ProlongPro® Battery System User Manual

The ProlongPro Battery Charger is designed to connect to the battery pack being charged via a Prolong Car Harness.  At least one Prolong Car Harness for the desired battery type/size to be charged is required to use this product.

The ProlongPro Charger draws a peak current of 14A at 110V.  Due to this we recommend a dedicated 110V 15A circuit be used.  If using extension cords, they must be at least 12 gauge wire thickness.

The ProlongPro Charger system will generate heat while in use. A minimum of 12″ clearance on all sides is required for proper ventilation. Do not block the system cooling fan intakes or back panel exhaust grill.

The A/C power cord is used to supply the system with the necessary A/C power required for proper operation.  It is a 14/3 Type B plug & cord.  If replaced, a minimum of 14AWG three pole (line, neutral, ground) appliance power cord should be used.

The power switch is used to turn the system on and off.

The voltage meter displays battery pack voltage.  This is displayed in volts DC (direct current).  The meter has a range of 0-500VDC.  If voltage is seen on the display, the battery is connected to the system.  If voltage is displayed as a negative number, the battery connection polarity is reversed and must be corrected before charging.

The current meter displays current flowing into the battery pack.  This is displayed in amps DC (direct current).  The meter has a range of 0-5A.  While idle, small trace currents under 0.05A are normal.

The 16 character 4 row LCD display is the primary user interface.  It will display system state, prompt for user input, and display status messages critical to system operation.

The system idle LED illuminates to tell the user the system is powered on and not presently charging a battery pack.  This could be due to the system requiring additional user input or a charge cycle is complete.

The system charging LED illuminates to tell the user the system is currently charging a battery pack.

The next button is used to navigate available options on the LCD display.  Pressing Next will cause the cursor to ‘scroll down’ to the next available option being presented to the user.

The enter button is used to navigate available options on the LCD display.  Pressing Enter will select the option with the cursor currently next to it.

The back/stop button is used to navigate available options on the LCD display, abort system operations, and disable/enable the system buzzer.  Pressing the back/stop button while navigating menus will ‘scroll up’ the cursor to the previous available option being presented to the user.

Pressing and holding the back/stop button for one second while the system is charging will abort the charge process and return the system to idle

BUZZER DISABLE/ENABLE: Pressing and holding the back/stop button for three seconds while the system is on the Power On Home Screen will disable the system buzzer across all functions.  Pressing and holding the back/stop button for another three seconds while the system is on the Power On Home Screen will re-enable the system buzzer across all functions.  Note this will only work on the Power On Home Screen.

The Power On Home Screen is the first screen visible when the system powers on.  It displays the software version being used by the system.  This screen confirms that the system has successfully powered on and is ready for use.

Pressing and holding the back/stop button for three seconds while the system is on the Power On Home Screen will disable the system buzzer across all functions.  Pressing and holding the back/stop button for another three seconds while the system is on the Power On Home Screen will re-enable the system buzzer across all functions.  Note this will only work on the Power On Home Screen.

The Select Make screen prompts the user to select the vehicle make (manufacturer) battery type to be charged.  For example, if charging a 2007 Prius battery pack, the vehicle make is Toyota.  Battery Size is an available option for custom battery size/out of vehicle battery charging.

The Select Model screen prompts the user to select the vehicle model battery type to be charged.  For example, if charging a 2007 Prius battery pack, the vehicle model is 04-15 Prius.  Cell Counts are an available option for custom battery size/out of vehicle battery charging.

The Select Model screen prompts the user to select the charging mode to be used by the system.  Depending on Software version, there are three different charging profiles available:

The below three options are available:
1) Charge & Balance – Charge the battery until the current drops to 0.5A, then continue charging/balancing the cells for the amount of time to be selected in the next menu.
2) Charge Only – Charge the battery until the current drops to 0.5A, then stop.  This will charge the battery to approx. 80% state of charge.
3) Extended Diagnostic Support – Charge the battery until the current drops to 1.0A, then stop.  If voltage decreases by 5V or more, restart charging.  User must press the Back/Stop button to exit this mode.

