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[Aversley]

I purchsed this charger a few years ago and have managed very successfully to charge and discharge most types of batteries.
I am now in a position where I would like to be able to use a charge / discharge or a discharge / charge cycle for Pb (lead acid) batteries of either 6v or 12v. The instructions are beyond me!

I have spoken to Overlander who apparently, or so they say, no longer have anyone who can help.

So, is there anyone out there who can provide me with an "idiot's guide" to how I should proceed?

Thanks.

[essex2visuvesi]

http://airtekhobbies.com/downloads/rc-6s_manual_ac_dc_v2.pdf


See page 12
Hope this helps!

[malcolmfrary]

Looking at the instructions in the link, I think I would need to write out pages 13-14 on an instruction per line basis.  A job for a word processor and a printer, so that I could use it as a tick list to see where I was up to. Without that I could get well and truly lost in there with all the button A and button B pressing.  Takes me back to black payphones and trying to get my money back.

[essex2visuvesi]

Charging Pb batteries.
Connect charger and wait for first screen to settle (depending on previous programme used).

Press A button repeatedly until you reach the cell type (Pb Batt).


Press B button to enter the charge set up screen.


Press B button again and amps will flash.


Press Plus or Minus buttons to set the current to your chosen value.


Press B again and the volts will flash.


Press Plus or Minus buttons to set the voltage to match the correct number of cells in the battery.


Connect the battery and press button B for about 3 seconds until the charge process commences.


The process will continue automatically until complete when the unit will give an audio signal.


Discharging Pb batteries.
Connect charger and wait for first screen to settle (depending on previous programme used).


Press A button repeatedly until you reach the cell type (Pb Batt).


Press B button to enter the charge set up screen.


Press the Plus button which will enter the discharge screen.


Press B button again and amps will flash.


Press Plus or Minus buttons to set the current to your chosen value.


Press B again and the volts will flash.


Press Plus or Minus buttons to set the voltage to match the correct number of cells in the battery.


Connect the battery and press button B for about 3 seconds until the discharge process commences.


The process will continue automatically until complete when the unit will give an audio signal.






You should be able to Copy and Paste that into your chosen software and print it out

[Netleyned]

Same system of programming exactly as the Sky IMAX B6
Much easier to do than it sounds in the instructions when
you can see the screen.




Ned

[Aversley]

Many thanks to one and all for your helpful comments. I shall try to set up the charge / discharge cyclic programme this weekend.

To essex2visuvesi, I have managed the charge and dischage programmes. It is trying to go one step beyond where I am struggling - charge / discharge as above.

[malcolmfrary]

This bit that seems to refer to getting into cyclic mode is tucked away towards the bottom of page 13 -


"In the case of a cyclic program you can use it as programmed (i.e. the take the pack through
say 5 cycles of charge-discharge at your selected parameters) or you can use it to carry out
only the charge or the discharge programs built into the cyclic pattern.


To do this you enter the program number as above and then use the Plus or Minus buttons to scroll between
charge, discharge and cycle.


If you stop at charge or discharge and connect the pack before holding B for 3 seconds, the unit will simply carry out a charge (or discharge) and not continue on to the full cycle."


I've spread it out a bit for easier reading.

[Brian60]

I came unstuck with Overlander batteries a couple weeks back. Was in a model shop in the UK and he had on the shelf boxes of AA's at £1.75 each. NIMH on the front of the box so I thought I'd get 10. The guy told me to help myself from the open box so I counted out 10, paid my money and left.

Two weeks later back in Spain and I go to charge them and notice they didn't say NIMH they said LSD in tiny letters (I had to put my glasses on to read it!) So I go to their website and look for them, it stand for Low Self Discharge. They are not NIMH but those crappy alkaline batteries that can be charged a few time before disposal.

Of course I rang the shop to complain but he was having none of it. I helped myself he said, I should have checked the product before I left. The fact he told me to get them from the open box and not the sealed one with NIMH on it didn't matter at all. So that is another High St retailer that won't ever get my custom again!

