MY Megacellcharger has shipped yippee
- Thread starter floydR
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Wolf
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So my 2 Megacellchargers arrived the other day and I was all excited to test them out.
Here is my experience so far.......
Unfortunately I got a message from Alex that there was a problem with 2 resistors which had been inadvertently installed in the wrong place.
OK so he provided a YouTube video on how to resolve the issue and I was more than willing to give it a shot.
On the first unit albeit quite hairraising I managed to get the flea sized 1.2kΩ resistor in the right places (16)and verified all connections with my fluke.
On the second unit I was not so lucky. On one of them the PCB pad it sits on came off and another I may have overheated the "flea" as the resistance was way off. So on the second unit I have 2 slots not functioning. I believe I can repair them with a TTH resistor as getting 2 "fleas is not cost effective. I have an email to Alex to see what he says.
I followed the instructions on hooking it up to my Wi-Fi and that worked OK got an IP address and we were ready to go. I did not see a way I could give the unit a static IP address but if need be I can do it with my routers DHCP server using its MAC address as I like to assign IP addresses to static devices. Connections seem to be a lot more stable esp. if the software,which the Mega Cell Monitor, requires an IP address to connect. Not sure why the didn't go with UDP for monitoring and TCP or a direct connection for setup and/or change the software settings but hey what do I know.
Update: 09/26/2020 So this morning I tried to use the unit again and it was nowhere to be found in the software. Ha the IP address changed from 192.168.1.8 to 192.168.1.11 so all settings had to be reset. First chance I get Static IP.......
So on to downloading the software.I followed the instructions that came with the 1 sheet of paper and went to http://www.megacellmonitor.com/installation.html and followed the procedure. All installed ok and when launching the program you are required to send an email to get the license key. Again why not a 30 day trial license key so that you can use the product right away befuddles me. Nevertheless the key was sent to me by email in a relatively short time. The Promise 24 hrs. and they beat it. Kudos!
Now with the unit LAN -Wi-Fi aware,software and license key installed I was ready to get started.
The first thing that was an issue is the hookup wires, What in the good Lords name am I going to do with those and how would you hook up 2 units with them to 1 power supply?
Might as well not send any wires at all and say you are on your own. I would have been less insulted.
So the first order of events was "lets make some proper power cables" which I did. Some AWG 12 silicone wire proper eyelet terminations and a couple of XT90 connector. Now that's better.
Same with the supply to the units
Now the unit can be unplugged and moved easy enough. OK on to plugging everything in. The first thing that hit me like a jet engine was the power supply I'm ok with jet engine noise as long as I'm at high altitude but this was not the case as I now hada jet engine under my desk and the cabin crew was nowhere in sight. That will change in the "very" near future with a proper quality quiet fan replacement. The fan is so badly out of balance I had to put a towel under it to keep the hum to a dull roar and my hearing isn't that good.
All right on to the next step.
Software will take a bit getting used to but I do think it is workable although somewhat confusing. Not sure how to do just a standard C/D/C but I think it is a profile you can set up. Tried to get the sqlite connection working but it wouldn't let me fill in the info so I gave up for now.
Fumbled around with the software an got a representation of the unit which is fine but it is tiny and it cannot be expanded.
Graphing and data seem to be good albeit slow to update UDP would have been a better choice. Software did crash and had the (not Responding) on me several times when I was overrunning it with commands as it was not responding in a reasonable matter. I have an 8th gen i5 processor with 16 gig of ram and I really don't think I should have to go to an i7.
Now to the most serious issue I have with the unit. The cell holders. Actually it isn't so much the holders as it is the positive contact. If the cell positive has a dimple or is not reasonably flat it is almost impossible to get the unit to read the cell. The springs on the negative side are also incredibly weak. I mean it makes the opus slides feel like Truck coil springs. The positive contact will need to have some kind of modification to contact the center of the cells positive terminal.
Last but not least is the temp sensor on the cell holder bottom attached to the PCB. Due to the combination of poor positive contact and weak spring pressure the cell will rock back and forth on the sensor as if it were a fulcrum. Just the slightest touch of the cell (as in checking for temperature of the cell) will shift it and stop the workflow on that cell. Then it takes quite a while to get the cell recognized and the process starts again. Not sure why the temp sensor could not have been recessed.
