Rugged…Tough…Intelligent….Automatic…Waterproof…Reliable Battery Chargers

Derating: A reduction in an operating point compared to specification to improve reliability.

Discharge: The internal conversion of the chemical energy stored in the battery into electrical energy for outside use.

Discharge Rate: The rate of current draw expressed in amperes, to indicate the amount of energy being delivered by the battery.

Drift: The change in a specified parameter, after a given amount of initial warm-up time.

Dropout: The minimum input voltage that is insufficient to maintain full regulation of the outputs of a battery charger or power supply.

Electrolyte: The chemical providing the ion transport mechanism between the positive and negative electrodes of a cell.

Energy Density: The ratio of the total energy available from a battery divided its physical volume (joules per cubic meter) or its weight (joules per kilogram.)

Efficiency: The ratio of total output power to input power expressed as a percentage.

EMI: Electro-magnetic Interference, which is the generation of electrical noise during the operation of a battery charger, power supply or other electrical or electronic equipment.

Floating Output: An output of a battery charger or power supply that is not connected or referenced to any other output, and usually denotes total galvanic isolation from other outputs. Non-floating outputs usually share a common return.

Float Mode: The maintenance state following bulk and absorption where a lead acid battery is at full capacity. The voltage for a 12V lead acid battery is regulated at approximately 13.5V during float and remains there indefinitely for long term storage. Internal battery losses are replenished by the charger during float to maintain the battery at full capacity.

Ground: A large conducting body, such as the earth that is used as a common return for an electric circuit and as an arbitrary point of zero potential. Common safety practice is to connect to earth through a ground connection or connections of sufficiently low impedance and having adequate ampacity to prevent the creation of voltages which could result in hazards to equipment or persons.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter: A protection circuit that disables the source of electricity to a system when the ground current exceeds some predetermined value. This is to prevent ground current from flowing in an abnormal condition or in an abnormal path to protect people or equipment.

Ground Loop: A term commonly used to indicate a connection of two points sharing a common electrical ground and being connected to the ground at two or more points allowing current to flow in an undesired path.

Hipot: Abbreviation for High Potential, and generally refers to the high voltages used to test dielectric withstand capability for regulatory agency electrical safety requirements.

Input Line Filter: An internally or externally mounted low-pass filter or harmonic traps located at the battery charger or power supply input or output to reduce conducted or radiated emissions.

Inrush Current: The peak AC current that flows into a battery charger or power supply during the initial period AC power is applied. This peak is usually greater than the normal operating current.

Joule: SI unit for the measurement of energy. It is defined as the amount of power, measured in watts, multiplied by the amount of time, measured in seconds.

Leakage Current: Current flowing from the AC mains to earth ground. The current can be a result of a fault condition or AC current that normally flows through the EMI filter capacitors which are connected between the AC lines and ground.

Local Sensing: The feedback point for the regulation loop is taken at the output terminals of the battery charger or power supply.