PINNED - Lithium battery conversion/info

[Burgerman]

Way around it? Yes.

I have 4. Got cought by customs once. So its just a matter of luck. You could always take a holiday, singapore is interesting.

[terry2]

Way around it? Yes.

I have 4. Got cought by customs once. So its just a matter of luck. You could always take a holiday, singapore is interesting.

I'd rather pay the UK price and get the 2 year warranty.

[Scooterman]

Yes it is, the rest are all garbage. Thats why they are cheap. Even then the PL8 is only good after me spending years arguing about firmware changes and profile restrictions lifting etc. Now it works! They are cheap, mostly reliable, for what they do. I have 4. Used all the time for hobby, tools, cameras, AA cells, 5 chairs, van etc and all still work fine after 5? years.

All true. But. If the pl8 dies after a year one is up shit creek with out a padded.
As there is no EU\UK Wearhouse or service centre. It is strange.

And hobbyking done the turnigy fatboy 8 for £150! Which was a PL8 1 in reality.

in emergency you can bulk charge a few times with standard mob charger via XLR as long as you don't let voltage go above about 3.41v so 27.3v for pack.

Defer to BM, steve, shirley, etc.

[Burgerman]

As long as pack is already in balance.

[Scooterman]

As long as pack is already in balance.

Good point

[terry2]

As long as pack is already in balance.

As long as pack is already in balance.

Good point

Good posts there.

I've ask Revolectrix why they only give a 1 year warranty in the EU(which is breaking the law).
They said on the new hardware it is a 2 year warranty. But not on the old PL8 V2.

[Burgerman]

Its exactly the same with the lid off. Bar a different voltage capacitor on the input and its firmware.

I have seen pics on the various hobby forums. So thats a feeble excuse! Plus it has nothing to do with the hardware or older/newer. Its the date of sale, and the law!

[Scooterman]

Its the date of sale, and the law!

That’s right, what a lame excuse!

And in fact I’ve heard that guarantees for example aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. If for example you was to go to court over say a £600 washing machine that went wrong within 2 years of normal use, a judge would find in your favour. Cos a washing machine is supposed to last longer than 2 years regardless of what the retailer says. Also your contract of sale is always with retailer and NOT the manufacturer.

Not trying to tell anyone how to suck eggs. I’m sure you all know above anyway.

[Scooterman]

Its exactly the same with the lid off. Bar a different voltage capacitor on the input and its firmware.

Did they have problems with version 1?

[Burgerman]

There is no version one.
Theres the new one that has that awful bump controller thing added (they are dumbing it down for idiots). Other than this its basically the same.

If they had problems with the PL8 then why are they still selling id about a decade after it was introduced?

[expresso]

If they stopped selling the PL8 today - - would they still repair them if the ones we have went bad etc, ? i have one spare Pl8 other than the ones in use -

is having one spare enough these days ? i use two pl8s when i charge my chairs - since all have ADD ONs - other than the lead combo Chair

whats a good plan to make sure we dont get stuck without a good charger for our chairs ?

[Burgerman]

Well having 1 spare, or 10, is a choice only you can make. I have 4.
3 used regularly 1 still boxed.

Non failed yet.

[expresso]

do you think they will keep selling them or at least replace it with another improved PL8 not like the new ones they have -

maybe on the next Sale - i pick another one up for 2nd spare

[Burgerman]

No idea. But there is no new PL8.

[steves1977uk]

Its exactly the same with the lid off. Bar a different voltage capacitor on the input and its firmware.

Did they have problems with version 1?

Here's a PL8 v1 which could be upgraded to v2 firmware, no idea if v3.33 would work on it.

pl8v1.jpg (17.17 KiB) Viewed 8013 times

Steve

[expresso]

i wonder if i have V3.3 - will have to check now next time i power it up - i got one or two going back at least 4 years

just checked one i am using now - its 3.3 - i would think the others i have are the same or can be updated -

[steves1977uk]

You must have v3.33 f/w expresso otherwise BM's presets would refuse to work due to the older f/w's rejecting the new changes.

Steve

[Burgerman]

Theres no difference between the 2 electrically. Only a firmware update to allow more power.

[Burgerman]

Upgrade to 3.33

[Scooterman]

PL8 is brilliant! (as is Shirley's PSU)

I have secondhand pl8 I use and new one in box as backup.