The Select Cell Balancing Time screen prompts the user to select the amount of time for the system to top charge/balance cell voltages once the current drops into the cell rebalancing zone (i.e. below 500mA).  User options vary from 1 hour to 24 hours.

This screen will prompt the user to confirm that the battery is being cooled by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) installed hybrid battery cooling fan and duct work.  This defaults to “No”.  If the user selects “No” the system will provide guidance for installing and using the OEM battery fan and ductwork.

The user must explicitly acknowledge that they are using the OEM battery fan and duct work in order to use the system.  This is done by changing the cursor to “Yes” and pressing enter.  Do not do this unless the battery is being cooled by the OEM hybrid battery cooling fan and duct work.

Do not use without proper battery cooling.  Improper, insufficient, or excessive battery cooling voids all warranties.  Hybrid Automotive LLC will not be held liable for damages resulting from improper usage or failure to properly cool the hybrid battery and/or ProlongPro systems.

This screen displays all user inputs for review.  This is the final opportunity for the user to review their inputs and verify they are correct.

Press and hold the back/stop button for one second while the system is charging to abort the charge process and return the system to idle.

This warning will be displayed when the charger delivers the maximum Amp-hours (Ah) of energy into the battery during the peak current (bulk) charging phase. The purpose of this safety is to prevent over charging the battery.

If this warning is displayed, then the battery is fully charged and should not be charged any further. No specific action is required when encountering this message. Instead, the user should proceed to the next step in the battery reconditioning process.

This warning will be displayed when the charger delivers the maximum Amp-hours (Ah) of energy into the battery during the taper current (absorbtion) charging phase. The purpose of this safety is to prevent over charging the battery.

If this warning is displayed, then the battery is fully charged and should not be charged any further. No specific action is required when encountering this message. Instead, the user should proceed to the next step in the battery reconditioning process.

This warning will be displayed when the charger delivers the maximum Amp-hours (Ah) of energy into the battery during the balance charging phase. The purpose of this safety is to prevent over charging the battery.

If this warning is displayed, then the battery is fully charged and should not be charged any further. No specific action is required when encountering this message. Instead, the user should proceed to the next step in the battery reconditioning process.

This error will be displayed when no battery is connected, or if the battery connection polarity is reversed when starting a charge cycle.

If this error is displayed and the voltage display reads zero volts, then recheck the Prolong Car Harness connections, car harness fuse, or ProlongPro Charger internal fuse.

If this error is displayed and the voltage display reads negative volts, the battery connection polarity is reversed.  Recheck the Prolong Car Harness connections against the installation instructions located here.

While charging at peak current battery voltage should be rising. While the charge current is above ~3.2A, if battery voltage stops rising for more than four minutes the system will shut down and alert the user to error E2. This fault is to protect against possible battery over temperature event.

If encountered, check hybrid battery temperature.  If battery temperature is cool, restart the charge while closely monitoring battery voltage and temperature.

While current is between ~3.2A and ~500mA, voltage should be stable or rising slowly.  If battery voltage decreases by more than 500mV while current is between 3.2A and 500mA, the system will shut down and alert the user to error E3. Once the voltage reaches the taper threshold, the voltage will stabilize and hold nearly steady while the current decreases.  While voltage will not climb in this phase of charging, a decrease in voltage could be a potential sign of battery over temperature event.

If encountered, check hybrid battery temperature.  If battery temperature is cool, restart the charge while closely monitoring battery voltage and temperature.

While current is below 500mA, the battery is top charging/cell balancing and slow oscillation of pack voltage is normal (~1-3V range).  However, if the battery is not being sufficiently cooled, it may become warm and voltage may decrease beyond acceptable limits.  If battery voltage decreases by more than 5V during top balancing, the system will shut down and alert the user to error E4.

If encountered, check hybrid battery temperature.  If battery temperature is cool, restart the charge while closely monitoring battery voltage and temperature.

