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

[Irving]

Hi Irwin,

Thanks a lot. I followed your suggestion and the charger is working.

Glad to hear it.

[Burgerman]

Also windows loads and reserves drivers for devices no longer used or needed. In this case com ports, serial port drivers etc.

So in device manager, at the top menu bar, you should go to SHOW HIDDEN DEVICES, then uninstall every device that is in that tree that is greyed out. In thi case of com ports, it means you may have loads of the lower numbers reserved for other devices and configurations you no longer need. This stops the default lower port numbers from being used.

This is basic how to drive a computer stuff. But it causes many people issues. Once the reserved com ports are gone any port selected thats not already in use will work normally.

[steves1977uk]

I use this tool to get rid of old drivers in Win10... https://github.com/lostindark/DriverStoreExplorer

It uninstalls and removes drivers from the driver store, freeing up disk space. Quite a handy tool.

Steve

[Burgerman]

But does that also remove reserverved serial port numbers in device manager too?

Check the hidden devices.

[steves1977uk]

Just now tried uninstalling my USB-to-Serial COM Ports and it doesn't remove the previous ports that were used. Maybe if I had've rebooted it would've done.

Steve

[Irving]

On many PC you won't find drivers for Com1 and Com2 because these are legacy hardware and are directly supported by the BIOS. Which is why it's always a good idea to avoid these Com ports. Com3 is the most likely to be the first usable port but is often allocated in legacy BIOS for serial mouse. Which is why it's often better to manually connect usb serial to ports 6 upwards. Yes, you can delete drivers as BM advocates.

[Burgerman]

Deleting drivers only happens if you choose to tick a box when you choose "uninstall". They stay in the repository so that if you plug that device in at a later date, say a removable USB stick or something then its there and works instantly.

Com port reservation by device isnt anything to do with drivers. Windows just reserves com ports behind the scenes so that if you plug in a device the number remains the same. Or if you connect via blutooth etc. It reserves the numbers for each different hardware serial number.

So.. I have found PCs where the first 12 to 14 com port numbers were automatically reserved for other devices. So unusable. But some older software such as the Mobility Programmer, is limited to 1 to 8, so no way to connect at all.

So uninstalling hidden reserved port numbers is always a good idea.

[Furio]

Hi all,

PL8 trips on safety code 4(supply trouble)when charging at 30 Amps, but works fine at 20Amps. Power supply ZXD-2400, set at 29V, 40 amps.What gives?

[Burgerman]

Set it to 24V and 50A out, tell me what it does. This is why adjustable voltage supplies are best.

I imagine that you are running across the buck boost transition problem.

[shirley_hkg]

24 or 31.

[Furio]

I set ZXD-2400 per BM. Charger is not tripping, but the charging current is not going up to 30amps, varies between 20-13 amp; may be as the battery is charged >75% by then.

[Burgerman]

Yes, once cv voltage is reached current falls away.

Also check input supply PL8 settings, set amps to 48.

[Furio]

Hi BM,

Today tried to charge another set of battery that is about 70% discharged, first at 30V 30Amps input, but tripped on Error Code 4(Supply Unstable) after 9minutes. Then restarted at 24V 30Amps, again tripped on same Error Code 4 ater 12 minutes.In both instances, the charging current comes down from the set value after 3 minutes.

Please have a look at the supply voltage and current grafs.

[Furio]

And this too.

[Burgerman]

Those look like a bad connection. Power supply to wall, maybe where the AC plug enters the supply. Or wall. Or between the PL8 and the power supply.

Failing that the power supply has a fault or similar bad connection internally.

[Scooterman]

I recharge and park my scooter outside in the summer, as it frees up room in the flat. Hence I don't like leaving the macbook outside for 3-4 hrs.

These are the screens at the end of charge.

Does the PL8 reset to zero when it gets to 100Ah? I guess the ;5.23Ah is really 15.23Ah as the PL8 Ah tends to read higher than the PSU Ah

Also what does the 49,700 number signify?

[Burgerman]

Does the PL8 reset to zero when it gets to 100Ah?
No.

I guess the ;5.23Ah is really 15.23Ah as the PL8 Ah tends to read higher than the PSU Ah
No clue, I have never bothered to look at it, the display is oo small to be any use and stuff will get abrievieted or run out of digits Use a PC.

Also what does the 49,700 number signify?
Not got a clue. Probably mA. So almost 50Ah.