[Captain fizz]

Name and shame Brian!

[inertia]

Brian
Don't be too hasty. "Low Self Discharge" cells are usually rechargeable NiMH cells which do exactly that - discharge very slowly when not connected. SANYO's version is called Eneloop and they are very good for transmitters as well as digital cameras. The fact that the box said NiMH on the front leads me to suspect that you actually got a bargain. 'Eneloops' are two quid a pop from CompShop.
Dave M

I've just looked at Overlander's website and I can't see that they sell any "rechargeable alkaline batteries" - but they do sell quite a variety of LSD NiMH types.

[Brian60]

cheers for that Dave. I must have misread the info on their website, but I never saw any reference to nimh at all, I got the alkaline info from a rock crawler forum.

[inertia]

cheers for that Dave. I must have misread the info on their website, but I never saw any reference to nimh at all, I got the alkaline info from a rock crawler forum.

If I were you (not only would I be a lot warmer at the moment but...) I'd contact Overlander and confirm that what you've bought is either one thing or the other. I've not used them but Lawrie White of Model Slipway is a big Overlander fan.
Will be in Marbella for a week very soon. Save us some sunshine!
Dave M

[barriew]

If I were you (not only would I be a lot warmer at the moment but...) I'd contact Overlander and confirm that what you've bought is either one thing or the other. I've not used them but Lawrie White of Model Slipway is a big Overlander fan.
Will be in Marbella for a week very soon. Save us some sunshine!
Dave M

I left 22 degrees in Alicante yesterday


Barrie

[essex2visuvesi]

If I were you (not only would I be a lot warmer at the moment but...) I'd contact Overlander and confirm that what you've bought is either one thing or the other. I've not used them but Lawrie White of Model Slipway is a big Overlander fan.
Will be in Marbella for a week very soon. Save us some sunshine!
Dave M

User to use overlander LiPos in my Blade 400 heli

[Unsinkable 2]

Just over two years ago I bought 2x Turnigy 6v LSD NiMH receiver packs. I charged and used them a few times and then they got stored. I recently dug them out and expected them to be dead ....... BUT, to my surprise they still had loads of charge in them and they are as good as new ....... Turnigy LSD NiMH batteries..... Could be made by Ronseal......... They are great!   U2

[inertia]

Brian
Is this the type? NiMH for sure (Click on the 'Technical' tab). http://www.overlander.co.uk/overlander-lsd-2300mah-aa-cell.html
I did a search on the Overlander site for "lsd" and all that came up were NiMH cells.
Don't bin them.
DM

[malcolmfrary]

At the risk of returning to the original topic, it seems that the problem is that real life does not quite match the written instructions regarding the cyclic operation.  Possibly a bit of missed instruction regarding "holding B for 3 seconds"?

[Brian60]

Brian
Is this the type? NiMH for sure (Click on the 'Technical' tab). http://www.overlander.co.uk/overlander-lsd-2300mah-aa-cell.html
I did a search on the Overlander site for "lsd" and all that came up were NiMH cells.
Don't bin them.
DM

Apologies Dave, I only just noticed your post. Yes they are the ones - and if I had read the technicals I would have seen they were designated nimh's ! I guess I owe the shop an apology, but thats no excuse for his attitude on the phone.

[malcolmfrary]

Now that the matter of the batteries has been cleared up, any chance of someone who knows answering the original question which was about the operation of the charger and the lack of explanation as to what happens in setting up the cyclic operation as it appears on page 13 of the instruction book?

[malcolmfrary]

I got the chance to have a look at both the charger and the instruction book and compared both to the guide.  Attached is a flowchart from the actual instruction book.  Despite the written instructions giving vague directions indicating that cyclic treatment of LEAD ACID batteries is possible, looking at the chart the option does not seem to be included.  It flows on to cyclic options for other battery types, but not lead.
The mystery might therefore be solved.  Not totally satisfactorily, but solved.  Unless someone knows better.