Another portable charging station project!!

[copterboy]

Sorry for the delay again, got late and I fell asleep waiting for my phone to upload the pics Anyway, I hope you guys think it has been worth the wait...it is almost there!! If anyone wants me to build them one, then the first orders should be shipped Summer 2016



Just a few finishing touches required now. I'm tempted to chamfer some corners and edges, plus add a few more screws to strengthen the glue. I was carrying it around the day before yesterday with both PSU's attached, and I heard some of the epoxy crack along the back piece. I won't have to carry it that way once its mounted inside the carry case, but I'm going to put them in for some peace of mind, should I ever have to remove it again.

It's a wee bit heavy, so I'll probably add some more holes to the bottom piece, to remove some excess weight. It should help with a ventilation and heat dispertion anyway. Now, I did manage to mess up the holes for fixing the 2nd PSU next to the switches. Well, I didn't mess the holes up drilling them, but I did have to elongate them because I glued one of the the support pieces in the wrong place - thinking I could get away with it, it moved over by about 5mm. You can see in one pic, that there should have been an overhang, but it moved over and reduced the space avaiable for the PSU, and in turn made the holes out of alignment. So to fix it, I had to use my router and TCT bits to open up the holes and countersink. I'll need a pack of m4 washers to 1. Distribute the weight load better for that PSU, and 2. To use as a small spacer inbetween the plexiglass and PSU, again to help ventilate underneath the PSU's.

Don't think I'll bother spending money on something like a piano hinge now - there's enough finishing details as it is. So I'll just fix the top piece with another few screws. I'll need to find a way to fix my EC5 connectors, so I'm thinking about some kind of flap with the EC5 profile countersunk into it with my router. I shouldn't need access the lower compartments that often as the power switches are accessible from the ouside. The switch on the side controls the power in, and the switch on the front controls the 2nd PSU. If I ever do need to remove the box, then all I need to do is undo 6 fixing screws, and use a pair of needle nose pliars to remove the connectors to the switches. Then it can simply be lifted out

Anyway, I'm off to the LHS now to see if I can get the last part for my 450. Will come back to this later.

[copterboy]

All done except the soldering of the EC5,long time back I ordered Male EC5 connectors, but I should have got Female Ah well, at least the right one is included with the charger Just waiting for that to arrive now and I'll feel again! Just checked the tracking, and it has left US soil now, so just waiting to see if it will update to show when it touches down?

As always, something new managed to creep in the plans to help reduce overall weight. I pulled the covers off again to see if it was peasable to do so and save weight, and indeed it is. I checked the ground connections first and all is ok. It goes from the circuit board into the chassis, not through the cover part that I removed. You would have thought I'd have learnt my lesson after last time, but this time it turned out ok.

I'll share some pics later so you can see what I mean. Also, you can see in some of the pictures, where you can modify the PSU and add another module. Ie. mine has 3 x 3P modules, but if I find a 5D module, I can make it a 3P-3P-3P-5D, which means it will add a 12V/7A supply into to the empty space. So, I have 2 spare slots for expansion, so I could add a 5V and 12V supply later. I'll keep an eye on ebay see if one comes up.

Going to take the 450 out now for a quick 4 packs. Can't beleive how long I've waited to say that

[copterboy]

[sutty]

Starting to properly look the business now Denis. At least Jerry will still be able to see the flashes that he's been waiting for. Beautiful work with the plastic.

[jperkosk]

Lights, camera, action!

