operating in the Lithium Ion mode, the charging current is not
constant. In fact, because Lithium Ion batteries are sensitive to
overcharging, the MH-C777PLUS II has been designed in such a way that the
charging current is continuously decreased as the battery pack approaches
full charge. Therefore, a significant portion (~95%) of the battery pack is
fully charged in the first few hours. However, to complete the charging to
the final 5% of the battery pack, the charger does so at a much lower
current, taking almost as much time to charge the remaining 5% of the
battery pack as charging the initial 95%. The charger will not indicate a
full charge until the battery pack is 100% charged.
To illustrate, when charging a fully depleted 1200mAh Li-Ion battery
pack, the accumulated charging capacity may be 300mAh at the first hour,
550mAh at the second hour, and 1150mAh at the fourth hour. However, the
remaining 50mAh can take up as much as 3-5 hours to charge. Thus, the FULL
charge symbol does not appear until some 10 hours later. However, for all
practical purposes, the battery pack is considered fully charged at 1150mAh.
Therefore, when charging Lithium Ion battery packs, you can safely remove
the battery pack when the capacity on the screen is close to the rated
capacity and when the capacity accumulation increases very slowly, even
though the FULL symbol is not shown.
Q: The battery pack seems to be hot after the charge. Is this normal?
Because the MH-C777PLUS is charging battery packs at a relatively high
current, the battery pack is expected to increase in temperature during
charging. The temperature can be as high as 131 degree F (55 deg C).
Q: The "charging capacity" is significantly higher than the rated
capacity of the battery pack. Does this mean that the charger is
overcharging my battery pack?
No. Battery pack charging capacity is generally higher than the actual
capacity, sometimes up to 15%. This is a chemical property of the battery
pack, as some of the energy input to the battery pack is lost as heat. To
accurately measure the capacity of the battery pack, use the discharging
capacity function.
Q: I am charging a Lithium Ion battery pack and the charger display is
switching between charging and standby and beeping like something is wrong.
How can I fix this?
When you interrupt the charging of a Lithium Ion battery pack (including
putting it on and taking it off quickly when you are configuring the
charging pins), the charger's self-logic may lock up. To fix this problem,
reset it by pressing the reset button. If your charger does not have a reset
button, then unplug the unit and plug it back.
Pre-sales / Basic Questions
Q: Explain the new "voltage detection algorithm" on the MH-C777PLUS II.
The MH-C777PLUS features a new "voltage detection algorithm" that is
designed to work properly even in the most abnormal conditions. The charger
will apply a 3-minute "surface charge" prior to both charging and
discharging. This surface charge is designed to give a voltage boost to the
battery pack so that it can be recognized correctly. This feature is
especially helpful for applications such as two-way radio where users often
"over-drain" batteries below their nominal voltage.
Q: Explain the various techniques the MH-C777PLUS II uses to determine
when to terminate the rapid charging.
The MH-C777PLUS II features three main sensors to determine when the
battery pack is fully charged:
- Negative Delta Voltage
: When a battery reaches full charge, its
voltage will begin to drop. The charger has highly sensitive circuits that
will identify the drop and terminate the charge.
- Zero Delta V
: When the battery voltage does not change over a
period of time, the charge will be terminated automatically.
- Maximum Temperature
: The MH-C777PLUS II features a temperature
sensor that mounts externally to the battery pack. When the temperature
exceeds 51oC or 123oF the charge will be terminated.
Q: I will be traveling abroad. Does the MH-C777PLUS II require additional
transformers?
The standard power supply unit included with the MH-C777PLUS II is an
auto switching travel adapter that will accept 80V to 240VAC 50/60Hz input.
You can use this adapter with almost any AC power system, provided you have
the proper adapter/converter. No step-down transformer is needed.
Q: How long will the MH-C777PLUS II take to charge my battery packs?
