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

[shirley_hkg]

Watch out for promotion of 15% discount too, , with purchase over $100 .

How can I get that promotion? Is there a link?

Promotional sales are held from time to time . I had it last Thanksgiving Day .

Don't forget to the USB interface

[shirley_hkg]

Also just looked at the GT1200S user manual. Its not even got a way to set up the correct voltage for AGM or Gel batteries. Theres 2 options. 14.4 for sealed. 14.7 for wet non sealed... Its seriously dumbed down like most hobby chargers.

Good grief !

Lucky that I took your advice to pick a PL8 .

[Burgerman]

It also has no options to charge a 2 to 8S unbalanced (I mean BMS equipped pack, by 2 wires) LIFEPO4 pack. So is very restricted in what it will do. You cant add a library preset from a PC for eg. Esp one that been modified a little! Its dumbed down and safety nazi controlled. Also cant charge via balance port. And it still calls a trickle finishing current FLOAT which its not! They dont get lead at all.

You save a little, and get really seriously cut down options, less power, less balance ability, and no user presets, no PC setup, control, graphing, etc. Just a firmware upgrade utility. So OK for a basic hobby user only. No use to us.

[Gnomatic]

I dont know. Depends what you mean. I always use my laptop. You should be able to set everything you want in a preset on the PC and lock it. Then just press go a couple of times.

I thought I remembered reading you said the PL8 could be set up for one button press to start charging. Hence, my question. But perhaps I'm mistaken.

Either way, its not really a big deal if it can't. Its easy enough starting with a PC/laptop.

[Burgerman]

It is one button once configured. Pressed twice? I think.

[Gnomatic]

I see. I'm more curious than anything. Guess I just need to play around with it a bit. I've always used a PC/laptop to control the PL8.

[Burgerman]

Use this thread! There's now 3 separate PL8 threads!

[expresso]

I see. I'm more curious than anything. Guess I just need to play around with it a bit. I've always used a PC/laptop to control the PL8.

Gnomatic - i tired it without the PC once and you only need to press one button is true - Enter button - but you have to press it a few times - maybe twice or 3 at the most

the PL 8 will be with the last preset you used - so if thats the only preset you use - then its just one button a few times to enter and enter to confirm the Cell count etc,

thats it

next time you charge with the PC - watch the messages you hit OK to a few times

[expresso]

Plug and Play PL 8 - Ok i checked it today - once the preset it made and set on the PL 8 - you can use it without the PC - one button - enter button - BUT you have to hit it about 6 times before it starts the charge

i though just twice or 3 times but its more like 5 to 6 times - either way - its still fine - one button - you dont have to scroll around if the last preset you used is the one you want to use -

[Burgerman]

The amount 0of times depends on the presets. For eg cell count verification doesn't appear on lead. And some other questions depend on settings too. And some screens can be removed, settings can be locked so not adjustable on the charger by buttons. etc.

[expresso]

ok good to know - even though - just wanted to say that its NOT that bad if you had to use it without a PC - even if you have to press the ONE enter button 5 times - so what - no big deal -

you dont have to scroll thru any screens etc, - if using the same preset - - maybe i will practice using it this way with the PC on so i can watch it but using just the charger to get it started -

[Burgerman]

You can remove all presets but one! So no chance of selecting another by mistake and no option screen. And lock it so you cannot change any settings, and those screens also gone! And remove the "use banana connector" question can be suppressed (tick). And enable fast start can be ticked. Etc. And in screen, you can hide 6 that are not essential. Leaving 3.

[expresso]

is that something you have to do BM ? or can anyone with the PL 8 do it themselves - just curious - it dosnt bother me to have them either way

to scroll the presets on the charger is easy just the same using the INC and DEC buttons on the left side - i can see all my presets that i have and none of the others i have on HIDE -

what would happen if you used the charger on a chair with lithium that has a BMS on it ? for instance - if i end up with the bounder Chair with lithium - i will get a 10A lithium charger - - can the PL 8 be used instead - just curious

[Burgerman]

Anyone.

You will need a different preset for a BMS equipped pack, and it will not charge as fast or as accurately as it relies on a BMS with 10 times less balance power and no ability to throttle the charger.

[expresso]

If i do get the chair - i be curious to watch it on the PL 8 while using there charger alone - i would have to make a cable to split the charge port - so i can charge and connect the PL 8 also to monitor

not sure if i want to know whats happening -

[Burgerman]

Yes. Or add a EXTRA connector to its charge cable so you can monitor it. But you will not see it at a cell level, only full voltage like a lead battery. Thats how it charges.

