Projecta IC10 Intelli-Charge Battery Charger FAQ & Troubleshooting Guide

Applies To

Projecta IC10
Intelli-Charge Battery Charger
12V 10A 7 Stage Switchmode Battery Charger
Lead Acid and Lithium Battery Charging

Overview

The Projecta IC10 is a 12V 10A Intelli-Charge automatic battery charger designed for charging and maintaining 12V lead acid and lithium batteries.

It supports selectable battery chemistry modes including Lithium, GEL, AGM, WET and Calcium. For lead acid batteries, the charger uses a 7-stage charging process. For lithium LiFePO4 batteries, it uses a dedicated 5-stage lithium charging algorithm.

The IC10 also includes Power Supply mode, adjustable charge rate, polarity protection and over temperature protection.

Key Features

The IC10 includes:

7-stage charging for lead acid batteries
5-stage charging for lithium batteries
Selectable battery chemistry
Adjustable charge rate
Power Supply mode
Desulphation mode
Soft Start charging
Recondition function
Float maintenance charging
Polarity protection
Over temperature protection
Switchmode technology
Thermostatically controlled cooling fan
LED charge status display

Battery Compatibility

What batteries can the IC10 charge?

The IC10 can charge 12V rechargeable lead acid and lithium batteries.

Supported battery chemistry types:

Lithium
GEL
AGM
WET
Calcium

What battery size is suitable for the IC10?

Recommended battery range:

Automotive: 80–1000CCA
Marine: 110–1200MCA
Deep cycle: 14–200Ah
Lithium: 4–100Ah

Can the IC10 charge 6V or 24V batteries?

No.
The IC10 is a 12V battery charger only.

Charging Operation

How does the IC10 charge lead acid batteries?

For GEL, AGM, WET and Calcium batteries, the IC10 uses a 7-stage charging process:

Desulphation — Breaks down sulphation in batteries that have been left flat.
Soft Start — Gently introduces power to the battery.
Bulk — Charges at maximum current up to the selected battery voltage.
Absorption — Charges the battery to full capacity using controlled voltage.
Analysis — Tests whether the battery has accepted charge.
Recondition — Attempts to restore batteries that cannot hold charge.
Float — Maintains the battery at 100% charge.

For Calcium mode, an Equalisation stage is also used.

How does the IC10 charge lithium batteries?

When Lithium mode is selected, the IC10 uses a 5-stage lithium charging profile:

Soft Start 1 — Charges at 5% of selected current until the battery reaches 8.0V.
Soft Start 2 — Charges at 25% of selected current until the battery reaches 10.0V.
Bulk Charge — Charges at the selected current up to 14.2V.
Absorption — Completes charging at reduced current.
Float — Maintains the battery at 13.5V.

Battery Chemistry Selection

How do I select the battery chemistry?

1. Press the Mode button.
2. Wait for the lights to turn off.
3. Press the Mode button repeatedly until the correct battery type is selected.

The selected battery chemistry should match the battery manufacturer’s recommendation.

Charge Rate Selection

What charge rates are available on the IC10?

The IC10 supports:

2A
4A
6A
10A

Recommended guide:

2A: 14–40Ah deep cycle / 80–240CCA automotive / 110–330MCA marine / 4–20Ah lithium
4A: 30–80Ah deep cycle / 180–480CCA automotive / 250–650MCA marine / 8–40Ah lithium
6A: 40–120Ah deep cycle / 240–720CCA automotive / 330–1000MCA marine / 12–60Ah lithium
10A: 70–200Ah deep cycle / 450–1000CCA automotive / 500–1200MCA marine / 20–100Ah lithium

Power Supply Mode

Can the IC10 be used as a power supply?

Yes.
When Power Supply mode is selected, the IC10 provides a constant 13.8V DC output.

The connected appliance must not exceed the charger’s 10A output current.

How to Use

Before charging

Before using the IC10:

Read the instruction manual.
Use indoors only.
Do not expose the charger to rain.
Charge in a well-ventilated area.
Keep flames and sparks away from the battery.
Do not charge a frozen battery.
Do not charge a damaged or non-rechargeable battery.
Turn off vehicle accessories before charging where possible.
Disconnect the 240V mains supply before making or breaking battery connections.
Confirm the battery is a compatible 12V battery.

Battery out of vehicle

1. Connect the red lead to the positive + battery post.
2. Connect the black lead to the negative – battery post.
3. Connect the charger to 240V mains power.
4. Select the correct charge rate.
5. Select the correct battery chemistry.
6. Allow the charger to complete the automatic charge cycle.

Battery in vehicle — negative earth

Most vehicles are negative earth.

1. Connect the red lead to the positive + battery terminal.
2. Connect the black lead to the vehicle chassis away from fuel lines or moving parts.
3. Connect the charger to 240V mains power.
4. Select the correct charge rate and battery chemistry.
5. Allow the charger to complete the charge cycle.

