SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

[mandrake]

Searching Amazon just now shows no results for the MC3000. Lots of other chargers by SkyRC, not the MC3000. Do you have a link?

 

[billcushman]

Searching Amazon just now shows no results for the MC3000. Lots of other chargers by SkyRC, not the MC3000. Do you have a link?

Here is the link you requested.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BLTZ9UE/?tag=cpf0b6-20

 

[Ferdinando]

So, is anyone else having problems with DEX on win 10 not detecting the charger?

Yes, I have
but not with Win10
with Win7 64 home ed.

 

[Albert_]

Have you tried using MS Fixit? These fixes sometimes have listed procedures that can be done manually.

It's basically a diagnostic program that enables a user to diagnose and repair certain issues.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/mats/hardware_device_problems

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Tips-for-solving-problems-with-USB-devices


If MC3000 is recognized by the MC3000 monitor program and your Windows OS. The USB device drivers for the MC3000 are installed ok. No "Unknown Device". I'm not certain what would be the problem.

If the MC3000 is recognized by the OS it will be listed as a USB device from the Device Manager > Under Universal Serial Bus controllers. Possibly labled as a "composite device". If not recognized should be listed as an "Unknown Device". If an "Unknown Device" or no recognition you can try re-installing individual Hub device driver until it's recognized.

USBView is a program that will list and have details about USB hubs, ports and connected usb devices.

Perhaps posting a question from the mailinglist http://www.nongnu.org/dataexplorer/#mailinglist

 

[kreisl]

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

If it helps this https://www.dropbox.com/s/j7mrfg9zt25n8vl/20160212_230048.jpg?dl=0 is from one that arrived from GB yesterday.

Is that your unit?

Do you also have a photo of the HW Version in GSV? :thumbsup:

 

[Minimoog]

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

Is that your unit?

Do you also have a photo of the HW Version in GSV? :thumbsup:

Yes, it is mine - but I have not had a chance to power it up yet - I'll do that later and let you know.

 

[kreisl]

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

That would be real dandy. Wiv photo. Thanks in advance for the effort!

Sharing is fun

 

[Devon]

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

Yes, it is mine - but I have not had a chance to power it up yet - I'll do that later and let you know.

Take it out of the plastic if you want the fan to work.

 

[dssguy1]

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

I created a spacer blank for my MC3000 to charge batteries out of the cradle (like LIPO packs). Pretty simple design that I 3D printed and used Keystone connectors: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/228/36-228-ND/528660

I know I can fit that battery in the charger, I was just using it as an example, I didn't have any Lipos laying around.

If anybody is interested, let me know and I will post it on Thingiverse.

 

[kreisl]

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

Thanks for sharing, nice one!

I did something similar, all with commercial stuff, no 3-D printer needed. This particular RC hobby charging harness was a BG SKU:

I had introduced the conductive aluminum spacers (FT/DX) before, HKJ has them too in his mc3k review. The longer non-conductive spacer is an empty AAA-to-AA battery adapter:

The harness has 2 customizable tails, so i used up 1 tail by soldering 2 hooks to it as contacts for a prismatic single liion cell like a single cell smartphone battery:

For more info on charging-analyzing smartphone batteries, please see the other thread:
Testing smartphone batteries

 

[MarioJP]

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

I want to know... So when it's time to upgrade the firmware. How would the update be delivered if the PC monitor program for the charger is not quite compatible with the latest Win OS? Would be nice to have the lcd turn on the moment you insert a cell or at least make it a configurable option.

 

[tjh]

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

I want to know... So when it's time to upgrade the firmware. How would the update be delivered if the PC monitor program for the charger is not quite compatible with the latest Win OS? Would be nice to have the lcd turn on the moment you insert a cell or at least make it a configurable option.

If you read the 1.04fw update post, kresil says this has been fixed and that v1.04 works like this - Insert a battery and the display lights.

+ The AUTO of the backlight works now as expected, it turns ON when battery is inserted or when a program has finished (or an abnormal program termination occurs).

As for how we will get the firmware update, no one knows. We're all hoping/assuming there'll be an updated version of the Monitor program, but we don't know. For kresil he had a stand-alone .exe that worked, but he uses WinXP.

