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PowerLab 8 User's Guide

1. power source 2 standard adapters or Safe Parallel Adapters 1 adapter per side a 1 10s or larger split pack with center tap 1 optional FUIM3 for computer support a l optional Y servo cable required for Expansion Channel operation with computer support a Male male servo cable required for Expansion Channel operation PowerLab 8 mode Expansion Channel PowerLab 8 maximum charge power up to 1344W to each pack 8s using 24VDC 3400W power source Standard house circuit would likely not provide enough power would require 240V AC power supply for full power If not running in Expansion Channel mode remove the male mail servo cable and Y servo cable and use 2 FUIM3s and 2 CCS instances to control the PowerLabs 25 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Power Source Male Male servo cable FUIMS Y servo cable Adapter Remove series jumper See also Expansion Channel Mode 26 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Configuration H Summary two PowerLabs charging pack 10s or larger with center tap two power sources Normal mode Components 2 PowerLabs 2 ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED power sources Lead Acid batteries or DC supplies see note below 2 standard adapters or Safe Parallel Adapters 1 adapter per side 1 10s or larger pack with center tap User provided jumper see diagram 2 optional FUIM3s for computer support with 2 CCS instances PowerLab 8 mode Normal or Expansion C
2. Set startup options Save and load option sets Visual Settings section Cells Scroll Seconds Set time for cell data to display during charging Cell Decimals Set cell voltage values in hundredths or thousandths of a volt Name on Both Lines Set time that a long preset name appears in both lines before second line is replaced with charge specs Preset Name Scrolling Set time that portions of a long preset name appear in the display s top line European comma decimal When checked comma is displayed as decimal point Text boxes Substitute your own text in the power on welcome screen Preset Settings section a Save Preset Changes done at PowerLab When checked preset changes made at PowerLab 8 are stored in the current preset and uploaded to the CCS Disabling this option is not recommended but provides a method for temporarily overriding a preset s parameters for the duration of one charge Audio Settings section Speaker Volume Set PowerLab 8 speaker volume Charge Done Beeps Set the number of beeps announcing that charging is com plete Button Clicks ON When checked PowerLab 8 emits a beep each time a button on its front panel is pressed Quiet Charging When checked does not beep at key points during charging Start Settings section Enable Quick Start When checked you can skip over a preset s setup ques tions just press and hold ENTER when preparing to charge a pack at the Pow e
3. In the dialog click the OK but ton To restore the factory presets and options 1 2 3 Click the Factory Restore button In the confirmation dialog click the Yes button Y ou will be notified when the restore is complete In the dialog click the OK but ton 47 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Full firmware and preset update process Over time new CCS versions and new factory default presets will be released These changes may correct safety violations or provide enhanced capabilities that would cause older presets to contain errors when running in newer firmware or CCS software This procedure enables you to update your custom presets as well as the firmware 1 Back up your custom presets one at a time using the File gt Save Preset X to File command Update the firmware see instructions above Perform a factory restore see instructions above Restore custom presets one at a time using the File gt Open File to Preset X com mand Check the Errors tab to see whether any of the old presets cause an error in the new CCS firmware Double click each error and correct the problem Re save your custom presets one at a time using the File gt Save Preset X to File command 48 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Options tab In the Options tab you can Specify how information appears in PowerLab 8 s display Control whether presets are uploaded to the CCS Specify speaker volume and beep settings
4. PowerLab 8 maximum charge power up to 1344W to each pack 8s using 24VDC 3400W power source Standard house circuit would likely not provide enough power would require 240VAC power supply for full power Power Source a FUIMS Adapter Adapter 22 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Configuration F Summary two PowerLabs charging separate packs one power source Expansion Channel Mode Components 2 PowerLabs a power source 2 standard adapters or Safe Parallel Adapters 1 adapter per pack a 2 packs Safe Parallel Adapters require same cell count for both packs 1 optional FUIM3 for computer support a l optional Y servo cable required for Expansion Channel operation with computer support a Male male servo cable required for Expansion Channel operation required for computer support PowerLab 8 mode Expansion Channel PowerLab 8 maximum charge power up to 1344W to each pack 8s using 24V DC 3400W power source Standard house circuit would likely not provide enough power would require 240V AC power supply for full power Power Source FUIMS3 Male Male servo cable Y servo cable Adapter Adapter 23 PowerLab 8 User s Guide See also Expansion Channel Mode 24 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Configuration G Summary two PowerLabs charging split pack 10s or larger one power source Expansion Channel Mode Components a 2 PowerLabs
5. ead 12V SLA Or Gel Cellosctoco ocre a ter cesh ct O EANN 73 Troubleshooting ooo nn 74 REVOLECTRIX Limited Warranty 00 0 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 aaar aoaaa aoaaa airain rinnuni 76 Limits and exclusion at la de e li a DA go e 76 Supports nena eaa aai ie al a 77 PowerLab 8 User s Guide About PowerLab 8 Simple to operate just connect PowerLab 8 between a power source and a pack select a pack specific preset and start charging discharging cycling or monitoring No jumpers plugs or dials to set During Auto Charge PowerLab 8 automatically determines pack capacity and sets optimal current then dynamically adjusts charge rate as needed Alternatively select manual charge rates from 10mA to 40A Supports both balanced depending on chemistry and non balanced charging with certain safety limitations of the following chemistries e LiPo ls to 8s balanced 1s to 2s unbalanced maximum charge rate of 2 0A for unbalanced charging e Li Ion 1s to 8s balanced Is to 2s unbalanced maximum charge rate of 2 0A for unbalanced charging e A1230 LiFePO4A 1s to 8s balanced Is to 10s unbalanced maximum charge rate of 20A for unbalanced charging e LiMn ls to 8s balanced Is to 2s unbalanced maximum charge rate of 2 0A for unbalanced charging e NiCd 1s to 21s maximum charge rate of 20A e NiMH ls to 21s maximum charge rate of 20A e 6V 12V 24V Lead Acid Flooded Gel AGM SLA a Holds up to
6. the controller may lower its cut off voltage This could overdischarge 59 PowerLab 8 User s Guide the pack during the flight Auto detect speed controllers should properly set cut off voltage if packs are charged to at least 90 a To save time stop charging when the pack reaches about 95 of capacity That last 5 takes the longest By default User Presets notify you with two beeps when a pack reaches 90 of capacity that threshold can be easily adjusted using the Charge Control Software Some cells may sag 0 10V within an hour after charging This is normal as packs age In REVOLECTRIX s opinion over discharging an A123 pack below 2 0V cell will damage the cells contrary to some reports PowerLab 8 requires a minimum pack voltage of 1 5V to activate charging If an A123 pack is below this voltage do not try to repair the pack by boosting voltage Even if you manage to repair the pack it will not have many cycles left and PowerLab 8 will reject it for multiple reasons as indicated by displayed safety codes Storing packs For best results LiPo and A123 packs should be stored at 50 of capacity Use PowerLab 8 s LiPo All Brands Storage Charge preset to prepare LiPo packs for storage and the A123 All Cpcty Storage Charge to prepare A123 packs for stor age a LiPo packs charged to 100 should not be cooled below room temperature Cells at 90 or less capacity can be cooled below 32 F 0 C
7. useful insights BT2 format used by the West Mountain Radio CBA graphing software This for mat exports only voltage versus charge A BT2 file can be modified with a text editor One suggested change is to update the file name on line 6 which may not be suitable for displaying in the CBA graph To export graph data as a text file File gt Export Graph gt Text File To export voltage data in CBA format File gt Export Graph gt West Mountain CBA II File select the data you want to export then click the Export button 56 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Generate a custom fuel table PowerLab 8 calculates the fuel level in a battery based on a lookup table for a particular cell manufacturer or chemistry Even two LiPo batteries from different eras or different brands from the same era can have vastly different voltage versus time characteristics during charging When the fuel table doesn t match the cell s chemical composition errors in the fuel reading occur An accurate fuel table can be generated by cycling a cell or pack and recording the cell voltage The Fuel Table Wizard automates the process However it will take a few hours to complete 1 Tools gt Generate Fuel This opens the Fuel Wizard 2 Follow setup instructions in the Fuel Wizard 3 Click the Generate Fuel button About fuel tables How do you know whether you need a custom fuel table for a battery If you use Auto mode AUTO IC
8. A123 1100 mAh Accurate Charge Optimized for balance charging A123 1100 mAh battery packs requires balance wires on the pack Fuel Table is optimized for this specific battery type and capacity Select able charge rates include 1C 2C 3C 4C 5C AUTO or 10 mA to 6A manual Opti mization is for the most accurate charging with termination settings of C 20 and max of 30 min timeout for C V mode This preset requires that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 type batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Default charge rate setting is 2 2A manual Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 6A for this preset which means that this preset will not exceed 6A max charge rate during AUTO charge Other defaults discharge rate setting is 1A discharge volt age 2 8V cell 69 PowerLab 8 User s Guide A123 1100 mAh Faster Charge Optimized for balance charging A123 1100 mAh battery packs requires balance wires on the pack Fuel Table is optimized for this specific battery type and capacity Select able charge rates include 1C 2C 3C 4C 5C AUTO or 10 mA to 6A manual Opti mization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 20 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset does not require that every cell in the battery is charged t
9. At the Power Source screen use the INC or DEC button to select Battery or DC Power Supply i e what is currently powering the PowerLab 8 Press ENTER to display the User Preset list Press INC DEC i e press both INC and DEC at the same time to display the Options menu Choose TASK Press INC or DEC until you see Charger Options then press ENTER The Charger Address screen should display PRIMARY CHANNEL unless you are running multiple PowerLabs If it doesn t press INC or DEC until you see PRI MARY CHANNEL Press ENTER At the Power Source screen press ENTER until you see the Decimal Places for Cells screen See Set Smart Power Management for instructions on setting this option At the Decimal Places for Cells screen press INC or DEC to select 2 or 3 then press ENTER This controls how many decimal places are displayed in cell voltage data screens At the Quiet Charging screen press INC or DEC to select Y or N then press ENTER Y no beeps during charging N beeps during charging At the Speaker Volume screen press INC or DEC to set speaker volume then press ENTER 1 quietest While setting volume speaker beeps at volume shown on screen At the Sound Button Clicks screen press INC or DEC to select Y or N then press ENTER Button clicks provide audible feedback when you press PowerLab 8 buttons At the Charge Complete Beeps screen press INC or DEC to set the number then press ENTE
10. Channel Mode multiple PowerLabs are connected via each unit s PC port Use this mode when you want to charge multiple similar packs with reduced button presses Expansion Channel Mode is a modular approach to maintaining similar bat teries the batteries must be the same chemistry but the cell counts can be different As delivered all PowerLabs are configured to run as a Primary or Master unit In the OPTIONS menu you designate one or more PowerLabs as an Expansion unit e g Expansion Ch 1 Expansion Ch 2 etc Communicating through the PC ports the Primary unit controls the operations of all Expansion units power source setups options and presets All Expansion unit keypads are disabled except for one function than enables them to be made Primary units again INC DEC to display the OPTIONS menu To operate in Expansion Channel Mode Packs must have the same chemistry since one preset controls charging dis charging or cycling on all PowerLabs Packs can have different cell counts Packs can be at different levels of charge 1 Optional Interlock the PowerLab 8 cases using the guides on the enclosure sides Two screws are provided to secure adjacent cases 2 Connect two PowerLabs using a male male servo cable When connecting more than two PowerLabs or when you are connecting to a computer for CCS support use Y servo cables as needed see Configuration F and Configuration G for exampl
