SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

[tjh]

I ran a 1A discharge for 1 hour, 31 minutes and 33 seconds.

That's 5493 seconds.

5493/3600*1000 = 1526

But the charger only reported 1452

The reason for this is clear to me: When trying to reach the termination voltage, the charger ramps down the current. It also ramps it up slowly over the first 3-4 seconds.

So I see a lower reported voltage than what the "perfect" calculation gives.

NOTE: This is opposite to what's reported above, which is that doing the per-second calculation showed less discharge than the charger, not more.

NOTE NOTE: To clarify, this was a NiMH, 1A discharge, termination set to end at 1.10 volts but I pulled the battery a bit before it properly finished because I was in a rush.

 

[kreisl]

I ran a 1A discharge for 1 hour, 31 minutes and 33 seconds.

That's 5493 seconds.

5493/3600*1000 = 1526

But the charger only reported 1452

this is a quirk of the pcls, the log is some seconds (up to half a minute) shorter than what the device (lcd) is counting (total time, mAh). ive listed it months ago under pcls bugs. an acceptable workaround is the following:

in your program (SPV) add a resting phase after the Charge (or Discharge) operation, for example DISCHARGE operation mode -1.00A with D.RESTING 10min. You will see that the log contains the full Discharge run (please time it with your Timex stop watch!) and it shows only 9:XXmin resting phase, even though the device did do 10min resting (please time this also with your Timex).

oh well.

so in case of doubt (device? log?), the device is the correct one. counts and stops time correctly, measures mAh correctly, fully, no missing blabla.

 

[bosko90]

These strange things is happening to me too.

DataExplorer : 1:47:50 -0,2A 475 mAh during this time it should go out 359 mAh

Charger time is: 2:22:34 and 475 mAh calculation > 475,2 mAh

Time of DataExplorer is running slower than real time

 

[kreisl]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ger-analyzer&p=4853179&viewfull=1#post4853179

 

[mrQQ]

Log shows 1.616V.
Which battery is that? Exact model/make, all details please. I will try to test run the same battery on my system in order to see if my log differs from yours.

Even better, try to test standard Eneloop and NCR18650's and see if you get again a math mismatch. These are the batteries which i have at hand.

It's actually an alkaline primary, but that should not matter, because capacity just needs discharge current and time? I can try with eneloop of course.

 

[mrQQ]

Ok, this is a log of partial discharge of partially charged eneloop @ 1A: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...3328&authkey=!AJUQskH3Cri5_jQ&ithint=file,zip

Discharging time: 23 minutes 24 seconds. Total discharged capacity = (23*60+24)/3600*1000 = 390mAh, however last log line is already up to 404mAh.

 

[chemEJoe]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Today i quick-tested my new (=unused) Protected NCR18650B Seiko Gold Plated, datecode 2014-09-27, just to check the calibration level of my unit. I had calibrated my charger a month ago after my UT61E digital multimeter, so the mc3k capacity readings would equal exactly what my DMM would read. ...

kreisl, I am running this same test but with the C>D>C for new NCR18650B protected. Same parameters down to 2.5v.

I noticed if I start the batteries in different slots, the IR can be up and down from 80-90mohm to 130-200. It seems to be slot dependent. Is this the grease issue you referred to earlier, or FW? I am on FW 1.02. I haven't fully characterized it, but it looks like Slots 3 and 4 give different and higher IR for same battery. Then Slot 3 is lower when Slot 4 is not used. So, something in the measurement is not right matched to batteries. I may be doing something wrong because I'm just starting the C cycle, and then reading the IR.

Can you provide some insight? I did read the old discussions on IR, and I'm not putting it all together right. My impression is that IR is maybe algorithmically dependent, and I was thinking the IR should be consistent between slots for the same batter.

 

[kreisl]

Ok, this is a log of partial discharge of partially charged eneloop @ 1A: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...3328&authkey=!AJUQskH3Cri5_jQ&ithint=file,zip

Discharging time: 23 minutes 24 seconds. Total discharged capacity = (23*60+24)/3600*1000 = 390mAh, however last log line is already up to 404mAh.

shoot in the wild. disconnect charger from PC, disactivate bluetooth on phone, reset charger, do a full discharge test run on Eneloop (with D.RESTING: 10min) and stop the time with an external watch. when finished, go into sov and check total time and routine time (10min rest) and compare with your stopwatch. maybe something's off with your mc3k internal clocker.

