TrendCOM - 2006

Data Acquisition & Analysis Software

TrendCOM 2006
Data Acquisition & Analysis Software

USER'S MANUAL

June 2006

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Data Acquisition & Analysis Software

Index of Contents

· 1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................... 3

· MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS....................................................................... 3

· 2. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS.......................................... 4

· GENERAL.................................................................................................................... 4

· SHOCK PREVENTION................................................................................................ 4

· BURN AND BODILY INJURY PREVENTION.............................................................. 5

· FIRE AND EXPLOSION PREVENTION...................................................................... 5

· ARCING AND BURNING OF CONNECTOR............................................................... 5

· MEDICAL AND FIRST AID TREATMENT................................................................... 5

· EQUIPMENT WARNING LABELS.............................................................................. 5

· 3. OPERATION............................................................................................. 6

· DOWNLOAD PROCEDURE – DISCHARGER UNIT................................................. 6

· TREND COM MAIN MENU.......................................................................................... 7

· FUNCTION “Download”............................................................................................... 8

· FUNCTION “Trend”...................................................................................................... 9

· FUNCTION “Export Data”.......................................................................................... 13

· FUNCTION “Documentation”..................................................................................... 14

· FUNCTION “Internet”................................................................................................. 14

· FUNCTION “Language”............................................................................................. 14

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Data Acquisition & Analysis Software

1. INTRODUCTION
TrendCOM 2006 is a Data Acquisition & Analysis Software, designed to interface with the
battery dischargers/analyzers.

This software allows to download the test data that were saved into the device integrated
datalogger to a PC, to plot graphs, perform advanced analysis and create complete test
reports automatically.

The graphs that can be plotted, zoomed and incorporated into test reports are:

• Battery VOLTAGE [Volts]

• Battery CURRENT [Amps]
• Instant Discharge POWER [kW]
• Total Discharged CAPACITY [Ah]
• Total Discharged ENERGY [kWh]

TrendCom 2006 is very simple to use, and its complete integration in MS-Windows
(98/2k/NT/XP) allows to take advantage of the graphic and file sharing resources of the
known operating system.

Using the DataExport function, it's possible to create compact files containing all the test
data that can be saved, shared and forwarded as email attachments.

Using the exclusive DataMerge function, it's possible to use two or more units in parallel
to discharge the same battery, and to merge the test data downloaded from all the units
into a single, complete test report.

TrendCom 2006 has been designed in accordance with the Standard ISO 9241 'Ergonomic
requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs)'

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

• Processor Pentium 400 MHz

• 32 MB of RAM

• 25 MB of Hard Disk free space for full installation

• Operating system Windows 98

TrendCom 2006 is furnished with autoinstaller application, which verifies the characteristics
of the system and adds the software components that are necessary for the proper
operation.

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2. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS

Before starting to use your Amperis battery discharger/analyzer, please take the time to read
these instructions carefully.

GENERAL
Battery discharging units like these can cause serious injury or death, or damage to other
equipment or property, if the operator does not strictly observe all safety rules and take
precautionary actions.
Safe practices must be learned through study and training before using this equipment.
Only qualified personnel should install, use, or service this equipment.

SHOCK PREVENTION

Bare conductors, or terminals in the circuit, or ungrounded, electrically-live equipments can

fatally shock a person. To protect against shock, have competent electrician verify that the
equipment is adequately grounded and learn what terminals and parts are electrically HOT.

The body’s electrical resistance is decreased when wet, permitting dangerous current to flow
through the body. Do not work in damp area without being extremely careful. Stand on dry
rubber mat or dry wood and use insulating gloves when dampness or sweat cannot be
avoided. Keep clothing dry.

INSTALLATION AND GROUNDING - A power disconnect switch must be located at the

equipment. Check the data label for voltage and phase requirements. If only 3-phase power
is available, connect single-phase equipment to ONLY TWO WIRES of the 3-phase line.
DO NOT CONNECT the equipment grounding conductor to the third live wire of the 3-phase
line as this makes the equipment frame electrically HOT, which can cause a fatal shock.
If a grounding conductor is part of the power supply cable, be sure to connect it to a properly
grounded switch box or building ground. If not part of the supply cable, use a separate
grounding conductor. Don’t remove a ground prong from any plug. Use correct mating
receptacles. Check ground for electrical continuity before using equipment. The grounding
conductor must be of a size equal to or larger than the size of the line conductors.