[copterboy]

@Sutty - I did go a bit New Yankee Workshop on it, but now it gives me great pleasure to look aswell

@ Jerry - Sorry to dissapoint you, but there will be no fireworks display tonight Powered it up and everything works as I (sort of) envisaged/made up as I went along

When I plug in and turn on the side switch, PSU 1 powers up. Turn on the switch on the front, it lights up neon green and PSU 2 powers up. Both PSU's are running independently from the same power lead, neither serially or in parrallel. So eventually, each charger get's it's own 25V/48A power supply

I made sure on the AC side, the switches and crimp connectors were all rated at 15A/240V. And the AC wires all 1.5mm2, rated for 16A/240V. So both ratings exceed the maximum watts both PSU's can demand. On the DC side, I stuck with it and used the AWG10 wire, which will be soldered the EC5 connectors. I've already tested and know my new soldering iron can handle the AWG10 wire, so don't foresee any problems when it's time to do that. I recently calculated I could have got away with using the AWG12 wire on the DC side, but decided to leave it over-engineered for safety. So I'm confident all should stay cool once I start to ramp it up, but that won't be for a while yet.

Going to put this in for the record, should I ever need to come back to it! As mentioned before, the PSU is currently configured for a 3P-3P-3P setup, so thats what gives me 25V/48A (1x3P module is 25V/17A, so 3 x 3P modules = 48A). If I ever see the parts come up on ebay, I would like to modify them to become a 3P-3P-3P-2J (25V + 12V), or a 3P-3P-3P-1D (25V + 5V). Mainly for additional diversity, as it should also come in use for the weekend camping trips I have planned for me and Jack in future! Only problem maybe, that if I want to modify, then I may need to connect up with that logic connector to re-programme the PSU's into dual channel. A little to complex for me to bother trying to fully understand it now, but I know it's not insurmountable.

Module Name
3P - 25V/17A
2J - 12V/17A
3J - 12V/25A
1D - 5V/20A
Link to manual....some graphs in there Raf might find interesting!
http://www.xppower.com/pdfs/LF_fleXPower.pdf

[copterboy]

Finally, my charger and FBL unit touched down in the UK yesterday One is getting excited

Would be great if arrives before end of this week, as I'm off this weekend. Half expecting I'll just get a note pushed through the door, asking to collect from the sorting office and pay some duty , so will keep my fingers crossed I don't!!

[copterboy]

I just got home from work to find a ticket off the postman. It's either a new toy for Jack (non heli related I'm afraid), or it's my charger!

As I missed the postie, I got to wait 3 more hours now until he finishes his round and takes it back to the collection point Can't wait to find out though!!

So, I'm off to pick Jack up from school for a few hours later, but he's not staying. Then we go and find out who gets the gift first!! I also got him a new kite with dual controls, so can't wait to see him fly that. Oh, a quick mention he learnt to ride his bike with no stabilisers last week, which was a huge proud dad moment for me So, I'm glad it's windy today, as my plan to take him to the park and fly the kite after school will happen now for sure

[CyprusDave]

Very cool, 2-line kites are a lot of fun. I used to be big into kites, I still have 3 or 4 2-line kites and 3 4-line kites that I still fly every now and then, when it's too windy to fly anything else. I'm sure Jack will have a lot of fun with it

[copterboy]

Well sadly for me, it was Jacks other new toy and not my charger Looks like I'm gonna have to wait until after weekend now

The wind was just a bit too weak for the new kite. I suspected we were stood too near to a big row of hawthorn bushes (about 25ft-30ft tall), even though we were stood about 50-75m away. So the wind was a little squawly and dying off at the time, made it hard for Jack to launch it. I had a go, and also found it a little tricky. I did manage to get it all the way up, and managed to go left and right a few times, but as Sutty mentioned, the wind was getting a bit hit and miss by late afternoon, so with limited time, the timing wasn't quite right. It seemed to pickup again just as we had to pack up and start walking back to the car , but it's much better then the single line he's had for the last year

[copterboy]

Finally, some news. I got a note pushed through the door from the postman. Not a red one to say we missed you, no. He didn't even try to deliver it. Just pushed through a grey note demanding I collect and pay the import and handling costs. I'm not annoyed I have to pay it, I expected that. It's just that they didn't even bother knocking on the door to try and deliver it. My mum and dad would have handled it in my absence, as I warned them I was expecting something, and they we're listening out for him

Anyway, hope I can go pickup tomorrow. Import and £8 handling came to £43 in total, which may seem steep. But, if I paid UK RRP of £245 plus about £15 postage, that would be £260 spent. Not including the FBL controller. I paid £190 or so, at checkout and £43 import, so a total of = £235 spent including the FBL controller. So still feel like I got a 'bargain'.