Here my run of Eneloop -1.00A, CUT TIME: 30min. All 100% perfect:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/ir199q

 

[kreisl]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

check the calibration of your device. this will be rather independent from excessive grease.

if it didn't help 100%, then the grease is the matter. use a Q-tip and clean the top face of the rails (facing the sky/ceiling). no disassembly needed.

then check calibration again.

 

[chemEJoe]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

check the calibration of your device. this will be rather independent from excessive grease.

if it didn't help 100%, then the grease is the matter. use a Q-tip and clean the top face of the rails (facing the sky/ceiling). no disassembly needed.

then check calibration again.

Thanks, will do. I've decided to do the fan mode given the pics here of the new hw version that essentially is the fan mod you outlined (yours was better with the bevel cuts to use the clips). The reason for the mod is now I know to do capacity measurements, with Li Ion, it's 70C on my unit. And to refresh NiMH, the fan did come on. I think the unit will last longer with fewer moving parts, so having a better cooling setup will allow the fan to last longer.

I will post the results of my first li ion cycle with capacities later. Boy these take up to most of a day

 

[DeeFff]

I just wanted to share a hidden setting I found (LCD Contrast), but did a search and saw that kreisl had already mentioned it (I somehow missed that post)

Well, FWIW I can at least say that it's present in the FW 1.02 as well :shrug:

While getting to know my newly-arrived MC3000, I stumbled upon this setting . I had some difficulty interpreting what I saw, as "CONTRAST" is misspelled as "CONSTAST". :shrug:

 

[bosko90]

this was listed already see the list under DEX

where I check this? :$

 

[kreisl]

where I check this? :$

tinyurl.com/mc3k-list

 

[kreisl]

Time of DataExplorer is running slower than real time

In DEX beita dc 2016-03-01 the timing is now perfectly correct, no more delays during START and or during the program, i am testing it right now. Important to note, one needs to deinstall/uninstall the previous DEX version completely; the file MC3000.jar will then be deleted too. The new installation will contain a file called SkyRC.jar which has the fixed code. A file named MC3000.jar is no more part of the package bye.

My sincere thanks fly out to the DEX main programmer Winne who is, and always was, highly motivated to improve the open software! He is fully dedicated and focused on the DEX development project :thumbsup:

EDIT: Check the box "Continuous record set" on the "Miscellaneous"-tab under "Preferences" and you will get a continuous graph over Total Time, same as PCLS graphs logs.

 

[morcegolas]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Can I buy another fan, because doing the reverse mod and cleaning the grease I put to manny pressure on the fan and I break the supports in the center, it's working with no noise but I prefer change the fan rather than have this one broke. :/

 

[dssguy1]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

I guess kreisl forgot to put "don't push on the middle of the fan when seating the fan". Or maybe he considered that obvious.... Good luck finding a 15v replacement fan. If it is running fine with no noise, I would leave it alone, just my opinion though. You could put a couple dabs of super glue on the supports if they are still somewhat intact.

 

[kreisl]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

:/


:/

:/
​

 

[billcushman]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Can I buy another fan, because doing the reverse mod and cleaning the grease I put to manny pressure on the fan and I break the supports in the center, it's working with no noise but I prefer change the fan rather than have this one broke. :/

I bought and tested this fan using an adjustable power supply. At 12v the current was.12A. at 15v it was about .14A. It was very quiet and could be turned over without the rotor or blades hitting. It came with the same plug as the MC3000 fan. I didn't try it in the MC3000 but suspect it would work fine. I paid about $8 from Amazon because I wanted it in 2 days (Amazon Prime). It was available from several Chinese suppliers for only a couple of dollars shipped.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MYNWWXE/?tag=cpf0b6-20

 

[MarioJP]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

On one the chargers. The fan starting to sound strange than usual.

 

[gyzmo2002]

On one the chargers. The fan starting to sound strange than usual.

Check mine on post #2579. It is noisy only at start up for about 20-25sec.

Wait a bit for the video to be downloaded.