New Charger Case ( looking to set the new standard)

[RedOctobyr]

My bring-to-the-field list:

- Heli bag (also contains tool bag)
- TX case (also contains hat, different glasses, and cell checker, plus spare TX pack)
- LiPo bag (can go in the heli bag, but usually doesn't)
- Toolbox with my dual-port charger, power supply, parallel boards, and extension cord
- Generator, strapped to a metal luggage cart The cart was definitely worth it

My toolbox ("charger case" ) most definitely isn't fancy. But it holds all my charging stuff. Maybe this winter I'll try to make it a little nicer.

If not charging at the field, I can carry everything (heli, TX, LiPos) in one trip from the car. Two trips if charging.

Condensing stuff further would be nice, but I think it would be somewhat involved to trim an item from the list (the LiPo bag doesn't count). Maybe I could put my TX case on the luggage cart or something, but that wouldn't save me much hassle.

[KSHeli]

Oh yah, the end gate of my GMC Canyon works as my setup table in the field.
When charging packs they just set on the ground unless the ground is wet, which isn't very often here.

[mkovalcson]

This shows how I plan to arrange the batteries and the rocker switches that I will be using to show if the batteries are Charged, Storage, Spent

I plan to color code the rockers. I'm still playing with how.



This shows where the second MPA board will fit when it gets here.
I still need more hardware to arrive ( latch, integrated power cord receptacle and power switch, etc...

[mkovalcson]

The backside.

[IMG][/IMG]

[mkovalcson]

Today the new MPA board gets here and I need to solder up a bunch of properly sized PRC6 connectors for it.

Tomorrow battery storage arrives along with the switchable outlet plug and cabinet lock.

Saturday multicolored tape arrives for the switches along with some really cool fasteners.

It will be mid to late November before the aluminum channel arrives which I will need to hold the battery status rocker switches.

I'm looking at doing some "transformer" style things where parts of the cabinet come apart and are reattach somewhere else for a completely different function.

It is obvious that this has become my winter project since I don't have any new helis planned until next June

Lots more tweaking is coming.

[Gregor99]

What are all of the rocker switches for? I think I counted 10.

[mkovalcson]

Originally Posted by Gregor99

What are all of the rocker switches for? I think I counted 10.

I'm going to use them to track the charge status of the batteries. I have another bunch ordered.

3 way rockers for Full(green), Storage(yellow), Spent( red)

I just narrowed the inside width to 150mm.

The limiting factor is the 22.5mm aluminum channel that will be on each side of the 105mm wide MPA boards and it also turns out to be just 2mm larger than the width of the PL8's. Nice clean fit.

[Inverted2112]

He said they wouldn't be connected, but would be used to designate battery charge state for the batts stored next to them.

Clever idea.

I use these little stickers right on my batts. Red = discharged, green - charged and in between = storage:

https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...dProduct=47699

On that note, you WOULD NOT BELIEVE how many people at the field have asked if its a power switch for the battery. Typically I explain them, but on occasion, I just say yes....

Originally Posted by Gregor99

What are all of the rocker switches for? I think I counted 10.

[mkovalcson]

Originally Posted by Inverted2112

I use these little stickers right on my batts. Red = discharged, green - charged and in between = storage:

https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...dProduct=47699

Interesting. I was hunting for something like that. How well do those sliders hold position?

[Inverted2112]

Surprisingly well, even in the "middle" position to represent storage charge.

When I first ordered them I really thought that was going to be a problem, but I haven't had one shift on its own yet. I use them on anything 3S and larger now.

The adhesive is solid too, haven't had one disappear yet.

Originally Posted by mkovalcson

Interesting. I was hunting for something like that. How well do those sliders hold position?

[Gregor99]

Originally Posted by Inverted2112

I use these little stickers right on my batts. Red = discharged, green - charged and in between = storage:

https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...dProduct=47699

I use the same ones. I used to use labels on Velcro saying 20%, 50%, 100%. After a season I lost have the labels. The sliders can't get lost. I found I don't really care about the difference between 20% and 50%. Since I never charge UP to storage, there's little need. I also check the packs before putting them on the charger. So when I parallel charge, I'll know if there is a large difference before connecting them to the parallel cable.

