# Elcon charger-Battery not connected????



## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> I have an Elcon 96-12 connected to charge 30-100ahr thunderskys with mini BMS. When I plug in the charger it Blinks 4xs and then starts alternating red and green at a second interval, and the batteries are connected. I don't know what the third wire married to the leads is for?? Any Help


The 4 blinks represent the algorithm...u r using #4 (out of 10). The red/green alternating blink means "battery disconnected".

Was you charger originally made for lithium or pb? 

Do you not have a manual?

If it was made for lithium, you need to supply it with 5 volts before it will charge...going from memory.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

I bought it with the batteries from evcomponents a while back, no manual. It was suspose to be set for my lithium batteries. The miniBMS is connected to my 12v aux battery.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

OK, what colour is the wire? I think it is a red wire that requires the 5 volts...here is a description from the factory rep about this signal. (just so you know, the charger was made to charge Li battery with a BMS, if no BMS is used, you must "enable" the charger with a signal of 5 - 12 volts.)

 The way making Lithium Charger for no connecting BMS is:We set the fixed maximum voltage before delivery. When the charger is powered on, it begins 
charging if there is external control single. When the charger is working, it employs constant 
current in the beginning, and then constant voltage. In the constant voltage, when the current 
reduces to a specific value, the charging period ends. If control single cuts off at any time, 
the charging will end.
There are two control lines. It needs to connect 5V~12V. The current 10mA is required.
I think the wires are red and yellow.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> I bought it with the batteries from evcomponents a while back, no manual. It was suspose to be set for my lithium batteries. The miniBMS is connected to my 12v aux battery.


You should bug EVComponents to support the product that they sold you. I do have several manuals for this thing... not sure this control circuit is well described in any of them though...

Oh ya...they're defunct... just put the name together...


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

The charger is hooked to the BMS with a red and black wire(the black wire is grounded) as per BMS instructions. These 2 wires are connected to the charger through a pinned connection. The 3rd wire married to the + and _ leads is a green wire with a 1/4 " female push connecter.
Thanks for helping.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> The charger is hooked to the BMS with a red and black wire(the black wire is grounded) as per BMS instructions. These 2 wires are connected to the charger through a pinned connection. The 3rd wire married to the + and _ leads is a green wire with a 1/4 " female push connecter.
> Thanks for helping.


Be careful here. One of the wires is meant for a charge interlock but unfortunately puts out whatever your pack voltage is. Pretty much useless. Problem is, I'm not sure of colours and I don't have my charger here at the moment. Put a volt meter on these and see whats up. You should check with Dimitri regarding the MiniBMS and the Elcon connections, he has investigated them. I think he even posted a drawing. Check his website.

You can check with Greg McCrea regarding the charger, to be sure.

I think I took some pics of mine... I'll have a look.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

I sent Demitri an email just now, he was very helpful telling me what I needed before.
Do you have an email for Greg McCrea?
Thanks again.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

here is a pic. It is the red/yellow for 5V. I think the green is the interlock wire.
Greg is [email protected]


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

Dimitri's dwg shows red and black wires for charger control. Perhaps Elcon didn't keep it standard....


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Is it ok to leave the interlock disconnected?


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

yes. I think no one uses it.


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

Almost missed this thread!

You have to check your charger's documentation carefully!

Elcon shipped some chargers with 2 different "Charge Enable" aka "BMS Enable" input types.

One type needs 5-12V applied to red and black wires to enable the charger, those are usually thin wires, separate from battery connection wires.

2nd type has just one White wire, which must be connected to black wire ( pack negative ) to enable the charger. This type does not need any external voltage applied.

CHECK YOUR CHARGER USER MANUAL!!!! Test "charge enable" feature manually prior to connecting to BMS, or you might damage BMS or the charger.

If in doubt, call or Email Elcon support, to confirm which type of charge enable you got.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

dimitri said:


> Almost missed this thread!
> 
> You have to check your charger's documentation carefully!
> 
> ...


Thanks, I have an email in to Elcon, I never got a manual.


