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

[steves1977uk]

Ah yes, that would explain why it failed. Have you tried recovering it with the standard 1m USB cable that comes with the FUIM3? I'm sure it can be recovered.

Steve

[Burgerman]

You may need to ty a dozen times, but i should always be possible.

[shirley_hkg]

Any particular sequence would you recommend ?

[Burgerman]

The last time I did that I used a special bit of software that is meant for flashing firmware on all kinds of things. And I cannot remember what it was called. I have flashed and used many many beta firmwares while testing with the beta testing teams. Long ago. But you should be able to do it with the normal PL8 software, even if it needs the "fix firmware" thing enabled.

Although I never had to use that. I just did it as per normal. It was power cycled, seen correctly in the device manager as port 2 and 3 in my case. You need to disable one of thee two ports if it doesent work. One at a time, and restart everything before trying again. It MUST write to the correct port.

Then it should work normally again. If a firmware update fails, the boot loader is not affected. So it should be recoverable.

[shirley_hkg]

Woody , Scooterman , the first batch of PL8 make their way ashore finally.

[woodygb]

Hi Shirley,

The PL8 arrived today.

Many thanks.

[shirley_hkg]

Looking forward to your FUIM3 clone.

[Burgerman]

Dont fget, update to 3.6, its got a couple of new chemistries, and a few bug fixes and a much faster ramp up time when charge begins. And a few overvolt errors removed. So that FMA charging via balance wires (no banana connectors needed) works more reliably and a few other tweaks.

3.4 3.5 and 3.6 all work OK though. If you scare easily! (Hello shirley). Just not before those.

[Burgerman]

Since the company no longer exists. Theres never going to be any more firmware updated beyong 3.6 so we should all be using that, updated with a FUIM3 so its all safe and running.

Then theres literally no point in a FUIM3 at all because the BT module mod done internally is all self contained, needs no wires, works better. So really a cloned fuim3 is ultimately pointless. And a BT module is the way to go. I have 2 converted ones. And dont use the other two that need plugging in MUCH, as its a bind!

[shirley_hkg]

That's quite right if it is 3.34 … 3.36 already. A plug-in type BT module will be nice .

[Burgerman]

No an INTERNAL one with no wires etc. Makes a better more compact all in one self powered invisible fix.

[steves1977uk]

It's a pity FMA/Revolectrix didn't put the source code for CCS up on Github, then people could release future versions and bugfix/improve the software further.

Steve

[shirley_hkg]

Steve , your PL8 shall arrive anytime .

[woodygb]

Looking forward to your FUIM3 clone.

I have ordered an Optically Isolated USB-UART Adapter from ZeptoBit and will test when it arrives.

https://zeptobit.com/index.php?product=7

In the meantime I tried a standard non optically isolated USB-UART Adapter with the addition of a Schottky diode.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AZDelivery-FT2 ... 0753H4SQS/

This appears to work just fine.

[steves1977uk]

Steve , your PL8 shall arrive anytime .

Got my first PL8 from Shirley today. Thanks Shirley!

Steve

[woodygb]

Looking forward to your FUIM3 clone.

https://zeptobit.com/index.php?product=7

The Zeptobit Optically Isolated USB-UART Adapter arrived and has been tested.

It works fine without any additional components, it just needs the soldering on of the servo extension lead.... I believe that this is the closest that one could get to the original FUIM3.

The version that arrived has 6 contact pads not 8 as shown on the web page .

Pad 1 [ 3.3 - 5v ] is not used .
Pad 2 [ Jumper ] and Pad 3 [ V_I/O ] are both connected to the RED positive wire.
Pad 4 [ TX ] and Pad 5 [ RX ] are also both connected and go to the WHITE signal wire.
Pad 6 [ GND ] is connected to the BLACK wire.

[shirley_hkg]

BRAVO

so simple .

Now you can get a FUIM3 replica from woodgb.

[Burgerman]

Or straight from https://zeptobit.com/index.php?product=7

[shirley_hkg]

Another nice set of PL8 has crossed the Indian ocean , baking the Mediterranean heat .

[Burgerman]

Thats a really slow boat!

[LROBBINS]

Is that mine?

[Furio]

Hi all,

The slow boat has safely reached the US, crossing the hazardous waters of pacific and the international dateline with its high value cargo of PL 8 charger and delivered to the consignee. Thank you shirley_hkg.

[shirley_hkg]

Is that mine?
YES.

Hi all,

The slow boat has safely reached the US, crossing the hazardous waters of pacific and the international dateline with its high value cargo of PL 8 charger and delivered to the consignee. Thank you shirley_hkg.

[shirley_hkg]

That's a really slow boat !

Very true !

Luckily not any of the 9 units I shipped were lost in transit , that one is still at sea though.

[Scooterman]

They were well package too Shirley.

So much so that I store the PL8 in the packaging you sent it in, as a back up should one of my other two go kaput.

[shirley_hkg]

Now you have 4 ?
That's too many .

[Burgerman]

He is not alone! I have 3 in use, one never opened. And 2 are BT.

And 2 of them are used every day for one thing or another. One mostly for discharging, and hobby stuff, cameras etc, other for mobility use. One in my van for both while out. One spare.

ALL are now getting on in years. Some charged thousands of batteries. Never a problem. So far! I put this down to GOOD power supplies. Either shirley ZXD or my big bench variable power supplies. (https://uk.farnell.com/digimess/sm3040/ ... dp/1076813) Or a 12/24V battery. Crappy supplies = unexpected deaths... Its not that they are not stabLe enough (except at start up and shut down) but noise, high frequencies, ringing, etc that you cant see. So use a good quality power supply.

The PL8 unlike most hobby chargers has very high levels of input and output electrical protection. They dont tend to die if connected in the wrong order like most do. Even so, connect input power first. Then balance. Then Bananna connectors. If possible. And while they are reverse polarity protected on the output try not to do it! Esp with high cell counts. And never connect the input in reverse... Also chop off that awful blue connector and fit something that makes proper contact or you may kill the charger from electrical noise or melt the connector. Use anderson or at least a XT60/90 of decent quality. And never 4mm bananas on the input end...

[Scooterman]

So is it...

Connecting: Switch on PSU - Supply - Balance - Power

Disconnecting: Power - Balance - Supply - switch off PSU?

[steves1977uk]

Yes, that's correct SM. Although an AIO connector is easier since the balancing/power wires are unplugged/plugged in at the same time.

Steve

[Scooterman]

Yes, that's correct SM. Although an AIO connector is easier since the balancing/power wires are unplugged/plugged in at the same time.

Steve

Thanks Steve.

Yes of course you're right about the AIO connector, I use them.

I was thinking about the power and balance PL8 terminals sequence. But of course it doesn't matter because the AIO connector should always be connected last and disconnected first. Otherwise you get big sparks! Which happened to me once when I disconnected the banana plugs first and they accidentally brushed together.