So that's my take on the "MegaCellCharger".
I think Alex should have taken up my offer to beta test one of these units.
All in all I think it is a great concept and I think with a little bit of work and refinement this can and will be a super charger/tester/analyzer.
I would give it a couple of hardware and software revisions before purchasing one at this point. Additionally I will be looking to see how the cell holders can be improved for better contact as they are truly dismal at this point. I don't even dare to touch it lest a cell loose contact. Matter of fact the vibration from the power supply has me worried...........
Wolf
Here is my experience so far.......
Unfortunately I got a message from Alex that there was a problem with 2 resistors which had been inadvertently installed in the wrong place.
OK so he provided a YouTube video on how to resolve the issue and I was more than willing to give it a shot.
On the first unit albeit quite hairraising I managed to get the flea sized 1.2kΩ resistor in the right places (16)and verified all connections with my fluke.
On the second unit I was not so lucky. On one of them the PCB pad it sits on came off and another I may have overheated the "flea" as the resistance was way off. So on the second unit I have 2 slots not functioning. I believe I can repair them with a TTH resistor as getting 2 "fleas is not cost effective. I have an email to Alex to see what he says.
I followed the instructions on hooking it up to my Wi-Fi and that worked OK got an IP address and we were ready to go. I did not see a way I could give the unit a static IP address but if need be I can do it with my routers DHCP server using its MAC address as I like to assign IP addresses to static devices. Connections seem to be a lot more stable esp. if the software,which the Mega Cell Monitor, requires an IP address to connect. Not sure why the didn't go with UDP for monitoring and TCP or a direct connection for setup and/or change the software settings but hey what do I know.
Update: 09/26/2020 So this morning I tried to use the unit again and it was nowhere to be found in the software. Ha the IP address changed from 192.168.1.8 to 192.168.1.11 so all settings had to be reset. First chance I get Static IP.......
So on to downloading the software.I followed the instructions that came with the 1 sheet of paper and went to http://www.megacellmonitor.com/installation.html and followed the procedure. All installed ok and when launching the program you are required to send an email to get the license key. Again why not a 30 day trial license key so that you can use the product right away befuddles me. Nevertheless the key was sent to me by email in a relatively short time. The Promise 24 hrs. and they beat it. Kudos!
Now with the unit LAN -Wi-Fi aware,software and license key installed I was ready to get started.
The first thing that was an issue is the hookup wires, What in the good Lords name am I going to do with those and how would you hook up 2 units with them to 1 power supply?
Might as well not send any wires at all and say you are on your own. I would have been less insulted.
So the first order of events was "lets make some proper power cables" which I did. Some AWG 12 silicone wire proper eyelet terminations and a couple of XT90 connector. Now that's better.
Same with the supply to the units
Now the unit can be unplugged and moved easy enough. OK on to plugging everything in. The first thing that hit me like a jet engine was the power supply I'm ok with jet engine noise as long as I'm at high altitude but this was not the case as I now hada jet engine under my desk and the cabin crew was nowhere in sight. That will change in the "very" near future with a proper quality quiet fan replacement. The fan is so badly out of balance I had to put a towel under it to keep the hum to a dull roar and my hearing isn't that good.
All right on to the next step.
Software will take a bit getting used to but I do think it is workable although somewhat confusing. Not sure how to do just a standard C/D/C but I think it is a profile you can set up. Tried to get the sqlite connection working but it wouldn't let me fill in the info so I gave up for now.
Fumbled around with the software an got a representation of the unit which is fine but it is tiny and it cannot be expanded.
Graphing and data seem to be good albeit slow to update UDP would have been a better choice. Software did crash and had the (not Responding) on me several times when I was overrunning it with commands as it was not responding in a reasonable matter. I have an 8th gen i5 processor with 16 gig of ram and I really don't think I should have to go to an i7.
Now to the most serious issue I have with the unit. The cell holders. Actually it isn't so much the holders as it is the positive contact. If the cell positive has a dimple or is not reasonably flat it is almost impossible to get the unit to read the cell. The springs on the negative side are also incredibly weak. I mean it makes the opus slides feel like Truck coil springs. The positive contact will need to have some kind of modification to contact the center of the cells positive terminal.
