PL8 Code 17 Cells Dont match

[expresso]

if you ever get one - do a good review on it

i dont want to open the PL 8 just yet till i have other spares to use -

i may have to cut the wires for the time being leaving the bananas in there - i need that long cable i have on it - add new bananas to reuse on the next charger - put this one aside for a later time or last resort use -

[Burgerman]

You worry to much. Add a little wd40 and wiggle it a little and it will come apart. And then if you look inside its easy to swap it for a new one if needed. The hardest bit is finding the correct safe style connecor. But they are on eBay sometimes. But you could also fit different ones, or just a fly lead with a XT60. XT90.

I was going to fit an extra case style bulkhead XT60 in all of my PL8 chargers as an additional connector.
And a extra standard XH balance connector too.. All pretty easy. Hardest part is ordering the connectors.

You could even fit an extra subD balance+40A as already on your chair. Fitted onto the side or below the normal connectors on the front.

[Burgerman]

Just ordered these to do exactly that. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08D6375DJ
While doing this I may also add a 9 pin SubD for a 2nd balance connector. So I can add a short FLY LEAD with 1S, 2S, 3S, 4S, 5S, 6S, 7S, 8S XH balance connectors too as needed.

Both will fit below the normal front panel connections in the black part of the PL8. OR to the right at the same height.

Also new ones to replace existing ones, very similar https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384937407937

[shirley_hkg]

[expresso]

i managed to get it out - if you can see - the pos side is a bit bent to one side and pushed in more than the neg side

also the banana red side the shield cover is a bit warped - it wont fit in the other chargers either unless you force it in -

not sure how that happened - maybe one of my girls forced it in on a slant - or not enough - got hot - warped it etc, all guessing

using another charger and cable - hopefully it was the charger giving me the code 17 all the time because of the connection

i have to cut the ends off the cable and replace with another banana anyway - the charger side - i have those spares to replace inside

just the last time i opened it - i killed it - i have no choice if i have to replace it - i can try it one day -

hard to see - take a look

[Burgerman]

Its a 10 minute job to replace both of those. While its apart fit an XT60 as well...

All links above. Or in a similar thread. Or even an XT90 which is harder as its physically bigger. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394126190584

Amazon https://www.wheelchairdriver.com/board/ ... 55#p192955



Or XT90

[Burgerman]

Which is physically bigger and harder to fit.

[Burgerman]

Unscrew bottom case. Replace. I screw (nut) and one solder connection each. 10 mins...
Or fit a few extra ones on the right side!
Ebay, link above a few posts.

[Burgerman]

[Burgerman]

Regarding that fancy expensive charger.

The designer says:

As standard, the Pulsar has a data transfer to PC or smartphone with complete display of all data in graphics. The process can also be interrupted via Bluetooth. But the complete setting, formation of the various process sequences and much more is made possible via the additional firmware. This is very special and is used, for example, by car manufacturers (BMW, VW) in the development department for various tests of energy recuperation. By the way, the complete course of the processes is also stored on the SD card and can be analysed later on the PC in the software (with graphics).
Best regards

Piotr
_____________
pp-rc Modellbau Piechowski
Paul-Junge-Str. 10
25336 Elmshorn
GERMANY

Ust.-IdNr.: DE265995304
WEEE-Reg.-Nr DE87575067

Telefon: +49 (0) 4121 / 740486
Telefax: +49 (0) 4121 / 750676

Internet: www.pp-rc.de
E-Mail: shop.2023@.pp-rc.de

Which means that its POSSIBLE if you use their industrial firmware. But then there is no software we can download and so would need to write our own! When I suggested that it would be useful to people like hobbyists and us, he laughed. So theres thousands of users on hobby, ebike forums EV forums, industrial uses, that are not buying this otherwise quite amazing charger. So it can do it, but it doesent!

[expresso]

that looks great - the xt60 on my charger - if you can do it for me - its a plus

first i hope thats the issue to begin with - if so - i can open and see what i can do - not sure i can add that - the same way you can

i have the spare connectors - same as the charger - can try that first -

but if you did add an extra connector - xt60 is too small - XT90 should be the least size to use - i have some xt60 here - never used - didnt know how small they really were - its small

fitting a 12awg wire on a xt60 wont be easy - at least for me - XT90 is fine - with 12 and 10awg - i even added an 8 awg on one of them -

easiest size is 12awg on a xt90 -

[Burgerman]

I use the XT60 (so called because its rated at SIXTY amps), at 100 and at 140Amps on my quadcopter and heli without any issues. The XT60 is more than is needed. And work way better than all the 4mm banana connectors.