11. File gt Save Preset X to File command 2 Update the firmware see instructions for the Firmware tab 3 Perform a factory restore see instructions for the Firmware tab 4 Restore custom presets one at a time using the File gt Open File to Preset X com mand 5 Check the Errors tab to see whether any of the old presets cause an error in the new CCS firmware Double click each error and correct the problem 6 Re save your custom presets one at a time using the File gt Save Preset X to File command PowerLab 8 User s Guide Graphs CCS graphics enable you to see how battery performance changes over time during charging and discharging operations When you start a charge CCS opens a dialog in which you can name the graph Enter a descriptive name then click OK To set graph update interval In the main CCS window View gt Preferences gt Graph ing Update Rate To view graphs In the main CCS window View gt Graphs This opens the Graph win dow Perform the following operations in the Graph window To select the parameter displayed in the graph View gt Amps vs Time View gt Cell Volts vs Time View gt Fallback vs Time View gt Fuel vs Time View gt Internal Resistance vs Time View gt Pack Capacity vs Time View gt Pack Volts vs Time View gt Cell Volts vs Capacity To measure values and time in a graph Hover the cursor over the graph Value and time are
12. aspects of charging and balancing for the expansion units PowerLab 8 User s Guide Using PowerLab 8 Quick reference This quick reference lists common PowerLab 8 tasks What do you want to do Todothis Do this Select power 1 Apply power source type 2 Press any button 3 Atthe Power Source screen use the INC or DEC button to select Battery or DC Power Supply i e what is currently powering the PowerLab 8 4 Press ENTER to display User Preset list Navigate the In the User Presets list Press INC and DEC to scroll through User Presets Press and menus hold INC or DEC to scroll rapidly In the User Presets list Press ENTER to set up to charge with the displayed preset a In menus Press INC and DEC to scroll through options Press and hold INC or DEC to scroll rapidly In menus Press ENTER to select the displayed option and move to the next screen Press BACK to go back one screen Press and hold BACK to go directly to the User Presets list from any location Press INC DEC i e simultaneously to access Preset Settings Charger Options Manage Presets and Button Help functions Connecta a For balanced charging up to 3A Attach 9 pin connector to Balance Port may require Details pack adapter a For balanced charging at any current Attach pack discharge wires to Output jacks using banana cable attach 9 pin connector to Balance Port may require adapter Fornon balanced charging Attach pack
13. by default e Regenerative voltage upper limit into Lead Acid battery 14 40V e Regenerative current upper limit into Lead Acid battery 10A The following procedure sets Smart Power Management for both a DC power supply and a Lead Acid battery 1 Connect PowerLab 8 to a 10 32V DC power supply or Lead Acid battery 2 Press any button on PowerLab 8 s panel 3 At the Power Source screen use the INC or DEC button to select Battery or DC Power Supply i e what is currently powering the PowerLab 8 4 Press ENTER to display the User Preset list PowerLab 8 User s Guide 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Press INC DEC i e press both INC and DEC at the same time to display the Options menu Choose TASK Press INC or DEC until you see Charger Options then press ENTER The Charger Address screen should display PRIMARY CHANNEL unless you are running multiple PowerLabs If it doesn t press INC or DEC until you see PRI MARY CHANNEL Press ENTER At the Power Source screen press INC or DEC to select DC Power Supply then press ENTER At the Supply Current Limit screen press INC or DEC to specify the current limit appropriate for your DC power supply then press ENTER Cutoff current should be slightly less than the power source s maximum output current capability To protect your power supply from damage PowerLab 8 will never draw more cur rent than you specify here but charge current may not re
14. cece cece cece ce ceeeeeeeeeeueeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 68 A123 2300 mAh Faster Charge 2220 c cece cece ccc cece cece c cece eee ceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 68 A123 2300 mAh High Power 2 0 0 2 22 cece cece ccc e cece cece cece eee e eee ceeeeeeeeecueeeeeeeeeeeeees 68 A123 2300 MARN Non Balls 14983 400 an Gee tii Soe eeu de ete Reet lee 68 A123 2300 mAh Non Bal 8s Fixed 222220000 e ccc e cece cece cece ceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 69 A123 1100 mAh Accurate Charge 22 22 oo eee c cece cece cece nere ere serene renerne 69 A123 1100 mAh Faster Charge 2 2 e cece cece cece eeceececcececseeeeeees 70 A1231100 MAR Non Ball Su ce o lett Yee ele cebada a ad te 70 A123 1100 mAh Non Bal 8s Fixe0 oooccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccnn cnn cnn cnn cnn 70 A123 All Cpcty Storage Charge 2 20 0 e cece cece cece cece cece ee ceeeeeeeeeceeeseeeeeereeees 71 A123 Store Non Bal AOS a a UA ee 71 A123 Store Non Bal 8s Fixed 222 0000 cece eee ec cece eee e cece eeceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 71 NiMH NiCd and Lead Acid factory presets 0 00000000 c ccc c cece cece ccc cece cece eee eeeeeees 73 NiCd Fast Charge with Trickle 000 22 c cece cece ccc cece cece cece cece cnn cnn cnn 73 NiMH Fast Charge with Trickle 2 20 0 occ cece ccc cece cece ccc cccccccccccccceceececeeeees 73 NiCd NiMH 24 Hr Trickle Charge oooooccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccnccncnnnn cnn aonane anaana 73
15. discharge wires to Output jacks using banana cable PowerLab 8 User s Guide Charge dis charge cycle or monitor a pack Charge packs in par allel OF COON 9 10 Apply power and select power source see above Details Connect pack Press INC or DEC to select desired User Preset then press ENTER For each question press INC or DEC to select correct answer then press ENTER CHECKING PACK indicates PowerLab 8 is attempting to detect attached pack Screen displays preset s chemistry If this matches pack s chemistry press ENTER to start If they don t match just wait for the next prompt then press ENTER to return to the User Preset list During the operation Press INC or DEC to view data Press ENTER to change charge current Press and hold ENTER to stop the operation Beep beep beep indicates the operation is complete Display shows elapsed time Press INC DEC to review data Operation is complete but session remains open so you can review collected data Press and hold ENTER to terminate session this erases session data Disconnect pack Press ENTER to return to User Preset list Only use REVOLECTRIX Safe Parallel Adapters and stackable safety banana plugs when Details charging discharging cycling packs in parallel Connect up to 9 batteries of same chem istry cell count and capacity in parallel by stacking banana plugs Charge as above but enter number of packs
16. displayed in the command bar To customize graphs View gt Options To zoom in Drag a rectangle around the area you want to enlarge After that use the commands in the Zoom menu To resize the graph window Drag any corner or side or click the window s Maximize button To annotate a graph Enter notes in the lower left corner To save a graph as an image File gt Save As 55 PowerLab 8 User s Guide To print a graph File gt Print After you generate a graph perform the following operations in the main CCS window To save graph data File gt Save Graph This saves all data not just the data currently displayed in the graph To save graph data in a location of your choice File gt Save Graph As To display previously saved data as a graph File gt Open Graph You can view any parameters that were originally recorded To clear data from the Graph window File gt Close Graph Exporting graph data You can export graph data for detailed analysis in other tools such as spreadsheets You don t have to export graph data immediately as long as you save a graph you can open it later to export its data CCS exports data in either of two formats Tab delimited text This format exports all data recorded by CCS including data that was not displayed in the graph Some of this data is purely technical and relates to PowerLab 8 operation Other data such as supply voltage can provide
17. not Verified Shunt FET off while CHG DSCH Unknown Chemistry No Charge Screens to Show Bad Run Screen Number Cell Count is Zero Discharge Mode not set to Balancer Discharge Mode Timeout Peek Detect set past 15 min NiCd Chem must use FallBack Lith Chem must not use FallBack Oscillator Calibration Erased 75 PowerLab 8 User s Guide REVOLECTRIX Limited Warranty REVOLECTRIX warrants PowerLab 8 to be free of manufacturing defects for the term of one year from the date of purchase Should any defects covered by this warranty occur the product shall be repaired or replaced with a unit of equal performance by REVOLECTRIX or an authorized REVOLECTRIX service station Limits and exclusions This warranty may be enforced only by the original purchaser who uses this product in its original condition as purchased in strict accordance with the product s instructions Units returned for warranty service toa REVOLECTRIX service center will be accepted for service when shipped postpaid with a copy of the original sales receipt or warranty registration form to the service station designated by REVOLECTRIX This warranty does not apply to a Consequential or incidental losses resulting from the use of this product Damage resulting from accident misuse abuse neglect electrical surges reversed polarity on connectors lightning or other acts of God Damage from failure to follow instructions supplied with the produ
18. responsible for determining the charge discharge current for each pack 15 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Configuration A Summary basic one pack charging through balance wires Components a PowerLab 8 power source a 1 standard adapter Safe Parallel Adapter does not support balance wire only charging a pack Optional FUIM3 for computer support PowerLab 8 mode Normal or Expansion Channel Normal PowerLab 8 maximum charge power up to 100W charge to 1 pack 8s balance wire only charging limited to 3A max DIET Computer Source Adapter 16 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Configuration B Summary basic one pack charging through balance and discharge wires Components a PowerLab 8 1 power source a l standard adapter or Safe Adapter pack Optional FUIM3 for computer support PowerLab 8 mode Normal or Expansion Channel Normal PowerLab 8 maximum charge power up to 1344W charge to one pack 8s using 24VDC 1700W power source Power Source Adapter 17 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Configuration C Summary parallel charging Components PowerLab 8 a power source a 1 Safe Parallel Adapter for each pack do not use standard adapters a 2 or more packs above 9 packs in parallel you are responsible for determining the charge discharge current for each pack Optional FUIM3 for computer support PowerLab 8 mode Normal or Expansion Channel No
19. the User Preset list use INC or DEC to select the preset you want to clear Press and hold INC or DEC to scroll rapidly Press INC DEC to access options In the Choose TASK screen press INC until you see Manage Presets then press ENTER In the Clear Current Preset screen press INC to display Y then press ENTER In the Confirm CLEAR Preset screen press INC to display Y then press ENTER In the Preset Cleared screen press and hold BACK to return to the User Preset list You ll see EMPTY PRESET for the preset you just cleared Copy a Library Preset PowerLab 8 is equipped with up to 50 Library Presets A Library Preset which you can t change is a starting point for creating your own User Preset which you can change FMA configures Library Presets with optimal charge characteristics for a vari ety of battery chemistries and charging strategies You can replace an existing User Pre set with a Library Preset or if less than 25 User Presets are installed you can create a new User Preset from a Library Preset After you load a Library Preset into a User Preset slot you can change its properties 38 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Inthe User Preset list use INC or DEC to select the slot where you want the new preset Selecting an EMPTY PRESET is usually better unless you are intentionally overwriting an existing preset Press and hold INC or DEC to scroll rapidly Press INC DEC to access options I
