Neey 10A balancer red LED flashing?

[AshleyL]

My balancer is also off again Worked fine till I restarted the balancer by inserting the external powerplug (as a test).
What is a safe way to discharge these capacitors ?

Does any of you know if the balancer, once initiated and running, will balance in case the capacitors would cause the problem?
I.o.w. if I set it to run and do not connect by bluetooth would it work? I have had many days it seemed to work, but recently only clouds so pack has not come to balance start vol. If so, I set it to the parameters needed, set balance to On and could let it go...

I do not understand your question.
If the balancer is turned on via app + bluetooth, it will stay active and start balancing based on your parameters unless if you disconnect the balancer.

 

[BartSolar]

I do not understand your question.
If the balancer is turned on via app + bluetooth, it will stay active and start balancing based on your parameters unless if you disconnect the balancer.

What I meant was that IF the caps are even above 2.7V (mine were 3.02V) and I would not have restarted the device, would the balancing have continued. I wonder.

Meanwhile I have opened my device and started measuring...

First impression / found out that all 4 caps rise in about 10 minutes 0.005V (even) when the device is in 'standby' / 'program complete' mode and battery is discharging ? That might explain that the caps in time over time get over 2.7V

Also found out that:
- caps at 2.7V -> device is/stays in error
- caps at 2.65V -> device starts/works normal
- 'over-voltage' above 2.5V in the caps is dumped (to the cell's ?) as soon as the device is started, even without balancing

So possibly: if not every day your device balances (mine doesn't), the voltage in the caps builds up and doesn't get offloaded/dumped.
When you than connect with BT to the device (or this is done by the phone in the background), the parameters are re-evalued to be loaded to the device, resulting in the red LED + beeping?

I'll continue looking/measuring.

Bart

BTW: discharging with lightbulb of head light of car (12V 55W) works fine, no sparks.

 

[AshleyL]

What I meant was that IF the caps are even above 2.7V (mine were 3.02V) and I would not have restarted the device, would the balancing have continued. I wonder.

Meanwhile I have opened my device and started measuring...

First impression / found out that in 10 minutes all 4 caps rise 0.005V (even) when the device is in 'standby' / 'program complete' mode and battery is discharging. That might explain that the caps in the device over time get over 2.7V

Also found out that:
- caps at 2.7V -> device is/stays in error
- caps at 2.65V -> device starts/works normal
- 'over-voltage' above 2.5V in the caps is dumped (to the cell's ?) as soon as the device is started, even without balancing

So possibly: if not every day your device balances (mine doesn't), the voltage in the caps builds up and doesn't get offloaded/dumped.
When you than connect with BT to the device (or this is done the phone in the background), the parameters are re-evalued to be loaded to the device, resulting in the red LED + beeping?

I'll continue looking/measring.

Bart

CORRECT. That is exactly what happening. I thought I was the only one who measured these voltages and noticed this pattern.
If the balancer doesn't start balancing due to lack of sun or heavy usage of the battery for few days (around 3 - 5 days), it will start beeping and flashing red the moment the trigger start voltage is reached.
Bluetooth connection is not required. I turned on the balancing via the app at start voltage 3.45v and leave it be. The beeping + flashing will happens after days of inactivity due to insufficient start voltage (lack of sun or heavy usage). If it is balancing at least once every day, the Neey 10A will not beep/flashing red.

Strange part, it doesn't happen with my other Enerkey 10A (neey clone or just rebadge) active balancer.

 

[BartSolar]

CORRECT. That is exactly what happening. I thought I was the only one who measured these voltages and noticed this pattern.
If the balancer doesn't start balancing due to lack of sun or heavy usage of the battery for few days (around 3 - 5 days), it will start beeping and flashing red the moment the trigger start voltage is reached.
Bluetooth connection is not required. I turned on the balancing via the app at start voltage 3.45v and leave it be. The beeping + flashing will happens after days of inactivity due to insufficient start voltage (lack of sun or heavy usage). If it is balancing at least once every day, the Neey 10A will not beep/flashing red.

Strange part, it doesn't happen with my other Enerkey 10A (neey clone or just rebadge) active balancer.

Mine is a Enerkey on the inside (version 1.5 -> seen on the system board), a Neey on the outside.

Regarding the rise of the voltage: see this:

 

[AshleyL]

Mine is a Enerkey on the inside (version 1.5 -> seen on the system board), a Neey on the outside.

Regarding the rise of the voltage: see this:

The one with a lot of Power On amount is the problematic beeping and red LED flashing NEEY 10A.
The second with low amount of Power On is the Enerkey 10A, never encounter any issue with this one.

How about yours?

