OPERATION AND INSTRUCTION MANUAL EP Series Battery Chargers and Power Supplies
THIS MANUAL IS PUBLISHED BY EPC CORPORATION AND IS TO BE DISTRIBUTED WITH NEW DEVICES ONLY NO OTHER DISTRIBUTION IS PERMITED
INTRODUCTION The EP Series of chargers are designed to used as on-board chargers for electric vehicles, and many other battery charging applications. Most EP Series chargers / power supplies are completely weather resistant, and wet location compliant (IP67). Non-metallic enclosures and all stainless steel hardware provide additional resistance to corrosion. EP Series chargers are designed to be an economical alternative to bulky and expensive transformer-based chargers. Our transformerless design results in a weight savings of 20 to 80 pounds per charger. Most EPC chargers are plug-andplay, and feature built-in cables for easy installation. Full isolation, slim-line enclosures, and internal BMS are available on most units. Non-isolated units are fully insulated and can be used in wet locations if properly installed. Some EPC battery chargers are labeled for specific applications. DO NOT use chargers for battery types that are not specified on the charger, otherwise, battery and/or charger damage could occur.
FEATURES The EP Series of battery chargers have been developed using simplified designs to increase durability -- even under the harshest conditions. Fewer components allow for higher reliability at a lower cost. Unlike more sophisticated chargers, EPC chargers are designed to withstand extreme temperatures and environmental conditions. Our chargers include features such as: Transformerless design Watertight and completely weather resistant Non-metallic enclosures provide additional safety and resistance to corrosion Over 80% lighter than conventional transformer-based battery chargers Pre-installed cables for fast and easy installation All stainless steel and/or brass hardware Fanless design with no moving parts to fail Voltage spike suppression protects charger and battery pack Available internally or externally fused Pug-and-play design ready to use out of the box!
CHARGER TYPES EPC manufactures several different types of transformerless chargers for various applications. It is important to understand the differences between these types of chargers when selecting a unit for your specific application. A nameplate identification chart is available on the SPECIFICATIONS page at the end of this manual. Direct Charger Generally allows direct DC power to flow into the battery pack without restriction. Speed of charging is governed by the internal resistance of the battery pack being charged, as well as the difference in voltage potential. All direct chargers are non-isolated from the power source. Typically the most efficient chargers, with an average efficiency rating of over 97%. Most economical type of charger. Manually controlled, and generally do not have electronic controls. Recommended only for use with a BMS (battery management system). PWM Charger High efficiency, IGBT-based design allows for user-adjustable voltage. These chargers offer the fastest charge time by varying the charge voltage. Voltage and current limiting is available. Non-isolated. BMS recommended for most applications. These chargers are extremely lightweight and feature up to 98% efficiency. PFC Charger Based on a switching power supply, these chargers offer the fastest charging time. Although these chargers do have small transformers inside of them, they are generally considered transformerless due to their fairly small size and weight. Completely isolated and are recommended for use in applications that require strict isolation. Efficiency is based on load and can vary from 80% to over 90% in some units. Capacitive Charger This is the second most efficient type of charger, with an average efficiency of 95% or greater. This charger is recommended for applications where high efficiency and strict current limiting is required. Most capacitive chargers do NOT limit voltage, so a BMS is usually required for operation. Charging voltage is usually limited by the battery pack s internal resistance. High current capacitive chargers can be very large, but are significantly lighter than transformer-based chargers.