20. then correct the situation You could press the ENTER button to proceed but this is not recommended Battery Low Voltage Out Set to low voltage cutoff value If battery reaches this voltage charging stops to prevent overdischarge 11 00V is recommended for most 12V batteries For a 24V supply battery set to 1 2 desired cutoff voltage Pow erLab 8 detects two 12V batteries in series and doubles the Battery Low Voltage Out setting 45 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Battery Max Amps Out Set for maximum supply battery current draw If the charge rate is set higher than the input current allows the PowerLab 8 will draw no more than the level set here which may limit output current to the pack If Bat tery Max Amps Out is set too high the battery s output voltage may drop below the Battery Low Voltage Out setting and charging will stop Enable Regenerative Discharge If checked pack discharge energy up to 40A 1344W is sent to supply battery during discharge cycles If not checked dis charge is dissipated internally limited to 100W Regen Amps IN to Pb Set to maximum regenerative current to supply battery Consider battery chemistry and size when setting this value For example Lead Acid batteries should not be charged at a rate higher than C 8 Regen Charge Voltage IN to Pb Set to maximum regenerative voltage applied to supply battery For a 24V supply battery PowerLab 8 will automatically double the va
21. times and the display will show ELAPSED time chemistry DONE On the Primary unit press INC and DEC to review charging data screens Data will be dis played on each PowerLab 8 for the pack connected to that unit After all units have completed charging on the Primary unit press and hold ENTER Screen displays CHARGER STOPPED On the Primary unit press ENTER or BACK to return to the User Presets list Disconnect the packs from all units 35 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Regenerative discharge Regenerative discharge routes most of the energy from the pack being discharged back into the Lead Acid battery powering the PowerLab 8 This feature is only available when the PowerLab 8 is powered from a Lead Acid battery Regenerative discharge sup ports up to 40A 1344W maximum Regenerative discharge Enable disable regenerative discharge at the PowerLab 8 via Smart Power Man agement for the supply battery a Enable disable regenerative discharge and set maximum discharge current and maximum discharge voltage in the CCS Supply tab Remember also to set supply battery low voltage cutoff and maximum output current for charge cycles PowerLab 8 automatically determines whether it is connected to a Lead Acid battery or a DC power supply If it detects a power supply it switches to internal discharge 10mA to 10A 100W maximum 36 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Modify a preset You can change all preset propert
22. 10 mA to 20A manual Optimization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 10 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset is not capable of charging every cell in the battery to exactly 100 because it does not have access to individual cell voltages Imbalance will be present at the end of charge however A123 cells are not as sensitive to this problem Nev ertheless charging A123s using the balanced charge preset s is recommended when ever possible This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 type batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 5A for this preset which means that unless you alter it this preset will not exceed 5A max charge rate during AUTO charge Default charge rate setting is 4 6A manual This is an example of a fixed count preset It will not auto detect the cell count of a battery pack It is designed specifically for an 8 cell A123 pack If your A123 pack has a different number of cells copy this preset to an EMPTY preset slot rename it and alter the Cells parameter found in the Detection tab of the CCS Otherwise you may find an A123 fixed cell preset already designed for your battery in the Preset Library of the PowerLab 8 or within the CCS Other defaults dis charge rate setting is 2 25A discharge voltage 2 8V cell
23. 25 user configurable presets User Presets optimized for the different chemistries providing charging strategies for most common RC charging needs Also holds up to 50 Library Presets When using the free Charge Control Software the number of custom presets is virtually unlimited and will grow over time to meet industry needs Replace and customize presets to match your battery inventory During balanced charging each cell is balanced independently providing excep tional charging safety and elevating RC packs to the safety level of cellphones Typical packs of up to 4Ah capacity charge in 40 minutes or less using charger s 3C Auto Current Mode a Latest technology provides the ultimate in safety even charges packs having hid den physical damage without danger of fire A pack will not charge if individual cell voltages don t equal total pack voltage a Cell balancing to 78uV accuracy with a tolerance of 6mV and automatic over charge protection assure longest pack life Automatic temperature monitoring pre vents pack overcharging at low ambient temperatures and charger damage at high ambient temperatures Cold weather settings adjustable per preset Selectable modes charge only discharge only cycle charge discharge any number of times and monitor no charge or discharge just measure pack voltage Selectable discharge e Internal discharge 10mA to 10A 100W max e Regenerative discharge 10mA to 40A 1344W maximum when po
24. 2C or 3C for simplified charging and your battery is anything other than a generic 15C to 20C LiPo you probably need a custom fuel table The clue is that the PowerLab 8 over or under calculates the optimum charge rate when using one of the Accurate Charge presets Suppose you are about to charge a 2200mAh pack and you set the PowerLab 8 for AUTO 2C charge If the pack is mostly discharge when you start the charge then within 10 20 minutes the current should gradually increase to around 4A a perfect 2C charge would be 4 4A but the PowerLab 8 is intentionally conservative in AUTO mode even if the fuel table precisely matches the chemistry If you see that the charge rate only reaches 1A or 2A or it overshoots to 6A or higher then you need to generate a custom fuel table to have PowerLab 8 correctly calculate AUTO rates for the pack The alternative is to manually set the charge current to 4 4A when charging this pack Be aware that PowerLab 8 will use available fuel table data during both AUTO and manual charge modes to estimate how much capacity remains in the pack being charged Another way to know when a pack needs a custom fuel table If the pack is charged to 100 then you fly for a short time and note that only 20 fuel is remaining 57 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Run multiple CCS instances You can run multiple instances of CCS on one computer to support multiple PowerLabs Here s how 1 Connect the first Pow
25. 60 PowerLab 8 User s Guide How Auto Current Mode works PowerLab 8 s Auto Current Mode indicated by the charge rate Ax 0C precisely mon itors individual cell fuel levels cell voltages in a LiPo Li Ion or A123 pack If Pow erLab 8 determines it is charging too fast it slows down Likewise if it is charging too slow it speeds up PowerLab 8 adjusts charge current at one minute intervals throughout the charge cycle When charging starts it takes a short time for PowerLab 8 to determine the correct parameters so it may hunt for up to 30 minutes before it settles on the optimum cur rent This is normal and doesn t harm the pack The longer the charge the more accu rate the calculation The plot below shows how Auto Current Mode adjusts the charger s current when charg ing a 2 1Ah pack at 1 0C Auto Initially charge current is 500mA this starting current is defined in the User Preset and is adjustable Within a few minutes PowerLab 8 increases the current and it eventually reaches 1 0C 1 9A in this example This is slightly under the ideal 1 0C charge rate of 2 1A for this pack Fuel rate Auto charging is intentionally calculated to be slightly conservative Current drops as the pack reaches full charge the charger changes to constant voltage mode When charge current drops to about 0 05C the pack is fully charged If the cells are balanced charging terminates Termination settings are also controlled by
26. Basic properties cover charge and discharge parameters needed by most users Advanced properties encompass an extended set of parameters that may be useful to users having special requirements To view and set advanced properties Activate the Advanced Properties option Access advanced properties in the tabs over the right panel See also Modify a preset 53 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Errors tab The Errors tab lists preset errors detected by PowerLab 8 If there are no preset errors the tab is labeled No Errors If there are preset errors the tab is labeled X Errors where X is the total number of errors found in all loaded pre sets To correct a preset error In the Errors tab double click the error description CCS dis plays the corresponding location in the preset s properties list Errors in custom presets When you customize a preset CCS generally provides only valid options for various parameters It s still possible to set conflicting values however so CCS checks all changes to make certain no safety rules are violated Over time new CCS versions and new factory default presets will be released These changes may correct safety violations or provide enhanced capabilities that would cause older presets to contain errors when running in newer firmware or CCS software This procedure enables you to update your custom presets as well as the firmware 1 Back up your custom presets one at a time using the
27. Charge Optimized for balance charging A123 2300 mAh battery packs requires balance wires on the pack Fuel Table is optimized for this specific battery type and capacity Select able charge rates include 1C 2C 3C 4C 5C AUTO or 10 mA to 10A manual Opti mization is for the most accurate charging with termination settings of C 20 and max of 30 min timeout for C V mode This preset requires that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 type batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Default charge rate setting is 4 6A Manual Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 10A for this preset which means that this preset will not exceed 10A max charge rate during AUTO charge Other defaults discharge rate setting is 2 25A dis charge voltage 2 8V cell A123 2300 mAh Faster Charge Optimized for balance charging A123 2300 mAh battery packs requires balance wires on the pack Fuel Table is optimized for this specific battery type and capacity Select able charge rates include 1C 2C 3C 4C 5C AUTO or 10 mA to 10A manual Opti mization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 20 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset does not require that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 ty
28. Charge with Delta Peak Cutoff and Trickle Charge Requires manual charge rate setting of between 10 mA and 20A with default value of 1A Can charge from 1 to 21 cell packs Fallback default setting is 5mV Trickle charge rate is 1 20C of the charge rate setting Charge will timeout in 4 hrs if peak is not reached Trickle charge timeout is set for 1 Day This preset is for constant current charging applications only Do not use this for Li Pb or other chemistries Other defaults discharge rate set ting is 1A discharge voltage 1V cell NiCd NiMH 24 Hr Trickle Charge Basic NiCd or NiMH 24 Hour Trickle Charge preset Requires manual charge rate set ting of between 10 mA and 500 mA with default value of 100 mA Can charge from 1 to 21 cell packs Trickle charge timeout is set for 1 Day Lead 12V SLA or Gel Cell Basic Pb Lead preset for charging 12V SLA or Gel Cell batteries Requires manual charge rate setting of between 10 mA and 40A with default value of 7A Charges 12V battery only If you require a 24V charge this preset is available in the library and can be copied into the user bank see manual for instructions Charge will timeout in 16 hours even if end charge voltage setting of 2 33V cell default is not achieved zE PowerLab 8 User s Guide Troubleshooting Operating errors appear as safety codes in the display If possible correct the error If errors continue contact FMA Customer Service 1 Increase Supply 2
29. Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Default charge rate setting is 1C AUTO Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 6A for this preset which means that unless you alter it this preset will not exceed 6A max charge rate during AUTO charge Other defaults discharge rate setting is 2A discharge voltage 3 3V cell LiPo Generic Faster Charge Basic LiPo preset can be used for any LiPo battery Fuel Table is optimized for generic LiPo batteries from C discharge ratings up to 20C Selectable charge rates include 1C 2C 3C AUTO or 10mA to 10 0A manual Optimization is for faster charging with ter mination settings of C 10 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset does not require that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 If using high C rate dis charge batteries 25C and higher Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Default charge rate setting is 2C AUTO Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 6A for this preset which means that unless you alter it this preset will not exceed 6A max charge rate during AUTO charge Other defaults discharge rate setting is 2A discharge voltage 3 3V cell LiPo Generic High Power High Power LiPo preset can be used for any LiPo battery but optimized for medium to high capacity packs Also good for balance charging multiple LiPo packs in parallel Fuel Table is optimized for