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## mora (Nov 11, 2009)

Mine has three wires (charge enable / bms enable). If I remember right those were green, red and black. One of them is +12V coming from charger itself and this one had to be connected to one of those other small wires. Manual suggested relay/optocoupler between wires and miniBMS controls the relay. I connected it this way and it works fine.

Manual also told that max. charge current could be lowered if something between 2V - 5V is applied to these wires. Anything over 5V results in max. charge current. Manual showed simple voltage divider as an example of controlling charge current.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

mora said:


> Mine has three wires (charge enable / bms enable). If I remember right those were green, red and black. One of them is +12V coming from charger itself and this one had to be connected to one of those other small wires. Manual suggested relay/optocoupler between wires and miniBMS controls the relay. I connected it this way and it works fine.
> 
> Manual also told that max. charge current could be lowered if something between 2V - 5V is applied to these wires. Anything over 5V results in max. charge current. Manual showed simple voltage divider as an example of controlling charge current.


Thanks, I'll check the green with a vltmeter and try,Thanks again.


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## Russco (Dec 23, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> Thanks, I have an email in to Elcon, I never got a manual.


Here's the website for the so called "Elcon" charger:

http://www.hztiecheng.com

Good luck. 

Russ Kaufmann

RUSSCO


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Russco said:


> Here's the website for the so called "Elcon" charger:
> 
> http://www.hztiecheng.com
> 
> ...


Thanks, wish I could read Chinese. This problem is so frustrating.


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## mora (Nov 11, 2009)

This makes reading easier:

http://www.hztiecheng.com/english/

no proper manual there though.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

mora said:


> This makes reading easier:
> 
> http://www.hztiecheng.com/english/
> 
> no proper manual there though.


Thanks, sooner or later I will see the light


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## mora (Nov 11, 2009)

You could ask the manual from them via email. I ordered 1,5kW charger and 400W DC/DC converter from them and they've been very helpful so far. They included good printed manuals in my order but seems they don't have one for download.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

mora said:


> You could ask the manual from them via email. I ordered 1,5kW charger and 400W DC/DC converter from them and they've been very helpful so far. They included good printed manuals in my order but seems they don't have one for download.


Thanks, I'm going to email elcon and see if they can send one, and tell me the algorhythems, Who knows?


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

I have several manuals, digital. Will send later. Also, I have contact at the plant. He can tell you algorithms. They track these by SN. Back in a bit.

Here you go. I included a couple different ones as they are not all the same. I have some others for lead acid also. They don't have specifics on wires though. I also included the CAN bus document. There are some other posts on this with wiring diagrams if you search this site more. I recall seeing them.

The contact at the factory is Jiang Tiecheng. His email address is [email protected].

Regards,
Gary


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Thanks, hopefully I'll figure this out.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

I would disconnect the BMS b4 anything else. 
Next get your charger working. Figure out which wire is putting out pack voltage (likely green one). 
Make sure other wires (red and yellow or red and black, which ever you have) don't have any voltage across them. 
Supply +5 volts (from anything...even a couple primary batteries) and see if your charger will behave. Once you get this sorted out, review your BMS integration and connect as proposed.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Will do, thanks for your help, never thought the charger would be a problem. Thanks again.


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

DIYguy said:


> I would disconnect the BMS b4 anything else.
> Next get your charger working. Figure out which wire is putting out pack voltage (likely green one).
> Make sure other wires (red and yellow or red and black, which ever you have) don't have any voltage across them.
> Supply +5 volts (from anything...even a couple primary batteries) and see if your charger will behave. Once you get this sorted out, review your BMS integration and connect as proposed.


I know your suggestions come from experience and/or documentation, but you have to be careful with advice. There are multiple types of charge enable. It seems that newer chargers have updated interface, so if someone tries a wrong combination they might damage their charger.

Most improtant is to know specifications of your charge enable input, you can't learn it from the forum, you have to get it from your charger supplier, since they have warranty responsibility if/when you damage your charger.