[mkovalcson]

I storage charge my batteries every time when I come back from the field, so that the next time I want to fly I can parallel charge all the batteries I want together.

Sometimes my batteries sit for 2-3 weeks at a time and I would hate to leave them discharged or full if I crashed or for some other reason didn't fly all my packs.

[mkovalcson]

I'm debating canting the battery storage out at the base a bit so the batteries don't bounce around as much. I'm also considering allowing the battery storage to unclip easily so you could easily remove a side that had a battery pack "failure" of some kind.

This would also make this more stable in transport.

The two halves would also attach together if you only wanted to bring batteries to the airfield. So there would be a thin maybe 2" wide center section that the halves would hang on that would only have a handle and battery charge indicators at the top and a compartment for a few flight tools.

The downside is that when you lift it by the swiveling carry handle it would be closer to your legs and it would take more effort to hold it out a couple more inches.

I'll need to do some lift tests with the handle to gauge where it hangs naturally.

[Mark17]

I think it's awsome and very creative in the different direction your going with it. Everything we have now came from someone somewhere looking at something from a different angle .
Yes, the switches for led color status of the packs is a really cool idea.

I just finished my case though I went with basically the same idea as many others now days. I actually very closely copied the idea of a case I saw on the theads. This guy did a great job and I kinda followed that Idea. I've got a bunch of picture in an album in my profile.

[Mark17]

It's got 4 hp supplies. Each side has 2 in series which is giving each channel 25v. It can easily be changed with a couple jumper wires to run 48 or 36 and 12v. Also just for fun I put in a dual USB port for charging phones at the field. So far I love and probably will not need another charging set up.

Now it's time to do so.e saving up for a few generator. Hopefully by next summer.

[mkovalcson]

Just ordered the obligatory Voltage display and USB charger

Have CF look vinyl covering ordered in silver, red and black. They would all require sanding and priming to get a smooth non-porous surface over wood.

I've also decided to have a power cord connection both in the front and back depending on what is convenient.

I may even end up using Bondo in some places.

However I'm already redesigning the WHOLE structure of this and adding a bunch of complexity. I may need to purchase a nice mitering saw.

However I think I'll go all the way through the finishing process with this iteration just to see how it all goes.

[Ace Dude]

Originally Posted by mkovalcson

However I think I'll go all the way through the finishing process with this iteration just to see how it all goes.

Don't stop now!

I know in my case I even purchased a few different cases before finally settling on the one I used. Now matter how much upfront planning and designing you do you never know how well something is going to work until you start using it. Even then it can still take time to decide what, if any, improvements can be made. In my case I realize my case is a version 1.0 and can be changed at any time. I finally bit the bullet and finished mine always thinking about how best to make it while I was building it.

[mkovalcson]

This is where I got today.
The power cord outlet with switch is functional now. FYI, this switching outlet is temporary. I have another on the way that will take a while to get here that has two screws fastening it in place vs. this press in fit version.

[mkovalcson]

This sort of shows what I'm thinking about battery storage.

The rockers will eventually be just below flush with the top edge and inside two lengths of aluminum channel rather than sitting on top like they are here.

I also ordered some of those battery stickers for the lightweight minimal battery caddy since you will never bother bringing storage charged batteries to the air field without your chargers.

[mkovalcson]

Originally Posted by Ace Dude

Don't stop now!

I know in my case I even purchased a few different cases before finally settling on the one I used. Now matter how much upfront planning and designing you do you never know how well something is going to work until you start using it. Even then it can still take time to decide what, if any, improvements can be made. In my case I realize my case is a version 1.0 and can be changed at any time. I finally bit the bullet and finished mine always thinking about how best to make it while I was building it.

Here are my thoughts. I already want the batteries slanted out at an angle and I don't need to add the weight of an second layer of plywood. Instead I'm going to slant out the walls at the base so there is a single layer. The benefits are that an A frame will be more stable AND I can fit the "quieter" power supply I may want to use AND... I think a PowerLab Duo might fit in the bottom however I'm not going to explore that in any detail since I don't have one. That would probably require a set of drawer sliders, but I may end up putting sliders in anyway