30. NTER to override the charge and discharge current for this session only To stop the operation a Press and hold ENTER You ll see CHARGER STOPPED b Press ENTER to return to the User Presets list When the operation is complete PowerLab 8 will beep beep beep several times and the display will show ELAPSED time chemistry DONE Press INC and DEC to review data screens 31 PowerLab 8 User s Guide 11 Press and hold ENTER Screen displays CHARGER STOPPED 12 Press ENTER or BACK to return to the User Preset list 13 Disconnect the pack from PowerLab 8 PowerLab 8 is ready to charge another battery step 3 Start faster When following the instructions above you probably noticed that PowerLab 8 asks a lot of questions before it starts a charge discharge cycle or monitor That enables you to specify exactly how PowerLab 8 will perform during these operations Once you have a preset configured properly two settings in the CCS Options tab will speed up the proc ess a Activate the Enable Quick Start option When activated Enable Quick Start lets you bypass many of the questions needed to start a process After activating this feature press and hold ENTER if you don t want to select options such as discharge cycle monitor Disable the Choose Power Source at Startup option only if you consistently use the same power source On startup PowerLab 8 will always use either the DC Power Supply or Ba
31. PowerLab 8 User s Guide REV gt LECTRIX Direct For Version 2 firmware and software 2010 FMA Inc 10 1 2010 Contents About Powerbab 8520 02 10 py crear Oe eM e elec el site an e cat es 4 USING PowerLab 8 seco ooo ia de 6 Quick referencanta handar si 6 Set Smart Power Management ccoo 8 Set options uei o eA a aaae ha ae win a lat aee BISONS Leth Sort ha 11 Connect packs Dasi kesen ou ss tities le eels FED ota ence lady SUS R 13 Connect packs advanced 2 2 2 2 nn 15 Configuration A 00 cece cece cece cece cece cece cece cece EDEDED AA Ea aaea rnanan 16 Configuration B rra te a o Ay 17 Configuration Ciutat E 18 Contiguration D2 snvder cee co sisnrcciidi cis arras a atone 20 Configuration E ooocccccccccccccccc ccoo 22 Configuration E a A td 23 Configuration G reissata Use ts id nese a to mea Ue de IE dae 25 Configuration H 2 32240 ccna te eid odes cs lens es ask iio 27 Power supplies ccoo a 29 Charge discharge cycle monitor a pack 2 222222 222 30 AE A or ER tea tS A eS the St Cala E tet 32 Charge discharge cycle packs in parallel 0000 0000 eee eee cece cece eeeeeeeees 33 Expansion Channel Mode 2 2 22222222 cc cccc ee eec cece ccc eeeccceccecceeeeeceeeeeeeeeeees 34 Regenerative discharge 0 0 00 cece ccc cece eee cece cece cece eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeseeees 36 Modify a preset Te rsi tein ls U
32. R This controls how many times PowerLab 8 repeats beep beep beep when charging is complete At the Preset Changes Always Save screen press INC or DEC to select Y or N then press ENTER Y changes made to a User Preset at PowerLab 8 are always saved to the running preset and uploaded to the Charge Control Software Setting to N is not recommended but it provides a way to temporarily override preset param eters once you move to another preset any changes you made will be lost and the preset will revert to its previous state At the Choose TASK screen 11 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Press INC or DEC to select another setup function Press BACK to display the User Presets list See also CCS Options tab 12 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Connect packs basic Connect the pack to PowerLab 8 s Output jacks Balance Port or both Balance Port connect to pack balance wires PowerLab 8 Output connect to pack discharge wires The Balance Port accepts a 9 pin Cellpro balance connector which supports packs up to 8s For charge discharge rates up to 3A you can attach just the balance connector as shown below If the pack has a different style balance connector REVOLECTRIX offers a variety of adapters for most popular connector types and brands visit the Cell pro Adapters section in the REVOLECTRIX Web site 06 D PowerLab 8 PowerLab 8 Adapter If the pack has both heavy discharge wires
33. Supply lt 10 Volts 3 Supply gt 16 Volts 4 Supply Unstable 5 Prset not for 4S 6 Bad Preset Versn 7 Reduce NiCd Amps 8 Series Chrgrs 9 P Library Empty 10 Low Voltage Cell 11 Preset is Hidden 12 Reverse Polarity 13 Preset is Empty 14 MODE not Pressed 15 System Softstart 16 Preset is Locked 17 Ch1 No Add Up 18 Max Cells Error 19 No Pack 20 Bad Cell Count 21 Bad P Ram Check 22 Cells Exceeded 23 Un Bal Only 24 Charge Timeout 25 Cell Cnt Changed 26 NiCd Detected 27 Cells no Correct 28 Cell OverVoltage 78 High Voltage When Off 79 CH1 Cells Out of Range 88 Checkpack1 Cell V Out of Range 74 PowerLab 8 User s Guide 90 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 105 106 107 108 109 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 Unknown Screen Number Mux Number Error Calibration Checksum Bad Bad EEPROM Write Bypass Overvolt PWM Ratio Too High Bad FET Supply Voltage Charger Overcurrent Bad Mode Number Temp out of Rnge Preset not validated Preset number out of range Charge Timeout out of range Preset loaded while charging Charge Termination Unknown Preset Cell OverVolts too High Options Checksum is BAD Charge PWM not regulating Bad Preset Flash Checksum while running Bad Preset Flash Checksum on Start Bad Preset Ram Checksum on Start Bad Segment Checksum on Start Bad Segment Checksum while running Lithium Cell Count
34. ab 8 will never draw more current than you specify here but charge current may not reach the preset or manually set value At the Bat Low Cutoff screen press INC or DEC to specify the cutoff voltage then press ENTER Cutoff voltage should be no lower than 11V for a 12V Lead Acid battery Lower cutoff will provide longer PowerLab 8 operating time at the expense of Lead Acid battery life If you are using two 12V batteries in series for 24V operation PowerLab 8 will automatically double the cutoff voltage you set here To protect your power supply charging stops if the power supply s voltage drops below the value you set here PowerLab 8 User s Guide 17 At the Use Regenerative Discharge screen press INC or DEC to enable or dis able this feature then press ENTER Regenerative discharge puts energy back into a battery power source during pack discharge cycles 18 Press and hold the BACK button to return to the User Presets list Smart Power Management setup is now complete The next time you cycle power to the PowerLab 8 it will prompt you to select either DC Power Supply or Battery as the power source but it will use the settings you entered to manage power from the selected source See also CCS Supply tab 10 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Set options 10 11 12 13 14 15 Connect PowerLab 8 to a 10 32V DC power supply or Lead Acid battery Press any button on PowerLab 8 s panel
35. ach the preset or manually set value At the Low Sply Limit screen press INC or DEC to specify the cutoff voltage then press ENTER Cutoff voltage should be about 50 lower than the power sup ply s nominal output voltage Example For a 24V power supply set the cutoff volt age to 12V To protect your power supply charging stops if the power supply s voltage drops below the value you set here At the Use Regenerative Discharge screen press and hold the BACK button as this feature does not apply to DC Power Supply setup You will be returned to the User Presets list You have now successfully set Smart Power Management for your DC power supply Next repeat the process for your Lead Acid battery Press INC DEC i e press both INC and DEC at the same time to display the Options menu Choose TASK Press INC or DEC until you see Charger Options then press ENTER At the Power Source screen press INC or DEC to select Battery then press ENTER At the Battery Current Limit screen press INC or DEC to specify the current limit appropriate for your Lead Acid battery then press ENTER Maximum output current capability of Lead Acid batteries varies widely Generally a standard flooded Lead Acid car battery might deliver 25A continuously and 50A for short peri ods An AGM style might not have any trouble delivering 50A continuously without suffering substantially shortened life To protect your battery from damage Pow erL
36. and a balance connector connect both to Pow erLab 8 good for any charge discharge current PowerLab 8 13 PowerLab 8 Adapter PowerLab 8 User s Guide For non balanced charging connect the pack to PowerLab 8 like this ESSA PowerLab 8 If stock REVOLECTRIX adapters don t work for your packs you can make your own adapters using the CPBP9P 10 Cellpro battery pigtail 10 9 position which consists of a 9 pin connector with unterminated wires See Balance connector pinouts in this help file and the CellPro Node Connector Manual available from the Downloads page on the REVOLECTRIX Web site 14 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Connect packs advanced The table below lists several common PowerLab 8 charging configurations Find the con figuration that most closely matches how you want to charge then click the Details link for more information Connect Number of Number Discharge Number of packs of PL8s Balance wires wires power sources A 1 1 Normal Yes No 1 Details B 1 1 Normal Yes Yes 1 Details C 2and up 1 Normal Yes Yes 1 Details D 1 10s and up 1 Normal Yes Yes 1 Details with center tap E 2 2 Normal Yes Yes 1 Details F 2 2 Normal or Yes Yes 1 Details Expansion Chan nel G 1 10s and up 2 Normal or Yes Yes 1 Details with center tap Expansion Chan nel H 1 10s and up 2 Normal Yes Yes 2 isolated Details with center tap Above 9 packs in parallel you are
37. at Parallel Packs question e g 2P 3P 4P PowerLab 8 divides current setting equally between packs Assumes Choose Power Source at Startup is enabled in the CCS PowerLab 8 User s Guide Set Smart Power Management You can set a variety of operating options including the very important power source voltage and current limits You can set Smart Power Management either at the Pow erLab 8 described below or in the CCS Supply tab which is easier Because the PowerLab 8 is capable of high power output it is strongly recommended that you configure Smart Power Management before you use the PowerLab 8 for the first time and set it again any time you significantly change the power source either DC power supply or Lead Acid battery The PowerLab 8 stores two Smart Power Management profiles one for a DC power supply and one for a Lead Acid battery When you apply power to the PowerLab 8 the first thing you do is select the profile that matches the power source you are using This makes it easy to change the Smart Power Management profile from a DC power supply at home to a Lead Acid battery at the field If you don t configure Smart Power Management to match your power source s these are the default settings DC supply power source e Voltage lower limit 10V e Current upper limit 25A Battery power source e Voltage lower limit 11V e Current upper limit 25A a Regenerative discharge when enabled it is disabled
38. c battery type and capacity Selectable charge rates include 1C AUTO or 10 mA to 20A manual Optimization is for 68 PowerLab 8 User s Guide faster charging with termination settings of C 10 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset is not capable of charging every cell in the battery to exactly 100 because it does not have access to individual cell voltages Imbalance will be present at the end of charge however A123 cells are not as sensitive to this problem Nev ertheless charging A123s using the balanced charge preset s is recommended when ever possible This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 type batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 5A for this preset which means that unless you alter it this preset will not exceed 5A max charge rate during AUTO charge Default charge rate setting is 4 6A manual Because this preset is not restricted by the balance con nector it can handle 1 5 cells of this battery type only Other defaults discharge rate set ting is 2 25A discharge voltage 2 8V cell A123 2300 mAh Non Bal 8s Fixed Optimized for non balance charging A123 2300 mAh battery packs balance wires not required on the pack Fuel Table is optimized for this specific battery type and capacity Selectable charge rates include 1C AUTO or
39. ct Damage occurring during shipment of the product either to the customer or from the customer for service claims must be presented to the carrier Damage resulting from repair adjustment or any alteration of the product by anyone other than an authorized REVOLECTRIX technician Installation or removal charges or damage caused by improper installation or removal Call 301 668 4280 for more information about service and warranty repairs 76 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Support For customers in North and South America who purchased directly from the REV OLECTRIX or FMA Direct website support is provided by FMA Direct E mail Sales sales revolectrix com E mail Tech Support Electronics and RF support revolectrix com Phone Technical Support 301 668 4280 Fax 301 668 7619 For customers in North and South America who purchased from other distributors please contact the distributor for support For customers outside North and South America please contact the manufacturer Leo Industries in Singapore PowerLab User s Guide Index auto current mode balance connector pinouts CCS Cells tab Errors tab Firmware tab fuel table graphs installing Internal Resistance tab multiple instances Options tab Presets tab quick reference Supply tab Cells tab charge pack charge packs in parallel charge using multiple PowerLab 8s charging tips connect pack advanced balance connector pinout
