smaller parallel board into larger "main" board

[blackkat98]

I have the large FMA parallel charge board. Can I keep this board plugged into my PL8 at all times and then just plug my JST-PH parallel board into one channel of it, similar to my picture here? The big board will charge all of my other batteries, but I need the small board to charge my mCPX BL batteries. Thanks!

I will use a Dean's T-plug to banana plug adapter on the main board to plug the smaller board into.

[RedOctobyr]

My opinion, I've never considered this kind of scenario before:

- Can you leave it connected? Yes.
- Is it risky? Yes.

The main leads of both boards are connected at the charger (their balance leads are too, but that's less of a concern to me). Which means that if you connect a 6S pack to the big board, there is 6S voltage waiting to blast into any little 2S packs that may still be connected to the little board.

(Granted, there are fuses on at least the big board, maybe also the little one, but it's still better not to drive around like a maniac, even though your car has airbags to help reduce injuries in a crash)

I think if you promise to never have any packs connected to *both* boards at the same time, you're OK

But, in my mind, it's a risk that I would prefer to avoid. Stuff happens. I'd disconnect the little board when not using it, if it were me.

[jbrandt]

That seems like good advice. It takes not even 10 seconds to switch out the boards, so I'd not want to take the chance that I'd forget and leave mCPx batteries plugged in while charging the bigger batteries.



I've been recently getting quite the education from RedOctobyr on charging (i.e. I'm no expert), but I tend to (in general) want to minimize the number of plugs in an electrical system. Each plug creates an opportunity for error (plug it in backwards, or a short, loss of efficiency, etc...).

By my count, that's like 5+ plugs you got there just from the charger to the 2s balance board.

[ahahn]

Originally Posted by blackkat98

I have the large FMA parallel charge board. Can I keep this board plugged into my PL8 at all times and then just plug my JST-PH parallel board into one channel of it, similar to my picture here? The big board will charge all of my other batteries, but I need the small board to charge my mCPX BL batteries. Thanks!

I will use a Dean's T-plug to banana plug adapter on the main board to plug the smaller board into.

Well I do basically that except my 1s board has a Deans on it (instead of your banana plugs) that I plug into the Deans that is on the parallel charge board. I also have the equivalent balancing plug that is necessary to also plug into the parallel board for my PL6 to operate.

I of course unplug the 1s setup when ever I balance larger multi cell packs that I think you do too. Wouldn't matter with no cells in the 1s board, but I do it anyway.