ProgressiveRC 4S Gold FMA Cellpro - Manual (Page 3)

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Charging modes
The Cellpro 4s Charger provides several charging modes. Please become familiar with them
before charging packs.
Normal charging modes
The Cellpro 4s Charger provides both automatically controlled and fixed charging current
modes:
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In 4.00A A123 3.60V Mode, cells are individually charged to 3.60V per cell. This is for
A123 brand of high current Lithium Ion cells that handle charge rates up to 5C. Charge
current is fixed at 4.0A or the maximum charger output current.
Important: Only one mode is available for charging A123 packs. The 4.00A A123
3.60V Mode charges A123 chemistry to 3.6V per cell. Do not attempt to use any other
mode to charge A123 packs. Other modes will overcharge A123 packs to 4.2V per cell.
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In 1.0C LiPo 4.20V Mode, LiPo/Li-Ion cells are individually charged to 4.2V per cell.
The charger measures pack parameters and sets an optimal charge current.
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In 1.4C LiPo 4.20V Mode, LiPo/Li-Ion cells are individually charged to 4.2V per cell.
Charge current is slightly higher than 1.0C LiPo 4.20V Mode. Packs smaller than 3Ah
will charge completely in about 50 minutes.
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In STORE LiPo @ 50% Mode, LiPo/Li-Ion cells are individually charged to 3.842V or
50% capacity. This is a good charge level for long term storage or shipping by mail.
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In 0.25A thru 4.00A LiPo 4.20V Mode, LiPo/Li-Ion cells are individually charged at the
current you select. Charge voltage is 4.2V per cell.
When first connected to a power source, the charger is set for 3.00A A123 3.60V Mode (the
factory default). You can change to another current setting at any time by holding the Mode
Button. The charger remembers the charging mode and current setting when disconnected
from the power source, and will start in that configuration the next time it is used.
The 1.4C Auto Current rate is a breakthrough for LiPo charging. FMA has conducted exten-
sive testing at 1.4C with its cell-balancing chargers and compatible LiPo packs. No evidence
of safety issues or cycle life degradation has been found.
CAUTION: Only FMA balancing chargers can safely charge packs at 1.4C. Other char-
gers don’t charge individual cells, and are limited to a 1.0C rate. Charging at greater
than 1.0C with those chargers increases the risk of fire. Always follow charger and pack
manufacturers’ recommendations for maximum charge rate.
Other charging modes
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In Low Voltage Restore Mode, the charger automatically attempts to repair overdis-
charged packs. Cells discharged as low as 0.5V may be repaired to as much as 98% of
capacity.
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In Safety Charging Mode, the charger detects that at least one cell is seriously out of bal-
ance, and automatically lowers charge current to 0.5A. To disable Safety Charging Mode,
disconnect the pack, then reconnect it.
CAUTION: When the charger’s display shows SAFETY CHARGING, the connected
pack is damaged. Treat damaged packs with caution. Do not charge them on a flam-
mable surface, and do not charge them unattended.
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In Cold Weather Balancing Mode, charging automatically stops at 4.10V/cell when tem-
perature is below 55°F to prevent cell damage.