40. dis charge batteries 25C and higher Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate Default charge rate setting is 350 mA Other defaults discharge rate setting is 500 mA dis charge voltage 3 3V cell LiPo All Brands Storage Charge Special LiPo preset any capacity designed to storage charge or discharge a battery up or down to 3 86V per cell PL8 will automatically determine whether a charge or dis charge process is required This preset will balance charge to storage level but ter minates discharge on the lowest cell in the pack Upon discharge termination PL8 does incorporate CC CV discharge algorithms for precise terminating voltage Manual charge rate setting is required when using this preset and ranges from 10 mA to 10A Charge and discharge termination voltage can be independently adjusted to further assure ter mination accuracy Fuel Table is optimized for generic LiPo batteries from C discharge ratings up to 20C Optimization is for super faster charging with termination settings of C 5 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset does not require that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 If using high C rate discharge batteries 25C and higher Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate Default charge rate setting is 2A Other defaults discharge rate setting is 10A charge voltage 3 86V cell dis charge voltage 3 83V cell 67 PowerLab 8 User s Guide A123 factory presets A123 2300 mAh Accurate
41. e 3 Designate one PowerLab 8 as the primary unit and assign each of the others a unique expansion channel address On each PowerLab 8 a Press INC DEC to display the Options menu Choose TASK b Press INC or DEC until you see Charger Options then press ENTER c In the Charger Address screen select PRIMARY CHANNEL for the pri mary unit or select EXPANSION CH n for the other units each unit must have a unique channel address then press ENTER d As needed set other options e Press and hold BACK to exit options 4 Connect a pack to each unit 5 On the Primary unit a Select the User Preset appropriate for the packs then press ENTER b Answer all the questions and initiate charging PowerLab 8 User s Guide 10 c PowerLab 8 displays CHECKING PACK to see whether a pack is con nected at each unit If packs are connected then d Verify that the preset chemistry matches the packs chemistries by pressing ENTER During charging Press INC or DEC on the Primary unit to view charging data Data will be displayed on each PowerLab 8 for the pack connected to that unit Press ENTER on the Primary unit to override the charge and discharge cur rent for all units To stop charging on all units a On the Primary unit press and hold ENTER You ll see CHARGER STOPPED b Press ENTER to return to the User Preset list When charging is complete each unit will beep beep beep several
42. e Node 3 cell 3 positive a Node 2 cell 2 positive a Node 1 cell 1 positive Pin 1 zz Pack negative r Pack positive and pack negative are always connected to the pack Pack positive con nects to the most positive cell s side Pack negative connects to the most negative cell s side If the pack has fewer than 8 cells the higher nodes are not connected Two pack wiring examples are shown below 8s Pack 5s Pack Pack positive 29 6Y I Pack positive 18 54 Cell 8 Node 7 25 9 Cell Node 6 22 24 Cell Node 5 18 5Y Cell 5 Cell 5 Node 4 14 8 Node 4 14 84 Cell4 Cell 4 Node 3 11 14 Node 3 11 1V Cell 3 Cell 3 Node 2 7 4V Node 2 7 4V Cell 2 Cell 2 Node 1 3 74 Node 1 3 7 T Cell 1 T Cell 1 Pack negative OV Pack negative OY Nominal voltage with respect to pack negative PowerLab 8 User s Guide Open architecture presets PowerLab 8 can be described as being preset driven All major aspects of its oper ation are defined as parameters at the preset level The fact that you for the most part can set these parameters introduces the concept of open architecture presets As an example of how preset parameters affect the charging process each Auto mode preset includes a Fuel Table unique to a specific battery chemistry When you select a User Preset for the REVO Red brand for example you are also selecting a Fue
43. e rate during AUTO charge Default charge rate setting is 2 2A manual This is an example of a fixed count preset It will not auto detect the cell count of a battery pack It is designed specifically for an 8 cell A123 pack If your A123 pack has a different number of cells copy this preset to an EMPTY me PowerLab 8 User s Guide preset slot rename it and alter the Cells parameter found in the Detection tab of the CCS Otherwise you may find an A123 fixed cell preset already designed for your battery in the Preset Library of the PowerLab 8 or within the CCS Other defaults dis charge rate setting is 1A discharge voltage 2 8V cell A123 All Cpcty Storage Charge Special A123 preset any capacity designed to storage charge or discharge a balanced battery up or down to 3 335V per cell PowerLab 8 will automatically determine whether a charge or discharge process is required This preset will balance charge to storage level but terminates discharge on the lowest cell in the pack Upon discharge ter mination PowerLab 8 does incorporate CC CV discharge algorithms for precise ter minating voltage Manual charge rate setting is required when using this preset and ranges from 10 mA to 10A Charge and discharge termination voltage can be inde pendently adjusted to further assure termination accuracy Fuel Table is optimized for A123 2300 mAh batteries Optimization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 20 and
44. ec ommended whenever possible If using A123 1100 mAh or LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate Default charge rate setting is 2 2A This is an exam ple of a fixed count preset It will not auto detect the cell count of a battery pack It is designed specifically for an 8 cell A123 pack If your A123 pack has a different number of cells copy this preset to an EMPTY preset slot rename it and alter the Cells parameter found in the Detection tab of the CCS Otherwise you may find an A123 fixed cell preset already designed for your battery in the Preset Library of the PowerLab 8 or within the CCS Other defaults discharge rate setting is 10A charge voltage 3 335V cell discharge voltage 3 32V cell 72 PowerLab 8 User s Guide NiMH NiCd and Lead Acid factory presets NiCd Fast Charge with Trickle Basic NiCd Fast Charge with Delta Peak Cutoff and Trickle Charge Requires manual charge rate setting of between 10 mA and 20A with default value of 1A Can charge from 1 to 21 cell packs Fallback default setting is 8mV Trickle charge rate is 1 20C of the charge rate setting Charge will timeout in 4 hrs if peak is not reached Trickle charge timeout is set for 1 Day This preset is for constant current charging applications only Do not use this for Li Pb or other chemistries Other defaults discharge rate set ting is 1A discharge voltage 1V cell NiMH Fast Charge with Trickle Basic NiMH Fast
45. ee gh a ME ham a Noe eA ee Se 49 Visual Settings section 00 0000000000000000000000000000 c cece cece cece cece cnn cnn cnn nn 49 Preset Settings section 22 2 c cece cece cece cc cece cece cece cece ec ee cess eeeeeteeteeeenees 49 Audio Settings Sectio ssas a 00000000 coco ccc ccc cece ee ee eee nn cnn nn nee e ee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees 49 Start Settings section 00 eee cece cece cece cece cece cece ceceecccceccecceeeeees 49 Save and load options 2 22 2222222 c cece eee e cece cece cece eee c cece cece eee eeceeeeeceeeeeseeees 50 Presets tab oa BAe are Nant S tals Me chet acta ete EU 51 Edita User Preset rassaa ensa e ict dono as iat alae eaten kesctacuaiesedaastdee SAS SED FARE 51 Information about properties 2 2 2 22222 c cece cece ccc ee cece cece cc eeeeeeeeeeecceeeeeeeeeeees 51 Save load backup and restore User Presets 22 2 00222222 ccc ccccc ee ecc ccc cccceeccceceecseeees 52 Advanced properties fren cua tr ile eo cc NIN Acai tl tea Ales lt ot a cede Olt te 53 Errors tabes Udri treat de rc atenas ads dos 54 Errors in custom presets ooo nn nnnnnnnnes 54 GAAS A e a cals o EE o ddr da do 55 ExXporting graph data Uta cas les ce e dto sul tat tsa Er one slds pun dead Ws ost Bo lala 56 Generate a custom fuel table 00000000 e aonana aaan uenon annn 57 About fuel tables ns 57 Run multiple CCS instances ooo 58 Other information samerne 59 Charging ips tt a
46. emistries Set Charge Rate select 1 0C 2 0C 3 0C or select a current manually a Set Dsch Rate select a current 30 PowerLab 8 User s Guide 10 b At the START question select one of the following then press ENTER CHARGE ONLY i e no discharge DISCHARGE ONLY i e no charge MONITOR no charge or discharge just monitor cell voltages a n CYCLE perform n charge discharge cycles as specified in preset At the Use Banana Jacks question press INC or DEC to indicate whether the banana jack cable is connected between the pack battery and PowerLab 8 then press ENTER PowerLab 8 displays CHECKING PACK to see whether a pack is connected If a pack is connected then PowerLab 8 displays the preset s chemistry for example LiPo and prompts you to verify it is the same as the pack s chemistry which should also be for example LiPo This safety check is your chance to prevent charging if the preset and pack don t match Ifthe displayed chemistry matches the pack s chemistry press ENTER to start charging Go to step 9 or Ifthe displayed chemistry does not match the pack s chemistry do nothing the screen will time out At the prompt press ENTER to see the Preset Menu Go to step 4 During operations Press INC or DEC to view various charging data screens the number of screens and the data displayed depends on how the User Preset is configured Press E
47. erLab 8 Open the list next to the preset and click Hide a To change charge characteristics Click the Properties tab in the right panel then set options as needed To change charge data screens Click the Screens tab in the right panel then e To change what a screen displays Click the arrow next to the screen preview then select the desired information in the drop down list e To show or hide a data screen Select Show or Hide as appropriate e Tochange screen order Drag the screen number up or down 4 Click the Update button or If you don t want to apply the changes click the Cancel button Information about properties To view a brief description of a property Hover the cursor over the property label To view a detailed description of a property Click the property label The description will appear in a pop up window 51 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Save load backup and restore User Presets To save a User Preset 1 In the Presets tab click the User Preset you want to save The selected preset will have a gray background File gt Save Preset X to File This opens the Save a Preset dialog Navigate to the directory where you want to save the file Optional Overwrite the default preset file name this doesn t change the prese t s display name Click the Save button To load a saved preset 1 DO Ww 7 In the Presets tab click the User Preset location where you want
48. erLab 8 to the computer using an FUIM3 2 Launch CCS Waiting to Start should appear at the top of the CCS window 3 4 Launch CCS again this will be the second instance Waiting to Start should Connect the next PowerLab 8 to the computer using another FUIM3 appear at the top of the CCS window Configuration D and Configuration G in the Connect packs advanced section show wiring that supports multiple CCS instances 58 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Other information Charging tips General information Because PowerLab s cell balancing technology monitors individual cells you don t need to cool a pack before charging it Go from flying to charging to flying again without waiting Cells ina pack have different voltages when they are discharged PowerLab 8 bal ances equalizes cell voltages while it is charging the pack REVOLECTRIX chargers provide the highest available balance current in the industry up to 1A and now customer adjustable During charging cells that charge the fastest are the weakest cells in the pack At the end of charging cells with the highest voltage are weakest This happens because weaker cells have lower capacity and they charge faster than stronger cells If PowerLab 8 displays LOW VOLT RESTORE the pack was overdischarged during its last use The charger will attempt to repair LiPo cells measuring between 0 5V and 2 7V or A123 cells measuring 0V to 2 0V To avo
49. for charging small batteries but still using balance con nector This preset is recommended for battery sizes as small as 10 mAh and up to 500 mAh Preset requires manual charge rate settings of between 10 and 500 mA in 5 mA increments by default Optimization is for the most accurate charging with termination settings of C 20 and max of 30 min timeout for C V mode This preset requires that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 If using high C rate discharge bat teries 25C and higher Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate Default charge rate setting is 350 mA Other defaults discharge rate setting is 500 mA discharge voltage 3 3V cell LiPo 1s 2s Small Non Balanced Special LiPo preset designed for charging small Park Flier type batteries that are not equipped with balance connectors Be cautious when charging any LiPo battery non bal anced PowerLab 8 is not capable of detecting imbalance between cells Never charge unattended using this preset This preset is recommended for battery sizes as small as 10 mAh and up to 2000 mAh Preset requires manual charge rate settings of between 10 and 2A in 5 mA increments by default Fuel Table is optimized for generic LiPo bat teries from C discharge ratings up to 20C Optimization is for faster charging with ter mination settings of C 10 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset does not require that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 If using high C rate
