Elecraft KXBC3 - Manual (Page 3)

3
Charging Batteries
For best results, use a set of cells of the same manufacture, age and mAH rating. Most cells will show some
charge even when new but they will have different levels of charge. It is normal to require several
charge/discharge cycles to balance the charges of all the cells making up the battery and give the best
performance.
WARNING!
To avoid injury to yourself or to the KX3:
 Install only NiMH batteries rated for 1900 mAH or greater. Do not attempt to charge
any other type of battery.
 Check the plastic coating on each cell for damage. The coating prevents shorts between
cells and the shield on the KXBC3 module or other metallic objects.
 Do not install or change batteries with external power applied.
To start a charging cycle:
1. Connect the KX3 to an external power source and turn it on (hold the
B AN D -
and
AT U T U N E
switches
simultaneously).
2. Hold
M E N U
to enter the menu and turn the
OFS/VFO B
knob to select
BAT CHG
.
3. Turn the
VFO A
knob to select
CHG 4 Hr, 12 Hr
or
16 Hr
to set the charging time (see calculating
charging time below for help choosing the correct charging time).
4. Tap
D I S P to exit the menu and start the charging cycle.
When charging is in progress, an asterisk ( ) will appear after
BT
when checking the battery voltage on the
VFO B display. (Tap
D I S P
and turn the
OFS/VFO B
knob to select
BT.)
To stop a charging cycle:
1. Hold
M E N U
to enter the menu and turn the
OFS/VFO B
knob to select
BAT CHG
.
2. Turn the
VFO A
knob to select
CHG OFF.
Power-Off Pending Mode
If you turn the KX3 off while charging is in progress, the KX3 switches to a Power-Off Pending Mode in which
the charger keeps operating and the charging cycle count-down timer is shown on the display although the KX3
is otherwise off. When the charging cycle is completed, the KX3 switches off entirely.
To exit the Power-Off Pending Mode, hold the
B AN D -
and
AT U T U N E
switches to turn the KX3 on again,
enter the
BAT CHG
menu and set the entry to
CHG OFF.
Determining the Charging Time
NiMH cells are reasonably tolerant of over-charging. However, their life and capacity will be shortened by
routinely charging already fully charged or nearly full charged batteries.
NiMH cells have a fairly large self-discharge rate. Typically they will lose about 2% of their charge each day.
There are some types of NiMH cells available that have a lower self-discharge rate, but they typically have less
total capacity.