SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Albert_

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Re: Alternate Power adapters — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Albert, the MC3000 has a 5.5/2.5mm DC power connector.

Can't he use a 5.5mm x 2.5mm male to 5.5mm x 2.1mm female DC jack adapter?

The only difference I can think of is a 5.5mm x 2.5mm adapter cord may use slightly larger pos+ / neg- wires.

I've been thinking of finding another power supply. Here's a non oem for a Toshiba, 75 Watts 5amps / 15 volts.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-Adapter-...hash=item1c3fa0ff7c:m:m3QlRQO57cAbzSHOv4KluUA
 
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usrnam

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Re: Alternate Power adapters — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Can't he use a 5.5mm x 2.5mm male to 5.5mm x 2.1mm female DC jack adapter?

The only difference I can think of is a 5.5mm x 2.5mm adapter cord may use slightly larger pos+ / neg- wires.
I've been thinking of finding another power supply. Here's a non oem for a Toshiba, 75 Watts 5amps / 15 volts.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-Adapter-...hash=item1c3fa0ff7c:m:m3QlRQO57cAbzSHOv4KluUA

I think I may have been incorrect about the ground pin size. After comparing more closely to a 5.5mm x 2.1mm connector it appears the IBM Laptop power supply connector is 5.5mm x 2.5mm. There is only a .4mm difference, I was able to insert a small screw driver into the IBM laptop power supply dc jack, but not the Opus charger's ps jack which is suppose to be 5.5mm x 2.1mm.
 
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MarioJP

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Hey everyone. Need bit of a help here setting up the perfect program here. I want to know at what charging rate is best for AAA's? Trying to have one program for AA's and AAA's. Trying to finalize at 600mA, But i am realizing as this rate. Could be brutal AAA's. Just trying to get an idea.

Thanks.
 

richardcpf

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

The mod is done and ready for long term testing and everyday use.

mqB0ACzl.jpg


Same setup as usual, room temp was higher at 28C and the charger was placed on a table. A more scientific test this time.
vZzf2sC.png

At 28:00 the temperature normalized:
q2AvTcOl.jpg


Notes:
-With the new fans installed it was able to remain cool while discharging 4x1A. This mod is not really necessary as the charger has internal temperature regulation and overheat protection, at the expense of constant 1A discharge rate.
-Doing this will void your warranty, obviously.

-Putting everything back together was a real PITA.
-Now with the holes in the back the charger runs cooler. Charging 4×18650 1.5A does not even triggger he stock fan, temp remains at 43C.
-New fans are noisy, but quieter than the stock little fan.
-Did 2 C>D cycles with the new fans on, no problem to far.

Full mod thread is here.
 

Albert_

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

That looks like a great mod. However I'm wondering if a portable fan box built to fit over the top vents, pulling heated air out would be efficient enough to lower temperatures and at the same time not void the manufacture's warranty.

Did you first experiment with fan positioning using the stock air vents?

Bottom fan would need to push air in while top fans pulling air out. Perhaps wouldn't be able to lower temperatures enough?
 
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richardcpf

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

That looks like a great mod. However I'm wondering if a removable fax box built to fit over the top vents, pulling heated air out would be efficient enough to lower temperatures and at the same time not void the manufacture's warranty.

Sound like a good idea, you could use one or two laptop external heatsinks on top and reverse the bottom fan , this way cool air enters from the bottom and exit on top.

You can also use a couple 5V fan the same size I used, and glue some magnets to it and to the top of the charger. Wire them to the USB so the fan works when plugged in and magnets allow them to be removed any time.
 

just like me

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Gawd. I was lurking when this thread first posted, read up to about 17 pages then. Tonight I just read 30 more pages before skipping here to post. Only one problem, I see no indication that MC3000 can charge Baghdad batteries. Oversight?

