BaSiCs,

Sizing software for

stationary applications

Installation and user guide

Summary

OVERVIEW 3

HOW TO INSTALL BASICS? 4

HOW TO ACTIVATE YOUR LICENSE (FROM TRIAL TO FULL VERSION) 5

PERFORM A QUICK IEEE/UPS SIZING, SAVE IT AND EDIT DOCUMENTS 7

PERFORM A QUICK STARTING SIZING, SAVE IT AND EDIT DOCUMENTS 8

PERFORM A QUICK PHOTOVOLTAIC SIZING, SAVE IT AND EDIT DOCUMENTS 10

PERFORM A QUICK LAYOUT SIZING, SAVE IT AND EDIT DOCUMENTS 11

CALCULATE A VENTILATION REQUIREMENTS ACCORDING TO IEC 62485-2 / EN

50272-2 AND EDIT DOCUMENT 12

DISPLAY A CELL DATA SHEET (FULL VERSION ONLY) 13

APPLICATION UPDATES 14

BUG REPORTING 15

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS 16

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Overview
BaSiCs Standalone Customer version is the new version of the battery sizing
software used for a number of years by Saft for stationary applications.

BaSiCs helps you to find easily and quickly the right battery from Saft wide range of
nickel–cadmium stationary batteries.

With BaSiCs, you have a direct access to:

• IEEE and UPS sizing method for stationary floating applications,
• starting sizing method for engine starting applications,
• photovoltaic sizing method for solar applications,
• layout to define one or several stands and the battery layout,
• cell data sheets to obtain details on a particular cell types

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How to install BaSiCs?
To install BaSiCs, unzip the file and save it in a folder on your computer.

Double click on the SaftBaSiCsSetup.exe and follow the different steps (To be able
to install BaSiCs, you needs an administrator’s profile)

By default, you will access to a trial version (for 30 days). This trial version will make
you able to perform battery and layout sizing.

A lot of more functionalities exists in the full version (sizing saving, cell data sheets,
battery and layout proposal details…)
To request an access to the full version, please use the Activation menu on BaSiCs
standalone version.

BaSiCs standalone version for customer has been developed to work on:
• Win XP SP3 32 bits
• Win7 32 bits et 64 bits
• Win 8 32 bits et 64 bits

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How to activate your license (from trial to full version)
By default, BaSiCs is installed as a trial version.
This version is available during 30 days but you can request for a full version to
access more functionalities.

NB: during all the trial phase, the Activation screen will be launched at your first
connection of the day.

To activate your full version, please go to Activation menu.

You are already a BaSiCs web user and you are connected to Internet

1. Just enter your login (e-mail address) and your BaSiCs password in the area “I
already have a BaSiCs account” and validate.

2. You will be automatically recognized and your license validated.

NB: You have forgotten your BaSiCs password, please connect to Basics web to
request it. (http://basics.saftbatteries.com).

You are not yet a BaSiCs web user and you are connected to Internet

1 Please complete the fields in the area “I’m a new customer” and click on
“create an account”. Your request will be automatically sent to a sales
representative.

2 Once your request is accepted, your account will be created and your BaSiCs
application will be updated during next launch.

NB: you can also verify your license status by clicking on Activation on BaSiCs menu.
NB: if you License status is not updated 15 days after your request, you will be able
to renew this request with a new button on the Activation screen.

You don’t have an Internet connection but have access to an e-mail box

1 Create a new account by completing the fields in the area “I’m a new
customers” and click on “create an account”

Or

Complete the fields Login/password in the area “I already have a BaSiCs

account” and validate

2 Follow the steps:

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 a. Copy the address basics.license@saftbatteries.com which appears in
the instruction screen
b. Click Ok to go to the next step
c. Save the lic-request-PC.lics (1) file on your computer.

3 Next time you have access to an e-mail box send the license request file to:
basics.license@saftbatteries.com.
NB: If you forget the e-mail address, it is accessible on the activation screen.

4 You will receive few days after your License validation file (Lic-response-
PC.lics (1)) by e-mail. You have to import this file on BaSiCs:
a. Save the license validation file on your computer
b. Launch BaSiCs
c. Click on Activation
d. In the area “I have requested a full version”, click on “Import my file”,
select it and then click on “Validate”

Congratulation! You have now access to the full version of BaSiCs standalone
version.

(1)
Lic-request-PC.lics and Lic-response-PC.lics : in the name of these files, PC will
be automatically renamed with the name of your PC

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Perform a quick IEEE/UPS sizing, save it and edit
documents
Stage 1: Click on “IEEE / UPS” in the “New Sizing” menu to create a sizing or open
an existing bzf or bzfs file. You can also click on the IEEE/UPS icon in the shortcuts
menu.