I agree with BMS point, leave it alone until you know correct charge enable input, then select appropriate BMS wiring diagram to match.

What I found yesterday is that latest models of these PFC chargers ( they all come from same factory regardless of rebranding done by resellers ), have updated control options, where your control harness may come with 2 wires ( red/black ) or 3 wires ( red/black/green ). I am not talking about heavy gauge wires, those are obviously battery leads with green being the ground wire. I'm talking about thin wires going to 7 pin round plug on the charger.

Red wire carries 12V control voltage, Black wire is input, Green ( if present ) is 12V negative.

To enable the charger, you simply jump Red to Black, which will put 12V on the input and charger will be happy. If that works, then just use NC pair on BMS board to make this connection, so BMS can open it upon HVC event.

I won't go into details on how to use Green wire, its meant to build a voltage divider to control input voltage, which controls charger's power output. Its pretty advanced stuff for most people and not really needed in most cases, IMHO.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

I'm learning more and more, hope I havn't damaged my charger. The green lead with the charging lead has very close to my pack voltage on it, so I don't think it's a ground? Thanks again.


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> I'm learning more and more, hope I havn't damaged my charger. The green lead with the charging lead has very close to my pack voltage on it, so I don't think it's a ground? Thanks again.


Oops, I fell on my own sword by assuming heavy gauge green wire is ground  

Now I wonder what that heavy green wire is for 

Certainly bad idea to use green color for wires carrying high voltage....


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

dimitri said:


> I know your suggestions come from experience and/or documentation, but you have to be careful with advice. There are multiple types of charge enable. It seems that newer chargers have updated interface, so if someone tries a wrong combination they might damage their charger.


The updated interface was already covered. Thanks for the warning... I'll take your lead.... lol


dimitri said:


> Most improtant is to know specifications of your charge enable input, you can't learn it from the forum, you have to get it from your charger supplier, since they have warranty responsibility if/when you damage your charger.


EVComponents is his supplier. They are defunct. Jiang = horse's mouth. Can't get better than that.

Tim, when you are talking to Jiang, tell him to put out a manual showing all wires and functions for each version of charger. I thought I beat that into his head last year....


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

DIYguy said:


> The updated interface was already covered. Thanks for the warning... I'll take your lead.... lol
> 
> EVComponents is his supplier. They are defunct. Jiang = horse's mouth. Can't get better than that.
> 
> Tim, when you are talking to Jiang, tell him to put out a manual showing all wires and functions for each version of charger. I thought I beat that into his head last year....


I sent an email, still waiting. I connected the red and black from the pig tail, but i still get red and green at 1 second intervals meaning battery not connected??? I don't know if the 12v I put to it fried something??? However, Demitri told me if the pack wasn't in the proper parameters the charger wouldn't recognize it. One of the manuals Gary listed showed the 10 charge curves for a higher voltage charger. Some were for one size pack and some for another. If mine is like that maybe mine is set for a lower or higher voltage and it is not recognizing my pack. Hopefully Jiang will send the charge curves. I'm on #4 now.?? Hope I'm not reaching for straws. Thanks to all again.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> I sent an email, still waiting. I connected the red and black from the pig tail, but i still get red and green at 1 second intervals meaning battery not connected??? I don't know if the 12v I put to it fried something??? However, Demitri told me if the pack wasn't in the proper parameters the charger wouldn't recognize it. One of the manuals Gary listed showed the 10 charge curves for a higher voltage charger. Some were for one size pack and some for another. If mine is like that maybe mine is set for a lower or higher voltage and it is not recognizing my pack. Hopefully Jiang will send the charge curves. I'm on #4 now.?? Hope I'm not reaching for straws. Thanks to all again.


Check your pack voltage with a DVM. It's true what Dimitri says... If the voltage is too low (meaning wrong battery to the charger) it will blink at one second intervals. I'm pretty sure you can leave it connected as it is charging at a very slow rate up to the point of "recognition". I'll check that statement... cause I'm going from memory here.