[Burgerman]

What profile are you using?

[Scooterman]

Err I can't remember, one of yours but slightly modified for my cells. I set termination current to (360mA) and the charge rate 36A. Everything else is yours. It's probably something like 1-8 cells 100Ah but I can't remember. I can't remember much nowadays

Next time I charge I'll save the preset and post it here

[ex-Gooserider]

On many PC you won't find drivers for Com1 and Com2 because these are legacy hardware and are directly supported by the BIOS. Which is why it's always a good idea to avoid these Com ports. Com3 is the most likely to be the first usable port but is often allocated in legacy BIOS for serial mouse. Which is why it's often better to manually connect usb serial to ports 6 upwards. Yes, you can delete drivers as BM advocates.

Old, but worth noting that most BIOS setups seem to allow you to disable the built in support for the legacy Com and LPT ports, which hopefully would free them up for use w/ USB hardware, but I've never really experimented....

ex-Gooserider

[Scooterman]

Is there a way I can put a few days worth of juice back in the battery while I’m waiting for the new watch to arrive?

[Burgerman]

Dont understand the question.

[expresso]

i think he means - juice back in the watch battery till he gets a new watch - maybe his battery died on the watch -

[expresso]

http://www.usastore.revolectrix.com/Pro ... S/GT1200_2

how bad can this charger be for this price as a back up to the PL 8 ?

does anyone have one of them - it does come with software PC also -

Can you make the presets for this one also BM ?

[Burgerman]

Potentially You COULD but you will need to first find out what type of battery it is. Then set the PL8 to 5mA, which is still a lot for a tiny battery. And then just run it for say 20 mins as a 1s aaa battery. And CLEAN the battery and the connections.

Be very careful though. They are not vented. So may explode. rap it in a rag... If it gets more than vaguely warm, stop... Of course they are not really meant to be rechargable. But they are a little. They are also about 1 pound for half a dozen on eBay.

[Burgerman]

http://www.usastore.revolectrix.com/Pro ... S/GT1200_2

how bad can this charger be for this price as a back up to the PL 8 ?

does anyone have one of them - it does come with software PC also -

Can you make the presets for this one also BM ?

NO computer control, no software, no way to set anything correctly, no presets other than built is, so pretty bad! It may or may not do something. It certainly wont be right.

[expresso]

i was under the impression it did have PC software to control it - i guess in that case - would be a pain - i wonder if anyone has one or used one before just curious

i guess not - most likely would have said something if someone had it - for the cost - if it had PC control may have been worth it as a back etc,

[Scooterman]

Potentially You COULD but you will need to first find out what type of battery it is. Then set the PL8 to 5mA, which is still a lot for a tiny battery. And then just run it for say 20 mins as a 1s aaa battery. And CLEAN the battery and the connections.

Be very careful though. They are not vented. So may explode. rap it in a rag... If it gets more than vaguely warm, stop... Of course they are not really meant to be rechargable. But they are a little. They are also about 1 pound for half a dozen on eBay.

Thank you I shall have a go tomorrow, it'll be a learning experience!

Btw the watch in the photo and the new watch on order are Casio's classic MQ-24bll and are only a few quid. I think the new one cost £6.95 and should be here in a few days. The watch strap and case is a sort of rubberised plastic and the strap breaks after about 3 years. I never take it off so wonder if perhaps ultra-violet light and the salts in sweat degrade the plastic strap? If you look carefully in the photo the strap and been repaired with elasticated plaster tape. The watches are so cheap it's not worth buying new batteries, but they keep good time and are water resistant.

[Burgerman]

I threw away my watch decades ago. Why?

Theres one on the wall in my bedroom, kitchen everywhere I go in fact, clocks!

Theres also one displayed on my powerchairs.
And one in my phone on the front...
And one in my laptop, and in my PC.
And one in my 4X PL8, 3X Hyperions, 4x cameras, in my 2 TVs, my fridge, my oven, my microwave, my central heating wall programmer, my van in 3 places, my satnav, radio, hifi, RC transmitter, my PC printer glowing blue, and my fluke logging multimeter, even my stupid electric razor, and my 2 washing machines! And more. I really dont see the point of adding another on my arm.

[Scooterman]

Have you never fancied a highly engineered chronograph BM? Think of the engineering!!!

Go on you know you want to buy one, use your PIP money