Battery in vehicle — positive earth

1. Connect the black lead to the negative – battery terminal.
2. Connect the red lead to the vehicle chassis away from fuel lines or moving parts.
3. Connect the charger to 240V mains power.
4. Select the correct charge rate and battery chemistry.
5. Allow the charger to complete the charge cycle.

Permanent Wiring

Can the IC10 be permanently wired to the battery?

Yes.
The IC10 can be hard wired to the battery for permanent installations.

Fuse requirement:

IC10: 20A fuse

Connection:

1. Cut off the supplied battery clips, leaving enough cable to reach the battery terminals.
2. Do not extend the DC leads, as voltage drop may cause incorrect charging.
3. Fit a ring terminal to the black negative – wire.
4. Connect an inline fuse to the red positive + wire.
5. Connect a ring terminal to the other end of the inline fuse.
6. Connect the red lead with inline fuse to the positive + battery post.
7. Connect the black lead to the negative – battery post.
8. Fit the correctly rated fuse.

Any modification to the 240V mains lead must be carried out by a qualified person.

LED Indicators

How do I know what stage the charger is in?

The IC10 uses LED indicators to show charge status.

Power LED — Red
Charging LED — Blue
Fully Charged LED — Green

Typical operation:

Blue Charging LED flashes or illuminates during charging stages.
Green Fully Charged LED solid means the battery is fully charged and the charger is in float mode.
Power LED flashing indicates a fault condition.

Common Troubleshooting

The IC10 will not start charging. What should I check?

Check the following:

Battery voltage is above the minimum start voltage.
Battery clamps are connected correctly.
Red clamp is connected to positive +.
Black clamp is connected to negative – or correct chassis earth.
240V mains power is ON.
Correct battery chemistry is selected.
Correct charge rate is selected.
Battery is not frozen, damaged or faulty.

The specifications list a 2V minimum start voltage, while the FAQ section refers to charging from as little as 2.5V. If the battery is below this range, the charger may not start.

Why does the charger reset in Power Supply mode?

The charger may reset if the load exceeds the charger’s 10A capacity or if the appliance has a high start-up current.

Reduce the load or connect the charger to a battery first, then run the appliance from the battery where possible.

Can I charge while an appliance is connected to the battery?

The charger can charge while an appliance is connected, but the load can affect the charger’s ability to accurately measure the battery.

For best charging, disconnect or turn off appliance loads.

If an appliance must remain connected, Power Supply mode is recommended.

Why does Calcium mode take so long?

Calcium mode includes an Equalisation stage.

This can feed current into the battery until 16V is reached and may take up to 12 hours.

Fault Codes

Power LED slow flashing, Charging LED off, Full LED off

Fault:

Short circuit or reverse connection of the clips.

Recommended action:

Check the clips are not touching each other.
Check the clips are correctly connected to the battery.

Power LED fast flashing, Charging LED off, Full LED off

Fault:

Bulk charging has timed out and stopped after 22 hours.

Recommended action:

Battery may be faulty.

Power LED slow flashing, Charging LED off, Full LED on

Fault:

The charger has entered recondition mode 3 times and has timed out.

Recommended action:

Battery may be faulty and may need replacing.
There may be a load on the battery causing the battery to fail analysis.

Locking the Charger Settings

Can the IC10 settings be locked?

Yes.
Press and hold the Charge Rate and Mode buttons together for 3 seconds until all LEDs illuminate.

To unlock, press and hold the Charge Rate and Mode buttons together again for 3 seconds.

Specifications

Part number: IC10
Type: 7-stage lead acid / 5-stage lithium
Input: 230–240VAC, 50Hz
Input power: 160W
Output voltage: 12V
Output current: 10A / 6A / 4A / 2A
Minimum start voltage: 2V
Back drain: 1mA
Power supply voltage: 13.8V DC
Power supply maximum current: 10A
Lead acid float voltage: 13.7V
Lithium float voltage: 13.5V
Battery types: Lithium, GEL, AGM, WET, Calcium
Automotive range: 80–1000CCA
Marine range: 110–1200MCA
Deep cycle range: 14–200Ah
Lithium range: 4–100Ah
Size: 202 x 61 x 108mm
Weight: 1.15kg

Safety Warnings

Use indoors only.
Do not expose the charger to rain.
Do not attempt to charge non-rechargeable batteries.
Never charge a frozen battery.
Use in a well-ventilated area.
Keep sparks and flames away from the battery.
Disconnect mains power before connecting or disconnecting battery leads.
Do not use the charger if the AC cord is damaged.
Do not allow children to use or play with the charger.
The charger must be plugged into an earthed socket-outlet.

When to Escalate

Escalate the case if:

The charger repeatedly shows fault after polarity and battery condition are confirmed.
The battery is swollen, leaking, frozen or physically damaged.
The charger case, AC cord or output leads are damaged.
The customer reports overheating, smoke, burning smell or sparking.
The charger trips mains power.
The fan is not operating when required.
The unit behaviour does not match the manual.
Warranty assessment is required.