Correction... no, it is red flash for 3 second intervals that means it is in stage #1 slow charge.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Pack is 98.8v, 
Thanks


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## __Tango (Sep 10, 2009)

Wow, i'm having almost the exact same problem (attached everything, getting red/green at one second intervals). i have a ecitypower charger 1500W (which is basically the same as the elcon i guess). I was told however, that the pigtail red/black wires were for a thermistor. 

I think the pigtail on mine only has two wires (red/black). 

I have 36 Thundersky batts (115.2V Nominal, [email protected]/cell). When i ordered the charger, they said they could customize it appropriately (and the sticker on the charger says [email protected] I have verified that everything is hooked up properly, and the pack is currently at 117V, so it's certainly not under-voltage. 

Dimitri, i was reading your post...


dimitri said:


> Red wire carries 12V control voltage, Black wire is input, Green ( if present ) is 12V negative.
> 
> To enable the charger, you simply jump Red to Black, which will put 12V on the input and charger will be happy. If that works, then just use NC pair on BMS board to make this connection, so BMS can open it upon HVC event.


i'm wondering how what you just said jives with the minibms docs, in particular, the image attached to this post. I can't seem to reconcile the flow between those two things.

Thanks!


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## __Tango (Sep 10, 2009)

More followup. 

the diagram shown in my previous post would imply that the BMS signal cable was not powered at all, so the flow goes from B+, in through the Charger common connection on the BMS board, then out through the Charger NC connection, through the charger via the red wire, then to Ground via the black wire. 

However, this does not explain how shorting the red and black wires will make the charger function. 

I just went out to my (very cold) garage to check on this. As i said earlier, i was having the green/red flash on one second interval problem just like the OP. 

I first verified that shorting the red and black small wires on the charger let the charger start working. it did! Woohoo!

I then hooked up the charger to the MiniBMS as per the diagram shown above. It didn't work. 

I then hooked up the small red wire to the charger common connection on the BMS, and the black wire to the charger NC connection on the BMS. And it worked (See the hacked up diagram below). The charger charges until the Cells loop opens (normally due to a HVC event, but in this case, i disconnected the cells loop altogether), then the charger stops charging. The charger will not start charging again until the charger is power cycled and the ignition is powered (resetting the BMS). 

If it's any help, my charger was purchased from ecitypower in January of last year (yes, it's taken me more than a year to get my build far enough along to charge the batteries). It's a 1500W version, and is labeled "1.5HD" (the firmware i think). It has a pigtail cable that only has two wires, one red and one black.

I'm going to contact Dimitri directly to ask him about this, but if he chimes in here, all the better.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Hey, our stories are very similar. I finnaly found the charge curves that are on the back of the charger (after asking millions and searching for hours). Mine was on 4 and should have been on 3. I'm going to put it back in and try as you did, thanks.


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

__Tango said:


> I'm going to contact Dimitri directly to ask him about this, but if he chimes in here, all the better.


I only discovered this updated version of "Charge Enable" interface few days ago. Obviously this renders my Elcon wiring diagram incorrect.

You adapted BMS interface to the new charger interface correctly.

I will be updating MiniBMS document shortly.


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## __Tango (Sep 10, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Hey, our stories are very similar. I finnaly found the charge curves that are on the back of the charger (after asking millions and searching for hours). Mine was on 4 and should have been on 3. I'm going to put it back in and try as you did, thanks.


Yes, very similar. And timely too (well for me at least) . Where did you find info on the charge curves? I'm on "4" as well, and I have thundersky lifepo. Why do you think you need charge curve 3? Does it work better with the minibms?

Good luck!


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Hey,
I looked everywhere without luck for the curves. And then I noticed in a picture they were on another's charger on the back. Sure enough when I unmounted the charger there were the curves. # 3 is for 100ahr, 4 is for the next higher. However, I still get red-green-red...... I'm looking for a place to get it looked at???

Thanks
Tim Lingenfelser


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

The way I see it, you either have misconfigured charger, i.e. it doesn't match your pack voltage, in which case sending it to Elcon in Sacramento is your only option, since they are exclusive distributors in US.

