USB power meter/tester thread - YZXStudio, Power-Z, RDTech and more.

[mcpat]

I‘m not the developer of Dataexplorer, and I don‘t prefer Java. So do you miss a feature in my app?

[maukka]

@mcpat

Please download again, I fixed a small bug… Forget the chart icon, it displays something, but it is not working.

Not working for me with ZL1100. Says time out after trying to connect, same as with the original version.

[mcpat]

I will add variable timeout setting, now it is fixed 2 seconds.

But the other zy is working or also broken? Can you please try to connect with putty? So when putty is working, then my app is fault, otherwise it‘s your zl1100. Anyone else here with a zl1100 for testing?

Regards
Patrick

Edit: my zy only times out when I display the chart screen on it, other screens don‘t cause a Time out

[maukka]

Putty or any other terminal program works fine with the ZL1100. ZY1270 also works with the new version.

[RobertB]

@iloveelectronics

Hi! Franky Tong here I’ve known about this forum through my customers for a while and finally decided to register for an account so I can post directly

I contacted YZXstudio just now and they told me there’s no plan to stop producing their power banks (perhaps it was another product KAAYEE was referrring to?). They will continue to make and improve them. I’m not sure who else would sell and ship them outside of China though.

Welcome to BLF Franky. If you happen to find out who could sell the power banks, let us know. I would think someone could sell quite a few of them if there was a solid place to buy them from, especially if they were converted to English.

[angerdan]

Yea, great to have you here Franky :+1:

[d_t_a]

@maukka

Hooked up a serial usb adapter to the 1271 and your software works fine. Gonna do some more testing after soldering the pins on the board.

Pardon my ignorance, how does one connect a serial-USB adapter to the ZY127x meters? Does the ZY127x meter have to have the bluetooth module installed for this to work? Or just need to buy some kind of serial-to-USB chip and (temporarily) connect it to certain contact points of the ZY127x meter?

I also have the ZL1100 load tester, and getting same error message as maukka above.
I actually haven’t tried to connect the ZL1100 tester to the computer yet before, so it’s my first time to test it connected to the PC.
(I’m not familiar how to use Putty, but I searched and downloaded a free software called RealTerm, opened the correct COM port, and it started to log results on the window); I had to use “Run as Administrator” to get RealTerm to work:

The above image correspond to reading of 5.0097v, 0.1000A, 0.9869Ah, 11.3322Wh

The “CPS” status window fluctuates between 740 to 1110 cps.
Not sure if this will help in debugging your great app.

[iloveelectronics]

@d_t_a

@maukka

Hooked up a serial usb adapter to the 1271 and your software works fine. Gonna do some more testing after soldering the pins on the board.

Pardon my ignorance, how does one connect a serial-USB adapter to the ZY127x meters? Does the ZY127x meter have to have the bluetooth module installed for this to work? Or just need to buy some kind of serial-to-USB chip and (temporarily) connect it to certain contact points of the ZY127x meter?

Find the 4 solder pads near the edge of the main PCB. Starting from the square one, connect the 1st, 3rd and 4th solder pads to the GND, RXD and VCC of your serial-USB adapter.

[d_t_a]

@iloveelectronics

@d_t_a

Pardon my ignorance, how does one connect a serial-USB adapter to the ZY127x meters? Does the ZY127x meter have to have the bluetooth module installed for this to work? Or just need to buy some kind of serial-to-USB chip and (temporarily) connect it to certain contact points of the ZY127x meter?

Find the 4 solder pads near the edge of the main PCB. Starting from the square one, connect the 1st, 3rd and 4th solder pads to the GND, RXD and VCC of your serial-USB adapter.

Thanks for your reply! Just need some more clarification… somewhat newbie here.

Let’s say I purchase something like this (PL2303 USB to RS232 cable adapter)

https://www.lazada.com.ph/standard-pl2303-pl2303hx-usb-to-ttl-uart-cable-module-4p-4-pin-rs232-converter-serial-cables-adapter-48443490.html

Then I connect the pins:

“1” = GND
“2” = (no connection?)
“3” = RXD
“4” = VCC

Is that right?

[iloveelectronics]

@d_t_a

Thanks for your reply! Just need some more clarification… somewhat newbie here.

Let’s say I purchase something like this (PL2303 USB to RS232 cable adapter)

https://www.lazada.com.ph/standard-pl2303-pl2303hx-usb-to-ttl-uart-cable-module-4p-4-pin-rs232-converter-serial-cables-adapter-48443490.html

Then I connect the pins:

“1” = GND
“2” = (no connection?)
“3” = RXD
“4” = VCC

Is that right?

That’s correct.

[mcpat]

Thx for help (both of you)!

Please download v0.3 (link is the same from older post).

Go to settings and select your bps (115.000), I think this was the error (maybe 9600 is standard, and my zy is running at this speed).

I think you should now be able to connect.

Please report, thx Pat

[sac02]

Argh, I am frustrated! …because I’ve had my zy1276 for a week and haven’t gotten a chance to play with it, lol!

