Chargers that can log extensive data about the battery as it charges or discharges

This looks like an awesome project.
I’m doing this.

SkyRC MC3000 will do all that for you for about $100.
Massive thread about the charger over on CPF, HKJ”S review of it here Test/Review of Charger SkyRC MC3000
Another review here "Review" of SKYRC MC3000

That might do it. Thanks.
But one problem with the MC3000 is that it only handles cells.
I have other batteries that are not in a cylindrical cell format such as LiIo batteries for SJCameras and other block style batteries.

For those I need to be able to use alligator clips.

I have used cylindrical cell chargers on non cylindrical cells by running wires from either end of a piece of round wooden dowel placed into the charger slot then to the non cylindrical cells + & - :wink:
As long as the correct voltage & amperage is selected on the charge it works fine :+1:
None of my chargers display cell temp so I guess you would lose that feature on the MC3000 as the cell isn”t actually in the charger.
This is exactly how I connected up my SJ4000 block shaped cells to a Lii-500 so I could measure capacity & voltage of them when I first got them.

At least with the Turnigy Accucell 6 and the iNax B6 mini (pretty much the same), you can not simply connect the charger directly to a computer and get that data as far as I have researched. It requires a TTL to Serial adapter.

I did try connecting my Turnigy and IMax chargers using a direct USB cable but it didn’t work using the iMas profile in LogView.
It if does work and I just failed, I would LOVE to know that and try again.

Having read the massive information on the problems with the MC3000, I’d rather wait and use what I have.

There is a thread here somewhere by members who have the MC3000 and listed all the issues that SkyRC needs to address.

I’m waiting until they’ve addressed those issues. Then I might get one. Don’t really need it per se if what I have can log data.

MiBoxer,

This thread was about chargers that can log charging and discharging data to an external CSV or text file.
Can you confirm you posted here because this charger CAN do that?

If it can not, then this is some pretty bold spamming.

Thanks

Usually you could really log data from ImaxB6 and similar chargers.

You just need to buy something like usb to ttl (serial) adapter like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-To-TTL-Serial-Port-Brush-Board-PL2303HX-Module-STC-Microcontroller-Download-/182341207686?hash=item2a74620686:g:bZoAAOSwA3dYGtiC
or this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-To-TTL-Serial-Port-Brush-Board-PL2303HX-Module-STC-Microcontroller-Download-/182341207686?hash=item2a74620686:g:bZoAAOSwA3dYGtiC

You have to search internet for particular charger pinout something like this:

https://www.google.com.ua/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhabrastorage.org%2Fgetpro%2Fgeektimes%2Fpost_images%2F931%2Faae%2F093%2F931aae0939a5adcac781416fa248428a.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fgeektimes.ru%2Fcompany%2Fdronk%2Fblog%2F253996%2F&docid=DHTzSxVRFY3-4M&tbnid=rm7DDO7AzedPRM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjWndD9xd3SAhVChSwKHZBDCicQMwgdKAMwAw..i&w=640&h=374&bih=950&biw=1920&q=imax%20b6%20usb%20pinout&ved=0ahUKEwjWndD9xd3SAhVChSwKHZBDCicQMwgdKAMwAw&iact=mrc&uact=8

or this:
https://www.google.com.ua/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwju9LD_xd3SAhUGWywKHfZbCYwQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fagock.com%2F2013%2F08%2Fusb-datalogging-on-the-turnigy-accucel-6-hobby-charger%2F&psig=AFQjCNGoEawaKtp5zqQhDyngboidI5D9Vw&ust=1489840362520366

When devices are properly connected and correct drivers (for usb ttl adapter) are installed, you can log data from pc serial port using terminal software (like “putty” (http://www.putty.org/)) or using software like logview (http://www.logview.info/forum/index.php?pages/home/).

I have Logview installed on two of my PC’s and bought several TTL to USB converter boards. I can confirm that Logview does have a driver for the iMax B6 mini but so far, I have not been successful in getting the data into the PC. Maybe I have a bad TTL converter board. I’ll keep working on it until I get it to work.

first check device manager (if you are on win32) for COM ports installed. If all drivers correctly installed you should see new COM port when you plug in usb-to-ttl adapter. You should use this port number for connection.
Then you might check output of IMAX using terminal (I use putty for this), make new SERIAL connection in putty using COM port number of usb-to-ttl adapter, then set speed (baudrate) to 9600 and open connection. Now you should see terminal window with some updated data, it should be readable, if not - try to change speed settings (115200 or 38400 or other values of standard baudrates, but I guess correct setting is 9600).
You can use also Tera-Term same as putty. Then if you get readable data in terminal - make same settings in logview (I used logview long time ago, so I am not sure how to work with it now). Please note that only one client can be connected to COM port, so putty and logview would not work with same port simultaneously.