Or, your charge enable port is blown or you don't use it correctly.

See attached pic for charge enable connector pinout. Measure voltage between pins 2 and 3, you should see internal source of 12V. If not, its likely blown, but you can still try to take external source of 5-12V and apply between pins 1 and 2 ( positive on 1 ), hence bypassing internal 12V source entirely.

If you can get charge enable working, then we can figure out how to interface it with BMS.

Curve selection is misleading, since in most cases it does not change the voltage, only CV current levels. Elcon people rarely program various voltages in same charger, as far as I know. I guess its a liability issue or something.


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## __Tango (Sep 10, 2009)

Nice Dimitri. Where'd you get that document?


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Hey,
Voltage between pins 2 and 3 was 12v at first then 7v but mostly 4.6v. Then I put an 8v battery between pins 1 and 2(+on1) and she is charging. Hallelujah !!!!
A million thanks to all.
Tim Lingenfelser


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## __Tango (Sep 10, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Hey,
> I looked everywhere without luck for the curves. And then I noticed in a picture they were on another's charger on the back. Sure enough when I unmounted the charger there were the curves. # 3 is for 100ahr, 4 is for the next higher.


Damn. mine doesn't have those printed on the charger. If you can take a picture of yours, that'd be great. I'd like to know how the charge curve number (1-10) relates to the charge curve numbers (300 series, 500 series, 600 series) as described at the evolveelectrics site: http://www.evolveelectrics.com/PDF/Elcon/Algorithms 300.pdf

Thanks.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Hey,
I'll work on a picture after work. I don't think the 1-10 choices actually change the curve at all. They only have something to do with the amp-hour of the batteries.
Thanks,
Tim Lingenfelser


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## mora (Nov 11, 2009)

dimitri said:


> I only discovered this updated version of "Charge Enable" interface few days ago. Obviously this renders my Elcon wiring diagram incorrect.


I used your ElCon wiring diagram (last page of user manual) with my charger with only exception of using relay. What's the updated version of enable interface? Two wires only?

H-COM and GND to the relay coil. Chargers red and black wire to relay so that they short together when power is applied to relay coil. Now when HVC occurs relay opens and charger stops charging. When I turn ignition on, charging resumes as miniBMS gets reset. There is no need to power cycle the charger. I bought my charger about 3 months ago. I have three wires coming out of that 7-pin connector (red, green and black). Two-wire version has same pin order but is lacking green wire. It is "enable only". In both cases shorting red and black gives charger a "go" command.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Camera wouldn't work right, so here is it in script:
TCCH 96 -12 LiFePO4 30cells
Curve Capacity Max Volts Curve Capacity Max Volts
1 40ahr 109 6 180ahr 109
2 60ahr 109 7 200ahr 109
3 100ahr 109 8 200ahr 109
4 120ahr 109 9 200ahr 109
5 160ahr 109 10 200ahr 109

Thanks,
Tim Lingenfelser


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

mora said:


> I have three wires coming out of that 7-pin connector (red, green and black). Two-wire version has same pin order but is lacking green wire. It is "enable only". In both cases shorting red and black gives charger a "go" command.


The problem here is that old interface did not have its own source of 12V, so you had to apply 12V across red/black wires to enable the charger, that is what my wiring diagram does. However, new interface already has internal source of 12V on red wire, so if you follow my old diagram you are connecting external 12V to internal 12V and might damage internal 12V source. On old interface you COULD NOT just connect red/black together, on the new interface you should simply connect red/black using NC terminals from BMS, as Tango shown above.

However, issue with original poster's charger is that internal source appears to be blown, so he can still use external 12V source between green/black wires, not red/black.


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## lrmills187 (Jan 11, 2010)

I think this document will give you all the info you need.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

lrmills187 said:


> I think this document will give you all the info you need.


 Yes,Thanks, Tim Lingenfelser


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## ruckus (Apr 15, 2009)

Hello Elcon, Chinnoz, Chennic brothers. 

