Race Energy BCM21 Installation & User Manual - Battery Charger User Guide
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INTRODUCTION
The BCM21 Intelligent Motorsports Battery Charger delivers a full 20 amps of
charging power to a 12 volt battery in a race car or other vehicle.. The charger
comes standard with a 50 Amp Anderson SB-50 plug-in connector for connecting
to the race car and a matching cable with alligator clips for other batteries.
The charger uses advanced Power Factor Correction circuitry on the AC input. This
means that it will work from any standard AC voltage anywhere in the world and
uses the electricity in the most effective and efficient way. Power Factor Correction
is a way of drawing AC power from the grid in exactly the same way as an
incandescent light bulb (i.e. the current drawn is exactly proportional to the voltage
at every point in the standard 50 or 60 Hz cycle). This will eliminate any additional
charges on your electric bill for ‘Phantom’ or ‘Apparent’ power by the charger or
minimize the load on a generator.
The charger uses Zero Voltage/Zero Current switching on the Primary or high
voltage side of the main power transformer, and Active Rectification on the
Secondary or Low Voltage side of the main power transformer for maximum
efficiency and lowest Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) to ensure that it does not
interfere with sensitive voice or data RF communication equipment.
The charger can be pre-set on one of three default battery temperatures, or it can
be programmed to automatically estimate the battery temperature by reading its
own temperature at the time it is turned on. It will automatically adjust its charging
voltage to the correct value for that temperature.
The charger is preprogrammed for three standard types of Lead Acid batteries;
Flooded (traditional Lead Acid), AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat Lead Acid) and Gel
or VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid). It also has a 4th custom program where all
charging parameters can be adjusted to suit a particular type of battery (including
Lithium Ion). Parameters including Bulk Charging Current, Absorption Voltage,
Absorption to Float Transition conditions, Float Voltage, Temperature Compensation
can all be programmed using the PowerWizard software that is free to download
from www.raceenergy.net.
The charger has a folding carrying handle and rubber feet so it can be used almost
anywhere. It should not be exposed directly to rain, but damp ground like might be
experienced under an awning during a rainstorm won’t be a problem.
The charger requires no maintenance other than the occasional wipe down to
remove any accumulation of dust or dirt.
BCM21 MOTORSPORTS INTELLIGENT