HK Parallel Balance Boards

**scuba steve** · 26-03-2012, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Mark_T

It is the wiring between the PL6/8 and the balance board that determines the answer, not the battery packs.

The FMA MPA requires the XH setting, the standard FMA XH balance boards do not.

Mark-T.... your reply also make sense despite the manaul text referring to the balance plug of the 'battery packs'

so do with have the answer now ?

when using a non FMA parallel charging board you do set node XH but if just charging 1 battery using the charging balance adapter you buy with the PL6/8 (even though it has as JST/XH balance plug) you choose FMA node ??

**Mark_T** · 26-03-2012, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by scuba steve

when using a non FMA parallel charging board you do set node XH

If that is how the cable from the board to the charger is wired then yes.

but if just charging 1 battery using the charging balance adapter you buy with the PL6/8 (even though it has as JST/XH balance plug) you choose FMA node ??

Yes, the standard 'safe parallel' adapters from FMA are wired to be used in FMA mode regardless of which connector type the board is for.

Then you have the FMA MPA board which is wired to use XH mode, not FMA mode.

**scuba steve** · 26-03-2012, 12:07 PM

yes, i bough a standard parallel charging board to include the suitable lead ( Balance Adapter to Charger Cable) so i could connect it straight to my PL6 from ProgressiveRC in the states......it comes with clear instructions to select XH node.

thanks for your reply Mark.......i'm all sorted now and hopefully CW is too

**Nick B** · 26-03-2012, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Delarado

How did you cremate them? Im looking for any horror stories on this as Im about to make my own paralell charge board (mcuh cheaper than buying) and want to make it as good as possible!

Shorting out 6mm bullets on connectors,after 1 pack is connected the whole board is live and one small mistake comes with a bang!

ballance lead,trying to plug in a 5s into a 6s slot doh.....get fused up,i just have a daisey chain discharge lead with 40amp fuses on all ports

**sacko** · 26-03-2012, 12:53 PM

995 sure it is this one

ProgressiveRC - FMA PL8/PL6 Adapter Cable for Parallel Charge Board

**CW.** · 26-03-2012, 04:08 PM

Haha, more confused now than when I started

I use one of these

Revolectrix Cell Pro PowerLab PL8 JST-XH GP/KO Adater Board PL8GPKOPA

and haven't changed anything on the PL8.... yet

**Mark_T** · 26-03-2012, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by CW.

Haha, more confused now than when I started

I use one of these

Revolectrix Cell Pro PowerLab PL8 JST-XH GP/KO Adater Board PL8GPKOPA

and haven't changed anything on the PL8.... yet

You won't have to change anything as the PL8 ships set to FMA mode and you are using an FMA adapter so nothing to change.

**CW.** · 26-03-2012, 04:22 PM

Hurah... Thanks Mark.

@ Scuba, which board do you have then? Is it different to mine

**Zeeflyboy** · 26-03-2012, 05:29 PM

if you get the HK boards I recommend taking them apart and just checking the soldering.

Due to crappy soldering I had a short over two of my balance pins and of course it burnt out the copper trace almost immediately... thankfully the battery seemed okay.

**sacko** · 26-03-2012, 05:34 PM

The main charge leads were in reverse polarity on mine :s

I'll definitely be getting the MPA board, definitely a safer option when connecting packs together...

**CW.** · 26-03-2012, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by sacko

The main charge leads were in reverse polarity on mine :s

I'll definitely be getting the MPA board, definitely a safer option when connecting packs together...

Im thinking I may not use it when it comes now and save for an MPA board instead.

**sacko** · 26-03-2012, 06:49 PM

You get what you pay for...

Saying that, after 2 minutes with a soldering iron, it been spot on.

...but I'll still get the MPA board, solely for the poly-fuses. The worst part of the HK board, is that the balance plugs are the opposite way around to the other-side, and a handful of times I have been close to plunging them in back to front.

**scuba steve** · 27-03-2012, 02:02 AM

CW - your link is for the Powerlab adapter board which is a genuine product and requires FMA node which is default anyway.

this is my parallel board and the one i have been referring to :

IMG-20120322-00011(1).jpg

its a standard EC5 parallel board which, with the purchase of the correct Powerlab/Revolecrtix lead (Balance Adapter to Charger Cable) can be plugged straight into your PL6/8....this requires XH node.

i'm not interested in the FMA board as its really expensive and it has all deans connectors so you have to make up a lot of little adapter cables to match your chosen bat connector, e.g., EC5..... and its ugly compared to mine which is neat

jut my personal choice obviously.

sure mine is not fused but nothing to stop me soldering a couple of 40 amps fuses onto the red & black leads.

**CW.** · 27-03-2012, 07:29 AM

Ah, that's the one I have on it's way from HK now.
I haven't seen it yet so didn't realise the ballence lead was changeable.
I have the EC5 & XT60 ones ordered.
I will have to order a different balance lead and the USB adapter (to change to xh) to use them then.

**Mark_T** · 27-03-2012, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by scuba steve

i'm not interested in the FMA board as its really expensive and it has all deans connectors so you have to make up a lot of little adapter cables to match your chosen bat connector, e.g., EC5..... and its ugly compared to mine which is neat

jut my personal choice obviously.

sure mine is not fused but nothing to stop me soldering a couple of 40 amps fuses onto the red & black leads.

That's a bit like saying you ordered your new car without seat-belts or air-bags as they made it look ugly, but it is OK as you're going to tie a piece of string to the door handle to hold onto in an emergency

The FMA board has 18 fuses in total, 6 of them polyfuses which protect each pack from every other pack, both main power leads and balance leads, that is the bit you can't fix with a couple of fuses on the main leads.

Its a free world and I understand the cost problem, but this is one of those 'reassuringly expensive' moments

Plenty of people using the board you are buying and you only have to make sure you do everything right every time and you'll be fine, but one mistake could end up costing you more than the MPA board if you accidentally destroy a lipo or two.