The charging time, which is different for each battery pack, is
determined by dividing the capacity of the battery pack by the charging
current. The capacity is given in "milliamp ere hours" and is generally
found on the battery label. Take this number and divide it by the
MH-C777PLUS II charging current, which are 800mAh for NiMH & NiCD batteries
and 400mA for Lithium Ion battery pack. The resulting value is the
approximate number of hours needed to quick charge the battery pack. The
charging time will be reduced if the battery is not fully discharged.
Q: How does the charger sense whether the battery pack is Lithium Ion or
Nickel Metal Hydride?
The battery chemistry is selected via a "battery selector switch" on the
MH-C777PLUS II. Prior to the beginning of the charge, the user must make a
proper selection. The charger does not automatically make this selection.
Q: What is the maximum battery capacity supported by the MH-C777PLUS II?
The charger has a safety timer set at 13 hours. Therefore, the maximum
supported capacity is 10400mAh for NiMH. However, you can still charge
battery packs with higher capacity: you need to charge the battery pack
"twice" by restarting the charger after the safety timer expires.
Q: Can I charge a "9V-shape" battery pack or other batteries with a
capacity lower than 400mA?
It is highly not recommended to charge battery packs with
capacities lower than 400mA, which includes "9V-shape" consumer batteries,
due to the charger's rapid charging current of 800mAh.
Q: Explain the various techniques the MH-C777PLUS II uses to determine
when to terminate the rapid charging.
The MH-C777PLUS II features three main sensors to determine when the
battery pack is fully charged:
- Negative Delta Voltage
: When a battery reaches full charge, its
voltage will begin to drop. The charger has highly sensitive circuits that
will identify the drop and terminate the charge.
- Zero Delta V
: When the battery voltage does not change over a
period of time, the charge will be terminated automatically.
- Maximum Temperature
: The MH-C777PLUS II features a temperature
sensor that mounts externally to the battery pack. When the temperature
exceeds 51oC or 123oF the charge will be terminated.
Q: I will be traveling abroad. Does the MH-C777PLUS II require additional
transformers?
The standard power supply unit included with the MH-C777PLUS II is an
auto switching travel adapter that will accept 80V to 240VAC 50/60Hz input.
You can use this adapter with almost any AC power system, provided you have
the proper adapter/converter. No step-down transformer is needed.
Q: How long will the MH-C777PLUS II take to charge my battery packs?
The charging time, which is different for each battery pack, is
determined by dividing the capacity of the battery pack by the charging
current. The capacity is given in "milliamp ere hours" and is generally
found on the battery label. Take this number and divide it by the
MH-C777PLUS II charging current, which are 800mAh for NiMH & NiCD batteries
and 400mA for Lithium Ion battery pack. The resulting value is the
approximate number of hours needed to quick charge the battery pack. The
charging time will be reduced if the battery is not fully discharged.
Q: How does the charger sense whether the battery pack is Lithium Ion or
Nickel Metal Hydride?
The battery chemistry is selected via a "battery selector switch" on the
MH-C777PLUS II. Prior to the beginning of the charge, the user must make a
proper selection. The charger does not automatically make this selection.
Q: What is the maximum battery capacity supported by the MH-C777PLUS II?
The charger has a safety timer set at 13 hours. Therefore, the maximum
supported capacity is 10400mAh for NiMH. However, you can still charge
battery packs with higher capacity: you need to charge the battery pack
"twice" by restarting the charger after the safety timer expires.
Q: Can I charge a "9V-shape" battery pack or other batteries with a
capacity lower than 400mA?
It is highly not recommended to charge battery packs with
capacities lower than 400mA, which includes "9V-shape" consumer batteries,
due to the charger's rapid charging current of 800mAh.
Q: Explain the various techniques the MH-C777PLUS II uses to determine
when to terminate the rapid charging.
The MH-C777PLUS II features three main sensors to determine when the
battery pack is fully charged:
- Negative Delta Voltage
: When a battery reaches full charge, its
voltage will begin to drop. The charger has highly sensitive circuits that
will identify the drop and terminate the charge.
