Power Lab6 Max input voltage?

[Geardaddy]

Hey Fellas,

Got a powerlab 6 recently to charge some packs for a TRex 700E. Anyway, I've been really happy with it so far, although I'm a bit frustrated by the very narrow window of input voltage that the charger supposedly has. The manual says that 1000W can be achieved with an input voltage between 30-32 Volts? Who even has a power supply that can do that? I'm running dual HP DPS600PB server supplies that output about 25v @47A. I could run 3 and do 36V but I'm afraid I'd "let the smoke out" of the charger by doing this.. Has anyone tested this charger on 36V? I'm getting 850ish watts at full throttle which is pretty good, I can charge 4 6S packs (5300mah) at close to 2C, but I'd like to see the full 1000W..

Thanks!

[pctomlin]

Unfortunately there is not much to say on this. Without getting some unusual power supply that can output 30-32V I think you are stuck at the 850ish watt mark. The PL6 and ICharger 306B are similar in there output at 24V charging large 6S batteries. The 306B is only at the 750ish watt range even though it is a 1000W charger too (1000W or 30A).
If you really want more charging output with your existing power supplies I would suggest moving up to the PL8, that will give you 1344W at 25V input. Personally for me, 2C on my big batteries is all I normally charge at when at the field (6S 5000mah batteries). By the time I am done flying a set of batteries and come back to the pits, the set being charged is just about finished charging.
Maybe Mark can weigh in here on whether the PL6 can take 36V, but I doubt it since it is not specified in the manual.

[Geardaddy]

Hey, thanks very much! And Mark, thanks for weighing in on my question "elsewhere". Seems 850 will have to do.. Not going to spend more on a power supply to get to 30v. Mark says def DO NOT put 36V to this charger. The online power calc shows the 8 will deliver 6A more with the same power supply. I'll call this or good enough!