Last but not least is the temp sensor on the cell holder bottom attached to the PCB. Due to the combination of poor positive contact and weak spring pressure the cell will rock back and forth on the sensor as if it were a fulcrum. Just the slightest touch of the cell (as in checking for temperature of the cell) will shift it and stop the workflow on that cell. Then it takes quite a while to get the cell recognized and the process starts again. Not sure why the temp sensor could not have been recessed.
So that's my take on the "MegaCellCharger".
I think Alex should have taken up my offer to beta test one of these units.
All in all I think it is a great concept and I think with a little bit of work and refinement this can and will be a super charger/tester/analyzer.
I would give it a couple of hardware and software revisions before purchasing one at this point. Additionally I will be looking to see how the cell holders can be improved for better contact as they are truly dismal at this point. I don't even dare to touch it lest a cell loose contact. Matter of fact the vibration from the power supply has me worried...........
Wolf
Last edited:
Wolf
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Little update on the Megacell charger. Assigning static IP's to the units defiantly has improved the usability of the software.
Another thing is that once set up you really don't need to play with all the options which will get you into trouble and program crashes.
Set your workflow to what you want and that's it. Sqliteworks and you can browse the database within the install directory.
I did not hear back from Alex as far as my resistor issue was concerned so I soldered (2)1.2k? standard resistors to the 2 problem slots I had and it works just fine.
Wolf
Update:
Alex did get back to me and yes the resistors can be replaced with THD resistors.
Quote:
"Hi,
Yes, you can replace with THD resistors if the value is the same.
Thanks for your support and understanding with this problem!
Alex"
Wolf
Another thing is that once set up you really don't need to play with all the options which will get you into trouble and program crashes.
Set your workflow to what you want and that's it. Sqliteworks and you can browse the database within the install directory.
I did not hear back from Alex as far as my resistor issue was concerned so I soldered (2)1.2k? standard resistors to the 2 problem slots I had and it works just fine.
Wolf
Update:
Alex did get back to me and yes the resistors can be replaced with THD resistors.
Quote:
"Hi,
Yes, you can replace with THD resistors if the value is the same.
Thanks for your support and understanding with this problem!
Alex"
Wolf
OffGridInTheCity
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My poor OPUSs are rattling along.I'm so jealous... Enjoy!
Wolf
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- Sep 25, 2018
- Messages
- 2,009
Another quick update on the Megacell charger.
While waiting for some very small Acorn nuts thatI will install on the positive contacts,I wanted gold plated but had to settle for nickel,I went on the hunt for some spacers to keep the cells from wobbling on the temp sensor as a fulcrum. Just so happens that the small round insert from a cell insulator sheet works perfect I packed 4 of them on top of each other and it comes to 0.8mm. Installed on the pos and neg side and no more cell wobble. Now that's recycling something we always throw out. One added benefit is that the cells seem to be sitting in the holder a bit firmer and I don't seem to be having cell recognition issues anymore. Nevertheless I am still going to put the acorn nuts on the pos terminal.
Also put rubber feet on it so it doesn't slide all over the place.
Still trying to figure the software out but starting to make some sense of it.
Lots of buggy things going on like if you have the physical view of the Charger in the center of the screen and you hoover over the cell the graph and info comes up but too high the top of the graph is cut off. If you move the physical view away from the center of the screen in either direction it will populate in full view.
Another thing is the graph is not of the full cycle you get the last hour or so. Not quite sure what that's all about.
Also if you double click on the cell you get a graph with nothing on it.
\
The serial number autogenerating system is a bit funky not sure how to reset it other than deleting the cell data. I'm going with my tried and true method anyway either sharpie numbers or now stickers and maybe I can figure out how to export the sqlite data to excel.
Running 32 LGGBM261865 cells previously tested and shown to be good. Lets see what the Megacell charger says for capacity. BTW testing at 1A.
Wolf
While waiting for some very small Acorn nuts thatI will install on the positive contacts,I wanted gold plated but had to settle for nickel,I went on the hunt for some spacers to keep the cells from wobbling on the temp sensor as a fulcrum. Just so happens that the small round insert from a cell insulator sheet works perfect I packed 4 of them on top of each other and it comes to 0.8mm. Installed on the pos and neg side and no more cell wobble. Now that's recycling something we always throw out. One added benefit is that the cells seem to be sitting in the holder a bit firmer and I don't seem to be having cell recognition issues anymore. Nevertheless I am still going to put the acorn nuts on the pos terminal.
