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User Safety And Daily Use

Do's, Don'ts, and Charging Care

A user-friendly safety and operation checklist for day-to-day charging. This page turns the manual into a practical reference you can follow before connecting, while charging, and before calling support.

Critical: Never open the charger, never use a damaged unit, and never guess polarity during Activation Mode. Reverse-polarity damage during activation is not covered under warranty.

Operating Snapshot

These are the everyday limits and charge-order rules that matter most in the field.

Area Requirement Practical Note
AC supply 170 Vac to 270 Vac L-N | Single phase L+N+E | 50 Hz | 16A max Use a healthy, properly earthed socket sized for the charger current.
Environment -30 C to 50 C | 5% to 95% RH | below 2000 m altitude Full output is available up to 45 C ambient, then output reduces until 50 C.
Charge order Connect DC to vehicle first, then AC to the socket, then switch on At end of charge, switch off AC first, then remove the DC connector.
Ventilation Minimum 10 cm clearance on all sides Never cover the vents or insert objects into them.
Standard Charge Sequence
1
Connect the charger output DC connector to the vehicle inlet.
2
Connect the charger input 16A plug to the supply socket.
3
Switch on the socket power supply.
4
Check the vehicle app or battery for charging status.
5
At the end of charge, switch off the socket power supply first.
6
Remove the charger output DC connector from the vehicle inlet.
7
Wrap the cables carefully and store the charger in a dry, clean location.

What You Should Do

These practices reduce nuisance faults, protect the battery, and help the charger deliver full performance.

Before Charging

Recommended
  • Use only the charger specified by the OEM or dealer for the battery chemistry and pack voltage in the vehicle.
  • Inspect the AC plug, DC connector, and both cables before every charge. Stop if anything is cracked, frayed, bent, corroded, or heat-marked.
  • Use a properly earthed socket with healthy grounding and separated neutral and earth conductors.
  • Keep the plug, socket, and connector pins clean, straight, and dry before connecting.

During Charging

Recommended
  • Keep the charger well ventilated with clear airflow around the fins and vents.
  • Watch for normal states: red flashing during bulk charge, green steady when charge is complete.
  • If ambient temperature is above 45 C, expect reduced output current. This is normal thermal derating.
  • If there is smoke, unusual sound, burning smell, or a repeated critical fault, disconnect AC immediately.

Storage And Care

Recommended
  • Store the charger in a dry, clean place when not in use.
  • Unplug the charger before cleaning.
  • Clean vents with a dry cloth, dry brush, or gentle compressed air every 3 to 6 months.
  • Lift and carry the charger by its body, not by the AC or DC cables.

When To Escalate

Recommended
  • After 3 correct restart attempts with AC off for 30 seconds between attempts, stop and contact support.
  • If a relay fault or internal fault appears, remove the charger from service immediately.
  • If activation fails after 3 correct attempts, have the battery professionally assessed.
  • If repeated thermal faults occur in good ventilation and normal ambient conditions, contact service.

What You Should Never Do

These are the actions most likely to create safety risk, charger damage, or warranty exclusion.

Electrical Donts
  • Do not open, disassemble, repair, tamper with, or modify the charger. It is not user-serviceable.
  • Do not use a damaged cable, bent plug, cracked enclosure, or a charger that fails to operate normally.
  • Do not use unearthed adapters or defeat the protective earth connection.
  • Do not use private generators or unstable AC sources for charging.
  • Do not use an extension cord to power the charger unless it is correctly rated and within the allowed length.
Handling Donts
  • Do not pull the charger by the cord. Always grasp the plug when disconnecting.
  • Do not twist, drag, tangle, crush, sharply bend, or step on the cables.
  • Do not lift the charger using the input or output cable.
  • Do not force the connector, fold the cable sharply, or poke metallic objects into any connector.
Environment Donts
  • Do not expose live parts or connectors to rain, water spray, or continuous water flow.
  • Do not spray any liquid onto the charger handle or the AC plug.
  • Do not install or operate the charger near flammable, explosive, harsh, or combustible materials, chemicals, or vapours.
  • Do not cover the charger vents with clothes, books, packaging, or any other material.
Battery Donts
  • Do not connect the wrong charger profile or wrong charger voltage to the battery.
  • Do not charge frozen or non-rechargeable batteries.
  • Do not continue charging a pack that smells strongly, vents gas, or shows obvious battery-side damage.
  • Do not keep retrying activation on a battery that has already failed 3 correct wake-up attempts.

Warranty-Sensitive Actions

The following actions are specifically called out in the manual and service guide as high-risk or excluded situations.

Avoid These Completely
  • Opening the charger or allowing unauthorised service work.
  • Artificially cut, modified, or damaged cables and connectors.
  • Surge damage or misuse of the AC supply.
  • Reverse polarity connection during Activation Mode.
  • Using the wrong charger or wrong charging profile for the battery.
Warranty coverage is generally 3 years or 50,000 km, whichever comes first, for a single user. Service replacement timing begins after the faulty unit reaches the Solterra service warehouse and passes root-cause review.
Next: How the Charger Works