 

[MarioJP]

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

If you read the 1.04fw update post, kresil says this has been fixed and that v1.04 works like this.

As for how we will get the firmware update, no one knows. We're all hoping/assuming there'll be an updated version of the Monitor program, but we don't know. For kresil he had a stand-alone .exe that worked, but he uses WinXP.

I suppose i can partition the drive and install winxp. I have to admit though. This is a bit much just to flash a firmware lol.

 

[tjh]

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

I suppose i can partition the drive and install winxp. I have to admit though. This is a bit much just to flash a firnware lol.

Why the **** would you do that? I'm sure SkyRC will release something so we don't to do that, they'd be a laughing stock otherwise.

 

[Albert_]

I created a spacer blank for my MC3000 to charge batteries out of the cradle (like LIPO packs). Pretty simple design that I 3D printed and used Keystone connectors: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/228/36-228-ND/528660

I know I can fit that battery in the charger, I was just using it as an example, I didn't have any Lipos laying around.

If anybody is interested, let me know and I will post it on Thingiverse.

Is there any method to charge small battery packs? e.g. I have a small lithium camera battery that's rated at 7.4 volts - 570mAh.

This sort of charging would be something that could be possibly integrated into the firmware?

________

FYI, I been told by SkyRC vendors that their recently updated stock of the MC3000 come with firmware version 1.03. Eventually a 1.04 version update will become available for download and installation.

Perhaps if some users are having problems running the MC3000_monitor.exe a separate exe file update will become available.

Windows not being able to recognize usb devices is sometimes a problem with the OS USB driver(s). Some usb devices come with their own drivers. It's likely some sort of Windows backward usb driver compatibility issue. As new usb devices are becoming more sophisticated, later versions of windows usb drivers are updated accordingly for compatibility, may have problems recognizing devices using older usb technologies.

One solution is to connect the usb device and then re-install the usb hub drivers until the usb device is recognized.

If a usb device is recognized with a good os usb driver installation and conflicts still occur. Possibly there is some sort of serial communication problem between the device and the os usb driver & hardware. This sort of problem would be more of a rarity and likely a problem with the OS and/or OS usb driver.

If you're having issues with a usb connection first try some of the troubleshooting procedures as suggested above, then post your results. After performing the first steps of troubleshooting there are usually other troubleshooting procedures that can be then addressed.

some basic usb requirements

1. tested good working usb cable
2. usb device working normally (tested under other PC's and/or OS)
3. OS usb drivers correctly installed and working with other usb devices.
4. working usb port

 

[tjh]

Is there any method to charge small battery packs? e.g. I have a small lithium camera battery that's rated at 7.4 volts - 570mAh.

This sort of charging would be something that could be possibly integrated into the firmware?

This is a single cell charger. If you want something that will charge packs, you need to be looking at a hobby charger. Something like the SkyRC Imax B6 Mini or similar.

 

[MarioJP]

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

Why the **** would you do that? I'm sure SkyRC will release something so we don't to do that, they'd be a laughing stock otherwise.

I was going to mention install xp in a virtual machine. But nah, too much overhead and many things could go wrong.

 

[tjh]

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

I was going to mention install xp in a virtual pc. But nah, too much overhead and many things could go wrong.

Exactly. I suspect WinXP works well because it allows some lower-level access to the USB port or similar. Trying to pass that through a guest VM is just screaming "give me problems". I would never, ever attempt to update the firmware of anything from the USB of a guest VM.

 

[kreisl]

Is there any method to charge small battery packs? e.g. I have a small lithium camera battery that's rated at 7.4 volts - 570mAh.

This sort of charging would be something that could be possibly integrated into the firmware?

No.
No.

Explanation: the max allowed voltage per slot is 5V afaik rtfm

 

[MarioJP]

Is there any method to charge small battery packs? e.g. I have a small lithium camera battery that's rated at 7.4 volts - 570mAh.

This sort of charging would be something that could be possibly integrated into the firmware?

You could potentially fry the charger. 7.4v that's too high.