- Zero Delta V
: When the battery voltage does not change over a
period of time, the charge will be terminated automatically.
- Maximum Temperature
: The MH-C777PLUS II features a temperature
sensor that mounts externally to the battery pack. When the temperature
exceeds 51oC or 123oF the charge will be terminated.
Q: I will be traveling abroad. Does the MH-C777PLUS II require additional
transformers?
The standard power supply unit included with the MH-C777PLUS II is an
auto switching travel adapter that will accept 80V to 240VAC 50/60Hz input.
You can use this adapter with almost any AC power system, provided you have
the proper adapter/converter. No step-down transformer is needed.
Q: How long will the MH-C777PLUS II take to charge my battery packs?
The charging time, which is different for each battery pack, is
determined by dividing the capacity of the battery pack by the charging
current. The capacity is given in "milliamp ere hours" and is generally
found on the battery label. Take this number and divide it by the
MH-C777PLUS II charging current, which are 800mAh for NiMH & NiCD batteries
and 400mA for Lithium Ion battery pack. The resulting value is the
approximate number of hours needed to quick charge the battery pack. The
charging time will be reduced if the battery is not fully discharged.
Q: How does the charger sense whether the battery pack is Lithium Ion or
Nickel Metal Hydride?
The battery chemistry is selected via a "battery selector switch" on the
MH-C777PLUS II. Prior to the beginning of the charge, the user must make a
proper selection. The charger does not automatically make this selection.
Q: What is the maximum battery capacity supported by the MH-C777PLUS II?
The charger has a safety timer set at 13 hours. Therefore, the maximum
supported capacity is 10400mAh for NiMH. However, you can still charge
battery packs with higher capacity: you need to charge the battery pack
"twice" by restarting the charger after the safety timer expires.
Q: Can I charge a "9V-shape" battery pack or other batteries with a
capacity lower than 400mA?
It is highly not recommended to charge battery packs with
capacities lower than 400mA, which includes "9V-shape" consumer batteries,
due to the charger's rapid charging current of 800mAh.
Charging
Individual Battery Cells
Q: How can I charge AA, AAA, C and D individual battery cells?
By using optional battery holders, you can charge AA, AAA, C and D
individual battery cells. You can charge anywhere from 1 to 12 cells
simultaneously. However, all the batteries being charged together must be
similar in condition and specification.
Q: How many battery cells can I charge at the same time?
You can charge 1 to 12 battery cells simultaneously.
Q: Can I charge battery cells from different devices at the same time?
No. You must charge batteries from the same manufacturer and preferably
used in the same device. In order to maximize battery life, it is important
to charge batteries that have been used under similar conditions.
Charging
Battery Packs & LCD Display
Q: I am getting a continuous beeping when I place the battery pack on the
charger. What is wrong?
If you are getting a continuous beep right after installing the battery
pack on the charger, the polarity is incorrect. To resolve this issue,
simply flip the "polarity switch" and the charge will begin.
Q: The "charging capacity" at the end of the charge is significantly less
than my battery pack's rating. Is this normal?
The final charging capacity refers to the total energy "absorbed" by the
battery pack. Therefore, if the battery pack was not fully drained prior to
charging, it cannot absorb as much energy as it is capable to. Charging
capacity is more accurate when you charge a fully drained battery pack. For
an accurate reference to the actual battery capacity, you should always
refer to the discharging capacity. Another possibility for a low final
charging capacity is that the battery pack is reaching the end of its useful
life.
Q: In the first three minutes of the charge, the charging capacity seems
to accumulate very rapidly. Then, after 3 minutes, the accumulated capacity
resets to zero and restarts. Is this normal?
The first 3 minutes of both charging and discharging is a "surface
charge" which is needed to properly detect the battery voltage. In the first
three minute, the capacity on the screen may accumulate very rapidly.
