hobbyking

[Grumpy]

Why would you charge a split pack in it's split state? Just make the connection between the 2 packs and charge it as a 6s.

The problem is the balance connectors. You can get series connection boards for the balance plugs, but it's a very risky business as I tried (poorly) to explain in the previous post.

[Ruston]

That was where this chain of confusion started

If the pack is supplied with 2 x 3S balance connectors then you can't just 'charge it as a 6S' you either charge it as 2 x 3S, or use a Y harness for the balance connectors or replace the 2 x 3S balance connectors with a 6S connector as was the original intention in this thread...

Just for the record, one reason why you may want to charge as 2 x 3S is if your charger has multiple ports but is limited on the Watts per port...

Not the case here where it is Amps that is the main concern so therefore much better to charge as 6S.

Precisely. The photo shows what I have done, linking 2 3s packs as a split 6s. I have used a 6s balance plug to avoid the potential problem that Grumpy pointed out with the connection of 2 3s balance leads to a series balance board. The only other issue is that you end up with 8 balance wires (rather than 7), 2 of which are at the same voltage. I shrink wrapped these together, just plugging one into the balance plug.

[Grumpy]

Precisely. The photo shows what I have done, linking 2 3s packs as a split 6s.

Nice work!.. Back in post #46 This is exactly what i said I'd do with split packs (wire into one 6S balance plug) which is what started the long debate, so we have come full circle!

[Coxy]

It was for 2 batteries, the postage for 4 was 29.10...

Coxy,

What package value or how many lipos was this based on? Assume it was about £160 or so if based on 20%.
Just trying to work out a per lipo cost of the importation exercise and if it is worth the effort.

Thanks

[scallybert]

Ahh.. I'd completely forgotten what the thread was about! So what do you owe them?

Still don't know.

They're asking if I'm VAT exempt (which I'm not), etc. [Well, I suppose I might be doing medical research with them...]

Hopefully, we'll find out soon.

I reckon they'll be roughly double the cost of building equivalents from UK Warehouse 3S packs. eg £56 vs £28.

[scallybert]

Just got an invoice. £38 Original VAT + £12 'Advancement Fee'. ie £50.


~ an extra £12.50 per pack...

[mahbouni]

I once had a parcel delivered to my neighbour. I never asked them to deliver it to my neighbour and I never signed for it. Shortly after I received a letter containing an invoice for VAT and handling fees. I wondered if they could legally do anything, seeing as I never signed for it and they had no proof that I'd even received it. In the end I did pay up but I made them work for it by waiting for several reminders. Now I wonder if part of the handling fee is administration cost chasing up owed money. Nah, they're probably just greedy.

[scallybert]

Just got an invoice. £38 Original VAT + £12 'Advancement Fee'. ie £50.


~ an extra £12.50 per pack...

So, they were £45 each, plus £24/4 [shipping], plus £50/4 [duty].

ie £45 + £6 + £12.50 = £63.50 each, delivered, within about 3 days. Hardly cheap - but they were readily available; and immediately usable.

Ordering >4 may well reduce some costs, which were fixed - but not massively.

[Hei1950]

Just for the interest of other members I ordered 4-off 5000Mah 6S Nano Tech batteries from Hobby King International web site, they came in about 5 days FedEx Express. One week after batteries arrived got bill from FedEx for £69.59.
Broken down (Disbursements out of scope of EU vat £57.59) (Clearance Administration Charge vatable 0.00% £12.00). That was on top of HobbyKing Shipping cost. Just a heads up to work out real cost when getting from HobbyKing.