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

[expresso]

yeah - once you got black you cant go back

i got the new Pl 8 - installed the Presets - it was set at 40A in the supply tab - i upped it to 50A like the first PL8 - so far so good -

we see when i charge with it - maybe friday -

i am even thinking with my indoor chair - when i change those lead batteries again - i may just add a cable and make a small ADD On for the indoor chair - i can do even just 15ah pack - one row - or two - and be good for 10 years indoor use

can charge once a week - i will wait till i get a new chair - then swap out batteries - use the lead from the ADD ON now - and put in my indoor chair - take the new lead from new chair and put in my Back up; chair with the ADD ON -

shouldnt have to worry about any new lead for 10 years - sounds good to me

i may get more 15ah cells - make another ADD ON - i have the feeling a few of my friends may end up with the 646se chair next - convinced them -

they are not going to do the lithium swap on there own - so maybe the most i can do for them is - when they want to take a long ride with me - i can have them use one of my ADD ONs - for that day - i would have to take it back to charge it myself -

i cant see no other way they will be able to ride with me - thats the least they have to do is use a ADD On - i think after a few times they get used to it - they may want to invest it in and PL 8 etc, - or just use mines - why buy the cow when you get it for free -

well see how it works out -

[shirley_hkg]

What is EC5 feature ?
Is it standard to all V2 models , no matter new or refurbised one ?

[Burgerman]

Stupid blue connector that I cut off and replace with anderson...

[shirley_hkg]

While I am in teaching mode ! ! !

YES ! Please stay in course with the title , instead of circle around PSU .

Like … what's that ?

Like this.


Tab: Presets
Sub Tab: General
Field: Lock Preset?

Special terms used with PL8 ?

Orded 2 refurbised units .

Started with the manual and user guild .
What next ?

Forgot to order the FUIM3 USB cable . Dam .

[Burgerman]

Special terms used with PL8 ?

From the CCS - you will see.

[shirley_hkg]

Candidate of the charge lead .

6 large pins for the 2 charge current leads .

Each balance lead will take 2 pins .

Muli-pin to ensure enough surface contact .

Will pick the 30a model .

[Burgerman]

Those are interesting.

[expresso]

I like those - i would get the 40A model anyway - even if you dont charge at 40A -

you can put the power cables closer in the middle - making it easier to close it with the covers -

i dont understand what you mean - Put the balance wires on two Pins ?

there are enough pins to use one wire for each one - am i missing something ?

are those the same size DB25 ? do you have a link to those where i can buy some also - and the covers if you find some -

thanks - Shirley

[Burgerman]

Each balance wire, 2 pins... Half the resistance, better reliability.

Likewise, 2x 30A means 60A capable using 2 pins, or better reliability.

[steves1977uk]

This would be ideal for a BM3 style setup... https://world.taobao.com/item/193729395 ... mSite=main

Steve

[expresso]

Each balance wire, 2 pins... Half the resistance, better reliability.

Likewise, 2x 30A means 60A capable using 2 pins, or better reliability.

Ok - i still dont get it - haha - one balance wire - you will split it and connect it to two pins ?

how can you split one of those small balance wires ?

i cant picture it - you know i am a little slow right -

[Burgerman]

You don't need to. Just add some extra solder between the two pins. Or strip a bit of extra cable to reach the next pin...

[steves1977uk]

It must be the wine going to expresso's head or he's thinking about black women

Steve

[expresso]

It must be the wine going to expresso's head or he's thinking about black women

Steve

yeah - sounds good to me -

in real world use - would that really make a huge difference ? sounds like more work - and i dont get it - so you add more solder connecting two pins - i guess it could make it easier to solder the small wire on a larger surface of solder - you dont have to be so perfect -

then the balance wire is attached and its connected to two pins from the solder - ok and - thats it - thats going to do what ? you have to make sure to do the same to both ends male and female connector -

but its still just one wire its going thru - ?

if anyone does it - can you post a picture of the connector open to see how it would be done -

[expresso]

You don't need to. Just add some extra solder between the two pins. Or strip a bit of extra cable to reach the next pin...

i see - spread the wire in two - long enough to reach both pins - but in the end its the same one wire its going thru -

i dont see how that can improve anything - but i am sure its something if you and shirley are talking about it - etc, - i just dont see it -

22awg wire - split in two - is still the same 22 awg wire in the end - and thats the balance wires - very little is going thru them anyway

now the power wires - maybe - if you can use 10 awg instead of 12awg - and if that fits to close the connector after - i can see connecting a larger 10awg to two larger pins

all i can say is the way i did it - following yours - works fine - its tight to make it fit - but i did it - and can do it again if i need it -

i like those connectors - seems like more room to work and i can put the power wires in the middle so dont have to bend them to make the cover fit etc,

i like to buy them to see them in person - but cant understand the link - how to order etc, - its not english -

