SkyRC — IFA 2014 — MC3000 charger-analyzer

[light-wolff]

"[02] Eneloop AA charging" consists of 24chars.

"02 Eneloop AA chrg" instead is 18 chars and would fit in a line.
As you wrote: because the main settings are displayed, it's easier for the informed user to select the correct program.
But still I'd prefer even short program names to post-its . Users will find naming styles that fit their individiual needs. Only entering the names will be a rather tedious task without proper keyboard.

 

[kreisl]

little update, see photo above:
production pilot run and testing was completed successfully last week.
@B-2Admirer, see they have NiZn-batteries for testing
@Julian, see how LiFe/LiIon4.35/a.o. can be hidden thru SETUP

There are 2 visible differences between the left unit (old prototype) and the right one (production), who can tell?

 

[Ferdinando]

power-bank feature keys missing
right ?

 

[B-2Admirer]

@B-2Admirer, see they have NiZn-batteries for testing

Good. I hope their BPI cells are better than mine, to me (judging by their capacity) it appeared to be the worst brand of NiZn cells.

 

[kreisl]

power-bank feature keys missing

right.

and what's the other difference? one needs good eyes :naughty:

 

[Ferdinando]

I am not sure... but thermal-sensor seems a little more
raised

 

[kreisl]

not that

BTW the programmer of the PC Link software has implemented *.CSV-file export. This is "nothing special" since logging software by other manufacturers have CSV-Export too —it's a common scientific standard—, but it is afaik a novelty in Sky house. So for real-time logging (1 Hertz, 1Hz) one can just be happy with the simplistic proprietary PC Link software, or, after the programs have finished operation, ambitious users could export the session and open the *.CSV-file with M$ Excel for post-processing.

 

[Gauss163]

If their is PC-Link capability, then why not provide a LogView interface for graphing and analysis? Then it would be closer to a dream charger.

 

[kreisl]

The LogView software does not support multi-channels. The newer version, LogView Studio, does not really support multi-channels either. For real-time logging a multi-channel enabled LVS would be superior to the Sky software but for post-processing, for example comparing graphs of different batteries, Excel is far superior and can be published.

But i get your point. The more options the user has, the better.
Let's cross fingers that LVS can fully support multi-channels in future!

 

[Gauss163]

Ideally there should be an open source platform for doing all of that. It probably wouldn't be hard to mashup since all the required component software mostly already exists. But till then, we'll need to keep dreaming...

 

[HKJ]

Ideally there should be an open source platform for doing all of that. It probably wouldn't be hard to mashup since all the required component software mostly already exists. But till then, we'll need to keep dreaming...

Just a documented virtual serial port connection would be enough, then the software is easy to make.

 

[psychbeat]

There's gonna be an iOS app too yeah?

 

[kreisl]

The iOS app is working, even though the version is dated and does not reflect the very latest refinements in the device firmware. Maybe it will get updated for the sake of it, i dunno:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mc3000/id949072025

I don't know how soon the Android version will be posted on Play Store, these days the programmers are busy with making the PC Link software (Windows) suitable for publication

I should have more concrete updates in the course of this week. Exciting days!

 

[light-wolff]

Just a documented virtual serial port connection would be enough, then the software is easy to make.

I second that!

BTW: a question that arose on another forum:
Can the MC3k reset the undervoltage protection of cells with PCB?
Some chagers can't.

 

[tatasal]

Can this thing charge batteries too?

 

[Gauss163]

@kreisl If I designed a Dream Charger it would have many more features. For example, it would barcode scan cells as you insert then. With such identification capability, then the charger can automatically choose user-programmed (dis)charge settings. Further, it could automatically upload results to a database in order to allow completely automatic health tracking and statistical analyses. The database could be local or global, where the latter allows the community to share statistics to better understand general performance.

That's not a pipe dream. Rather, it is well within reach with today's tech. In fact a competent developer could implement it quite easily. With crowdsourced development it could be implemented quite quickly.

 

[Dubois]

@kreisl If I designed a Dream Charger it would have many more features. For example, it would barcode scan cells as you insert then. With such identification capability, then the charger can automatically choose user-programmed (dis)charge settings. Further, it could automatically upload results to a database in order to allow completely automatic health tracking and statistical analyses. The database could be local or global, where the latter allows the community to share statistics to better understand general performance.

That's not a pipe dream. Rather, it is well within reach with today's tech. In fact a competent developer could implement it quite easily. With crowdsourced development it could be implemented quite quickly.

Lol. How many cells have you seen with a barcode printed on it?

 

[Gauss163]

Please think before your post. You print and attach your own barcodes, of course. In fact you don't even need a barcode reader in the charger since you could use one of the common cellphone barcode scanning apps (presuming that the charger has the capability to communicate with a phone or computer).

This provides a slick solution to the default charging initiation discussed above. We get "one-click" charging simply by clicking a button on your cell phone, which takes a photo of the cells in the charger, scans their barcodes, then looks up the user-programmed settings for the cells, then uploads the program to the charger. What could be simpler?

Patent pending...

 

[MRsDNF]

The second difference is the brand name is not covered by tape.
Are the slides shallower on the newer version or is it just the angle the pictures taken giving that impression?

 

[kreisl]

The second difference is the brand name is not covered by tape.

Hi, the 2nd difference i was referring to is the quality of the metal contacts/sliders. The production parts are "silver-plated" for better electrical contact or conductivity, an improvement. Can anyone see on the pic that the color of the metal parts differs between the two charger units? It's just an impression that the dimensions of the sliders differ.

Gauss163, for faster direct deployment the scanner should imo be on the machine. Printing bar codes (or QR codes) and sticking them on batteries would make sense if the consumer had lots of different rechargeable battery makes in regular use; my Post-it suggestion works best for a handful of programs. Alternatively, one could print and stick the program number (or any further info of interest) on the battery itself, instead of a separate paper sheet or Post-it note.

( erh let's not attackeach other over dreams )