PL 8 - Q and A section - How to Set up - Use etc,

[Burgerman]

Not spectaculary expensive. They are off eBay, ex demo. Around 190 each. But you only need one. You can set any voltage or max amps. So they are usable as a 0 to 40A CC/CV battery charger directly. But I use them for loads of things. Right now I am ordering some more electro plating materials. and annodising dyes etc.

And I even used one for heating up a wire to cut a wing core with a hot wire from foam last week for a freind. Sort of multi use. Right now they are charging the bot so I can test some more of the code from lenny. And then my chair directly as I type!


Just looked. Ex demo, stupid price! Have they gone up! http://www.digimessinstruments.co.uk/exdemo/
I paid under 150 for one and 199 for the other, as new.

[Gnomatic]

I think my supply is dying. After a few minutes charging, it stops and I'm getting "SAFETY CODE 15 : System SOFTSTART" on the charger.

I have another 24v PSU on hand I can try, but one of its two server PSU's has already croaked in it, so it only runs @12v now. But it still worked with the PL8 fine last time I used it.

[Burgerman]

https://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76588

Another with a similar issue when using a lithium battery as supply. But I would put money on that being a pack with a BMS cuitting off power!

So its likely your power supply. Not keen on server ones. Some seem OK. Others problematic.

[snaker]

@BM: I am assembling the pack, it will be done soon. Can you create for me a preset?

Here is the pack's info:
- 150Ah@24V, 16 x 75Ah prismatic cells
- 12V/780W power supply

[Burgerman]

I can. 12V supply?

Set power supply to the highest voltage it can do. 13 is better than 12...
Set SUPPLY tab on the software to Min voltage 10V
Set max Amps to 60 (65 is the theoretical max the power supply can do so it leaves a little extra room)

The charge amps is set to 23A as that approx the most the power supply can do. So a full charge at 150Ah is going to take 6 to 7 hours. Better to find a higher voltage supply.

[snaker]

Yes, the supply is a 12V server PSU.

I downloaded your preset. I am watching its parameters.

I have some questions:
1. In the "Detection" tab, the "cells" is actually "Auto Detect". Can I change it to "8 cells only" to prevent mistakes.
2. In the "Discharge" tab, "Apms" and Voltage are actually "3.75A" and "2.50V". Can I set them to "10A", "3.20V"?

[Burgerman]

Yes. 8S. I charge 6 and 7s batteries too.

Discharge is limited to 10A or 100 watts max. 25.6 Volts aprox is 3.75A/100 WATTS and so thats why its set to this. If you want to discharge at higher amps then you need a big battery to discharge all that energy into or a load of somekind.

Its set to 2.5V minimum to measure full discharge capacity. You can set it higher if you want. But that wont fully discharge them.

After the first 5 or 6 charges you can drop charge voltage from 3.600v to 3.550 or even 3.500 if you want. But it will take more time to end CV and balance less well/slower.

[snaker]

For a 3.75A discharge current, PL8 would need about 40 hours to discharge the pack to empty. Would be it fine if I leave PL8 discharge the pack continuously in 40 hours?

[Burgerman]

I do. Dont do that yet. Take out say 40Ah. Then recharge at a higher rate like 20A.

[CPguy]

Hi guys,

I looking for a UK source for the PL 8 v2 as they all seem to be out of stock. Can someone please post a link? Please also post a link to other stuff I need like extention cables, etc. I have a power supply.

I also need a UK source for a 12 pin serial plug like burgerman uses. Any ideas please?

If the PL 8 v2 is not on sale anymore can someone recommend a decent alternative please?

Thank you very much for your help!

[Burgerman]

Nobody flies planes and helis in winter. Hence no stocks. But in stock here? https://www.align-trex.co.uk/dc-1350w-o ... pl8v2.html
Or call these! http://optipower.co.uk/Products/optipower-resellers/

I buy cheaper from here anyway:
http://www.store.revolectrix.com/Produc ... rkstations

Be sure to get a few 1 meter long 9 pin 8S balance extention cables, and a USB connection adapter! As carriage on these alone is a killer.

No other hobby charger comes close so far. If they stop making these I am buying a couple more fast!