The ProlongPro Charger constantly monitors the charge current being delivered to the battery.  In normal operating conditions, once the current drops below 3.0A, it should not rise back above this level.  If the current being delivered to the battery drops below 2.9A for at least 10 seconds, then rises back above 3.0A for at least ten seconds, then the system will shut down and alert the user to error E5.

If encountered, check battery temperature.  Verify battery fan is running, free of obstructions, and air can be felt exiting the battery pack ducting.  Cool the battery by leaving the charger powered on in an idle state for 10-15 minutes.  Verify ambient temperature is not above system rated maximum ambient temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

The ProlongPro Charger constantly monitors the charge current being delivered to the battery.  In normal operating conditions, once the current drops below 0.5A, it should not rise back above this level.  If the current being delivered to the battery drops below 0.5A for at least 10 seconds, then rises back above 0.6A for at least ten seconds, then the system will shut down and alert the user to error E6.

If encountered, check battery temperature.  Verify battery fan is running, free of obstructions, and air can be felt exiting the battery pack ducting.  Cool the battery by leaving the charger powered on in an idle state for 10-15 minutes.  Verify ambient temperature is not above system rated maximum ambient temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

The ProlongPro Charger has internal temperature monitoring.  If the Charger internal temperature rises above this safety threshold, the system will abort the process, revert to idle, and alert the user to error E7.

If encountered, check charger temperature.  Verify both charger cooling fans are running and free of obstruction.  Cool the charger system by leaving it powered on in an idle state for 10-15 minutes.  Verify ambient temperature is not above system rated maximum ambient temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

The ProlongPro Battery Discharger is designed to connect to the complete battery pack being discharged via a Prolong Car Harness.  At least one Prolong Car Harness for the desired battery size to be discharged is required to use this product.

The ProlongPro Battery Discharger has an integrated module testing harness.  When performing module testing, the integrated module testing harness will be used and a Prolong Car Harness does not need to be connected to the system.

The ProlongPro Discharger draws a peak current of 2A at 110V.  Any standard 110V Type B wall socket should be fine.  If using extension cords, they must be at least 14 gauge wire thickness.

The ProlongPro Discharger system will generate up to 1,100 watts of heat while in use. This is a LOT of heat.  A minimum of 12″ clearance on all sides is required for proper ventilation. Do not block the system intakes or back panel exhausts. Failure to properly ventilate the system will lead to hardware damage.

The A/C power cord is used to supply the system with the necessary A/C power required for proper operation.  It is a 14/3 Type B plug & cord.  If replaced, a minimum of 14AWG three pole (line, neutral, ground) appliance power cord should be used.

The module test harness is a use to connect to hybrid battery pack modules (six cell or eight cell module assemblies) for testing.  It should be stored in the provided storage compartment on the back of the system when not in use. The harness is an 8AWG pair of wires cut to a precise length with crimped and soldered ring terminals for battery module connection.

DO NOT MODIFY THIS HARNESS.  The system is carefully calibrated to use this harness as it is built during the manufacturing process.  Very high currents pass through this harness.  Changing the wire length or connector type (for example replacing the ring terminals with clip leads) will change resistances in the harness and render the systems readings and outputs incorrect.

The power switch is used to turn the system on and off.

The voltage meter displays battery pack voltage.  This is displayed in volts DC (direct current).  The meter has a range of 0-500VDC.  If voltage is seen on the display, the battery pack is connected to the system.  If voltage is displayed as a negative number, the battery connection polarity is reversed and must be corrected before discharging.

Note, when performing module testing, the voltage meter will not be used.  Test status and results will be displayed on the LCD Display.

The current meter displays current flowing out of the battery pack.  This is displayed in amps DC (direct current).  The meter has a range of 0-5A.

Note, when performing module testing, the current meter will not be used.  Test status and results will be displayed on the LCD Display.

The 16 character 4 row LCD display is the primary user interface.  It will display system state, prompt for user input, and display status messages critical to system operation.

