Projecta IC50 Intelli-Charge Battery Charger FAQ & Troubleshooting Guide

Projecta IC50 Intelli-Charge Battery Charger FAQ & Troubleshooting Guide

Projecta IC50 Intelli-Charge Battery Charger FAQ & Troubleshooting Guide


Applies To

Projecta IC50
Intelli-Charge Battery Charger
12V 50A 7 Stage Switchmode Battery Charger
Lead Acid and Lithium Battery Charging


Overview

The Projecta IC50 is a 12V 50A Intelli-Charge automatic battery charger designed for very large 12V lead acid and lithium battery banks.

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 IC50 also includes an LCD screen, adjustable charge rates, Power Supply mode, Recondition mode, remote display support and temperature compensation support.


Key Features

The IC50 includes:

7-stage charging for lead acid batteries
5-stage charging for lithium batteries
Selectable battery chemistry
Adjustable charge rate up to 50A
Power Supply mode
Manual Recondition mode
Automatic Recondition function
Float maintenance charging
LCD screen and LED charge indicators
Polarity protection
Over temperature protection
Switchmode technology
Cooling fan
Remote control display support
Temperature compensation support


Battery Compatibility

What batteries can the IC50 charge?

The IC50 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 IC50?

Recommended battery range:

Automotive: 80–6000CCA
Marine: 110–8300MCA
Deep cycle: 14–1000Ah
Lithium: 4–500Ah

Can the IC50 charge 6V or 24V batteries?

No.
The IC50 is a 12V battery charger only.


Charging Operation

How does the IC50 charge lead acid batteries?

For GEL, AGM, WET and Calcium batteries, the IC50 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 IC50 charge lithium batteries?

When Lithium mode is selected, the IC50 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.


Charge Rate Selection

What charge rates are available on the IC50?

The IC50 supports:

2A
6A
12A
25A
50A

Recommended guide:

2A: 14–40Ah deep cycle / 80–240CCA automotive / 110–330MCA marine / 4–20Ah lithium
6A: 40–120Ah deep cycle / 240–720CCA automotive / 330–1000MCA marine / 12–60Ah lithium
12A: 80–240Ah deep cycle / 480–1440CCA automotive / 660–2000MCA marine / 24–120Ah lithium
25A: 170–500Ah deep cycle / 1000–3000CCA automotive / 1400–4200MCA marine / 50–250Ah lithium
50A: 350–1000Ah deep cycle / 2100–6000CCA automotive / 2900–8300MCA marine / 100–500Ah lithium


Permanent Hard Wiring

Can the IC50 be permanently wired to the battery?

Yes.
The IC50 can be hard wired to the battery for permanent installations.

Recommended fuse or circuit breaker rating:

IC50: 100A

Do not cut the DC leads unless required. If the DC leads are cut, the sensor wires must be included in both positive and negative connections.


Common Troubleshooting

The IC50 display reads 0.0V and does not appear to be charging. What should I check?

Check the following:

Battery voltage is above 1.0V.
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.
Charger On/Off switch is ON.
Correct battery chemistry is selected.
Correct charge rate is selected.
Battery is not frozen, damaged or faulty.


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

Err — Short circuit or reverse connection of the clips.
F01 — Bulk charging has timed out after 22 hours. Battery may be faulty.
Dash / horizontal line fault — Recondition mode has timed out after 3 attempts.
OTP — Charger has overheated. Check ventilation.
OLC — Sensor wires are not connected correctly.
OCP — Charger has encountered an error. Contact support.


Specifications

Part number: IC50
Type: 7-stage lead acid / 5-stage lithium
Input: 230–240VAC, 50Hz
Input power: 820W
Output voltage: 12V
Output current: 2A / 6A / 12A / 25A / 50A
Minimum start voltage: 1.0V
Back drain: 3mA
Lead acid float voltage: 13.7V
Lithium float voltage: 13.5V
Battery types: Lithium, GEL, AGM, WET, Calcium
Automotive range: 80–6000CCA
Marine range: 110–8300MCA
Deep cycle range: 14–1000Ah
Lithium range: 4–500Ah
Size: 270 x 81 x 168mm
Weight: 3.0kg


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.
OCP fault is displayed.
Warranty assessment is required.