SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

[vovanius]

Hi there! Maybe charger devs reading this thread. I have the first version of MC3000, and about falf of a year wrote to SkyRC's support with a question - where can i get spare minus terminal springs, because springs in my unit weaken in time. And also those little aluminum thermal sensor covers. They didn't answer. Maybe they answer me here?

 

[Dubalgan]

nkon seams to offer a very good price. I've bought a Powerex c9000 from him. Good price, No problem.
I'm french too.

In the following french section I ask Dubalgan to share his review of MC3000 in the oldest discussion thread about batteries.

Dubalgan : si tu pouvais partager ton avis sur HFR ( https://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/electroniquedomotiquediy/divers/unique-chargeur-accus-sujet_8_766.htm ), ce serait vraiment cool.
Le MC3000 me fait de l'oeil depuis le début !

Hi,
I received my MC3000 this week from NKON and I can confirm it is the latest version.

@sim_v : désolé mais je ne pense pas avoir le temps de faire une review sur HFR. Peut-être un retour rapide si j'ai du temps.

As soon as I have some time, I can send some pictures for those who are interested.

 

[luciof]

Hi, all

I purchased a MC3000 a few days ago, and at first I was quite pleased with it.
But, after a couple of days of moderate use, the slide #2 broke (first well known problem). The charger was powered, and the slot #1 had a 18650 in it; removing the battery an error messaged popped up: "MCP3424-1 Err" (2nd known problem).
From now on, the charger is completely unusable.

I carefully opened it, and found the #2 pin completely shredded, the #3 pin partially broken and one of the mid screw barrels almost broken too.
Not bad for a device just purchased.
BTW, the main PCB is marked "MC3000 V1.6 2016-12-08"; according to the QC stamp, the production date is March, 2017.
So, this is not the very last version (only one fan), but the spring defect should have been addressed.

Anyway, after a few measurements and tests, I found out that one MCP3424 (4-channel ADC) has failed; the board includes two of them, and the broken one served the slots #1 and #2.
I think that handling the slide #1 (to remove the battery) after the slide #2 was broken, the hanging end of the spring touched the slide (or maybe some other parts) and made a short, blowing out the chip.

I've ordered a few spare chips and plan to replace the broken one in the next days.

I'll let you know if this solves the issue.

Regards,
Lucio.

 

[luciof]

Update: after replacing the MCP3424 chip, the "MCP3424-1 Err" Warning has gone (I guess a "MCP3424-2 Err" would pop out when the other chip fails).
After a painful reassembly and a quick check, everything works fine.

I'll do a more thorough test as soon as I find the time.

 

[inetchik]

Hello, Lucio.

Good work.

But, where you buy a charger with PCB Ver 1.6 ?

Becouse from GB the PCB Rev. 2.2: http://forum.fonarevka.ru/showthread.php?t=30657&page=61

BR,

 

[luciof]

But, where you buy a charger with PCB Ver 1.6 ?

Hi BR,

I bought it at a local store, here in Italy.
They had just arrived in the store, so I didn't consider that they could be a little old.
BTW, I didn't know about the device, so I had not done any research before buying it.

After a quick look at the link above, I see that the V2.2 PCB still obstructs the air flow from the fans. It look like a design flaw to me.
The plastic spring pins look the same; the problem is, the plastic is too brittle. In my unit, it breaks quite easily.

Lucio.

 

[mrrhh]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

This is the first charger I've seen that might compare to MC3000

http://www.isdt.co/c4.html

An ISDT C-4 charger? Is this for charging Samsung batteries?

 

[StandardBattery]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

An ISDT C-4 charger? Is this for charging Samsung batteries?

What do you mean by Samsung batteries? They make more than 1 battery. Do you mean you have a Samsung 18650 battery and you want to charge it?

 

[Mp0w3r]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

Does anyone know of a video or a post that explains how to change out the case for a broken plastic pin?

 

[fmc1]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

Does anyone know of a video or a post that explains how to change out the case for a broken plastic pin?

Take a look at post #4767 in this thread. Getting the display out of the old case was the hardest part for me. I had to heat it up quite a bit.