However, after the first 3-minute, the capacity will reset to zero and
restart.
Q: When I place my diode-protected battery pack on the MH-C777PLUS II, it
takes very long for the charger to identify the battery pack. Is this
normal?
The charger has to charge up a capacitor circuit when sensing
diode-protected battery packs. Therefore allow 3 to 15 seconds for the
charger to register the battery pack if it is diode protected.
Q: The "charging capacity" is significantly higher than the rated
capacity of the battery pack. Does this mean that the charger is
overcharging my battery pack?
No. A battery pack's charging capacity is generally higher than the
actual capacity, sometimes up to 15%. This is a chemical property of the
battery pack.
Q: The battery pack feels quite warm after the charge. Is this normal?
Like any other rapid charger, temperature will rise substantially during
a quick charge. The MH-C777PLUS II is equipped with a voltage sensor and
temperature sensor to prevent overcharge.
Q: Explain the various error codes: Err1, Err2, Err3 and Err5.
This generally indicates a reverse polarity. This may be resolved by
flipping the polarity switch. This code is accompanied by continuous
beeps.
Err2: Insufficient Input voltage.
Make sure that the input voltage is high enough to charge your
battery pack if you are using DC power sources other than the supplied
AC adapter. Refer to the table below for minimal input voltage levels:
| Input
Voltage (DC) |
Supported
Battery Voltage for NiMH & NiCD |
Supported
Battery Voltage for Lithium Ion |
| 12V / 13.8V
(Standard output for small vehicles) |
1.2V to 4.8V |
3.6V, 7.2V |
| 18V |
1.2V to 7.2V |
3.6V, 7.2V,
10.8V |
| 24V |
1.2V to 14.4V |
3.6V, 7.2V,
10.8V, 14.4V |
This code indicates that the charger has terminated the charging due
to high temperature. This is normal for certain batteries that produce
more heat than others. This usually does not indicate a problem with the
battery pack. Note: If you are charging 1 to 2 battery cells, the
probability for Err3 to occur is higher.
Err5: Battery pack detected during power on.
This does not indicate a problem, but merely informs the user that a
battery pack is connected when the charger powered up. It is recommended
to disconnect any battery pack prior to powering the charger.
Conditioning & Analyzing
Q: What "Conditioning" and "analyzing" mean?
Conditioning is an automatic cycle that first discharges the battery pack
then charges it fully. Conditioning can be used to eliminate the memory
effect that is common on NiCD battery packs. It also can be used to maintain
Lithium Ion and NiMH battery packs. Another function of conditioning found
on the MH-C777PLUS II is its ability to "analyze" the battery pack. During
discharging, the charger accumulates the capacity of the battery pack and
digitally displays the capacity at the end of the discharge. This number
determines the health of the battery pack.
Q: What is the difference between "Charging capacity" and "discharging
capacity"? How should I interpret the "charging capacity" and "discharging
capacity"?
Charging capacity refers to the amount of the energy "absorbed" by the
battery pack. However, this number does not imply the condition of the
battery pack (meaning how long you can use it); instead, it merely indicates
the progress of the charge. For example, an 1851mAh reading on the charging
capacity display for a 2000mAh battery pack would indicate that the charge
is approaching completion. The charging capacity, due to battery chemical
properties, can be as high as 15% higher than the rated capacity.
On the other hand, "discharging capacity" refers to the actual energy
"stored" in the battery pack. This number refers to how long the battery
pack can last. If the final discharging capacity is close to the rated
capacity of the battery pack, then the battery pack is in good condition.
Q: When I press the discharge button, it lasts only for about 3 minutes,
then the charger goes to the charging mode. Why isn't the charger
discharging my battery pack?