Now I just got to pick it up and get the EC5 connector soldered and I'll be off again. Should be finishing early tomorrow, but you know how these things go! Can't wait to finally charge something on it

[copterboy]

Hehehe...forgot to share this. My mum asked what exactly it was, so I explained the savings made importing it, and that it was a new battery charger.

She said oh, you mean like that little blue box you got. So I replied "Yes, but it has enough power equivolent to 24 of those little blue boxes, and it's about the same size. So in future I can nip home from the field and be back out fully charged in only 15mins, instead of almost 2hrs

[sutty]

lol, and she went, oh, very good Denis, you must be very excited, as she carried on making your tea.

[copterboy]

Hehehe...no Andy, by the time I got home from work last night, my tea was already made. I just had to heat it in the microwave Still, it was a nice treat to have a mums cooked dinner after 2 months of cooking for myself. I just hate cooking for 1, but find a family Sunday lunch is easy!

Anyway, finally......it's here, I have it and the FBL controller in my possesion!

:b acon

Will try and get the final bits of wiring done on the charger today and just need to crimp the last RJ45 connector to the internet cable. Then I can give the Range Extender another test. My early finish actually happened today, so looking forward to getting these last bits finished.

Want to do another round of test flights at least, before I rip the head off and do the FBL conversion, as I still have a tail wag issue I'd like to resolve befrehand. So, maybe 1 round of 4 flights with the current Align gyro. If still not resolved, another round of 4 with my old CSM gyro. And if that still doesn't resolve it, I'll probably install the 3D-H V2, but just as a tail gyro to start (think Dave said that was possible), and look over the mechanics and check more bearings again.

[sutty]

Could waste time on the tail wag if it is a gyro issue?

The FBL unit 'might' not be so sensitive.

Just a thought.

But yes, I suppose if you are concerned the cause is an underlying mechanical issue, nice to have it cleared before dealing with the whole FBL stuff.

Cheers

Sutty

[copterboy]

Just finished charging my first packs

Doing the final wire took alot more time than I thought, seemed to have to un-do and re-do it quite a few more times for final adjustments, oh, and forgetting to reconnect wires to the PSU2 switch at one stage!

The AWG10 wire I installed would reach, but would be difficult to do - it meant unsoldering and then re-soldering the EC5 female connector, and I had no sprares. Couldn't risk it.

Fortunately, the female EC5 connector was already soldered to a good length of AWG10 (longer than mine). So, because of the alteration to the wire, I now needed a new way to connect the supplied power cable to the PSU I did have some spare male EC5's, so I pulled out the gold connectors and used them sort of, as banana connectors.

As the PSU's have M4 connectors on the front, I had noticed that this is also the same thread size as some gold plated banana sockets I have on an old set of B&W speakers. I'd been trying to figure out a way I could utilise them somehow, and this was just the excuse I needed. So, I removed the sockets from the back of the speakers, cut off 10mm of thread with my angle grinder, so they didn't damage anything once screwed in and protruded inside of the PSU. Then they simply screwed into the front of the PSU's positive and negative bar

They can take normal banana connectors in the front, but I am using the hole that is drilled through the side. Mainly because it fits, and the 90 angle saves space, plus I can use what used to be the screw on speaker cable clamps to hold the connectors securely in place.

First packs are coming off nicely balanced (all to within 0.03V), but I haven't worked out how to program yet. Just using auto detect settings for now to get ready for some more test flights tomorrow.

WIll come back to proper programming features later.

Finally!!