Ideally you want a proper charge cable, like the full 105Ah chair has now and fit it.

[expresso]

i see - so really not a big deal - i wont be taking the battery apart so not going to make a cable with balance wires also - this chair i wont be touching - MAYBE - the only thing i would be thinking about is to add an extra Cable for a ADD ON -

big maybe -

[expresso]

Is there a Real update to the PL 8 software or firmware ? and if there is - should we be updating out units now ?

[Burgerman]

No real update. If there ever is, dont do it till I check out what they changed! They lock down some things for "safety" reasons. Screwing up what we need! So caution!

[expresso]

ok i wasnt going to till i check with you first

how did the other guy get V4.1 - on his PL 8

[Burgerman]

Its an OLD 2012version, for an OEM version of the charger. So it shouldnt have been there.

[expresso]

BM - can a preset be made to charge a lithium pack 100ah - that has a BMS installed - would it have to be set to charge up to 28.8V and not balance ? letting the BMS do the Balance part ?

just curious if i do get the new chair with lithium in it - and if there supplied charger died - would a preset be able to charge the same as there dumb charger ?

i would think there dumb charger charges up to 29.2V and letting the BMS do the balance - I THINK - i notice all lithium chargers plug and play kind seem to all favor this 29.2V

i would think a PL 8 setting for 28.8V would be better to use ? Sort of a Lead preset with no balancing

[Burgerman]

Yes, and correct. I will post one later. It may take a while to chargebecause the BMS typically has a 10x less owerful balance capability. of only 100mA instead of the PL8s 1000mA.

[shirley_hkg]

I don't think so .

[Burgerman]

Dont think so what? You might be right. But...

I just took a 70Ah ready to go lead brick replacement apart because its BMS was suspected of failure. Wont charge. Belongs to a guy in my street with a camper van, used as his deep cycle supply for lights etc. Unused since last summer holiday. Its got 80mA balance BMS, and its only 80mA when its around 100mV out of balance! At lower differences its even less.

As it turns out the battery was fine, as was the useless BMS. But after a year doing nothing, it was way out of balance, and the charger has a time limit so kept stopping after 6 hours. It needed about 7 days...

I expect the ready to go lithium in the chair to be using something similar. And be chargig at 3.65v per cell. And allowing repeated 3.70V or worse as it balances as most do.

[expresso]

Yes, and correct. I will post one later. It may take a while to chargebecause the BMS typically has a 10x less owerful balance capability. of only 100mA instead of the PL8s 1000mA.

Thanks - just curious to have one in case if ever needed - in the event there charger gives out - i can always have a backup charger PL 8 -

[Burgerman]

Here. This will charge a BMS equiped 8S Lithium pack from around 70Ah to 125Ah. Its limited to 8 hours CV, and set to 12A charge, which you can change. And Set to 3.550 Volts Per Cell (VPC). To help prevent BMS allowing a cell to go too high. No balance wires needed. Termination is set to 150mA. Because the battery is unknown. You can set this a good bit less like 30 to 50mA if it ends fast, possibly before the battery is fully balanced. How can you tell? Good question... You cant!

If it reaches say 150mA fast, reduce it. If it reaches 100mA easily, reduce it. If it spends ages without dropping but pulses a bit on the graph then its still balancing. But you might see nothing. Ideally it will spend about 1 hour at CV once its done enough cycles to be fully balanced. Adjust accordingly.

Best to add balance connector! Then you can either charge it properly, or just watch the BMS work.

[Burgerman]

Download again, Above was re-uploaded,

I made some hidden changes to give less errors and fixed the charge voltage which I set to 3.555 instead of 3.550.

[shirley_hkg]

I don't think so .

Yes . PL8 will go on charging till it reaches the terminal mA , IF NO CELL WERE PUMPED UP TO the cut off voltage of the BMS . However , that means your cells are pretty balanced themselves , and require no balance by BMS .

If cells are out of balance , ONE cell will jet up and BMS will step in to cut off the input , trying to protect the cell .

I think PL8 will stop too , as the charge loop is open .

After BMS drains the cell low enough and it re-connects the loop, trying to resume its unfinished balancing job .

Will PL8 restart again by itself ?

I don't think so .

[Burgerman]

I think PL8 will stop too , as the charge loop is open .

It waits. I use it on various things. You see a wavy line as the PL8 controls the current and voltage while the useless BMS screws up the battery. It will stop only if nothing reconnects for quete a while. Works on my hedge trimmer, drills etc too.

And any bms that disconnects for that long needs to be filed under B1N regardless!