PL8 charging issue

[beans07]

Hi I have been using 2 PL8 chargers for quite some time charging a variety of packs. I mostly charge 6s packs with the PL8's and MPA balance boards and hobbyking 6s extensions. I have 12 x 6s packs I charge with the highest cycles being 32.

Today I ran into an issue when charging in that some of the batteries would charge and others would come up with an error saying something about node XH. It happened on some that had only a couple of cycles and some that had more cycles.

It seems strange it has worked perfect up to today. I couldn't eliminate it to only one or two extensions but seemed to happen on all on both chargers. Some batteries charge and some wouldn't. All would charge if I used the boards without extensions. I even tried new extensions without any difference in results. The extensions had no signs of physical defects. It's also worth noting it has been very cold today ~ 5 degrees celsius

I cleaned the plugs and the boards for no real change. It's very hard to charge my batteries without using the extensions.

Any idea what is going on and what I should do?

[Gregor99]

Sounds like the extension cables are suspect. To check, first get a repro with only a single pack connected to the MPA. Once you have the error, grab your DVM. On one of the other open ports on the MPA, check pin 1 and pin 2. Should be about 3.7v. Then pin 1 to pin 3. Should be double that. Keep checking each pin until you find the one that does not provide a reading. Most likely the female end of that pin has loosed up and is making intermittent contact.

Also, I was very surprised to find out that genuine JST-XH connectors are loads better than the ones we get on packs and from HK. I picked up some from Digikey and recently replaced a connector on a Gens Ace pack. The contacts are much more solid and reliable.

[beans07]

Thanks for the reply. I will do some testing tonight. I have some Zippy 45C packs that a re playing up and some older Revo packs I have that have the thin wires are causing issues and also. The newer Revo packs (only by 1 month) have a better thicker silicon type wire for the balance leads.

I will try some contact cleaner first while I wait for some new balance leads.

[beans07]

I have cleaned all my contacts with some CRC contact cleaner and works perfectly on any leads, any board and any battery.

[beans07]

Just wondering if cold weather has anything to do with chargers taking longer to charge batteries? Or the batteries themselves?

It's very cold over here at the moment 10-12deg C and i notice my batteries are taking a lot longer to charge. From storage to full was about 30-40mins and all of a sudden they are taking 1.5 hours or more. This is happening on both brand new and old batteries and only started happening since it got real cold (been in the minus as well). Exactly the same thing happening on both chargers which have overall had much different work loads. One used about 1/4 the work load of the other. Even 2C charge rate around 1 hour. I use high power and parallel charging.

It just seems strange that I am now having issues and only since the weather has changed.

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[banditpowdercoat]

When it's cold. What is the acctual amps being put into the packs compared to warm temp charging?


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[beans07]

I think you could be onto something. I noticed that today when charging my brand new packs that the amps drop right off really early.

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[Itzo]

Doesn't the powerlab chargers come with a cold weather mode that kicks in at ~15°C and prevent batteries from going over a certain charge level. Like 4.17v or such.

Details are probably wrong. Just off the top of my head.

[beans07]

There is a cold weather setting but for the most part I haven't had this triggered. I have a couple of times but not for 95%

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[Gregor99]

Originally Posted by beans07

Even 2C charge rate around 1 hour. I use high power and parallel charging.

Are you using the auto charge rate modes (1c, 2c, 3c)?

Originally Posted by Itzo

Doesn't the powerlab chargers come with a cold weather mode that kicks in at ~15°C and prevent batteries from going over a certain charge level. Like 4.17v or such..

Cold weather charge mode charges the packs to 4.1v per cell. Its trigged when the ambient temps are 50f / 10c. The set point is adjustable.

[zomaar]

Had same happen too me as said:
- Cold weather protect it triggered when the pl 8 was on a cold concrete floor -> piece of carton fixed it
- clean balance connectors on mpa
- last one was even more 'doh' connecting some batteries ii didn not notice that deans back out a bit prolly by moving pack around I first did not notice since I use deans to gold plug 4 mm cables to my batteries.

[beans07]

Originally Posted by Gregor99

Are you using the auto charge rate modes (1c, 2c, 3c)?



Cold weather charge mode charges the packs to 4.1v per cell. Its trigged when the ambient temps are 50f / 10c. The set point is adjustable.

Just charging my packs at 1C set manually.

I am sure that it is the cold weather mode causing the long charge times. I noticed when it started on cold weather mode tonight that is almost immediately drops to 1/2C charge rate.

I gather it is the ambient temp the chagrer is picking up for the cold weather mode?

[banditpowdercoat]

Try setting the cold weather temp lower


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[Gregor99]

Cold weather mode reduces the termination voltage from 4.2v per cell to 4.1v per cell. Cold weather mode does NOT reduce charge current. When using a manual current setting the charge current should not reduce unless there is a supply issue. The issue could be the supply settings, the supply itself or the cables and connectors between the charger and the supply.

Post your supply settings and details about your supply including cabling, and connectors. If you are running the CCS while charging, on the supply tab you will see a message indicating that the charging has been reduced. In some cases the reason is listed.

[beans07]

I think I will have to look into it some more.

One charger seems to be reducing the charge current very quickly even when not cold weather mode. Only has done it since spraying with contact cleaner on everything. It does with both brand new and old batteries and is giving out some strange IR results. The first and last cell (6s packs) are reading 0.4-0.6 and the second and fith are reading a lot higher than usual like 4-5.

[beans07]

Further to my last post I have found one of the MPA boads that is causing the issues. I am going to investigate it more closely.

[beans07]

The issues are continuing again.

Both chargers, on any power supply (have 6 different ones) both boards in any combination.

Plugged the PL8's into separate computers and the information coming up on both chargers in the software is:

Power Status = Reduced (Cell Sum Error)

How do I fix this?

[Gregor99]

Originally Posted by beans07

The issues are continuing again.

Both chargers, on any power supply (have 6 different ones) both boards in any combination.

Plugged the PL8's into separate computers and the information coming up on both chargers in the software is:

Power Status = Reduced (Cell Sum Error)

How do I fix this?

Is this with or without the balance extensions mentioned in the first post? Also what firmware version are you running?