DISCHARGING LEADS – Inspect leads often for damage to the insulation. Replace or repair
cracked or worn leads immediately. Use leads having sufficient capacity to carry the
operating current without overheating.

BATTERY TERMINALS – Do not touch battery terminals while equipment is operating.

SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE – Shut OFF all power at the disconnect switch or line
breaker BEFORE inspecting, adjusting, or servicing the equipment. Lock switch OPEN (or
remove line fuses) so that the power cannot be turned ON accidentally.
Disconnect power to equipment if it is to be left unattended or out of service.
Disconnect battery from charger.
Measure voltage on capacitors and, if there is any voltage reading, wait 5 minutes before to
proceed.
Keep inside parts clean and dry. Dirt and/or moisture can cause insulation failure. This failure
can result in high voltage at the charger output.

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BURN AND BODILY INJURY PREVENTION

The battery produces very high currents when short circuited, and will burn the skin severely
if in contact with any metal conductor that is carrying this current.
Do not permit rings on fingers to come in contact with battery terminals or the cell connectors
on top of the battery. Battery acid is very corrosive. Always wear correct eye and body
protection when near batteries.
FIRE AND EXPLOSION PREVENTION
When batteries are being charged, they generate hydrogen gas that is explosive in certain
concentrations in air (the flammability or explosive limits are 4.1% to 72% hydrogen in air).
The spark-retarding vents help slow the rate of release of hydrogen, but the escaping
hydrogen may form an explosive atmosphere around the battery if ventilation is poor.
The ventilation system should be designed to provide an adequate amount of fresh air for
the number of batteries being charged. This is essential to prevent an explosion.
Always keep sparks, flames, burning cigarettes, and other sources of ignition away from the
battery recharging area. Do not break "live" circuits at the terminals of batteries. Do not lay
tools or anything that is metallic on top of any battery.

ARCING AND BURNING OF CONNECTOR

To prevent arcing and burning of the connector contacts, be sure the discharger is OFF
before connecting or disconnecting the battery. The ammeter should NOT indicate current
flow.
MEDICAL AND FIRST AID TREATMENT
First aid facilities and a qualified first aid person should be available for each shift for
immediate treatment of electrical shock victims.
EMERGENCY FIRST AID: Call physician and ambulance immediately and use First Aid
techniques recommended by the American Red Cross.

DANGER: ELECTRICAL SHOCK CAN BE FATAL.

If person is unconscious and electric shock is suspected, do not touch person if he or she is
in contact with charging equipment, battery, charging leads, or other live electrical parts.
Disconnect power at wall switch and then use First Aid.
Dry wood, wooden broom, and other insulating material can be used to move cables, if
necessary, away from person.
IF BREATHING IS DIFFICULT, give oxygen.
IF NOT BREATHING, BEGIN ARTIFICIAL BREATHING, such as mouth-to-mouth.
IF PULSE IS ABSENT, BEGIN ARTIFICIAL CIRCULATION, such as external heart
massage.

In case of acid in the eyes, flush very well with clean water and obtain professional medical
attention immediately.
EQUIPMENT WARNING LABELS

Inspect all precautionary labels on the equipment and replace them with new ones if they are
damaged or missing.

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3. OPERATION
The unit control panel incorporates a DataLogger that saves the entire discharge data
(current, voltage, capacity).

At the end of the discharge of the battery, it's possible to download these data to the PC with
TrendCOM 2006 installed, via RS232 serial interface.

Caution: NEVER connect the personal computer to the serial port of the
discharger while the battery is still connected to the unit.

This operation can damage the devices and can be dangerous for
the user.

Attention: The DataLogger memory is erased at the beginning of each

discharge cycle.
DON'T start a new discharge cycle before to download the data to
the PC!