The system idle LED illuminates to tell the user the system is powered on and not presently discharging a battery pack or performing module testing.  This could be due to the system requiring additional user input or a discharge/module test cycle is complete.

The system discharging LED illuminates to tell the user the system is currently discharging a battery pack or performing module testing.

The next button is used to navigate available options on the LCD display.  Pressing Next will cause the cursor to ‘scroll down’ to the next available option being presented to the user.

The enter button is used to navigate available options on the LCD display.  Pressing Enter will select the option with the cursor currently next to it.

The back/stop button is used to navigate available options on the LCD display, abort system operations, and disable/enable the system buzzer.  Pressing the back/stop button while navigating menus will ‘scroll up’ the cursor to the previous available option being presented to the user.

Pressing and holding the back/stop button for one second while the system is discharging a battery pack or performing module testing will abort the process and return the system to idle

Pressing and holding the back/stop button for three seconds while the system is on the Power On Home Screen will disable the system buzzer across all functions.  Pressing and holding the back/stop button for another three seconds while the system is on the Power On Home Screen will re-enable the system buzzer across all functions.  Note this will only work on the Power On Home Screen.

The Power On Home Screen is the first screen visible when the system powers on.  It displays the software version being used by the system.  This screen confirms that the system has successfully powered on and is ready for use.

Pressing and holding the back/stop button for three seconds while the system is on the Power On Home Screen will disable the system buzzer across all functions.  Pressing and holding the back/stop button for another three seconds while the system is on the Power On Home Screen will re-enable the system buzzer across all functions.  Note this will only work on the Power On Home Screen.

The Select Make screen prompts the user to select which task they want the system to perform.  The two options are full battery pack discharging “Pack Discharging” and individual/single module “Module Testing”.

When full battery pack discharging “Pack Discharging” is selected on the “Select Mode” screen, the following displays/prompts will become sequentially presented to the user.

The Select Make screen prompts the user to select the vehicle make battery type to be discharged.  For example, if charging a 2007 Prius battery pack, the vehicle make is Toyota.  Battery Size is an available option for custom battery size/out of vehicle battery discharging.

The Select Model screen prompts the user to select the vehicle model battery type to be discharged.  For example, if charging a 2007 Prius battery pack, the vehicle model is 04-15 Prius.  Cell Counts are an available option for custom battery size/out of vehicle battery discharging.

The Select Discharge Termination screen prompts the user to select how deep the battery pack will be discharged. This menu is dynamic and will change depending on the battery size (number of cells) selected.  All discharge termination values are the same when adjusted for the number of cells in the battery pack.  Said another way; while the discharge termination values vary due to the differing cells counts contained in each battery pack configuration, they are the same when considered on an individual cell level.

In order for the voltage depression memory effect to experience any reversal, the cell must be drained to AT LEAST 0.8 volts.  Discharging a cell to a termination value above 0.8 volts will not result in any voltage depression reversal.

The four discharge termination values are 0.8 volts per cell average, 0.5 volts per cell average, 0.3 volts per cell average, and 0.1 volts per cell average.  Multiplying these cell level average values with the number of cells within a battery pack will result in the values shown on the system LCD screen.

For example, a 2007 Prius battery pack has 168 cells.  The four available discharge termination voltages displayed by the system for a 04-15 Prius are 134 volts, 84 volts, 50 volts, and 17 volts.  Expressed mathematically, 168 cells x 0.8 volts per cell = 134 volts; 168 cells x 0.5 volts per cell = 84 volts; 168 cells x 0.3 volts per cell = 50 volts; and 168 cells x 0.1 volts per cell = 17 volts.

For a table showing all battery pack sizes and corresponding discharge termination values, click here.

This screen displays all user inputs for review.  This is the final opportunity for the user to review their inputs and verify they are correct.

Pressing and holding the back/stop button for one second while the system is pack discharging or module testing will abort the discharge process and begin the system cool down process.

After a discharge cycle is complete, or when the user aborts a discharge, the system will run through a seven minute cool down process.  This allows the system to properly cool internally and prevent system damage.