Resistive Charger Although less efficient than most chargers, resistive chargers provide the best protection from high voltage spikes and current surges in a non-isolated system. Resistive chargers are only recommended for smaller battery packs, where little power is flowing through the charger at any given time. These chargers can waste a tremendous amount of energy, if used in high current applications. Transformer Charger Transformer-based chargers are generally fixed voltage, and usually isolated. Electronic and non-electronic versions are available. Most transformer-based chargers weight over 40 pounds, and can be as heavy as 100 pounds. Due to the large amount of copper used to manufacture the transformer, they can also be extremely expensive. EPC corporation no longer manufactures transformer-based chargers.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS INSTALLATION WARNINGS Please note that your charger MUST be connected to the battery pack AT ALL TIMES. NEVER disconnect the charger from the battery pack, except when permanently removing or relocating the charger. DO NOT connect your charger to AC power unless the battery pack in connected. Doing so may DAMAGE certain chargers. It may also pose an electrocution hazard on some models. NEVER test your charger with anything other than a battery pack. Using a dummy load (such as a light bulb or heater) could potentially damage some chargers. NEVER disconnect a battery while the charger is connected to AC power.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS BATTERY CONNECTION The battery connects to the RED and BLACK wires coming from the charger. Please note that your charger must be permanently connected to your battery pack BEFORE connecting AC power. The RED wire connects to the POSITIVE (+) battery terminal. The BLACK wire connects to the NEGATIVE (-) battery terminal. DO NOT connect the black wire to the vehicle chassis, because this is NOT a ground wire. BOTH wires must be isolated from the chassis / ground. BATTERY DISCONNECTION Always disconnect the AC power BEFORE removing the DC lines to your battery. Not doing so could cause arcing and personal injury. Please note that most EPC battery chargers have internal capacitors that may stay live, even when the charger is disconnected from the battery. To drain the capacitors, simply connect a load with the proper voltage rating to the (+) and (-) terminals (or cables) of the charger. An electric heater or 120-volt light bulb will be sufficient in most cases. SPECIAL NOTICE If installed in an electric vehicle, always verify that NO HIGH VOLTAGE POTENTIAL is present on the vehicle s low-voltage battery (which is typically 12 to 48 volts) or chassis. Testing for this condition can be done as follows: Connect a high voltage meter between the positive of the high-voltage battery terminal, and the vehicle s metal body/frame. The meter should read zero volts in all cases (or no continuity). Then, do the same procedure with the negative high-voltage battery terminal.
POWER SOURCE CONNECTION All EPC chargers are designed to work on a specific source voltage (120, 240, or 480 volts AC). We strongly recommend that this connection only be setup by an electrician who specifically works with AC power sources. Connection for chargers with 120V, single-phase input: BLACK WIRE - AC Line 1 WHITE WIRE - Neutral GREEN WIRE - Ground
POWER SOURCE CONNECTION For dual-voltage chargers, you can select the output voltage as shown below. They will run on either 120 or 240 volt single phase systems, however, the 310V output is only available on 240 volt systems. We also recommend that all external connections be done in a manner that is wet location compliant. Most EPC battery chargers use sealed pigtails and waterproof terminals for all connections. However, care must be taken when making connections to the charging circuit, to insure a water-tight seal.
CHARGER PROTECTION FUSE PROTECTION Fuse protection is strongly recommended for all chargers that do not have internal fuses. Fuses should be installed between the charger and the battery, as well as on the AC side of the line when possible. We recommend using a fuse rated just below the charger s maximum surge capacity. If using an external current limiter is used, we recommend using a fuse rated at just above the current limiter s settings. IMPACT PROTECTION Although all EP Series chargers are made of impact-resistant materials, we recommend using additional protection in environments where they are subject to industrial machine traffic.
WET LOCATIONS Please use care to ensure that all connections are adequately protected if installing in wet locations. A conduit-ready version of most EPC chargers is available to simplify installation. All EP Series chargers feature NEMA 4x enclosures, which are certified for use in wet locations. Chargers with pre-installed cables feature water-tight glands, as shown below. We recommend using these water-tight fittings when connecting or adding cables to your charger or battery pack.
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT THERMAL CUT-OFF SWITCH The thermal cut-off switch is an optional device that mounts on the charger s heat sink of and shuts it off in the event it overheats. Although not necessary in most applications, it can prevent damage to the charger in rare events where an overcurrent condition exists for a long period of time. We recommend using a thermal cut-off switch in areas that have high ambient temperatures (over 120 degrees Fahrenheit), or inadequate air circulation, to prevent overheating. Some EPC chargers also have internal thermal protection. FUSE ADD-ON Helps protect the charger during surges and shorts. Available in both resetable, and non-resetable designs. Recommended for battery applications that do not have builtin fuse protection. CURRENT LIMITER Mechanically disconnects power if current exceeds pre-determined values. Automatically re-applies power after load drops. Available in 5 amp to 60 amp modules. Designed for chargers that do not have internal current limiting.
SPECIFICATIONS The key below will identify the type of charger and specifications.