Several Questions about a PL6 set up

[Mimbulus]

Hi.

So I have a second hand PL6. Also came with a JST-xh adaptor board and a Parallel JST-XH charge board and PC connection. I have not as yet used the PC connection.

Some of the preset charge programmes appear to have been deleted - in that I only have presets in 1, 2,3,4 and 7. All others are blank.

I have set the DC power supply settings up as per manual to prevent the PL6 drawing too much. I'm happy with that bit.

So far I have only charged one battery at a time (I have Turnigy 2650mAh 6S) on preset 1 (Accurate charge 1C) using the adaptor board between the battery and the PL6 for the balance leads and the discharge leads connected directly.

I would like to charge batteries at 0.5C both alone and using the parallel board.

In the set up, I noticed that the Node connector is set for FMA (the other option being XH/EH). If I am to use the parallel board - do I change the node connector setting to XH/EH? I could not understand the manual on this bit.

With the correct setting above, I presume I then plug the parallel board balance lead into the adaptor board and the adaptor board into the PL6. Is this correct?

I can see in the accurate charge start menu it gives me the option to tell it how many batteries in parallel. It then defaults to 1C or to set the mAH.

If I want to charge 2 batteries at 1C - I set the number of batteries in parellel to 2 and leave the C setting 1C. Is this correct?

If I want to charge 2 batteries at 0.5C - again I set the number of batteries at 2 - but what to I set the mAh to ?

[bigpops]

"In the set up, I noticed that the Node connector is set for FMA (the other option being XH/EH). If I am to use the parallel board - do I change the node connector setting to XH/EH? I could not understand the manual on this bit."

It depends on the parallel adapter. If it's one of the FMA ones that daisy chain, then you set it to FMA. If it's the FMA Universal Multi-Port Safe Parallel Adapter or any of the EP buddy style ones, then you set it for XH.

With the correct setting above, I presume I then plug the parallel board balance lead into the adaptor board and the adaptor board into the PL6. Is this correct?

It depends on the cable you have. You can get ones with an FMA plug (on the PL6 itself) to JST-XH, so you set the PL6 to XH. If you're going through the FMA - XH adapter board, then you set the PL6 to FMA


I can see in the accurate charge start menu it gives me the option to tell it how many batteries in parallel. It then defaults to 1C or to set the mAH.

If I want to charge 2 batteries at 1C - I set the number of batteries in parellel to 2 and leave the C setting 1C. Is this correct?

Yes, but I prefer to set the charge rate manually myself. In my experience, it takes much longer if I don't.

If I want to charge 2 batteries at 0.5C - again I set the number of batteries at 2 - but what to I set the mAh to ?

Half the capacity of one pack (ie 0.5 * C), so if it's a 3.0Ah pack, you'd say its a 1.50Ah one. That way, when the PL6 does the maths, it'll come up with the right answer. This will work for any number of packs, as long as you set the right number of batteries, and they're all the same capacity.

[Mimbulus]

Excellent guys. Thanks. Mim.

PS. Not sure how I double posted, although I did post my last reply via my iPod Touch - perhaps I hit some wrong key. Apologies