Lots of great info here, thanks all! Can’t wait to use it… :person_facepalming:

Sheesh, why does life have to be so busy that I can’t spend every day tinkering with my hobbies? Well, I did get my EBD-USB+ up and running yesterday, that’s good.

[maukka]

@mcpat

Go to settings and select your bps (115.000), I think this was the error (maybe 9600 is standard, and my zy is running at this speed).

Works great!

edit: one problem, when trying to save the chart, it says “the system cannot find the drive specified”. I’m running the software from C:. Or was this feature still unfinished?

[mcpat]

you can specify the path in the settings. then when connected, press play, then press pause, then go do the cart, then you should be able to save it, BUT yes, this feature isnt finished and tested, so please be patient.

[maukka]

@mcpat

you can specify the path in the settings. then when connected, press play, then press pause, then go do the cart, then you should be able to save it, BUT yes, this feature isnt finished and tested, so please be patient.

The log .csv saves fine, just not the chart.

[mcpat]

bug fixed, please download latest file. Chart is already in developing, but it is in working condition…

[d_t_a]

I notice here:

USB快充協議測試儀電壓電流表容量QC4+PD3.1POWERZ檢測YZXSTUDIO - Taobao

The ZY1276 firmware v3.35C (it seems to indicate 2017/10/22) includes a test for Apple MFi, unfortunately I’m not sure where the firmware might be available for download — I believe one has to join a China-based WeChat/QQ group to get the firmware update?

[dodge_911]

Can the latest ZY1276 perform checks for Type-C compliancy?
Or is it just a resistance test like on the previous models?

Any word on MFi-checking capability yet?

[d_t_a]

Any idea how to test for Type-C compliancy?

I presume needed are 3 ingredients:

1. genuine USB Type-C to Type-C cable
2. Type-C charger (that understands Power Delivery) and also
3. Type-C (Power Delivery) load?

[andyhi]

Purchased a ZY1276 from ebay seller 6999694 in late December. Delivery took approx 9 business days via included (free) ePacket from Shen Zhen to the Central US.

Construction seems solid and the LCD is vivid. The charge rate/power detection appears accurate after testing and comparing the documentation on a number of different make/model power banks and wall chargers.

The unit arrived with firmware 3.35G with default language of English. No instructions were included but I was able to figure out basic operation from the ZY1270 manual found at www.kaayee.com/download/.

After some additional research on yzxstudio.world.taobao.com, I found the ZY1276 description page has reference to a document archive. This archive has the v3.33 English and v3.35 Chinese manuals in pdf. (说明书_免费高速下载|百度网盘-分享无限制)

For those asking about the apple MFi check - I haven’t figured out a way to perform this test.

Update on the MFi check:

* A Quick Charge 3.0 capable power source is likely required to activate this test.*

1.) Repeatedly press select button until you are on Screen 3 (Voltage / Current / Power + DATALINE + PROTOCOL)
2.) Long press select button to activate the “FastChargeTrigger” menu.

* WARNING* Make sure nothing other than the power supply is connected at this point. You take the risk of accidentally over-volting/destorying any connected downstream electronics in cables or devices depending on your power supplies’ capabilities and the Fast Charge menu options you choose! It’s easy to accidentally trigger >5V voltage output in this menu so consider this warning.

3.) Press button twice to select “Are You Sure”? (As a safety measure - If a connected device is detected this option may not be available.)
4.) Long press button to enter the Fast Charge Trigger menu.
5.) Press button repeatedly to navigate to the “AppleOldMFi” menu item (last on list) and then long press to start the test.
6.) You will be prompted to connect the power supply side of the MFi cable and press button to start test. Cycling power will take you directly back to the “AppleOldMFi” test menu until you manually exit by long pressing the button.

Notes:

If connected to a typical 5v only USB power source, the MFi test will fail saying “Not Allowed”. After a good deal of trial and error and some additional research I found a different brand’s USB power meter MFi check requires a Quick Charge 3.0 power supply for the test. It appears this test requires 6.5+ volts.

After locating a power bank with a QC 3.0 port, I tested every Apple cable I had on hand and found the following:

A.) 10+ Apple OEM lightning cables passed both the first 5V and second 6.xV tests as expected. These cables included the original thinner and the slightly thicker cables shipped with the newer ipads and iphone+ size models.

B.) A single new Apple OEM cable failed the first test (test 2 auto skipped) and was detected as a Fake. I’m fairly certain this is a previously unused cable that came with an iPhone X or an 8. However the cable works fine for full rate (12 Watt) charging a 50% discharged iPhone X and iPad Pro 10.5 on IOS 11.2

C.) Amazon Basics branded 3ft + 6ft cables passed both tests.

D.) Anker branded 6ft cabled passed both tests.

E.) Cheap 4pk of “G-Cord” labeled 6” cables from Amazon - Failed first test and labeled as a fake. However this cable charges a 1/2 charged ipad Pro at 11.75w (5.00v/2.35A). It also charged an iphone 5s @20% charge with very aged battery at ~4 watts.

I’m not an MFi certification and spec guru… if I had to guess, the MFi test performed was for an older MFi spec… hence the label “AppleOldMFi”.

Someone with more knowledge of MFi certification, specs, and changes between them please chime in.