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powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2018, 00:46
by firehopper
I just ordered a powerlab 8
what I want to know is what size the banana jacks are. so I make sure I get the right ones, I cant seem to find this info out.
going to be using it for rc lipos and some 12 volt 7ah gel cells for my flashlight. and the occasional nicd

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2018, 01:58
by Burgerman
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10Pcs-Red-Bl ... SwlLlcBjTS

Use only these. Cant be shorted, and unlike most stay cool at 40A...

Get a balance cable and board, from revolectrix, to suit 8S, and FUIM3.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2018, 02:06
by firehopper
I have the fuim3 already, got it a while ago for use with a cellpro 10s :) dont think I can use the balance boards I have for use with the 10s with the pl8.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2018, 19:20
by firehopper
Well since I've been bored, I've been working on creating a schematic from the fuim3 I have, and its fairly simple. I wont be able to complete it, as I would have to take everything off the board to see the vias and traces under the ftdi chip. and usb port, and I dont want to do that because its the only one I have :) dont have confidence that I could put it back together and have it work :) but I have 1/2 of it traced out, easy, the side that connects to the charger was rather simple. and kinda neat the way they get data to and from it via one wire :)
white is data, red is power from charger, and black is of course ground. I'll be adding a schematic eventually just give me a bit of time.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2018, 20:15
by Burgerman
You may be interested to see the bluetooth conversion I did on the old hyperion.

https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/hyperi ... ersion.htm

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2018, 20:54
by firehopper
nice job!

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 08 Dec 2018, 01:25
by snaker
@firehopper: I am interested in your job of hacking the fuim3 board. I am experimenting esp32 boards. They are very cheap but powerful and have built-in wifi/bluetooth. It would be nice and useful if we could connect an esp32 directly to the PL8 base.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 08 Dec 2018, 02:43
by Burgerman
You can use the output 3 pin to work a very cheap Bluetooth module directly. But need a 5v power supply. You can get that inside the PL8.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 08 Dec 2018, 13:54
by firehopper
snaker wrote:@firehopper: I am interested in your job of hacking the fuim3 board. I am experimenting esp32 boards. They are very cheap but powerful and have built-in wifi/bluetooth. It would be nice and useful if we could connect an esp32 directly to the PL8 base.

well I'm not hacking it. I just made a schematic of the interface. and actually the part I finished is prolly usefull enough for you. its a horrible schematic. but it does show what you need to know. let me tidy it up a lil bit and I'll post it. basicly need a 3.3volt ldo reg, some caps and a diode, and some optocouplers :)

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 08 Dec 2018, 17:54
by firehopper
hey burgerman, where can I find your pl8 settings, I havent managed to find them for if I want to charger the chair batteries via the pl8

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 08 Dec 2018, 18:54
by Burgerman
Will post one here if you tell me battery Ah, and type, and are you charging via 12A max XLR, or via anderson?

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 09 Dec 2018, 02:40
by firehopper
I'll look at the batterys when I get a chance, chair is out in the garage :), there are already andersons on the batterys, the chair uses them to connect to the controll module. just gotta get a set of those monsters for myself :) and maybe keep the batteries inside where its warmer than outside.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 09 Dec 2018, 11:32
by Burgerman
Will post one here if you tell me battery Ah, and type, and are you charging via 12A max XLR, or via anderson?


And what charge rate?

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 10 Dec 2018, 01:04
by firehopper
well at this point in time I only have a 12volt 25 and 60 amp power supplys.. no 24volt supply as of yet. so maybe only 10 amp for now..

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 10 Dec 2018, 01:55
by Burgerman
Will post one here if you tell me battery Ah, and type,


3rd go!

In red!

Ah?
Type, as in AGM or Gel?

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 10 Dec 2018, 16:38
by firehopper
snaker wrote:@firehopper: I am interested in your job of hacking the fuim3 board. I am experimenting esp32 boards. They are very cheap but powerful and have built-in wifi/bluetooth. It would be nice and useful if we could connect an esp32 directly to the PL8 base.


okay, heres the output stage of the fumi3 I'll keep going and figure it out eventually.. the rxd pin 5? is where I think it goes, havent actually used a volt meter to figure out if thats where it goes..

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 10 Dec 2018, 16:59
by firehopper
Burgerman wrote:
Will post one here if you tell me battery Ah, and type,


3rd go!

In red!

Ah?
Type, as in AGM or Gel?



alright, looked at the batteries, and they are AGM 55ah
https://www.mightymaxbattery.com/p34853 ... ttery.html
these are the exact batteries I have, the chair uses sb50's to connect the batteries to the chair.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 10 Dec 2018, 19:28
by Burgerman
Those are not deep cycle batteries, and are pretty cheap and nasty so I would not expect much in the way of cycle life, and theres no spec sheet or info to tell us anything at all that I can find.

But this will charge them.

It is set to 12A charge, for XLR and for 12S or 24V series -- adjust to whatever suits.
Overvoltage 2.55v per cell, 8 hours max CV and 70mA termination.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 10 Dec 2018, 20:20
by firehopper
thanks burgerman, and yeah they were cheap. they will do for now as the chair doesnt see use much anyway, maybe once the chair is actually needed we can invest in good ones.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 10 Dec 2018, 20:21
by firehopper
and the pl8 arrived, now to set up some presets for what lipo's I actually use on it, and for 12 volt batterys and a few nicads I actually need,

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 15 Dec 2018, 12:57
by firehopper
anyone have a good high quality picture of the board inside the pl8? I dont want to dissasemble mine as it has that lovely heatsink on it :) I'm interested in the pc interface part and where it goes to. :)

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 15 Dec 2018, 13:12
by Burgerman
Somewhere online theres a description on how to make it bluetooth like I did with the hyperion chargers. There were pics there. But no idea how to find that now.

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 16 Dec 2018, 00:50
by firehopper
found it, helps a bit :)

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 18 Dec 2018, 03:38
by ex-Gooserider
firehopper wrote:found it, helps a bit :)

Where????? Links are helpful....

ex-Gooserider

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 19 Dec 2018, 13:28
by firehopper
hang on I'll dig it up again..

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 19 Dec 2018, 13:30
by firehopper

Re: powerlab 8 question

PostPosted: 01 Jan 2019, 07:01
by ex-Gooserider
Got it, thanks...

ex-Gooserider