Features
5A linear, 30A "Dyna-Pulse" discharge modes
Ni-CD and Ni-MH compatible, 4- to 6-cells
External leads for discharging stick packs (4-9 cells)
Adjustable cutoff 0.2-1.0V
Blue backlit LCD display
Positive clamp-down 4- to 6-cell sub "C" pack
holder
Internal cooling fan
Runs on 2 "AA" batteries
Testing
Obviously, to test a battery discharger you discharge a bunch of
batteries. Along with my daily office routine, I had the DPD
running practically all day long. Using my variety of 6-cell
Ni-Cds and Ni-MH packs, I charged them all first, then
discharged each one with the DPD. The DPD, unlike other active
dischargers I've used, is self-contained and requires no
external power source. Instead, the DPD does all of its goodness
running off of two "AA" batteries. Usage of the DPD
can be learned within seconds, thanks to the simple yet
intuitive menus that flash on the brightly backlit LCD screen.
You simply select discharge mode, tell the DPD if you're
discharging a side-by-side pack inside the cradle or a stick
pack (connected to the DPD externally by built-in alligator
clips), select a cut-off voltage, and the DPD does the rest.
And do the rest it did. The DPD discharged all of my packs with
little fuss, only beeping at the end to let me know that the job
was done. The results screen gives a lot of information:
discharge time, average voltage, capacity, and internal
resistance--not only for the pack, but also for each individual
cell. This is a plus when you're trying to see how balanced your
high-dollar packs really are. The DPD's last recall feature is
also a plus: Even if the unit has been turned off, with the push
of a button you can get the results info from the last pack you
discharged. Throughout testing I did run into instances where
the DPD would only read 4 of the 6 cells in the cradle, but this
was due to bad positioning of the pack. If you fit the pack
properly into the molded cell recesses in the DPD, it will read
all 6 cells fine.
Conclusion
For those of you who maintain your battery packs like it is a
religion, you're going to definitely want to go check out the
Trinity DPD. The $120 street price isn't an issue, given the
wealth of information per individual cell that the DPD gives the
user. Also consider that other active dischargers that are a few
bucks less than the DPD require a separate power supply, so this
could easily break past the DPD's price point. I'm happy to say
that the Trinity DPD is a great and very useful discharger that
is easy to work with and does a lot more than just blink lights
at you! |
|
 |
HITS
|
Gives a wealth of information
for each cell
Self-powered convenience
Clamps hold packs tightly
 |
MISSES
|
Cells must be aligned
carefully when clamped down
MANUFACTURER: Trinity
PHONE: 732.635.1600
ADDRESS: 36
Median Road, Edison, NJ 08820
PART NUMBER(S): TRI22003
STREET PRICE: $120
|