The first 3 minute of the discharging is the "surface charge" which is
explained above. If after the first 3 minute, the discharging terminates and
goes into charging, this means the battery pack could not be discharged due
to a diode protection. Diode-protected terminals, which are generally
referred to as the "drop-in charging terminals" can be used for charging but
not discharging. To resolve the issue, you should use the "discharging
contacts", metal plates that your device uses to drain power. On a two-way
radio, for example, the discharging contacts are the radio-end contacts.
Q: My charger will not properly discharge a 1 cell or 2 cell battery
pack. Is this normal?
The MH-C777PLUS II will not discharge 1 or 2 cell batteries (or battery
pack 2.4V and less).
Q: Once the conditioning discharge is finished, what happens?
Discharging is part of the "conditioning cycle" which will first
discharge the battery pack then rapid charge it completely. After
discharging is finished, the charger will sound loud beeps to let you know
discharging is done. The final discharging capacity will be retained on the
screen for 15 minutes. After that, the MH-C777PLUS II will automatically
start the charging cycle. None of this will require user-intervention.
Q: What "Conditioning" and "analyzing" mean?
Conditioning is an automatic cycle that first discharges the battery pack
then charges it fully. Conditioning can be used to eliminate the memory
effect that is common on NiCD battery packs. It also can be used to maintain
Lithium Ion and NiMH battery packs. Another function of conditioning found
on the MH-C777PLUS II is its ability to "analyze" the battery pack. During
discharging, the charger accumulates the capacity of the battery pack and
digitally displays the capacity at the end of the discharge. This number
determines the health of the battery pack.
Q: What is the difference between "Charging capacity" and "discharging
capacity"? How should I interpret the "charging capacity" and "discharging
capacity"?
Charging capacity refers to the amount of the energy "absorbed" by the
battery pack. However, this number does not imply the condition of the
battery pack (meaning how long you can use it); instead, it merely indicates
the progress of the charge. For example, an 1851mAh reading on the charging
capacity display for a 2000mAh battery pack would indicate that the charge
is approaching completion. The charging capacity, due to battery chemical
properties, can be as high as 15% higher than the rated capacity.
On the other hand, "discharging capacity" refers to the actual energy
"stored" in the battery pack. This number refers to how long the battery
pack can last. If the final discharging capacity is close to the rated
capacity of the battery pack, then the battery pack is in good condition.
Q: When I press the discharge button, it lasts only for about 3 minutes,
then the charger goes to the charging mode. Why isn't the charger
discharging my battery pack?
The first 3 minute of the discharging is the "surface charge" which is
explained above. If after the first 3 minute, the discharging terminates and
goes into charging, this means the battery pack could not be discharged due
to a diode protection. Diode-protected terminals, which are generally
referred to as the "drop-in charging terminals" can be used for charging but
not discharging. To resolve the issue, you should use the "discharging
contacts", metal plates that your device uses to drain power. On a two-way
radio, for example, the discharging contacts are the radio-end contacts.
Q: My charger will not properly discharge a 1 cell or 2 cell battery
pack. Is this normal?
The MH-C777PLUS II will not discharge 1 or 2 cell batteries (or battery
pack 2.4V and less).
Q: Once the conditioning discharge is finished, what happens?
Discharging is part of the "conditioning cycle" which will first
discharge the battery pack then rapid charge it completely. After
discharging is finished, the charger will sound loud beeps to let you know
discharging is done. The final discharging capacity will be retained on the
screen for 15 minutes. After that, the MH-C777PLUS II will automatically
start the charging cycle. None of this will require user-intervention.
Car
Operations
Q: What is the limitation when using the MH-C777PLUS II in a car? What
precautions should I be aware of when using the unit in a car?
When using the MH-C777PLUS with a 13.8VDC power supply (such as a car),
the voltage range supported will be reduced to 1.2V to 4.8V for NiMH and
NiCD battery packs and 3.6V to 7.2V for Lithium Ion battery packs.
When powering the unit using vehicular power, make sure that the charger
is disconnected when starting the vehicle. Failure to do so may permanently
damage the charger. |