50. generic LiPo batteries from C discharge ratings up to 20C Selectable charge rates include 1C 2C 3C AUTO or 10 mA to 40A manual Opti mization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 10 and max of 15 min time out for C V mode This preset does not require that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 If using high C rate discharge batteries 25C and higher Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Default charge rate setting is 10A Manual Unless you create a custom preset and generate a custom fuel table we recommend using Manual charge rate settings when charging using High Power presets Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 10A for this preset which means that unless you alter it this preset will not exceed 10A max charge rate during AUTO charge Other defaults discharge rate setting is 4A discharge voltage 3 3V cell LiPo Generic Long Life 4 1V Basic LiPo preset copied from Preset 1 above but with end charge voltage reduced to 4 1V All other parameters are the same Use this preset if you wish to have the longest life from your LiPo batteries but be aware your flight times will be reduced slightly 66 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Fuel Table is optimized for generic LiPo batteries from C discharge ratings up to 20C but table is revised to correlate to lower end charge voltage LiPo Generic Small Balanced Special LiPo preset designed
51. good indicator that the pack can be charged and discharged at a higher C rate Here are two examples a A pack rated at 5C and 40 50C discharge may have an internal cell resistance of 2 milliohms This low resistance allows larger currents into and out of the pack with out generating excessive heat a A pack rated at 2C charge and 20 30C discharge may have 17 to 20 milliohms internal cell resistance The higher resistance prevents the pack from charging or discharging as quickly and the larger resistance will generate more heat during those operations A cell poorly matched to the other cells in a pack will show a substantially different internal resistance Also a cell with high internal resistance compared to other cells may indicate the cell is weakening which can degrade overall pack performance Be aware that individual cell resistance will vary during charge This is normal and results from the different voltages and currents applied to the pack during charging PowerLab 8 User s Guide Supply tab Use the Supply tab to Set the default power source type Specify power source voltage and current limits Monitor power source voltage current and wattage DC Power Supply section Enabled If checked a DC power supply is the selected power source Supply Low Voltage Limit Set to a value just below the power supply s normal output voltage If the supply voltage falls below this level PowerLab 8 operations
52. hannel Normal only PowerLab 8 maximum charge power up to 1344W to each pack 8s using two 24VDC 1700W power source Standard house circuit would likely not provide enough power to both power supplies so each power supply should be on a separate circuit 27 PowerLab 8 User s Guide ISOLATED ISOLATED Power Power Source Source FUIMS Adapter User supplied jumper 28 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Power supplies PowerLab 8 is one of the highest power RC battery maintenance devices available Run ning full power it can deliver 1344W to batteries during charge To achieve this even on an 8 cell Li battery it must boost the input voltage This means the PowerLab 8 may draw up to 1600W from the input power supply To take advantage of PowerLab 8 s full power capability the power source should be 26 35V DC higher voltage does not improve output power and capable of delivering a minimum of 60A to PowerLab 8 s input Per Ohm s law 26 35V x 60A 1581W How ever it is generally not advisable to pull 100 of available power from a DC power supply Therefore if you want to attain 1344W of output power to an 8s Li battery the power supply should be capable of 1700W or higher for best results Likewise if you don t need PowerLab 8 s full output power it can operate from much lower power sources Use the steps outlined in Set Smart Power Management to con figure PowerLab 8 to never exceed t
53. he maximum capabilities of your input source s whether DC power supply or Lead Acid battery For more information about power supply selection please download the PowerLab 8 Power Spreadsheet See also CCS Supply tab 29 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Charge discharge cycle monitor a pack 1 Connect PowerLab 8 to a 10 32V DC power supply or 12 24V battery 2 Press any button to display the Power Source screen Then a Press INC or DEC to specify the power source you are using b Press ENTER 3 Connect the pack to PowerLab 8 a Ifthe pack has a balance connector connect the balance connector to PowerLab 8 See Connect packs basic for details b If you are charging through the pack s discharge wires required if charge current is gt 3A or if the pack battery doe not have balance wires connect the banana jack cable between the pack battery and the PowerLab 8 4 Inthe User Preset list a Press INC or DEC to locate the User Preset you want to use Press and hold INC or DEC to scroll rapidly b Press ENTER then go to step 5 or Press and hold ENTER then go to step 6 if Enable Quick Start is activated in the CCS Options tab you can skip most questions 5 For the selected User Preset a Press INC or DEC to select the correct answer to each question then press ENTER Parallel Packs select No if charging a single pack 2P to 9P for parallel con nected packs NOT ALLOWED for certain ch
54. id additional damage to restored cells do not overdischarge a repaired pack By definition end of life for a LiPo cell is when the cell can only be charged to 80 of its original capacity rating The number of charge discharge cycles a cell undergoes before reaching end of life depends on several factors including cell quality discharge rate internal heat generated during use and other parameters Cells in an older pack may be more out of balance but PowerLab 8 will still bal ance them to within 6mV by the end of charge For this reason it may take longer to balance older packs The charger may show FUEL 99 for several hours while it is balancing a high capacity 3Ah and up veteran pack that is severely out of balance but User Presets might be set to stop balancing after a preset time Often the last few millivolts of balancing take a very long time and do not significantly improve overall pack charge or performance Charging packs You can top off packs or remove them when they are partially charged There is no way to damage a pack when using PowerLab 8 The only exception to this is if you are using Safe Parallel Adapters and you accidentally connect two packs hav ing different number of cells together in parallel This is less a function of the Pow erLab 8 and more about assuring proper connection of packs to the PowerLab 8 Ifa pack is at 80 or less of its capacity when connected to an auto detect speed controller
55. ies directly on PowerLab 8 Use this procedure at any time but it s essential when PowerLab 8 isn t connected to the Charge Control Soft ware 1 Inthe User Preset list use INC or DEC to select the preset you want to modify Press and hold INC or DEC to scroll rapidly 2 Press INC DEC to access options 3 At the Choose TASK gt Preset Settings screen press ENTER You now see the first of several settings for the preset 4 In each property screen Press INC or DEC to select the desired value then press ENTER to save that value and move to the next screen Press ENTER to move to the next setting screen without changing the property Press BACK to move to the previous setting screen t any time press and hold BACK to return to the User Preset list Property changes you made will be applied to the preset 5 When you see Choose TASK gt Preset Settings again you have completed a full pass through all properties for the preset 6 Press BACK to return to the User Preset list See also CCS Presets tab Manage presets 37 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Manage presets On PowerLab 8 you can Clear a User Preset a Copy a Library Preset for use as a User Preset Clear a User Preset You can remove User Presets you don t need For example if you don t regularly charge A123 and Lead Acid batteries you can remove those to limit the Preset Menu to the pre sets you do use 1 In
56. ing flight A Pack voltage before flight V Pack voltage after flight V 2 Average voltage during flight Y Average voltage during flight Y x Average current during flight 4 Average power during flight Watts Average power during flight Watts Model weight pounds Watts per pound The LiPo Performance Estimator spreadsheet which simplifies these cal culations can be downloaded from the www revolectrix com downloads page 3 Evaluate results Average current during flight gives you a rough idea whether system com ponents ESC motor connectors and wiring are operating within their current ratings Keep in mind that peak current during flight may greatly exceed the aver age current you calculated 62 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Watts per pound is an approximate indicator of aircraft performance other factors influencing performance include lift drag and motor type Here are some guide lines 25 to 30 watts per pound level flight 40 to 50 watts per pound take off from smooth surface climb 50 to 75 watts per pound take off from grass sport aerobatics 75 to 125 watts per pound pattern aerobatics Over 125 watts per pound 3D 63 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Balance connector pinouts For an 8s pack the balance connector is wired like this mu Pack positive Node 7 cell 7 positive Node 6 cell 6 positive Node 5 cell 5 positive Node 4 cell 4 positiv
57. l Table tailored for that brand The PowerLab 8 uses the Fuel Table to adjust current to maintain the specified C charge rate Given a brand specific Fuel Table the Fuel Level display and Auto charge modes are highly accurate When preparing to charge a pack the first step is to find the appropriate User Preset If one doesn t exist you might be able to create a User Preset from the closest Library Pre set Or you might select a User Preset from the library available in the Charge Control Software which enables you to load select backup and share presets You can even create a new custom Fuel Table for any Li chemistry using the Fuel Table Wizard FMA technicians will continually update the presets library which is included each time you update the Charge Control Software This library will be supported far into the future as new battery brands and chemistries are introduced 65 PowerLab 8 User s Guide LiPo factory presets LiPo Generic Accurate Charge Basic LiPo preset can be used for any LiPo battery Fuel Table is optimized for generic LiPo batteries from C discharge ratings up to 20C Selectable charge rates include 1C 2C 3C AUTO or 10 mA to 10 0A manual Optimization is for the most accurate charg ing with termination settings of C 20 and max of 30 min timeout for C V mode This pre set requires that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 If using high C rate discharge batteries 25C and higher
58. lanced charge preset s is recommended whenever possible If using A123 1100 mAh or LiFePO4 bat teries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate Default charge rate setting is 2 2A Other defaults discharge rate setting is 10A charge voltage 3 335V cell discharge volt age 3 32V cell A123 Store Non Bal 8s Fixed Special A123 preset any capacity designed to storage charge or discharge a non bal anced battery up or down to 3 335V per cell PowerLab 8 will automatically determine whether a charge or discharge process is required This preset charge to storage level and terminates discharge on the lowest cell in the pack Upon discharge termination PowerLab 8 does incorporate CC CV discharge algorithms for precise terminating volt age Manual charge rate setting is required when using this preset and ranges from 10 mA to 10A Charge and discharge termination voltage can be independently adjusted to further assure termination accuracy Fuel Table is optimized for A123 2300 mAh bat teries Optimization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 10 and max of 71 PowerLab 8 User s Guide 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset is not capable of charging every cell in the battery to exactly 100 because it does not have access to individual cell voltages Imbalance will be present at the end of charge however A123 cells are not as sensitive to this problem Nevertheless charging A123s using the balanced charge preset s is r