DOWNLOAD PROCEDURE – Discharger UNIT

1. Make sure that the discharge cycle is finished.

The display shows the message “END”, together with the final results;
2. Turn OFF the unit, by moving the general switch 0-1 to position “0”;
3. Disconnect the battery from the unit;
4. Connect the serial ports (RS-232) of the PC and the unit, using the apposite cable
(supplied with the unit);
5. Turn ON the unit, by moving the general switch 0-1 to position “1”;
6. Turn ON the PC;
7. Launch the application TrendCOM 2006;
8. Select the function DOWNLOAD in TrendCOM 2006;
9. Wait for the confirmation message;
10.Turn OFF the unit and disconnect the serial cable.

At the end of the download, the unit DataLogger memory is NOT erased, therefore the
discharge data remain available for other downloads.

The DataLogger memory is erased when a new battery is connected and a new discharge
cycle starts.

Caution: Never leave the PC connected to the discharger after the data download.
This may cause data loss and/or damage to the equipments.

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TREND COM MAIN MENU

The TrendCOM 2006 main menu contains six buttons, that allows to select the following
functions:

• DOWNLOAD
• TREND
• EXPORT DATA
• DOCUMENTATION
• INTERNET
• LANGUAGE

Simply click on a button to activate the desired function.

Click button QUIT to close the application.

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FUNCTION “Download”

When the DOWNLOAD function is selected, the following window will appear.

At this point, it's recommended to verify the proper connection of the serial cable (RS-232) at
the PC and discharger ports before to proceed.

In order to start the download, click on the button “START DOWNLOAD”.

The following dialog box will appear, while the download will be in progress.

At the end of the download, it will be possible use the functions described in the following
pages.

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FUNCTION “Trend”

The function TREND is used to plot graphs of the data downloaded from the unit.

Two graphs can be plotted simultaneously on the same page.

Use the scrolling menus that are located above each graph area to select the value to be
plotted:

• Battery VOLTAGE [Volts]

• Battery CURRENT [Amps]
• Instant Discharge POWER [kW]
• Total Discharged CAPACITY [Ah]
• Total Discharged ENERGY [kWh]

Graphs can been zoomed by clicking on “ZOOM +” buttons, located at the base of each
graph.

The ZOOM function is not enabled if the total discharge time is less than 40 minutes.

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The two graphs are visualized independently, therefore it's possible to zoom on a particular
area of one graph without modifying the visualization of the other.

When the “ZOOM +” function is selected, the graph area is divided in 4 regions, where
additional ZOOM buttons will appear.

Select the region to bee zoomed by clicking the correspondent ZOOM button.

Click the button “ZOOM -”, located at the bottom of the graph to go back to the complete
visualization.

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The page TREND contains these additional buttons.

• PRINT
• ARCHIVE
• ACCORPAMENTS
• SURVEY
• REPORT

Click on the button “PRINT” to have an immediate reproduction on paper of the current
screen. Use this function to put on paper the results of a complex elaboration of the graphs.

Click on the button “ARCHIVE” to open a SAVE AS window, to be used to save the
complete test data on file.

Click on the button “ACCORPAMENTS” to merge the data coming from two or more
units that discharged a battery in parallel, to a single, complete data report.

Click on the button “SURVEY” to open a quick summary tab, that contains the most relevant
data:

• Total discharge time [hours.minutes.seconds]

• Initial battery voltage [Volts]
• Final battery voltage [Volts]
• Minimum discharge current [Amps]
• Average discharge current [Amps]
• Maximum discharge current [Amps]
• Total capacity discharged [Ah]
• Total energy discharged [kWh]

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Click on the button “REPORT” to open the Automatic Report Creation page.

The Current and Voltage plots will be automatically added to the report, while the form at the
top of the page contains these fields:

• Date of test
• Operator name
• Company name
• Battery type
• Battery voltage
• Battery nominal capacity
• Notes

The report can be printed by clicking on the button “PRINT” at the bottom of the page.

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FUNCTION “Export Data”

Select this function to open a “Save As...” window.

All the test data will be saved on a single compressed file.

Select the desired Folder where the file has to be saved and press OK to confirm.

FUNCTION “Documentation”

Select this function to open the TrendCOM 2006 user's manual in the selected language.

FUNCTION “Internet”

Select this function to open the software website in your Internet browser.

It's recommended to check the software website for software and documentation updates.

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FUNCTION “Language”

Select this function to change the language of TrendCOM 2006.

- End of Manual -

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