[CPguy]

Dear Burgerman,

thank you for your fast reply! Is this the USB adapter required? http://www.store.revolectrix.com/Produc ... t-II/FUIM3

I can not find extension cables on this site. May I ask for a link please, I feel silly.

[Burgerman]

http://www.store.revolectrix.com/Produc ... sion-Cable

These allow you to connect the balance port of the charger, and make life simple. I would get a few. The connector is not very common.

http://www.store.revolectrix.com/Produc ... Plug-Cable These are the only safe connectors that work at 40A but I get a bag on ebay for that price and make my own cables.

[CPguy]

Dear Burgerman,

thank you for the links! I am truly grateful!

Where did you get your 12 pin connector please where you combine charging and balancer cables in one plug please?

[Burgerman]

Various places sell those. Mine were from rs components. If you look at the lithium pinned thread, and have a bit of patience as there are many types, part numbers. Some are lower current etc.

[CPguy]

Thank you very much! Good night!

[Burgerman]

Found them...

Some here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1813&start=580
Specifically here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1813&start=620#p65856

And the next 3 or 4 pages, but you should spend a night or two reading the whole thread...

[snaker]

I have Dsub shells of both plastic and metal. Which ones are better? I know metal ones are more sturdy but I worry about insulation.

[shirley_hkg]

I prefer plastic .

Fill them up with hot glue , and they are bullet proof .

[snaker]

Is blue-tack clay good to fill empty void inside a DSub shell in place of silicon glue?

[Burgerman]

I dont fill with anything. Once bolted together, the cable is clamped. Nothing can move.

[Gnomatic]

The metal ones expresso and I used seem perfectly fine,

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/e ... ND/3078433

http://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=nor1189-nd

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/e ... ND/1104243

As BM said with all the cables, inside sleeving and heat shrink, the shell closes tightly around around everything and there's little concern anything inside can move. Its all very well secured at that point.

[expresso]

A while back somewhere it was posted some links to the plastic shells - i took a look and ordered a few to see if they were any good - it was a mistake -- i didnt like them being plastic - dont feel durable enough to me - being handled all the time - also the shell itself is different so the room inside was tigher - making it harder to route the wires and close it -

if you ask me - not worth saving a few dollars at this point - first you may only need a handful in a lifetime if done right - i plan to make a few more in the winter as spares - Charger side -

[LROBBINS]

A problem with "standard" plastic DB shells is that they let water in. The metal ones I'm now using (for normal DB connectors) have tight fitting ferrules rather than cable clamps and are much better sealed.

[snaker]

So most members here vote for metal shells

I just tried to fit a metal shell. There are 2 small pieces that I do not know where to put them. Do you recognize them? Where are they placed?

[sad_vampire]

Washers that go between the body of the D-Sub and the thumbscrew/screw that holds the D-Sub connectors (male & female) together.

https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/O ... s-l225.jpg

[expresso]

So most members here vote for metal shells

I just tried to fit a metal shell. There are 2 small pieces that I do not know where to put them. Do you recognize them? Where are they placed?

2017-10-19_1641.jpg

that shell looks its a nice size - roomy inside for the wiring - where did you get that one ? do you have a link to it by any chance - curious to take a look at it -

would you have a picture of how it looks inside with the wiring all done - ? to see how the wiring fits in there -

thanks

[snaker]

@expresso: Here is the picture of inside. My dad soldered this DSub, how does it look? I bought 2 pairs on taobao.com through a link that Steve or Sherly had posted here. In reality it is smaller than it looks in the picture. Comparing to your branded Dsub, it is not as good as yours. You can see it is not insulating painted.

[snaker]

After the first 5 or 6 charges you can drop charge voltage from 3.600v to 3.550 or even 3.500 if you want. But it will take more time to end CV and balance less well/slower.

I like to decrease the charge voltage down to 3.550V to check if the charging voltage graph gets better. Is the "charge voltage" in the Charge tab as in the picture below? Do I need to change any other parameters to match with the new charge voltage 3.550V?

[Burgerman]

Correct. But dont do that till you have everything working and completely balanced as it reduces balance accuracy and speed too.