The XT90s are physically big, harder to install, not enough room in the case. And overkill.

The 12 gauge cables are the perfect fit. If your iron is powerful enough and you tin the XT60 and the wire first, then also easy to solder and heatshrink. Really its just practice. I know your girl not you.

You say you cant fit, but you can... OK An easier way.
Remove old melted connectors.
Fit 2 rubber cable grommits. And then fit this as a fly lead INSTEAD.
Ready soldered... 12AWG https://www.amazon.co.uk/Connector-YACS ... 70&sr=8-11

Grommits
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aussel-Electri ... 83&sr=8-12

Then you are good to go with your XT60s. Or XT90s...

[Burgerman]

Theres a LOT of dfferent ways to fix or modify everything. Just takes a little thought.

[expresso]

nothing i do takes 10 mins here - trust me -

i will take a look when i get a chance - and see what i am dealing with and how to make it work - if in fact that was the issue giving me the code 17 all the time - i am sure i can make it work again one way or another

i have xt60 here - i can try them also - with 12 awg - i always tin the connector and cable first - but i am no expert with soldering and it depends on whos helping me also - i only do work with a certain one - i wait for her to do any work or solder etc,

adding an extra connector would be good to have two ways to connect - i will have to see what i am able to do -

[expresso]

Unscrew bottom case. Replace. I screw (nut) and one solder connection each. 10 mins...
Or fit a few extra ones on the right side!
Ebay, link above a few posts.

i have these - and used them to make an extension - since i made my charge cables too short when i did them - i was charging closer then - now i need them much longer - i can make a shorter one and just leave them in the charger so they never get removed - i did with the balance wires - short cable and leave it there

[expresso]

cheers

a nice mount would be nice -

what ever i end up doing wont be good looking for sure - if it works i be happy when i am done

[expresso]

:thumbup:

when i open it - i will see - this would be nice to have box options this way -

i would buy them ready made this time - and just solder in the same spot as originals would be - if i can use both even better -

xt60 are small to work with - i never tried to be honest - but just seeing them - i cant seem them - need the glasses 10x

[expresso]

You worry to much. Add a little wd40 and wiggle it a little and it will come apart. And then if you look inside its easy to swap it for a new one if needed. The hardest bit is finding the correct safe style connecor. But they are on eBay sometimes. But you could also fit different ones, or just a fly lead with a XT60. XT90.

I was going to fit an extra case style bulkhead XT60 in all of my PL8 chargers as an additional connector.
And a extra standard XH balance connector too.. All pretty easy. Hardest part is ordering the connectors.

You could even fit an extra subD balance+40A as already on your chair. Fitted onto the side or below the normal connectors on the front.

some listings rate these XT60 as 30A - 60A burst - not continuous

and some other listings show 50A steady - who to believe - if its 30A steady - that would be always used at its limit then

XT90 same thing - i always though they can handle 90A - and they can but bursts - not steady - i believe its 60A steady on the XT90 - thats why i used them - also a bit larger for soldering -

[Burgerman]

As I said, I use them in helicopters above 100A.

[expresso]

i opened it up - connection looks fine - i though i fixed it - by removing the plastic cover on the banana end - charge cable so its bare now - and can fit easy in the charger - goes all the way in - as before it wasnt because of the plastic around it somehow got jammed in and wasnt able to get it all the way in

removing the screws are a little pain they are small and strip easy - one was on the way out - so i didnt put them back at all - and taped down the cover instead

i went to use it to test - and got the same Code 17 error - so clearly something is wrong - but cant be seen -

little history with this unit - this was the Last unit i got from them before they closed shop - before i knew they were closing - i tried the BT install on this one - which didnt go well - i returned it to be fixed by them and got it back - then they closed shop - if i knew i wounldnt have touched it -

i wonder if its something they did also - either way - i cant use it -

i either have to try to replace that connection - even though it looks good on the inside - or it could be something else all together -

anyones guess -

i am using another one i had - worked fine all day yesterday for over 9 hours - i am using that one now - with the same charge cable i used on the other one - if nothing happens - then charge cable is fine - and points back to the charger itself -

if i does give me an error again now - i change the cable to the one i used yesterday - - in that case i can re try the other charger again with a different cable - which i didnt think of -

i am leaning on the charger is the issue - i will end trying to replace the connector one day -

for some reason it gave me the error during discharging - but dont recall getting any errors during a charging process -

[Burgerman]

You should just swap the connectors for fresh ones. Then you KNOW its not just a melted connector issue that isnt making good contact.