Getting a spare PSU as backup too

[greybeard]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Revolectrix- ... SwQypdMvfp

5 days to go. Now at £160.00

[terry2]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Revolectrix-FMA-CellPro-Powerlab-8-PL8-v2-1344W-Battery-Balance-Charger/323863428023?hash=item4b67c3bbb7:g:hiQAAOSwQypdMvfp

5 days to go. Now at £160.00

It's 5 years old. I asked him.

[Burgerman]

You have to bid higher than 170, and 11 delivery. So it is either 100 or less cheaper than a zero year old one with warranty. Makes no sense to me. I buy cheaper from singapore.

I ordered 2 at once and any cables needed so as to minimise shipping.

When you consider what it can do, testing, measuring, its graphing and PC software, and all the different chemistries it can charge, and the fact that its totally user configurable. And that its not 8A but up to 40A (you decide) then its really cheap. As cheap or cheaper than a typical 8A lead only crappy mobility charger. And that theres or other device at any price that is as useful for testing, at under 4 figures. And non that are as flexible regardless of price.

Yes, its hobby use/designed. So for occasional weekend use. As such its built to a price. So even if you buy 4 for reliability reasons, its still hugely cheaper than anything out there with this capability. But so far, all mine still work. Expresso had one fail (replaced warranty) on a first charge? And another couple have failed on here too. But how many have them? Theres a lot on here!

Things that will likely damage them one day...
Cheap power supplies as you switch on.
Unstable or spiky power supplies.
Connecting the battery while the PL8 is not powered up.
Incorrectly connecting the balance wires or shorting them out. (you should connect balance first ideally)

Those thing potentially can kill any hobby charger. As can reverse polrity connection to battery or power supply. Although supposedly protected.

[Scooterman]

BM

Should I switch the PSU on then connect the PL8 to PSU?

Or Should I connect the PL8 then switch the PSU on?

I do the latter but I have a feeling it might be wrong? (PSU is set to output 30v at switch on)

[steves1977uk]

SM, I leave the PL8 permanently connected to the ZXD2400 PSU. First switch on the PSU at the mains, then turn on the PL8 before connecting to the battery pack, never had any problems doing it this way.

Steve

[Scooterman]

Thanks Steve

[terry2]

SM, I leave the PL8 permanently connected to the ZXD2400 PSU. First switch on the PSU at the mains, then turn on the PL8 before connecting to the battery pack, never had any problems doing it this way.

Steve

You have a switch on your PL8?

I leave mine connected. But when I switch on the power supply the PL8 comes on at the same time.

Just for saying sake. If there was no more PL8s. What would we use?

[Burgerman]

A less good hobby charger. Theres dozens of them. But no PC software and less reliability and less configurable. Or a BMS...

[steves1977uk]

SM, I leave the PL8 permanently connected to the ZXD2400 PSU. First switch on the PSU at the mains, then turn on the PL8 before connecting to the battery pack, never had any problems doing it this way.

Steve

You have a switch on your PL8?

I leave mine connected. But when I switch on the power supply the PL8 comes on at the same time.

Just for saying sake. If there was no more PL8s. What would we use?

The Shirley PSU has a rotary push knob which turns it off/on and allows you to set it up it's configuration, all with one dial.

Steve

[ex-Gooserider]

A GOOD power supply should come up with clean output power at the correct voltage when you plug it in, or have protection circuitry in either the supply or what it's powering to keep it from supplying power until it is stable... (an example is the 'Power Good' signal line on a PC power supply)

Cheap power supplies often don't have the same level of protection and can do ugly things for the first couple of AC cycles while capacitors charge and so on....

Power supplies that were intended for other equipment that are being repurposed (i.e. the ones made from PC power supplies) can sometimes be an issue if the device provided the protection, so the supply didn't need it...

It is possible that this initial power on crap can damage equipment... Sometimes it can take a while for the damage to build up to the point where it becomes a failure.

It is hard to totally protect against all the potential problems, but I think it is not a bad idea to put a largish electrolytic cap of appropriate voltage (and optionally a 100K or so resistor in parallel) across the output of the supply just to soak up any spikes and surges when it turns on, especially if you are leaving the PL8 or other equipment connected to it when powering on the mains input...

ex-Gooserider