Our next-gen Universal Supervisor Chargers (USC) are hybrid chargers with ability to charge regular (dumb) and smart batteries side-by-side. This new charger series will be available in one-, two- and six-bays with prototype preview at IWCE in Las Vegas in March 2023. The USC will replace the tried-and proven Universal Conditioning Charger (UCC) of which we have sold over 300,000 channels worldwide. 

Batteries and chargers are no longer an afterthought. The charger becomes an integral part in the design of a product to provide risk management by knowing when to replace a battery. State-of-health (SoH) is of growing concern because the battery is often the least reliable part in a system and may need several replacements during the life of a product. Modern chargers are advancing to provide the much needed risk management in batteries.

Batteries are perishable and need replacement while still operational. Smart batteries contain vital state-of-health (SoH) information that is often hidden from battery users. The Supervisor reads this information to derive Minimal Operational Reserve Energy (MORE) by analyzing the FCC (Full Charge Capacity).

FCC represents the “digital capacity” of a smart battery that the Supervisor compares against the built-in Target Selector. Defaulted to 80%, the green SoH Light passes the battery if the set FCC level is met, amber records low data and prompts service, and red indicates failure. Service involves calibration by cycling the battery in the Supervisor or a battery analyzer. The target settings can be changed with a host.

As the label reveals, the Supervisor features several programs. Charge charges Li-ion in about two hours; longer with larger packs. Cycle tests and calibrates a battery by applying a full cycle; AirShip lowers state-of-charge for transport, and Storage relieve stress during prolonged storing. The Supervisor chargers one to four cells in series at 30W and 50W.

Smart batteries need calibration to maintain accurate readouts. If this cannot be done, manufacturers advise to fully discharge the battery in the device every three months or after 40 partial discharges. This service is often omitted and the SoH Light of the Supervisor reminds the user when calibration is needed.