Also I had the covers off all my chargers, several times. Non have chewed up screw heads, or threads. You must have the wrong screwdriver size or something.

[expresso]

yes i am sure the wrong size was used before - its hard to see in there - they are deep down - either way - i didnt put them back now - and good thing - since i may have to try swapping out the connector now

i have them but its tight for me to work in there - cover cant be moved out of the way enough -

i will have to try it one day - my soldering skills are not that great - its been a long time since i was soldering often - i was getting used to it years ago when i was building more packs - now thats died down - i havent soldered much and depends on the help also how good or fast i can get it done

first i have to unsolder the pos line and remove the connector - the sliver cover on the connector - that unscrews to loosen it and remove it i would think ?

i have a feeling this wont end well but since i cant use it this way - no reason not to try it -

i wont be doing it till i have more time- after i get my packs in my chairs first all done ready to go -

[shirley_hkg]

Turn it upside down and redo the solder joints of the connector by adding a bit more of solder to each of them .

Alternately , try to solder the 9 balance wires to the PCB directly .

[Burgerman]

That could also be your error problem.
I considered adding an EXTRA, XH 9 pin connector on a fly lead, so the more popular connector could be used. Again means adding via soldering it.

But I am definitely fitting an additional XT60 to all of my 4 chargers.

Above you say is hard to get to the connector to solder in new ones. UNPLUG the red, white, white, white, and black connector in your image, and remove the screen etc out of the way. Then its easy.

[expresso]

all sounds easy - and it is - but when it comes for me to do it - for me its a different story

i dont think the balance wires are the problem - i think its only the pos connector - banana one - discharging with balance wires only didnt seem to give me the error - could be wrong - and it could be something else all together - once i replace the pos banana connector on the charger - then i can try it again and see if that worked or didnt - after that nothing else i can do - if i get that far -

when using bananas also - it did give me the error

i try something one day - for now - i consider it done deal - i put it aside - not for use for now -

[Burgerman]

That error is usually because wrong preset was choosen.

[expresso]

same preset i always used - and using it on another charger working fine

its the charger itself - at first i though it was my pack - then it happened on the new pack also - i found that odd all of a sudden to be the packs

its the charger - its going on the back burner for now till have to time to deal with it

Code 17 - Cells dont match up - some connection on the charger end is giving this error - the only thing thats odd to me is that Pos side banana connection - the plastic thats usually there - the shield is not there - it must have been forced in and got all stuck in there somehow - i though removing that part off the banana on the cable end - would solve it - since it wasnt able to fit in flush before - now it does - but still gave the error - more to it than what it seems

[Burgerman]

I would have swapped connectors and that will likely cure the problem, about 10 mins after I realised there was an isue. You make it seem so complicated. Really, its not. Take it to a hobby shop, they will fit your new connectors for you.

[expresso]

i managed to swap out the pos connector on the PL 8 - end - i am using it now - 15 min so far and no errors - just maybe i actually fixed it -

i may be talking too soon - but its promising - not sure why though - i kept the one i took out - i cant see what is wrong with it besides the outer plastic is missing -

tomorrow i will leave it going all day doing a discharge on one of my ADD on packs - if it makes it - i say its fixed - if not - then nothing else i can do -

so far so good

i made a lead also to keep in there and not remove from the charger end -

i got the load dump connected also - working fine - using my fan works fine also - i may still get some fans - but i need longer screws - an M5 fits but the ones i have are short -

its the same story - all these screws nuts bolts and never the size you need when you need something - i can use it without the fans on the side - and just use my fan as always - in that case i wont need to do anything else -

its not like it use it that often -

progress slowly but at least something was done - next i will make a new charge cable - complete for a spare - for the chair side - female sub d

i dont have any - i have all male ends for the charger side but one for the chair end - thats on my ADD ON - its short - i need at least one spare female end for chair - full 3 feet size -

my soldering skills where never great - but they were much better years ago when i was doing many packs - now i feel like i am starting from the beginning again -

i get it done one way or another - make at least one spare -

i am happy if this actually works -

[Burgerman]

What happens is that they get hot due to oxides or whatever, which makes them hotter. This causes more oxides, melted nylon etc and the metal sleeve to become misaligned. So you think it looks ok but its high resistance. Switch cleaner helps, but just like you cant solder with oxydised or dirty surfaces or dirty iron, electricity doesent flow either! Since you only swapped one the other one might at least need a clean and some switch cleaner. Or you might think its fixed and its not fully fixed.

I told you you could fix it faster than posting about it for days!