[shirley_hkg]

Choices of combo connectors , and shell you can pick .

http://yangminpcc.m.taobao.com/?spm=a1z ... 2.0.0#list

[expresso]

thanks shirley - just cant figure it out - just a phone picture and everything in chinesse -

[expresso]

Stupid blue connector that I cut off and replace with anderson...

you dont like that connector ? seems fine and easy to connect to the PSU with a EC5 charge cable - isnt that suppose to handle alot of current also - i think more than the XT90 ? or about the same -

i know you like the andersons - to keep; all your connectors the same for easy swap etc, - i like them also for the chairs etc, - besides being hard to remove -

EC 5 seems good and easy to remove at the same time - but then i dont use my PL 8 for so many different things like you do - mines stays connected to the PSU with the EC5 charge cable and sits there -

[shirley_hkg]

Anderson is superior in a way that , it does not have the MALE / FEMALE ..

[Burgerman]

Not only that.

I have them on my van, extension leads. Y leads, adapters. 12V and 24V setups on every chair, drills, solar systems on panels, and at the inverters, hobby stuff, 12/24v to 240v power inverters inverters, my bed, my mower, drill, on about 10 types of chargers, inside of powerchairs to connect batteries. And more. It means I have hundreds of options to power things, or charge things from solar, chair to chair, etc.

Power cut? No problem! I can run anything from 4 different chairs or my van. I can charge anything from anything. The van can power chargers, chairs, charge backup batteries. Etc. Everything fits! I can start my van with dead battery directly. Or charge it with a PL8 from my chair. Or the other way around. E.g. I powered the bed recently, when power went off from a powerchair at 12V. I also ran lights etc from my inverters, and if the power hadn't come back, could charge everything from van, solar, etc. So I can cope. Flexibility and options!

[shirley_hkg]

What is the estimated 12V input current , if I charge a 8S LiFePO4 pack @25A ?

[Burgerman]

3.600v x 8 x 25A = 720 Watts.
720 watts div by 12V = 60A. +a little because its about 90% efficient.

But in reality its about 3.35v most of the charge. And 12v is usually 13 to 14v... So you get about 27A charge at 60A input.

[steves1977uk]

Stupid blue connector that I cut off and replace with anderson...

you dont like that connector ? seems fine and easy to connect to the PSU with a EC5 charge cable - isnt that suppose to handle alot of current also - i think more than the XT90 ? or about the same -

i know you like the andersons - to keep; all your connectors the same for easy swap etc, - i like them also for the chairs etc, - besides being hard to remove -

EC 5 seems good and easy to remove at the same time - but then i dont use my PL 8 for so many different things like you do - mines stays connected to the PSU with the EC5 charge cable and sits there -

I've left my PL8 with it's EC5 plug with no problems since I only use it to charge my chair's LiFe pack.

Steve

[expresso]

Using the new PL 8 i got exchanged - i can say that if the power supply tab is set at 50A - the most i can charge at with a 12V PSU is 20A

i stopped it and upped it to 60A in the PL 8 - restarted and the most i got it going at was 23A - not worth it - so i went back to 50A on the PL 8 and will use it at 15A charging for now -

my PSU is good for 75A -

i do notice this new PL 8 i got - always has a pop up message the first time i plug it in the PC - i think its this message - cant remember now - wine - tequila kicking in

i hear it making a clicking sound the charger at first before it starts to rev up - now i cant be sure if the first one does the same thing - i guess i am wary now since it was defective first time around -

not sure what to do think -

this may be the message it shows - or maybe a different once - have to wait to start over to see if its the same now - its charging now -

no error messages - just the first PL 8 dosnt show anything when i plug it in the PC - unlike this one that always has a message -

[expresso]

i think thats just a message because i stopped it and started again - if it wanted to save - add to the previous graphs -

i am not sure if thats the same message i get each time i started it - have to wait to try it again and see what it says

either way - no errors - but just that i never got it on the first PL 8 i got - -

[Burgerman]

Thats just the software asking if you want to save a graph...

[expresso]

yes - i dont think thats the same message i get when i first plug it in - have to do it again and post it back here -

when i am done charging - will do it - -

[shirley_hkg]

Received the PL8 , and find its balance port is small . Smaller than the connectors we usually have on the battery side .

Why not conform ! It's pointless .

[shirley_hkg]

And reversed pin order too !

[expresso]

this is the message i get everytime i use the new PL 8 i got -

i dont get this message with the first one i have -


what is it ?