59. lue set here If the regenerative voltage reaches the value set here Pow erLab 8 switches to internal discharge to prevent the supply battery from being overcharged Expansion Channel section If multiple PowerLabs are operating in Expansion Channel Mode select the channel from which supply data will be displayed See also Smart Power Management Power supplies 46 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Firmware tab The Firmware tab enables you to a Determine the firmware currently installed in the PowerLab 8 it s displayed in the center of the tab Firmware version is also displayed in the PowerLab 8 power on welcome screen Install the latest firmware version Download and install the latest Library Presets Restore the factory presets and options To update PowerLab 8 s firmware a Te DO Mi Disconnect all battery packs Disconnect expansion unit s Apply power to PowerLab 8 from a 12 24V source Set the connected PowerLab 8 as the primary unit see step 3 in Expansion Chan nel Mode for details Connect the PowerLab 8 to your computer using an FUIM2 or FUIM3 interface 6 Inthe CCS Firmware tab click the Update Firmware button 7 In the Firmware Programming Complete dialog click the OK button To update the Library Presets 1 2 3 Click the Update Library button In the confirmation dialog click the Yes button Y ou will be notified when the update is complete
60. max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset does not require that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 If using A123 1100 mAh or LiFe PO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate Default charge rate setting is 2 2A Other defaults discharge rate setting is10A charge voltage 3 335V cell dis charge voltage 3 32V cell A123 Store Non Bal 1 5s Special A123 preset any capacity designed to storage charge or discharge a non bal anced battery up or down to 3 335V per cell PowerLab 8 will automatically determine whether a charge or discharge process is required This preset will charge to storage level and terminates discharge on the lowest cell in the pack Upon discharge ter mination PowerLab 8 does incorporate CC CV discharge algorithms for precise ter minating voltage Manual charge rate setting is required when using this preset and ranges from 10 mA to 10A Charge and discharge termination voltage can be inde pendently adjusted to further assure termination accuracy Fuel Table is optimized for A123 2300 mAh batteries Optimization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 10 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset is not capable of charging every cell in the battery to exactly 100 because it does not have access to individual cell voltages Imbalance will be present at the end of charge however A123 cells are not as sensitive to this problem Nevertheless charging A123s using the ba
61. nthe Choose TASK screen press INC until you see Manage Presets then press ENTER Inthe Clear Current Preset gt N screen press ENTER Inthe Copy Preset from Library screen press INC to display Y then press ENTER Inthe Library Preset list press INC or DEC to select the Library Preset you want to copy then press ENTER Inthe Confirm COPY from Library screen press INC to display Y then press ENTER Inthe Library Preset has been Copied screen press and hold BACK to return to the User Preset list You ll see the new preset As needed modify the new preset s properties 309 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Using the Charge Control Software About the CCS The free PowerLab 8 Charge Control Software CCS gives you unparalleled ability to customize the Pow erLab 8 This table lists common CCS tasks What do you want to do To do this Go here Download and install the Charge Control Software Details Monitor pack voltage cell voltage and other data during Cells tab Details charging Initiate and control charging from CCS Cells tab Details View charge data in real time graphs View gt Graphs command Details Change graph update interval View gt Preferences gt Graphing Update Details Rate command View cell internal resistance during charging Int Res tab Details Monitor supply voltage and current during charging Supply tab Details Specify default power source type and set power
62. o eh ut e ot en tS Seals teen 37 Manage presets curvos vre sa ack bode nob tess ocaso tape as oad 0 ae Stereos Meade 38 Clear a User Preset 000000 sense sense red renee sense nedre sener senere 38 Copy a Library Preset oe ein dress dir reta did ia 38 Using the Charge Control Software see 40 Abo tthe GCS on o e es tee ht Asai tes eee 40 Installing the COS 210 0559 cvassueozinsoon ch de desk sonde kr diria 41 Version upgrade 2 2 e cece cece cece cece c ccc cece cece cece cece cece ennen renee runner enes 41 COL State A a dia IA 42 Operating from the Cells tab 00002 c cece cece cece cece cece cece cece naaraana 42 Helpful NintS 2 2222 sonara 228 aoe Seton teal aria Sine dans teeta an rana See ies 43 Internal Resistance tab 2 22 2 c cece cece cece ccecccececceeeeeeeees 44 SUPPLY Tab BRUNSE re ees oie 45 DC Power Supply section 00 0 000222 c ccc e cece cece renee ccc e cece oeann aaaea nannaa 45 Supply StatusSection lt 2 5 6 s cdcssscccssdedeoticlocagdhsssetddsee a tedden a a ra a ee a Ladceeoeesdeuses 45 Battery Power Source section 000 000 cece cece cece cece eao aooaa aaraa oarra nana 45 Expansion Channel section 2222 2 2222 c cece cece ce ccc cece ccceeeecceceecceeeeeeeceeescseeeees 46 IPM Ware labora Eh as a the ete cd e PD o Ne EA DE 47 Full firmware and preset update process 22 2 ccc eee ccc cence cece ccc ceeeeeceeeeceeeeeeees 48 Options abe 33 ct 002200 hy va
63. o exactly 100 This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 type batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Default charge rate setting is 3 3A Manual Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 6A for this preset which means that this preset will not exceed 6A max charge rate during AUTO charge Other defaults discharge rate setting is 1A discharge volt age 2 8V cell A123 1100 mAh Non Bal 1 5s Optimized for non balance charging A123 1100 mAh battery packs balance wires not required on the pack Fuel Table is optimized for this specific battery type and capacity Selectable charge rates include 1C AUTO or 10 mA to 10A manual Optimization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 10 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset is not capable of charging every cell in the battery to exactly 100 because it does not have access to individual cell voltages Imbalance will be present at the end of charge however A123 cells are not as sensitive to this problem Nev ertheless charging A123s using the balanced charge preset s is recommended when ever possible This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 type batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Max Auto Amps pa
64. o to step 5 or If the displayed chemistry does not match the pack s chemistry do nothing the operation will time out Close the dialog In the Cells tab click the RESET but ton Start over at step 2 In the next dialog Enter a name for the graph to be displayed during the operation then click OK or If you don t want to graph the operation click Cancel You can display a graph later if you change your mind During charging 42 PowerLab 8 User s Guide 10 11 Monitor charge discharge data in the left panel of the Cells tab Elapsed time is displayed in the lower left corner If you are operating using Expansion Channel Mode with multiple PowerLabs use the list in the right panel to display data from a selected unit Monitor progress in graphs a To stop operations Click the STOP button When the operation is complete PowerLab 8 will beep beep beep several times Disconnect the pack from PowerLab 8 Helpful hints Fuel percentage will not be displayed during discharge Fuel percentage is only accurate if you are using a preset having a fuel table that s appropriate for your pack If you can t find a preset with a fuel table that matches your pack you can generate one using the Fuel Table Wizard Cell 1 is the cell connected to the pack s negative lead Cell Bypass indicates the percentage of bypass applied for cell balancing 0 charging normally 100 f
65. pe batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Default charge rate setting is 4 6A Manual Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 10A for this preset which means that this preset will not exceed 10A max charge rate during AUTO charge Other defaults discharge rate setting is 2 25A dis charge voltage 2 8V cell A123 2300 mAh High Power High Power A123 Preset optimized for Fast balance charging A123 2300 mAh battery packs requires balance wires on the pack Also good for balance charging multiple A123 packs in parallel Preset requires manual charge rate settings of between 10 mA and 30 mA Fuel Table is optimized for this specific battery type and capacity Opti mization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 20 and max of 15 min time out for C V mode This preset does not require that every cell in the battery is charged to exactly 100 This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 type batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate Default charge rate setting is 10A Manual Other defaults discharge rate setting is 10A discharge voltage 2 8V cell A123 2300 mAh Non Bal 1 5s Optimized for non balance charging A123 2300 mAh battery packs balance wires not required on the pack Fuel Table is optimized for this specifi
66. rLab 8 49 PowerLab 8 User s Guide a Suppress Use Bananas Question When checked the charge sequence does not ask whether you are charging using the banana cable a Choose Power Source at Startup When checked you must always specify the power source immediately after applying power to PowerLab 8 Save and load options To save a set of options on your computer Click the Save to File button Select a directory enter a name then click the Save button To load a set of options from your computer 1 Click the Load from File button 2 Locate and select the options file then click the Open button 3 Click the Update button to download the options to PowerLab 8 50 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Presets tab The Charge Control Software gives you almost total control over User Presets including which ones are available in PowerLab 8 the order in which they are displayed charging characteristics and the content and order of data screens displayed during charging Edit a User Preset 1 If the Advanced Properties option is checked uncheck it See Advanced prop erties below for more information about this option 2 Inthe left panel click the User Preset you want to edit Parameters and screens for the preset are displayed in the right panel 3 Then To change preset order In the left panel drag the preset number up or down To prevent the preset from being displayed in Pow
67. rameter is default to 3A for this preset which means that unless you alter it this preset will not exceed 3A max charge rate during AUTO charge Default charge rate setting is 2 2A manual Because this preset is not restricted by the balance con nector it can handle 1 5 cells of this battery type only Other defaults discharge rate set ting is 1A discharge voltage 2 8V cell A123 1100 mAh Non Bal 8s Fixed Optimized for non balance charging A123 1100 mAh battery packs balance wires not required on the pack Fuel Table is optimized for this specific battery type and capacity Selectable charge rates include 1C AUTO or 10 mA to 10A manual Optimization is for faster charging with termination settings of C 10 and max of 15 min timeout for C V mode This preset is not capable of charging every cell in the battery to exactly 100 because it does not have access to individual cell voltages Imbalance will be present at the end of charge however A123 cells are not as sensitive to this problem Nev ertheless charging A123s using the balanced charge preset s is recommended when ever possible This preset may also be used for LiFePO4 type batteries which have similar charge characteristics When using LiFePO4 batteries Fuel Gauge readout may not be accurate and AUTO charge rate may be higher or lower than expected Max Auto Amps parameter is default to 3A for this preset which means that unless you alter it this preset will not exceed 3A max charg
68. rmal PowerLab 8 maximum charge power up to 672W charge to each of two packs charged in parallel using 24VDC 1700W power source Constraints a pack per adapter a Check pack polarity Same cell count for all packs Use discharge leads 18 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Power Source See also Charge packs in parallel 19 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Configuration D Summary parallel charging split pack 10s or larger Components PowerLab 8 a power source a 2 Safe Parallel Adapters a 1 10s or larger split pack with center tap Optional FUIM3 for computer support PowerLab 8 mode Normal or Expansion Channel Normal PowerLab 8 maximum charge power up to 672W charge to each of two packs charged in parallel using 24VDC 1700W power source Constraints a pack side per adapter a Check pack polarity a Same cell count for both sides Use discharge leads 20 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Power Source Adapters Remove series jumper 21 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Configuration E Summary two PowerLabs charging separate packs one power source Components 2 PowerLabs a power source 2 standard adapters or Safe Parallel Adapters 1 adapter per pack a 2 packs Safe Parallel Adapters require same cell count for both packs 2 optional FUIM3s for computer support with 2 CCS instances PowerLab 8 mode Normal or Expansion Channel Normal
