Charging Fogstar 460 for the first time

[Langtoftlad]

Can I ask, slight deviation.
My Flymo 1200R robotic mower is powered by 5 lithium cells - 18v
Mower displayed "battery problem"

Replaced with new battery pack, mower appears to be charging

Multi meter test on +/- connections reads under 6v

Is the battery pack 'goosed' or can it be recovered?

 

[Raul]

Isn't that like having 4 different lead acid batteries connected together, under load they will balance somewhere between the 4?
Or does it not work like that with lifepo4 ?

Yes and no. If you talk about 4 in parallel then yes. They will self balance each cycle, to a degree, as they are permanently forced to share the same voltage.
If they are in series, then no. When a 48v pack is formed of 4x 12v, they will have imbalance and you can use battery battery ballancer between each 12v block. Victron sell them for a long time. Also running equalisation eill balance them to a degree.

 

[MichaelT]

Nice, but when it reaches 14v and above, please give us a snip then.

We are on hook up now and we don't have a lithium profile on the charger (not sure if that makes a difference) and it's a bit out but I'm not worried, never looked at it till this thread.

 

[Raul]

Can I ask, slight deviation.
My Flymo 1200R robotic mower is powered by 5 lithium cells - 18v
Mower displayed "battery problem"
View attachment 802682

Replaced with new battery pack, mower appears to be charging

Multi meter test on +/- connections reads under 6v
View attachment 802683
View attachment 802684

Is the battery pack 'goosed' or can it be recovered?

You have to test each cell. Then asses if any are gone, or the hole oack is just discharged. You can bring it back by charging each cell with a power supply to 4v then re charge in the charger.
Be careful, those batteries do get very hot if mishandled.
I did repair few of my old dewalt packs; I don't bother anymore. I can get 5ah for 55 quid, and they last about 10 years.

 

[Raul]

We are on hook up now and we don't have a lithium profile on the charger (not sure if that makes a difference) and it's a bit out but I'm not worried, never looked at it till this thread.View attachment 802686

Thank you for that, you have a imbalance of 102mv.
Be careful, cell 2 is over voltage by quite a bit. Dial the top voltage down, it looks like the bms failed to stop at 3.65v per cel, and allowed one to creep to 3.72v

Thats why the top balance is important, you run the risc to have voltage overshooting before the bms intervenes. If yiu have imbalance lower the top voltage to 14.2v max.

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[MichaelT]

Thank you for that, you have a imbalance of 102mv.
Be careful, cell 2 is over voltage by quite a bit. Dial the top voltage down, it looks like the bms failed to stop at 3.65v per cel, and allowed one to creep to 3.72v

Thats why the top balance is important, you run the risc to have voltage overshooting before the bms intervenes. If yiu have imbalance lower the top voltage to 14.2v max.

I don't think you can change settings in the app or charger. Most time it's solar charged with lithium profile.

 

[jezport]

I don't think you can change settings in the app or charger. Most time it's solar charged with lithium profile.

My Votronic has different lithium profiles maybe your solar charger has?

 

[MichaelT]

My Votronic has different lithium profiles maybe your solar charger has?

Votronic is set to lithium but mains charger us set to gel as advised by ks.

 

[Langtoftlad]

You have to test each cell. Then asses if any are gone, or the hole oack is just discharged. You can bring it back by charging each cell with a power supply to 4v then re charge in the charger.
Be careful, those batteries do get very hot if mishandled.
I did repair few of my old dewalt packs; I don't bother anymore. I can get 5ah for 55 quid, and they last about 10 years.

I don't think I'll be doing that
Just bin it [figurately speaking]
Replacement is £30

Thing is - was it the duff battery that blew the circuit board in the docking station - or the duff circuit board that knackered the battery?
All rhetorical as both have been replaced.

 

[Lenny HB]

Tam's battery is balancing up nicely looking good for first charge.

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[Ditcha]

Tam's battery is balancing up nicely looking good for first charge.

View attachment 803607

You you only see the imbalance at the top of the charge once rested they get better show again at 14+ volts

 

[Brianmor]

His fogstar app shows only one temperature, it's the same as mine - why?

 

[BobJayne]

His fogstar app shows only one temperature, it's the same as mine - why?

I was told by Fogstar:
In the advanced settings, turn 'Temp 2' and 'Temp 3' to 'on'.

