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This is why you get a Revolectrix (aka CellPro) PL-8

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  • #16
    An update:

    The PL-8 got me through the initial balancing but I recently tried to use it again and it failed. I havent used it since the initial time, about 7 months ago. My pack was too imbalanced to do a balance charge, so I used it to charge each 5p string separately. This worked perfectly the first time but when I tried to do it on the remaining banks the charger threw a series chargers? error and wont charge, or discharge. Revo tech support went through it over and over with me (they are great, BTW), but there is no solution. Its getting shipped back to them for diagnosis.

    Seeing as how the GT1200 I sent back to them still hasnt been diagnosed (I have followed up on it with no response), Im not holding my breath for an answer. Revo knows that many people use the PL-8 for bigger jobs than RC packs, but they seem uninterested in making any concessions to that application. Its out of scope from their perspective, and that is understandable. But I have lost patience with the terrible interface and the even worse software. The last windows update apparently broke my COM port settings and re-running the Revo driver installer doesnt fix the issue, so I spent a couple hours finding some other set of drivers and making it work (on my own, no Revo help there). This was just so I could load Powerlab and override one setting that tech support suggested trying (which didnt work).

    So Im officially done with hobby chargers as they are too expensive and fiddly, so I bought a bench top power supply and am just doing things manually now. BTW though, the PL-8 goes into Safety Charge mode if voltage difference between any two cells exceeds 250mV. This is NOT documented in the manual or anywhere on the site. This means charge current is throttled to 500mA until the voltages get closer together.

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