Stage 2: Complete the basics criteria in Step 1 (General) and Step 2 (Profile).

• The General tab requires a minimum of voltages to be entered.

• The Profile tab defines the discharge profile data.

Stage 3: click on “Size it“ to generate a battery sizing result. Tick the cells you want
to keep and click Select. If there is no result, then please check that there are no
errors in your input.

Stage 4 : Actions on configuration.

• Compare the IEEE 1115 battery sizing with the battery sizing after full charge
at constant current.
• Delete a configuration.( red cross in the column "Actions" of the results table)
• Add a layout to your configuration. For each result configuration you can
associate a layout. In the edit/modify column, click on “Layout“, complete the
fields and click on “Keep stand“.
• View Packaging.information (column « Edit/modify »)
• Calculate the ventilation requirements
• Edit documents (Full version only). In the « view details” column, click on a link
to open a pdf file with battery or layout proposal.

Stage 5 (Full version only): save your system in your computer. It will be saved in a
file with the extension .bzfs.

• Select « Save » on the menu Folder or click on the “Save” icon in the
shortcuts menu

Remarks:

• A folder can be composed by multiple sizing: multiple systems with multiple

configurations.

• You can save your sizing result in PDF files: click on « View details » in the
results table.

• Once you have saved your folder, you can save all documents relative to you
sizing in pdf format by clicking on the “Send to” button.

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Perform a quick starting sizing, save it and edit documents
Stage 1: Select starting on the « New sizing” menu or open an existing .bzf or .bzfs
file. You can also click on the “Starting” icon in the shortcuts menu.

Stage 2: Complete the basic criteria in Step 1 (General) and Step 2 (Advanced).

Stage 2.1: General tab

• Choose a manufacturer and model. Choosing this will automatically complete
the type, engine displacement and base cranking current. Note that it is
possible to override all these values and/or add a new manufacturer/model to
the database.
• Choose a starting voltage, this will be 12 V, 24 V or 32 V.
• Choose the number of starting motors. The default and normal value is one
starter motor.
• Choose a sizing standard. The normal options are STANDARD (for a main
powered charger) and ALERNATOR CHARGING (for an alternator charger).
The named standards are used if required by the application specifications.

Stage 2.2: Advanced tab

The Advanced tab is completed with standard values. Unless there are specific
considerations in the application, these can be left at the default values.

Stage 3: Click on “Size it“ to generate a battery sizing result. If there is no result, then
please check that there are no errors in your input.

Stage 4 : Actions on configuration.

• Delete a configuration.( red cross in the column "Actions" of the results table)
• Add a layout to your configuration. For each result configuration you can
associate a layout. In the edit/modify column, click on “Layout“, complete the
fields and click on “Keep stand“.
• View Packaging.information (column « Edit/modify »)
• Calculate the ventilation requirements
• Edit documents (Full version only). In the « view details” column, click on a link
to open a pdf file with battery or layout proposal.

Stage 5 (Full version only): save your system in your computer. It will be saved in a
file with the extension .bzfs.

• Select « Save » on the “Folder” menu or click on the “Save” icon in the
shortcuts menu

Remarks:

• A folder can be composed by multiple sizing: multiple systems with multiple

configurations.

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 • You can save your sizing result in PDF files: click on « View details » in the
results table.

• Once you have saved your folder, you can save all documents relative to you
sizing in pdf format by clicking on the “Send to” button.

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Perform a quick photovoltaic sizing, save it and edit
documents
Stage 1: Select “Photovoltaic“ on the sizing menu or open an existing .bzfs or .bzf
file. You can also click on the “Photovoltaïc” icon in the shortcuts menu.

Stage 2: Complete the basic criteria in Step 1 (General) and Step 2 (Environment).
• The General tab with the required information: daily energy need, back-up
time and nominal load voltage.
• The Environment tab (all data are optional).

Stage 3: Click on “Size it“ to generate a battery sizing result. If there is no result, then
please check that there are no errors in your input.

Stage 4 : Actions on configuration.

• Delete a configuration.( red cross in the column "Actions" of the results table)
• Add a layout to your configuration. For each result configuration you can
associate a layout. In the edit/modify column, click on “Layout“, complete the
fields and click on “Keep stand“.
• View Packaging.information (column « Edit/modify »)
• Edit documents (Full version only). In the « view details” column, click on a link
to open a pdf file with battery or layout proposal.