 

[BartSolar]

Unaware of the problem, I though all was fine, I ordered a new/additional Neey 10A about a week ago, that arrived today. It is the one that has not worked yet. So to see, I'm probably going to be in trouble since hardware and software version of both boxes is the same...

I'm thinking about a simple solution to build an ESP that once a day/few days disconnects the - pole of the harnass for a while and than restarts the device. I need to test more, but when the caps were on 2.52V today and I restarted the device, the caps discharged themself tot 1.2v ?! If that works, a daily reset by a disconnect is simple.

 

[AshleyL]

View attachment 217564View attachment 217565



Unaware of the problem, I though all was fine, I ordered a new/additional Neey 10A about a week ago, that arrived today. It is the one that has not worked yet. So to see, I'm probably going to be in trouble since hardware and software version of both boxes is the same...

I'm thinking about a simple solution to build an ESP that once a day/few days disconnects the - pole of the harnass for a while and than restarts the device. I need to test more, but when the caps were on 2.52V today and I restarted the device, the caps discharged themself tot 1.2v ?! If that works, a daily reset by a disconnect is simple.

So...you mean one of your balancer with 633 hours of Work Time + 159 Power On times....and with same production time as mine...........are beeping and flashing?
Well, at least we have a common ground to go.......

 

[BartSolar]

So...you mean one of your balancer with 633 hours of Work Time + 159 Power On times....and with same production time as mine...........are beeping and flashing?
Well, at least we have a common ground to go.......

yep...

The Power On times was in the time that I was unaware of the problem, so lots of trials. Now I know the "issue" I guess I can work out a solution, returning the box to some Chinese company feels a bit sketchy for me.

 

[JD63]

yep...

The Power On times was in the time that I was unaware of the problem, so lots of trials. Now I know the "issue" I guess I can work out a solution, returning the box to some Chinese company feels a bit sketchy for me.

Yes, I have similar thoughts about returning the device. I received message from seller, that I had to pay postage and once they received it, they would provide refund. Then I would have no device and no refund I believe.

So like you, I will make something to monitor capacitor voltages and discharge as required. I have just ordered some 1 ohm 10 watt resistors for this task.

I checked my device yesterday and it has the SW-1.1.1 software version.

 

[BartSolar]

Yes, I have similar thoughts about returning the device. I received message from seller, that I had to pay postage and once they received it, they would provide refund. Then I would have no device and no refund I believe.

So like you, I will make something to monitor capacitor voltages and discharge as required. I have just ordered some 1 ohm 10 watt resistors for this task.

I checked my device yesterday and it has the SW-1.1.1 software version.

Maybe we can discuss the solution?

First I was thinking about an ESP (with deepsleep for power save) with measurement and relais or transistor as switch for a resistor. But a mosfet with a gate from 2.6V or 2.7V (upwards) with a resistor might be much simpler and probably far less power consuming. Problem with a mosfet is a constant very small leak in the voltages when the gate should be closed (that I guess causes our current problem...) This is however only an issue when balancing, since the current now leaking into the cap's will be lost anyway if they reach over 2.7V.

What kind of solution are you thinking of?

 

[AshleyL]

Yes, I have similar thoughts about returning the device. I received message from seller, that I had to pay postage and once they received it, they would provide refund. Then I would have no device and no refund I believe.

So like you, I will make something to monitor capacitor voltages and discharge as required. I have just ordered some 1 ohm 10 watt resistors for this task.

I checked my device yesterday and it has the SW-1.1.1 software version.

Don't forget about your card payment charges and taxes if you opt for a refund—what a waste of money. Hanzkor (the seller) refused to acknowledge the problem with the balancer and blamed my battery pack, wiring, connection, etc. However, I have more battery packs than he thinks and informed him of this. It is impossible for all six of my different battery packs to exhibit the same issue.

Maybe we can discuss the solution?

First I was thinking about an ESP (with deepsleep for power save) with measurement and relais or transistor as switch for a resistor. But a mosfet with a gate from 2.6V or 2.7V (upwards) with a resistor might be much simpler and probably far less power consuming. Problem with a mosfet is a constant very small leak in the voltages when the gate should be closed (that I guess causes our current problem...) This is however only an issue when balancing, since the current now leaking into the cap's will be lost anyway if they reach over 2.7V.

What kind of solution are you thinking of?

Mine is more toward a manual and analog style. I set up a disconnect switch for the B0 wire and crudely soldered a few switches and wires to all the supercapacitors, connecting them to a few old 3V and 5V incandescent bulbs (from old flashlights). Whenever the beeping happens, I just switch off the B0 wire, turn on all the switches for the bulbs (what a bright light), then switch off the bulbs and reconnect the B0 wire.

Then goes into the app and turn on the switch again....