 

[Brianmor]

Unfortunately I havn't got the code for the app, I'll email Fogstar

 

[Al n Val]

Unfortunately I havn't got the code for the app, I'll email Fogstar

it’s 6 8’s Brian but be careful what your doing if you don’t know what the settings do or mean

I’ve been given 2 settings to change to balance the cells and it appears to be working ok

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[Brianmor]

But why is yours showing 3 temperatures when mines only showing one.
I've turned temp settings 2 and 3 on, but still only 1 showing?

 

[Al n Val]

But why is yours showing 3 temperatures when mines only showing one.
I've turned temp settings 2 and 3 on, but still only 1 showing?

Have you shut down the app and started it again, or delete it and re-install it

 

[Brianmor]

I'll try delete and re-install in the morning and let you know

 

[Brianmor]

Tried un-installing and re-installing app but no luck. I will forget the other temperatures for now, it's more information than I really need, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Al n Val]

Seems strange Brian

meanwhile back at the ranch my balancing mod seems to be working ok

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[PaulandChrissy]

Tam's battery is balancing up nicely looking good for first charge.

View attachment 803607

Is that with all the settings untouched.

 

[Ditcha]

Seems strange Brian

meanwhile back at the ranch my balancing mod seems to be working ok

View attachment 804522

Show a snap shoot when they are at 14v + this is were you will see any cell imbalance.

 

[PaulandChrissy]

Seems strange Brian

meanwhile back at the ranch my balancing mod seems to be working ok

View attachment 804522

What mod did you do. Is that a temporary mod just to get them in balance and then revert to standard settings.

 

[Al n Val]

Show a snap shoot when they are at 14v + this is were you will see any cell imbalance.

that might be a while Dave as i’m off grid atm just on solar

 

[Al n Val]

What mod did you do. Is that a temporary mod just to get them in balance and then revert to standard settings.

it’s what I was sent from Ben at Fogstar the other day Paul

Hi Alan,

If you head to the advanced settings on the last screen of the app. You can type in password 888888. You'll get a long list of values, down near the bottom of the list is 'Balance Turn-On Voltage', please set this as 3.45V.

Next, go back to the top of the list, and go to functions. Make sure CHARGE BALANCE is OFF. This does sound counterproductive, but this means the battery will be balancing all the time, rather than when just on charge. Over a few cycles it should bring the high cell down to the same as the others.

Kind Regards,

Ben

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[Ditcha]

that might be a while Dave as i’m off grid atm just on solar

No problem Al next time you plug in worth a look and it will give you a better view to where the cells are at. That's why they are telling you to turn balancing on over 3. 45v (x4 = 13.8v)

 

[PaulandChrissy]

it’s what I was sent from Ben at Fogstar the other day Paul

Hi Alan,

If you head to the advanced settings on the last screen of the app. You can type in password 888888. You'll get a long list of values, down near the bottom of the list is 'Balance Turn-On Voltage', please set this as 3.45V.

Next, go back to the top of the list, and go to functions. Make sure CHARGE BALANCE is OFF. This does sound counterproductive, but this means the battery will be balancing all the time, rather than when just on charge. Over a few cycles it should bring the high cell down to the same as the others.

Kind Regards,

Ben

Got it. It’s just to get a wayward cell back into line. I assume you set it back to original settings once it’s come back into line. Thanks for that.
Cheers PaulandChrissy

 

[Ditcha]

Got it. It’s just to get a wayward cell back into line. I assume you set it back to original settings once it’s come back into line. Thanks for that.
Cheers PaulandChrissy

I would just leave set like that if it works better why fogstar never set the bms up like that in the first place who knows, if you have no imbalance then the feature will not be active anyway only when the cells come imbalanced.

 

[Raul]

Got it. It’s just to get a wayward cell back into line. I assume you set it back to original settings once it’s come back into line. Thanks for that.
Cheers PaulandChrissy

No you shouldn't, the recommendation to start balancing from 3.45v only, its to correct a chinese bad setting. If balance is left on all the time, it actually imbalances, does havoc.
Only balance above 3.45v

 

[Brianmor]

Show a snap shoot when they are at 14v + this is were you will see any cell imbalance.

From installation mine have always been 0.001 to 0.002 @ around 13.3v .
At around 14v the imbalance is 0.005 to 0.006.

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