Stage 5 (Full version only): save your system in your computer. It will be saved in a
file with the extension .bzfs.

• Select « Save » on the “Folder” menu or click on the “Save” icon in the
shortcuts menu

Remarks:

• A folder can be composed by multiple sizing: multiple systems with multiple

configurations.

• You can save your sizing result in PDF files: click on « View details » in the
results table.

• Once you have saved your folder, you can save all documents relative to you
sizing in pdf format by clicking on the “Send to” button.

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Perform a quick layout sizing, save it and edit documents
Stage 1: Configuration. 2 options:
• Option 1: you have already sized a battery, so you don’t have to defined the
cell configuration, just go on Stage 2.
• Option 2: click on the “Layout“ icon on the shortcuts menu to create a sizing
or select an existing .bzfs file. Enter the range, the cell type and the number of
cells.
click Ok.

Stage 2: Decide if the battery is on floor mounted (no stand), need a normal stand, or
a seismic stand.
• For “no stand“, you have to define the number of rows.
• For “normal or seismic stands“, you have to choose a model in a list of stand
models proposed according to the chosen cell type.

Stage 3 (optional): define the available space.

Click on “Size it”.

Stage 4: actions on layout sizing results.

• View details – Stand graphics – gives an outline drawing of the chosen
stand.
• View details – Battery layout - gives the connection configuration and
arrangement of the battery.
• Edit – Modify: Calculate the ventilation requirements
• Actions – Delete allows the sizing result to be deleted.
• Actions – Modify allows modifications to be made to the result if needed.

Stage 5 (Full version only): save your system in your computer. It will be saved in a
file with the extension .bzfs.

• Select « Save » on the “Folder” menu or click on the “Save” icon in the
shortcuts menu

Remarks:

• A folder can be composed by multiple sizing: multiple systems with multiple

configurations.

• You can save your sizing result in PDF files: click on « View details » in the
results table.

• Once you have saved your folder, you can save all documents relative to you
sizing in pdf format by clicking on the “Send to” button.

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Calculate a ventilation requirements according to IEC
62485-2 / EN 50272-2 and edit document
Stage 1: Configuration.
2 options:

• Option 1: you have already sized a battery, so you don’t have to define the
cell configuration, just go on Stage 2.

• Option 2: Select ‘Ventilation’ menu or click on the “Ventilation“ icon on the

shortcuts menu. Enter the range, the cell type and the number of cells.

Stage 2: Enter the battery accommodation dimensions

Stage 3: Click on “Edit” to generate the ventilation calculation sheet. It can be printed
or saved as a pdf document.

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Display a cell data sheet (Full version only)
Stage 1: Click on “Cell data sheet” on the top menu or in the shortcuts menu

Stage 2: Choose the range and the cell type.

Stage 3: Click on “Search“ to display the datasheet of the chosen product.

The cell data sheet can be printed or saved as a pdf document.

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Application updates

You are connected to Internet

When a data update is available, a Microsoft Windows notification will appear in the
bottom bar of your computer. Update will be done automatically after the next launch
of the application.

When application update is available, a Microsoft Windows will appear in the bottom
of your computer.
The message will ask you to download the new installation kit, to close the
application and will automatically update BaSiCs. Please, follow the instruction.

You don’t have an Internet connection

Updates will be sent to you by e-mail in a new installation kit.

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Bug reporting
If you find a bug please, send us the information below at the e-mail address:
basics@saftbatteries.com.
We will contact you as soon as possible to find a solution or we will send you a patch
to correct the problem.

The files we need to identify and correct the problem:

• Screen shot of the error message
• Screen shot of the « About” windows to know the version of the application
• The files Refdata-saft.sdf et Basics.lics. You will find them on the folder:
o For Windows 7 et 8: C:\ProgramData\Basics
o For Windows XP : C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\basics
• The files Basics.prfs, Basics.mmds, Trace-saft_yymmjj.log, You will find
them on the folder:
o For Windows 7 and Windows 8:
C:\users\[nomutilisateur]\appdata\roaming\basics
o For Windows XP, dans le répertoire : C:\Documents and
Settings\[username]\Application Data\basics

Thanks for your understanding.

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Keyboard Shortcuts

Actions on folders
Ctrl+E Properties
Ctr+S Save
Ctr+O Open
Alt+F4 Exit
Actions on sizing
Ctrl+I New IEEE/UPS sizing
Ctrl+T New Starting sizing
Ctrl+P New photovoltaïc sizing
Ctrl+L New layout
My profil
Ctrl+F Preferences

F1 Help

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