Thank you for this information.
I will try everything you posted and see if I can get it connected.
Best Regards

I just checked connection from my bc6 (chinese clone). So first thing i noticed - there is setting in charger menu regarding usb connection (still it is not real usb - but ttl serial out). Connection to PC is shared with temperature sensor. So either temp sensor or PC might be connected to the device. And I was wrong about readability of serial data (it is in binary format, so all you could see in console - periodically updating simbols/signs) baudrate 9600 in my case. And I had to find out how to adjust LogView properly. So in my case it worked with setting from Bantam BC6 (which have serial connection), many other devices in LogView settings do not have serial connection but USB HID (in this case I think there is no need in usb-serial adapter, may be only some special driver for usb hid device).

Thanks again for this information.
I happen to have an Authentic iMax B6 mini and it has a built in USB port.
It also has the 3 pin temperature port.

So far I haven’t been able to get it connected but I will try other devices. Maybe the iMax B6 configuration is intended for connection to those iMax B6’s that have the USB menu (because they don’t have a real USB port built in?)

I haven’t been able to get diddly out of the iMax B6, but I was able to get a hex data stream from my Turnighy Accucell 6.
Now I just have to figure how to get that hex stream into a readable text data

Could be. Chargemaster works on both now, but I did have to remove and reattach the USB port on the IMax B6 because the connections separated.
All I can get from either (in Logview) is the Hex data stream.

Since I’m using the USB port on both, that could also be the issue. The HID USB driver doesn’t seem to work in Logview. You probably used a SERIAL connection (ie COM port) for all your connections.

There is no configuration in LogView for the Turnigy Accucell 6 so that could explain the Turnigy not working.

Will try DataExplorer
Thanks

Gauss,
I did install DataExplorer and it’s a really nice program. Still can’t get any data :frowning:

I’m curious, you said you had no problem with B6’s and many other chargers…….did all of those connect with a Serial connection because my Authentic B6 mini has a USB port and to connect to DataExplorer I need to configure a HID USB port, but DataExplorer doesn’t seem equipped to do that.

Did you have to use a Serial TTL to USB converter board?

How exactly did you connect all those chargers? If they all simply plugged in and were recognized as serial ports then that would make this exponentially easier. Neither of my chargers are so kind or simple to connect unfortunately because both need to connect via USB

Geekcreit® LHT00SU1 Virtual Oscilloscope Logic Analyzer I2C SPI CAN Uart

Just found this in Banggood, seems a cheap and good data logging device. Thought it could be of help.

Cheers ^:)

You know what’s interesting? All the YouTube videos and all the posts I could find during all this effort all pointed to this working with older versions of these chargers. I can’t find anything where anyone has had success in the last 4 years or so so maybe all th chips in the chargers have changed and none of the old programs that used to work with the old chargers version work anymore. Just a guess.

Both my chargers come up with C8051F3xx Development Kit - Silicon Labs - MCU as the chipset. I have never seen CP210x. These are both relatively new chargers so maybe all the chipsets have been updated?

I have only tried the latest LogView Studio release. But now that you’ve mentioned it I will download the V2 (the only older version still available) and give it a try. I’m beginning to think I also received a bad USB to TTL adapter board so I ordered several from different sources but some may not arrive until the end of May.

Anyway, it’s been great hearing from you as I’m basically feeling like on somewhere floating in the north Pacific on an iceberg trying to get this to work…very little help around :partying_face:

That looks very interesting and it might be better than what I have.
Thanks for the link. Might get one.

I have this dinosaur in the garage. I haven’t used it in a few years and I’m not sure I still know how.
But it might be able to reveal the information I need.

Not sure how you find all those links but good job! I don’t find those when I do Google search for some reason?

Yes, HID is problem, however, I can get “some” data to go from charger to LogView. But only Hexidecimal.
But the fact that it gets there and I can see it means that the charger is in fact communicating with LogView.
Logview can’t seem to identify and translate the Hexidecimal stream is the problem. Or so it seems.

example……

00 0F 22 55 00 01 02 55 14 1A 2C DB E4 00 2A 00 00 0E F7 0E F8 01 6E 01 43 01 40 00 00 00 00 01 00 D5 FF FF 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

Translate to ASCII………

null SI ” U null SOH DC4 SUB , 219 228 null * null null SO 247 SO 248 SOH C SOH @ null null null null SOH null 213 255 255