Also put rubber feet on it so it doesn't slide all over the place.
Still trying to figure the software out but starting to make some sense of it.
Lots of buggy things going on like if you have the physical view of the Charger in the center of the screen and you hoover over the cell the graph and info comes up but too high the top of the graph is cut off. If you move the physical view away from the center of the screen in either direction it will populate in full view.
Another thing is the graph is not of the full cycle you get the last hour or so. Not quite sure what that's all about.
Also if you double click on the cell you get a graph with nothing on it.
\
The serial number autogenerating system is a bit funky not sure how to reset it other than deleting the cell data. I'm going with my tried and true method anyway either sharpie numbers or now stickers and maybe I can figure out how to export the sqlite data to excel.
Running 32 LGGBM261865 cells previously tested and shown to be good. Lets see what the Megacell charger says for capacity. BTW testing at 1A.
Wolf
ChrisD5710
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Wolf said:
Luckey You
I got no wires at all.ChrisD
Could You tell me what values are in the unit NOB?
My Android App is not working, and my laptop with win 8.1 will not load the cell doctor program.
However, the tiny display tells me that the unit indeed starts charging the cells, but using 138 mA itwill take forever and I do not knowat which cell voltage the unit stops charging. Next surprise is how much is the discharge current??
I have suggested to Alex that he alters the firmware to use standard 18650 test values 1A chg/dischg 4,21 volts and 2.8 volts and one cycle. This way the units can be used NOB.
Best of luck with Your chargers.
ChrisD
Have you changed the resistors as detailed in this youtube videoChrisD5710 said:I have suggested to Alex that he alters the firmware to use standard 18650 test values 1A chg/dischg 4,21 volts and 2.8 volts and one cycle. This way the units can be used NOB.
Best of luck with Your chargers.
ChrisD
Later floyd
ChrisD5710
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floydR said:Have you changed the resistors as detailed in this youtube videoChrisD5710 said:I have suggested to Alex that he alters the firmware to use standard 18650 test values 1A chg/dischg 4,21 volts and 2.8 volts and one cycle. This way the units can be used NOB.
Best of luck with Your chargers.
ChrisDThis is not a firmware issue. It is a hardware issue.
Later floyd
I regrettably do not own a microscope powerful enough to do the swap, so now I will just have to find the 50 to ship this trash back to Romania.
Second, the built-in firmware insists on doing 3 complete cycles.
Pity the Foxnovo 4S Digital Charger is no longer to buy.
ChrisD
@Wolf how did you get yours, i'm #28 on the list. MegaBummed...
Excited to see people are getting them and interested to see how the capacity values shake out as compared to the standards we use now. Thanks for the write up and will give my input if I EVER get mine...lol
Excited to see people are getting them and interested to see how the capacity values shake out as compared to the standards we use now. Thanks for the write up and will give my input if I EVER get mine...lol
Wolf
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Maybe shipping is bylast name,alphabetical. :huh:vegburner said:
Mine begins with A if you are V or Z guess you got to wait.
Funny You should ask about a comparison evaluation
I ran 64 LG M26 cells through the Megacellwith comparison from my other chargers.
I set the Megacell to charge to 4.2V, 5min rest and discharge at 1A to 3V.
Here are the results. As far as I am concerned the results are very impressive and encouraging. Now to be fair to the OPUS and others they all discharge to ?2.8V, except the SKYRC which was set to 3V.
Wolf
Never again. I put up with the delays, would gladly have waited another month for a product that works as promoted out of the box. The reason I bought into the megaCell charger hype was to have an all inclusive device. One that could input the data generated into a spread sheet. Not for something I need to work on to make it useful to me. Yes Alex will fix it if I send the charger to him. One of the two screws for the terminals on the MegaCellCharger is rolling around in the case. The other was rolling around the box.
Nothing besides maybe development/testing was done in Romania. But if development/testing was done in Romania the resistor problem would have been caught before shipping.
Nothing besides maybe development/testing was done in Romania. But if development/testing was done in Romania the resistor problem would have been caught before shipping.