69. ros dd le sec ahs sd 59 General informations 5 3 5 0253 ranger sie bars A a eee nn cnn cnn nn a aa a tese eres see 59 Charging packs 0 o oo eee eee cece cece cece ns 59 Stonng PACKS sch AF a sete tan So ttt Ls Sel tee ciate att ba ent Ses 60 How Auto Current Mode works 2 0 0 cece cece cece cece cece cecceececcceeeeeeees 61 Estimating performance factors 00 00 0000 c cece cece cece cece cece eee eeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeees 62 Balance connector pinouts ocre 64 Open architecture presets 2 2 2 2 n eee e cece cece cece cece eceeeeeeeeeeeees 65 LiPotfactory Presets tit al a elote Al Senin LAS UU 66 LiPo Generic Accurate Charge 0 20000 c cece cece cece cece cece cece ceeceececeeeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeees 66 LiPo Generic Faster Charge 0220000 c cece cece cece cece cece ee ceeeeeeeeeveeeeeeeeeeeeessseeeeeees 66 LiPo Generic High Powel 0 222 c ccc cece cece cece cece eee e eee ee cece ee eeceeeeeeeereeesseeeeeees 66 Po Generne Long Lite AV esas ace edad A eae uated tell vend dl pedal hfe cease A ede 66 LiPo Generic Small Balanced 2 2 2 ennen ennen ennen ennen runner ennen ennen 67 LiPo 1s 2s Small Non Balanced 0 0 e cece cece aaora aaao ranana 67 LiPo All Brands Storage Charge 00 ee cece cece cece eee enden renere renees 67 A123 factory presets NE fc Wt heehee O ete anon A Mis cl hd th 68 A123 2300 mAh Accurate Charge 22 22 c cece cece cece
70. rsion and initiate a Fac tory Restore The V2 upgrade is NOT mandatory Additionally any V2 equipped PL8 can be downgraded to V1 by reinstalling the V1 firmware 41 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Cells tab Monitor charge and discharge data in the Cells tab You can also select a preset and start stop PowerLab 8 operations in this tab Operating from the Cells tab 1 2 Connect the pack to the PowerLab 8 In the Cells tab open the User Preset list near the bottom of the tab then select the preset you want to use for charging Selecting a preset here also selects it on the PowerLab 8 To change the selected preset s settings Click the Edit button This opens the Presets tab and selects the preset Change preset properties as needed Click the Update button Return to the Cells tab Click the Start button This opens the Start dialog ao sp Review the settings and change them as needed Click the button for what you want to do CHARGE ONLY e no discharge DISCHARGE ONLY e no charge MONITOR no charge or discharge just monitor cell voltages a n CYCLE perform n charge discharge cycles as specified in preset In the next dialog verify that the preset s chemistry matches the pack s chemistry This safety check is your chance to prevent charging if the preset and pack don t match If the displayed chemistry matches the pack s chemistry click OK to start charg ing G
71. s connect pack basic cycle pack cycle packs in parallel discharge pack discharge packs in parallel Errors tab Expansion Channel Mode Firmware tab fuel table Fuel Table Wizard graphs Internal Resistance tab Lead Acid factory monitor pack options setting in CCS setting on PowerLab 8 Options tab performance factors power supplies presets A123 factory 61 64 42 54 47 57 55 41 44 58 49 51 40 45 42 30 33 34 59 15 64 13 30 33 30 33 54 34 47 57 57 55 44 73 30 49 11 49 62 29 68 78 LiPo factory manage in CCS manage on PowerLab 8 modify in CCS modify on PowerLab 8 NiMH and NiCd factory open architecture Presets tab quick reference CCS PowerLab 8 quick start regenerative discharge Smart Power Management Supply tab support troubleshooting warranty 66 51 38 51 37 73 65 51 40 32 36 45 77 74 76
72. source Supply tab Details operating parameters Update PowerLab 8 firmware Firmware tab Details Update Library Presets Firmware tab Details Restore factory User Presets Firmware tab Details Configure save and load PowerLab 8 options Options tab Details Modify User Preset parameters Presets tab Details Show hide reorder save and load presets Presets tab Details Correct preset errors Errors tab Details Generate a custom fuel table Fuel Wizard Tools gt Generate Fuel command Details Run multiple CCS instances Details 40 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Installing the CCS Install the Charge Control Software CCS from the PowerLab 8 Software Install page in the REVOLECTRIX Web site using one of the methods detailed there Once the software is installed it will automatically check the Web site for updates every time it is started Firmware and Library Preset updates are included in the PC soft ware updates Version upgrade As of October 2010 PowerLab 8 V2 firmware and CCS software is available at the PowerLab 8 V2 Software Install page This version includes the following major fea tures capabilities Expansion Channel Mode is available Supports 40A maximum charge rate Supports 40A maximum discharge rate when using regenerative discharge mode Supports 1344 Watts Installing V2 will render any V1 presets obsolete The process of upgrading your V1 PL8 to V2 will automatically update to the latest V2 firmware ve
73. the User Preset parameters 1 9104 1 4334 0 9554 0 4784 0 0004 4 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 5 0 7 0 8 1 0 1 1 1 3 15 Charge Hours With the 1 0C Auto Current Mode a fully discharged pack is charged to its nominal capacity in about 60 to 80 minutes depending on the state of imbalance Auto Current Mode takes into account a pack s starting charge level so topping off a 50 discharged pack takes only about 30 minutes If you find that Auto Current Mode is not properly calculating the ideal charge rate for a pack that pack probably require a custom fuel table See Generate a custom fuel table for details 61 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Estimating performance factors If you don t have a way to directly measure your propulsion system s electrical param eters PowerLab 8 enables you to estimate them using before and after flight meas urements 1 Collect data a Charge pack b When charging is finished record Fuel and total pack voltage i e sum of cell voltages c Fly plane or test on the ground Record flight time in minutes d Connect pack to charger Record Fuel and total pack voltage 2 Calculate performance factors Fuel before flight Fuel after flight 100 x Pack capacity 4h Capacity consumed during flight Ah Capacity consumed during flight Ah x 60 Flight time minutes Average current dur
74. the loaded pre set to reside The selected location will have a gray background File gt Open File to Preset X This opens the Open a File to Preset X dialog Navigate to the directory where the preset file is stored Click the preset file Click the Open button Modify the preset as needed Click the Update button to download User Presets to PowerLab 8 To load a preset from a saved graph 1 3 4 5 In the Presets tab click the User Preset location where you want the loaded pre set to reside The selected location will have a gray background File gt Open Graph to Preset X This opens the Open a File to Preset X dialog Navigate to the directory where the graph file is stored Click the graph file Click the Open button To save all User Presets in a single archive file 1 In any tab File gt Backup All User Presets This opens the Backup User Presets dialog 52 PowerLab 8 User s Guide 2 Navigate to the directory where you want to save the archive file 3 Enter a name for the archive file 4 Click the Save button To restore all User Presets from an archive 1 In any tab File gt Restore All User Presets This opens the Restore User Presets dialog Navigate to the directory where the archive file is stored Click the archive file Click the Open button Click the Update button to download User Presets to PowerLab 8 Y oe PO Advanced properties
75. ttery profile whichever was last loaded before disabling the prompt 32 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Charge discharge cycle packs in parallel PowerLab 8 can charge discharge or cycle up to nine LiPo or A123 packs in parallel Parallel operations can save lots of time but you must follow these rules Always use Safe Parallel Adapters available at the REVOLECTRIX Web site Never use standard adapters Connect only one pack per Safe Parallel Adapter Daisy chain multiple adapters Parallel operations using Safe Parallel Adapters requires that you connect both the balance wires and discharge wires to the PowerLab 8 Always observe proper polarity Packs must have the same cell count Packs must be the same chemistry The best way to connect discharge wires in parallel is to stack the plugs on the safety banana cables like this Plug this one into PowerLab 8 Charging proceeds like single pack charging except at the Parallel Packs question use INC and DEC to specify the number of packs connected in parallel PowerLab 8 divides charge discharge rates equally among the packs See also Connect packs Configuration C 33 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Expansion Channel Mode In Normal Mode multiple PowerLabs operate independently Connect any number of PowerLabs to individual computer USB ports and run multiple instances of CCS Each PowerLab 8 communicates with a separate instance of CCS In Expansion
76. ull bypass to allow other cells to catch up The mAh IN OUT field shows the mAh value of the previous operation if avail able This is especially useful when cycling a pack as you can see what the pre vious discharge mAh value was even when the charge mAh is increasing Keep in mind that batteries take more energy to charge than they deliver so the mAh IN will usually be larger than the mAh OUT Once you start an operation you cannot modify the preset If you made an error when editing the preset stop the operation edit the preset update the PowerLab 8 then restart the operation You can queue up preset edits but you can t update the PowerLab 8 until it is stopped You can override charge or discharge currents during an operation by pressing the ENTER button on the PowerLab 8 This temporarily changes the current setting the change is not saved to the preset See also Charge discharge cycle monitor a pack 43 PowerLab 8 User s Guide Internal Resistance tab The Int Res tab displays cell internal resistance when charging LiPo and A123 bal anced packs Internal resistance is not calculated or displayed during discharge cycles If you are charging using multiple PowerLabs use the list in the right panel to display data from a selected unit Viewing individual internal cell resistance enables you to more accurately evaluate pack quality and condition If all cells show a low internal resistance that s a
77. wering the PowerLab 8 from a Lead Acid battery Regenerative discharge takes most of that energy and puts it back into the input battery For example when you dis charge a LiPo pack for storage you will be recharging your Lead Acid input bat tery a Multifunction backlit display lets you select presets replace default presets from a library and shows charging data such as individual cell voltages charge current PowerLab 8 User s Guide supply voltage and amount of charge mAh put into pack Plus the unique Fuel display shows percent capacity remaining in a pack PowerLab 8 Charge Control Software CCS a free download allows you to cus tomize save and load presets including data displays and view real time charg ing data and graphs CCS also manages firmware updates to keep PowerLab 8 operating smoothly Parallel charging takes advantage of the PowerLab 8 s high power output After connecting packs using Safe Parallel Adapters simply tell PowerLab 8 how many packs are attached charge discharge rates are automatically divided among the packs Smart Power Management once configured prevents damage to your power supply or storage battery Operates from any 12 24V DC power source Inputs and outputs are protected against reverse polarity Expansion Channel Mode enables multiple PowerLab 8 units to be interlocked for highly efficient charging of multiple packs of the same chemistry The primary PowerLab 8 controls all
78. will stop If the voltage drops fast enough the PowerLab 8 may reboot Current Limit Set to match or lower than power supply s maximum current If the charge rate is set higher than the input current allows the PowerLab 8 will draw no more than the level set here which may limit output current to the pack Typically set this current limit to an amp or two below the power supply s spec ified maximum output current Supply Status section Supply Voltage Real time power source voltage and current Output Real time power source power output a Power Status displays Normal No Limiting if the power source is operating within limits set on this page An appropriate message will be displayed if the power source limits are exceeded If you are charging using multiple PowerLabs use the list in the lower right panel to dis play data from a selected unit Battery Power Source section Enabled If checked a battery is the selected power source Battery Type list Select battery type being used to power PowerLab 8 Values in this list s templates are a starting point Change the following settings as needed Show Warning at 50 DOD If checked PowerLab 8 measures battery voltage when first connected If the battery is below 50 depth of discharge below that point most flooded Lead Acid batteries are damaged PowerLab 8 beeps and issues a warning Press the BACK button to cancel the operation on the PowerLab 8

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