SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

[Behemot]

Thank you all for the rapid responses.

The update was performed within a Windows 10 Enterprise OS running the official SkyRc software under a Windows 7 compatibility environment.

No issues were experienced prior to initiating the update routine.

The update was initiated by selecting the update firmware option (following detection of the new v.1.03 firmware) transitioning the screen to its blank state immediately. At this point the update was then observed to flag up an "err.2 start vector" roughly 10% into the process (~5seconds in), terminating the update routine. Re-starting the update proved to be unsuccessful.
The USB hardware is now no longer identifiable (previously a Custom HID device) and power cycling does not recover the charger to its original state. A blank illuminated screen is all that remains regardless of whether powered through the USB port or DC mains.

I have e-mailed SkyRc and will post an update here in due course.

Once again, many thanks for the rapid responses.

Same thing, updating from 1.10 to latest, got error at 5 % and since than nothing.

While the HW is good (well besides the sparking when I connect the power brick), the SW support and documentation is somewhat worse. Their notice about "approved for XP SP3" is something, they may wake up and realize XP is kinda dead system. I used 7 even though I still have one machine with XP (but I won't be dragging this thing elsewhere to update FW and back!), even 7 is obsolete in 2017 according to most windblows fanatics, and they rely on XP? Rly? Anyway, nice, it really did not take long to screw this thing up.

Wonder how cdm191 solved that, but I guess I'll just take it back to store for replacement. Possibly ask the distributor to update the FW themselves, when it is so reliable, I just don't want to have anything in common with that.

 

[tjh]

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

No no no.
I've posted in this thread before about how to recover from a bad flash, it's easy. I'm on mobile and can't find it now, but don't send it back!

 

[tjh]

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

Found the post

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/4923550

 

[ChibiM]

just firmware .

that's all we need to have the latest version of dis charger .

Ok, gotcha. Thanks

 

[CyCle]

Have you seen new SkyRC D100 V2 charger ? https://www.banggood.com/SKYRC-D100...er-Power-Supply-p-1151156.html?rmmds=category It supports voice guide. I wonder, will be there MC3000 V2 with such feature ?)

 

[Behemot]

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

Found the post

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/4923550

Ty, can try that. Tried googling some info but nohing so I expected there is no way. My comp was not detecting it and removing all USB devices would normaly be no go (mouse, anybody?). HOWEVER, since I have lots of HW testing around, just got one free MoBo on test with only PS/2 keyboard plugged in and Team installed so I can possibly access it remotely. Just hope the SW will run at all on XP x86-32 (2003 server kernel)

 

[Behemot]

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

Seems like it worked, great. If I'll ever visit NZ, remind me to take you for a beer

 

[tjh]

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

Great, good to hear!

 

[Capolini]

Re: 2nd gen dreamcharger presented on IFA Berlin 2014…

I heard another member say that OPUS makes this charger? Is that true?

 

[tjh]

Re: 2nd gen dreamcharger presented on IFA Berlin 2014…

I heard another member say that OPUS makes this charger? Is that true?

No

 

[Behemot]

Re: 2nd gen dreamcharger presented on IFA Berlin 2014…

The SW really is poorly written, under 7 with increased DPI settings I got half of the settings window overflow where I can not see it cause the window size is static and can not be made larger (ehm). Gonna have to use it with some of the XP machines anyway for now. I've also learned from the distributor that I will need single computer for each charger as the SW can not handle more chargers simultanneously, that's not much advanced either. Well I don't neccessarily NEED the SW, can as well read the values from the display, it just appears to be easier to maintain.

And than they wrote me some talk about how this is for modelers so nobody will buy charger for 8+ cells which I told them to inquire from SkyRC. Well since there is no such advanced device for more than 4 cells, I would say somebody will bloody buy that as there would be no other option. But this is like barking on a tree…

 

[Mr.Ampere]

Re: 2nd gen dreamcharger presented on IFA Berlin 2014…

To kreisl :
On page 1, we can find this bug :
bug: NiMH "D>C, N=1" should report discharged capacity as "Cycle1" in SOV (UNCONFIRMED)

I think i can give you some explanations :
If the charge processus ends in a normal way ( delta peak for exemple) then the discharged capacity is reported as Cycle1.
But, if the charge ends in an abnormal way (for me, capacity cut), then discharged capacity is not reported at all.
The discharged capacity should be reported all the time.

