Personal Ambulatory Oxygen System
Provider Technical Manual
24
CHARGING ALGORITHM
The charging algorithm is performed by the Power Manager software and involves three basic decisions:
1.
When to start charging
2.
How fast to charge
3.
When to stop charging
Charging begins when Power Cartridge voltage falls below 16.0 volts.
The charging current is limited by the charger capability and the rated capacity of the Power Cartridge. Under certain
conditions, the Eclipse may not have enough external power available to charge the batteries at the full rate. In this case, the
charging rate will be limited to the available power.
As the Power Cartridge accumulates charge, the charging current required will eventually fall. When the charging current for
each Power Cartridge has fallen below 5% of the rated capacity, charging is complete and the Power Cartridge charger is shut
off.
The software will only charge when the Power Cartridge temperature is at or below 45°C. The software will always run the
cooling fan whenever the charger is enabled. The Power Cartridge charger is disabled and the cooling fan is set to maximum
whenever the Power Cartridge temperature exceeds 45°C. The Power Cartridge charger is disabled when temperature is less
than 0°C.
All lithium ion batteries self-discharge at very low rates when not in use. Eclipse Power Cartridges are shipped from SeQual in
a partially charged state (nominally 40%). When stored in a cool, dry location, the Power Cartridge can sit unused for up to 12
months without appreciable self-discharge occurring. Nevertheless, SeQual recommends a first in, first out rotation of Power
Cartridge inventory for maximum Power Cartridge service life.