Pressing and holding the back/stop button for one second during the cool down process will abort the cool down and return the system to idle.

The Select Module Test screen prompts the user to select the type of module test to be performed.  Their are two options, Internal Resistance (IR)/Load Testing and Capacity Testing.

Internal Resistance (IR)/Load Testing evaluates how efficiently energy can be extracted from cells within a module.  The lower the internal resistance or lower the voltage drop, the better the condition of the cells within a module. The higher the internal resistance or greater the voltage drop, the worse the condition of the cells within a module.

Matching modules that contain cells with similar internal resistance will result in a better performing battery pack assembly.  For more information about battery cell Internal Resistance, we recommend this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_resistance

Capacity Testing evaluates how much energy can be delivered by the cells within a module at a given voltage/current.  The higher the Ah of capacity, the better the condition of the cells within a module. The lower the Ah of capacity, the worse the condition of the cells within a module.

Matching modules that contain cells with similar capacity will result in a better performing battery pack assembly. For more information about battery cell Capacity, we recommend this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_(electricity)#Capacity_and_discharge

This error will be displayed during module testing when the module voltage detected by the system is greater than the allowable maximum.  The system maximum is approximately 12 Volts.

If this error is displayed, ensure the system is connected to only one module.  Check the module test harness connections.  If connections are correct, measure voltage of the module to ensure it is less than 12 volts.

This error will be displayed during module testing when the module voltage detected by the system is less than than the allowable minimum.  The system minimum is approximately 6 Volts.  This may also be seen if no module is connected.

If this error is displayed, ensure the system is connected to a module.  Check the module test harness connections.  If connections are correct, measure voltage of the module to ensure it is more than 6 volts.

This error will be displayed when the amount of current (Amps) being extracted from the battery rises unexpectedly.  During a discharge cycle, the current being extracted from the battery should be decreasing over time.  If the current rises for an extended period of time (averaging is used to eliminate noise) then the safety relay will open terminating the discharge and this error will be displayed.

This could be a hardware issue.  If this error is displayed, restart the discharge cycle and carefully monitor the current (Amps) being extracted from the system. If the current is greater than 3.5A and/or the error reoccurs, terminate the discharge and contact us.  If the discharge current repeatedly rises during the discharge process and/or the error reoccurs, terminate the discharge and contact us.

This error will be displayed when the discharger is not electrically connected to the battery.  This is typically seen when the battery disconnect switch is not fully installed or a fuse has opened.

Make sure the orange safety switch is installed and locked into the closed position.  There are two safety fuses in the circuit.  One is in the car harness that connects from the discharger to the battery.  The second is inside the discharger itself.  Measure battery voltage where the harness connects to the battery pack with a multi-meter.  If battery voltage is seen the next step is to test at the other end of the harness where it connects to the discharger.  Measure pins 1 and 4.  If no battery voltage is seen, the fuse in the car harness needs replacing.  If battery voltage is seen the fuse in the car harness is good and the fuse inside the discharger needs to be tested.  It is harder to get to.  Remove the discharger lid and use a small mirror to locate the fuse on the back of the circuit board.  Remove and test that fuse.  If that fuse is good contact us for further assistance.

This error will be displayed when the actual battery voltage is greater than the allowable maximum for the battery size selected.  To protect itself against damage, the system will not perform pack discharging when voltages above safe levels for each battery type are present.

If this error is displayed, recheck the battery pack size selected via the LCD screen matches the actual battery size connected to the system.

The ProlongPro Discharger has internal temperature monitoring.  If the discharger internal temperature rises above this safety threshold, the system will abort the process, revert to idle, and alert the user.

If encountered, check discharger temperature.  If the error code is L1, the left side of the resistor assembly is causing the fault.  If the error code is R2, the right side of the resistor assembly is causing the fault.  Verify all five discharger cooling fans are running and free of obstruction.  Cool the charger system by leaving it powered on in an idle state for 10-15 minutes.  Verify ambient temperature is not above system rated maximum ambient temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).