 

[kreisl]

LTO cells do exist, but is expensive, and hard to find. At least for now, as was the case with Li : FePO4 cells back in mid-2000s. I can wait though, as MC3000 is software upgradeable, as far as I know.

Are you still waiting?



pretty epic

 

[Mr.Ampere]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

As a first contribution, i Will share my experience with DEX logging and configuration, not so easy as one could think...

So, when I first installed DEX, some values were reported wrong (for example, the battery temperature was 270 instead of
27,0°C). Looking around in DEX, I found the "Device properties editor" window, and specifically the "Outlet-channel/Configuration" tab.
For example , choose the "slot1" tab, "Battery temperature" sub-tab :
- right clic on the "Statistics" sub-sub-tab, "Add Property Type" and the "Factor"
- you can then enter a value (0.1 in my case) and save all this...(SAVE button)

BUT, if you try to modify this for another slot, save it, and look at the first slot again, the parameter previously saved is missing ! A bug in the saving process I guess...

So, what you can do is editing the file in an appropriate editor, such as NOTEPAD++ (freeware) :
1. go to C:\Users\<yourname>\AppData\Roaming\DataExplorer\Devices
2. do a backup of "MC3000.xml" and "MC3000-Set.xml"
3. do a copy of "MC3000.xml" => "MC3000-MYSETTINGS.xml"
4. edith the "MC3000-MYSETTINGS.xml" file with NOTEPAD++
5. the xml file is self-explanatory :
in the "Device" section, modify the name of the device :

<name implementation="gde.device.skyrc.MC3000">MC3000-mysettings</name>
​

in the "Channel" section, adjust your parameters, for example for the battery temperature :

<Measurement>
​

<name>BatteryTemperature</name>
<symbol>Tb</symbol>
<unit>°C</unit>
<active>true</active>
<statistics min="true" max="true" avg="false" sigma="false"/>
<property name="factor" value="0.1" type="Double" description="Correction for temperature slot1"/>
​

</Measurement>
​

do the same for the 3 other slots, and maybe for other values you want to correct/adjust

6. save the file , and add the "read only" property to the file (sometimes, DEX try to modify the file even if you don't access the "Device properties editor" window).

7. then , in DEX, add your new configuration file with the "Device selection dialog" window...:naughty:

 

[hahoo]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

is the max discharge still 1 amp for this unit, with latest firmware for lion batteries ?

 

[HighLight]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Using "Simple" mode I set it up to do a charge under "Eneloop AA" to charge four Eneloop AA's and all were alarmingly warm upon completion of the charge cycle. I thought heat was the enemy of NIMH cells and I also thought this charger was programmed to take the very best care of my batteries. What gives?

 

[kreisl]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Nice try

I should try again too

"Hello S.W. 17-05-31"

 

[tjh]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Using "Simple" mode I set it up to do a charge under "Eneloop AA" to charge four Eneloop AA's and all were alarmingly warm upon completion of the charge cycle. I thought heat was the enemy of NIMH cells and I also thought this charger was programmed to take the very best care of my batteries. What gives?

Charging with -dv/dt will warm the batteries. If you want super cool cells that aren't fully charged, terminate on 1.48v.

The charger is designed to be as flexible as possible... Not to baby your cells. Most people agree that a slight warming caused by -dv/dt isn't a problem long term anyway, but if you're paranoid about your cells this charger gives the power to trickle them along as cool as a cucumber if you want.

 

[kreisl]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

I should try again too

@HighLight, sorry i misread your post. I thought that your were talking about the "Dummy" mode. So today i tested the Dummy UI Mode. The Eneloop AA's stayed cool as **** for the entire time. No wonder, because since FW1.10 or so the charger uses the MH-C9000 algorithm to terminate the Eneloop charging which is a very conservative way of charging. Hence my advice, if you're worried about cell temperature and don't want to fiddle with settings, you can use MH-C9000 or the MC3000 Dummy mode.

:thumbsup:

 

[dfacex]

Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

What you think about these 1.5v Li-ion AA rechargeable batteries? I guess this dreamcharger can't handle those.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H0H6K2C/?tag=cpf0b6-20