I posted about this a while back and got few responses. I am glad this thread is so fruitful. I am also abandoned by EVcomponents despite contacting some of their "former" employees for help. It sounds like a tough deal all around.

I have the exact same charger. It seems you have more than enough info now, but as I understand it, the tiny "shielded" (foil lined) wire needs 5-12v applied for the charger to work. (sticker says 5v). I was planning to run this through a EVpower bms relay from the 12v aux batt. Was thinking of using a 12v to 6v reducer to keep it happier.

The chineeze Anderson connector goes to + and - batt ends for charging.

The green wire bundled with the Anderson connector is a mystery, but I am guessing it goes to chassis ground. Correct?

Your charger should have the lifepo4 sticker. This means the different algorithms in your charger are really just an amp adjustment. Algorithm 1 is least amps (slow charge) and #10 is max amps which I believe to be 8A, although the charger is rated for 15A (1500w) yes? They list this as battery ah rating, but it is really charging amps recommended for that battery size. 

I have TS lifepo4 260ah batts which are not in the list. THey can easily take max amps (10 flashes on startup), but this will also cause more charger heat, so I plan to start with algorithm #4 it came with to keep charger cool and happy.

I would appreciate if someone would tell me if any of this is wrong.

Cheers!


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## ruckus (Apr 15, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> I'm learning more and more, hope I havn't damaged my charger. The green lead with the charging lead has very close to my pack voltage on it, so I don't think it's a ground? Thanks again.


Uh-oh, read back through and realized I missed this post.

Now I am scared. 

Where the hell does the green wire go??? is it needed?


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Hey,
The green wire sleeved with the charging leads is not a ground. I checked mine with a voltmeter while my charger was on but not charging and it had my pack voltage on it. I THINK it is for interfacing somehow with the main contacter??? My pigtailed small wires were not shielded. I messed mine up by putting 12v to what already had 12v. So check with a voltmeter first. See Demitri's picture on the last 
reply on page 4 of this string. It's what turned the light on for me.
Thanks,
Tim Lingenfelser


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## ruckus (Apr 15, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Hey,
> The green wire sleeved with the charging leads is not a ground. I checked mine with a voltmeter while my charger was on but not charging and it had my pack voltage on it. I THINK it is for interfacing somehow with the main contacter??? My pigtailed small wires were not shielded. I messed mine up by putting 12v to what already had 12v. So check with a voltmeter first. See Demitri's picture on the last
> reply on page 4 of this string. It's what turned the light on for me.
> Thanks,
> Tim Lingenfelser


Still a bit mystified. please give post # as this thread is only 2 pages for me. Here is what doesn't add up for me:

1. Why does the tiny wire say 5v if it has 12v present? What did you end up doing with this wire?
2. Where does the big green wire go? Did you just cap it and ignore?
3. It sounds like you got the charger to work by applying voltage to the multi-pin terminals, but others used the tiny wires. I don't have the pin connector and thought that was used to reprogram it.

Is it possible to explain exactly how you hooked it up each wire for it to work?

Sorry, but I really don't want to screw this up.


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## [email protected] (Feb 16, 2011)

Hey,
I feel your pain, Demitri's post was #40 (you have to be signed in to see the picture, if you click on it; it will expand). My charger had the sleeved charging leads with the green wire (I just left the green wire disconnected), and a 7 pin pig tail with a red wire and a black wire. I was suspose to just connect the red and black wire to enable the charger. Not knowing that, I put 12v aux battery to the red wire and damaged that circuit. Demitri showed me the picture of the 3 wire pigtail and told me to move my red wire from pin 3 to pin2 and connect that to my ground. Then to put 12v aux positive to pin 1(the black wire) AND NOW IT WORKS! I'm not sure about your small wires? I only had small ones from the pin connecter. None of mine were shielded or said 5v.
Hope this helped,
Tim Lingenfelser


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## lrmills187 (Jan 11, 2010)

ruckus said:


> Hello Elcon, Chinnoz, Chennic brothers.
> 
> I posted about this a while back and got few responses. I am glad this thread is so fruitful. I am also abandoned by EVcomponents despite contacting some of their "former" employees for help. It sounds like a tough deal all around.
> 
> ...