Frank

 

[Mp0w3r]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

Take a look at post #4767 in this thread. Getting the display out of the old case was the hardest part for me. I had to heat it up quite a bit.

Frank

Hi Frank...appreciate the help, I opened up my unit and it looks like there's no white glue holding in the display or other components, just screws, so I shouldn't have any problems...hopefully !! :thinking:

I did find this YouTube video helpful for reassembly...Thank you :thumbsup:

 

[fmc1]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

Hi Frank...appreciate the help, I opened up my unit and it looks like there's no white glue holding in the display or other components, just screws, so I shouldn't have any problems...hopefully !! :thinking:

I did find this YouTube video helpful for reassembly...Thank you :thumbsup:

I thought the video was helpful. I actually received the replacement case prior to the video being posted but I did not swap it out until later. By that time I had already bought another post June 2016 unit, this time from a US seller with the upgraded case and I was using that one. I think it's only the very early units that had no glue. On my post June 2016 unit the display, the display connectors, the button connectors and even the fan is glued in. Fortunately the glue falls apart with some heat. The screw posts on the new case were thicker than the old one so I had to open the holds up a little on the PCB.


Good luck with the swap.


Frank

 

[LiteTheWay]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

Just out of interest, why did you need to open the case of a post June 2016 version?

I thought the video was helpful. I actually received the replacement case prior to the video being posted but I did not swap it out until later. By that time I had already bought another post June 2016 unit, this time from a US seller with the upgraded case and I was using that one. I think it's only the very early units that had no glue. On my post June 2016 unit the display, the display connectors, the button connectors and even the fan is glued in. Fortunately the glue falls apart with some heat. The screw posts on the new case were thicker than the old one so I had to open the holds up a little on the PCB.


Good luck with the swap.


Frank

 

[fmc1]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

Just out of interest, why did you need to open the case of a post June 2016 version?

I wanted to see the changes in the newer case.

 

[Mp0w3r]

Re: MC3000 vs C4

Anyone know where to find a replacement fan?

Will a 12v work or does it need to be 15v?

 

[Egen]

IDEA:
1. Rename CAPACITY: to CUT CAPAC:
2. Organize the possibility of charging / discharging for Ni-Cd and Ni-MH
asymmetrical current (see figure).
Call this mode MODE: ASYMMET
Change the intervals for C. RESTING and D.RESTING (0 ms - 10 s, with the smallest possible multiplicity for current stabilization)
CYCLE COUNT: OFF
CYCLE MODE: OFF
TARGET VOLT: 1.65V (not to recharge)
DELTA PEAK:? (while to leave, research is needed)
D.REDUCE: -x.xx (Leave)
CUT VOLT: 1.00 (Leave)
Enter two parameters: C.TIME and D.TIME (0 ms - 10 s, with the minimum possible multiplicity for stabilizing the current)


This mode will allow you to drive as a charge (with C.CURRENT * C.TIME > D.CURRENT * D.TIME)
and discharge (at C.CURRENT * C.TME < D.CURRENT * D.TIME).


P.S. How is it possible to get the v1.14 beta firmware for testing?

 

[LiteTheWay]

What's happened to the squirrel?

 

[StandardBattery]

What's happened to the squirrel?

Likely SkyRC decided they had invested enough into the development of this charger. So he could be hibernating for the winter, trying to crack a bigger nut, or as sometimes happens to squirrels ....

OK you were probably not looking for speculation, sorry about that.

 

[LiteTheWay]

Likely you are correct - too bad about that.

Likely SkyRC decided they had invested enough into the development of this charger. So he could be hibernating for the winter, trying to crack a bigger nut, or as sometimes happens to squirrels ....

OK you were probably not looking for speculation, sorry about that.

 

[inetchik]

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

Yes I see, that it should be available in the next firmware version v1.14(beta):

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?389700-SkyRC-%97-IFA-2014-%97-MC3000-charger-analyzer&p=4500568&viewfull=1#post4500568

Where to get the FW1.14B ?
Becouse I have LTO CELLs (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xcpS4PQfWQs) and cells need charge and ......
And tooday I use manual (visual) charge control (end voltage = 2.8V) in LiFePo4 profile.