We need a group buy for this charger.
 

kreisl

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

We need a group buy for this charger.
gearbest, a cpf Authorized Dealer, posted on the web:
1.28th update
1. $89.95 for SKYRC MC3000 (price will be raised to $99.95 after a few days, because of the requirement of the maufacturer, hurry up if you like it )
EU PLUG ( 8 in stocking now, Feb 1st-5th will comes new stocking about 170 pieces )
US PLUG ( Feb 1st-5th will comes new stocking about 60 pieces)
UK PLUG ( Feb 1st-5th will comes new stocking about 40 pieces)
AU PLUG ( Feb 1st-5th will comes new stocking about 30 pieces)
Market introduction phase wiv promotional price is over, once the foreign retailers got their stock, prices will go up, looks like it. MAP :faint:
 
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just like me

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

gearbest, a cpf Authorized Dealer, posted on the web:

Once the foreign retailers got their stock, prices will go up, looks like it. MAP :faint:

$10 off is very nice, but by group buy I really meant, er, fantasized 40%-50% off, which is ordinary for group buys of flashlights, and often includes some custom materials and/or branding -- fancy an all copper MC3000 anyone? I kid, that's nutty. Maybe Al though? >:) I suppose by the time such a thing could be organized, most of the expected interested parties will have already acquired one at the modest discount or full retail price. As for my personal need, I hope this will keep until I have enough cells to warrant getting a second charger, because this will be it even at 10% over retail.

kreisl you've been superhuman at fielding every inquiry I've seen in the thread. I hope SkyRC gives you good stuff for your tireless contributions dealing with flashaholics and strange battery folk.
 
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kreisl

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

you good stuff
Thanks!

i'd take another review sample, i heard that the units now have FCC/CE label sticker and slightly improved assembly (e.g. more thermal paste on the sensors, …) :sleepy:

free mc3000 for the squirrel, yaahh! :nana:
 

romteb

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

(I saw this word several times in this thread. Can you give me the exact meaning? it'll make me another word in my English vocabulary) 樂

Ecureuil, regarde son avatar.
 

Albert_

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Gearbest original retail price for the MC3000 is listed as $171.38 USD and has been marked down to $99.95. (store discount price went up $10.00). Stores usually purchase in volume so prices may vary depending on # of sales, stock supply, etc.

I'm uncertain how group buys are discounted, most likey would be disounted from a retail price somewhere over one hundred dollars. I've seen the MC3000 listed with an original retail price of over 180 dollars.

I imagine high volume sale items such as Flashlights would receive a higher gb discount while low volume items would be less.
 
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DBrier

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

SkyRC updated the product page yesterday. I'm not sure what's different, but the manual (V1.0) is back online. The PC software is still version 1.0.
 

tjh

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

Yea, I was hoping for a updated MC3000 Monitor.
I keep finding issues with the current one :)
I mean, it works, but it's super clunky. I am finding just using the charger's interface is the most useful now and just montoring using the app.
 

kreisl

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Re: SkyRC — IFA 2014 / CES 2016 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

The updated manual version should include a warning that for the firmware update procedure a premium USB cable must be used to ensure secure USB data transfer. A seemingly good old USB cable could have also been the reason why some users ended up with bricked chargers during the firmware update procedure. In this thread several people reported that PCLS randomly "stopped" logging and i had thought it was a bug in PCLS. By now we know it was the quality of the USB cable. Imagine you use such a "seemingly good old" USB cable for updating the firmware omg?

I just got a brand new Samsung J5 smartphone from amazon and i seized its included original USB cable, which is rather short, for my mc3k tests hehe. I have also tested the nominal 2600mAh 4.35V J5 battery with mc3k and will share the results very soon. With that J5 cable i don't seem to have problems with PCLS logging anymore hooray.

Also note that there is a big difference between a USB charge cable and a USB data cable. A USB data cable can be used for charging a gadget, yes. But a USB charge cable cannot be used for data transfer. I checked my household, i found lots of USB cables (from retail powerbanks, similar small gadgets, rechargeable devices including flashlights, USB-powered products), and only few of them were USB data cables. And the one which i had been using for over 2 years with the mc3k, a long original USB data cable for Tomtom GPS navigator, proved to be the unreliable factor in my charger-analyzer system! Only now am i realizing how important it is to make sure that your USB data cable is a top quality USB data cable and not just any USB data cable of any quality. (And that's why i have 2 premium USB cables incoming.) If you've been logging extensively with PCLS or DEX for weeks in long test runs and never experienced that PCLS would randomly "stop" receiving data, then you probably already use a top quality USB data cable and are cleared to use that cable for updating the firmware without worries.

Interesting development, most of the time (per week) we plug'n unplug a USB cable nowadays, that USB cable is used for charging or USB-powering some of our little devices, in short: for mobility, and not for USB data transfer. For data transfer we have stationary USB data cables installed: for printer, scanner, fax, keyboard, mouse, external HDD, etc. Never mind. Just saying. I wasn't totally aware before but now i am, there is a difference between USB charge cable and USB data cable.
 
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