DO NOT connect the green wire bundled with the Anderson connector to chassis ground. If you measure the resistance between this green wire and the + pin you will find a short. This would put your chassis at pack voltage. I do not know what that green wire connector is for, but don't use it!!

The wire that is labeled +12VDC is actually +12 VDC coming from the charger. It is supplied by the electronics in the charger. All you have to do is connect it to the enable wire and the charger will operate. if you connect it to the NC contacts on your BMS, the BMS can turn off the charger by opening this connection.


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

ruckus said:


> Still a bit mystified. please give post # as this thread is only 2 pages for me. Here is what doesn't add up for me:
> 
> 1. Why does the tiny wire say 5v if it has 12v present? What did you end up doing with this wire?
> 2. Where does the big green wire go? Did you just cap it and ignore?
> ...


The main issue here is that you have an older charge enable interface, while other people posting in this thread have newer interface, that is the whole theme of the thread. Your interface requires external control voltage, while newer interface does not, since it has its own internal control voltage source.

Its easy to tell 2 interfaces apart, on older interface, try to short red/black together and see if charger starts up, if not, then it needs external control voltage. Take a small 9V battery and apply to red/black wires, charger should start now.
On newer interface charger will start just by shorting red/black together.

Hope this clears things up.

P.S. As for green wire, sorry, I can't help, I have no clue what its for, but I'm sure you don't have to use it, just cap it and leave it alone.


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## 1-ev.com (Nov 4, 2010)

dimitri said:


> Its easy to tell 2 interfaces apart, on older interface, try to short red/black together and see if charger starts up, if not, then it needs external control voltage. Take a small 9V battery and apply to red/black wires, charger should start now.
> On newer interface charger will start just by shorting red/black together.


Dimitri,
Just want to clarify that what miniBMS uses to control the charger? 

And, if I am using Solid State Relay with miniBMS, do I need to put it on heat sink and if yes, that size would you recommend?

Also, can I use both way to control the charger at the same time?

Thank you.
-Y.


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

1-ev.com said:


> Dimitri,
> Just want to clarify that what miniBMS uses to control the charger?
> 
> And, if I am using Solid State Relay with miniBMS, do I need to put it on heat sink and if yes, that size would you recommend?
> ...


miniBMS provides Form C relay contacts for charger control, but how you use them is up to you, depending on your charger's capability, etc. I provided various examples of wiring diagrams, so you can chose which works best for you.

Personally, I would prefer to use charger's own "charge enable" input if there is one and only resort to SSR relay if there isn't.

If you use SSR you must mount it such that it has heat sinking ability. I can't recommend specific size of the sink since it largely depends on how much current you are pulling thru your relay. I simply mounted my own SSR on a structural frame in my car, since the frame is massive enough to take the heat away from relay, I used heat sink compound for better heat transfer.

Using 2 separate means of stopping the charger simultaneously does not make much sense to me.

Hope this helps.


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## 1-ev.com (Nov 4, 2010)

dimitri said:


> Personally, I would prefer to use charger's own "charge enable" input if there is one and only resort to SSR relay if there isn't.
> ...
> 
> Using 2 separate means of stopping the charger simultaneously does not make much sense to me.
> ...


Dimitri,
Do I need additional relay between BMS and "charge enable" input or relay contacts can handle the current?
I was thinking to use 2 separate means to stop charger, just in case one stop failed...

Thank you.
-Y.


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## dimitri (May 16, 2008)

1-ev.com said:


> Dimitri,
> Do I need additional relay between BMS and "charge enable" input or relay contacts can handle the current?
> I was thinking to use 2 separate means to stop charger, just in case one stop failed...
> 
> ...


No need for extra relay, "charge enable" interface is a low current circuit and can be connected directly to MiniBMS head board.


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