Revolectrix CellPro- 4 Fully Automatic 2 to 4 Cell LiPo Balance Charger The Cellpro balancing charger is an new innovative design for charging LiPo and A123 battery packs at up to 4 Amps. Fully AUTOMATIC - this feature allows you to simply Plug-and- Play and Walk Away! Super FAST Charge rates - The proprietary algorithms, and its ability to individually monitor each cell, allow higher charge rates of up to 3.0C with the Revolution and other high quality brand LiPo s. Super SAFE- Automatic full protection from all connection errors. Easy to use features and menu simplify operation and help eliminate operator errors. Fuel Gauge reading - Displays the remaining capacity of the battery as a percentage RR $99.99 Powerful Feature Set for Cellpro 4s Charger 30+ Features Make Cellpro Charger a World- Class Product- 1 Adjustable current from 0.25A to 3A in º amp increments. It can charge any size battery. 2 Auto Amp feature detects current of all sized packs. You can charge a 50mAh pack right after a 6400mAh pack without making any adjustments. 3 Can charge up to 24Ah packs in a single charge. 4 Low Voltage Restore repairs over discharged packs. Over discharge down to 0.5 volt per cell will be repaired to 98%. 5 Charges 1 to 4 cells individually just like a cell phone charger. That means it is impossible to start a fire. 6 A new improved LCD display that allows instant check of pack and individual cell condition as well as fuel gauging and voltage. Display is accurate to 10mV. 7 Cell Balance is accurate to 10mV. (That is 10/1000 of a volt!) 8 Shows Charge Amps and Amp Hours accurate to 1%. 9 Runs on 10 to 16 volt power supplies up to 5 amps. 10 Charges competitors batteries with the appropriate adapter. They will balance just like the FMA Cellpro packs. 11 Can charge thru the node connector without the Deans. This is convenient for top off charging in the aircraft. 12 Charge and control accuracy not degraded by charge lead length. Use up to six feet if you choose. 13 Can charge 1Ah and smaller packs at 3C for a 20 min to 95% charge. Full charge is 28 min! 14 Fuel gauge eliminates the guessing of battery capacity. It shows 0 to 100% and is accurate to 5%.
15 Fuel gauge instantly tells the state of the battery and allows quick 15 min fast charges in between flights. 16 All LiPos can be topped off without any danger of overcharge. 17 Can charge physically damaged packs without the danger of fire. 18 Cold weather charge mode protects batteries from over charge in the winter. 19 PC viewer software allows graphing of individual cell performance. 20 Can be directly tied with the West Mountain discharger for complete cell-by-cell analysis. 21 Input and output are reverse polarity protected. 22 Shows 21 different error codes to describe any problem. Allows optimum maintenance. 23 Error codes can be reset with the press of a button. 24 Three screens show individual cell voltages, amps, amp hours, fuel gauge and charger operating mode. 25 Total plug and play without any user intervention. 26 Over temperature protection allows operation in any climate. 27 Charger runs at 90% efficiency, which means it generates very little heat. 28 The charger will handle continuous 3 amp current indefinitely up to 100 deg F ambient. Then there is a high temperature mode that drops the current down to 1.5 amps max. So, if someone tries to charge in the hot sun, the charger won t be damaged from overheating. 29 The fuel gauge maintain 5% accuracy over the entire voltage range. 30 Charges one to four cells in series. 31 STORE mode, charges Li Po cells to a cut off of 3.81V (50% capacity) for storage. 32 A123 mode is the default mode, adjusts Constant Voltage for charge cut-off to the 3.6V required for A123 cells so that A123 packs can be charged safely and at the maximum 8 amps permitted (15 min charge). 33 High performance microprocessor makes 14 safety checks per clock cycle even down to validating connector pin integrity. 34 Does all the above seamlessly and automatically. If you don t care and don t want to know, then all you need to know is that you can plug in a pack and leave the unit to do its job and never worry about fires, unbalanced cells, or swollen packs. ******************************************** Revolectrix CellPro- 10 Fully Automatic 1 to 10 Cell LiPo Balance Charger Up to 10A Charge Current - RR $259.99 Continuous Power 300W (estimate) Displays Individual Cell Internal Resistance to 0.1 mohm Resolution (Battery Quality Indicator), a feature exclusive to the Cellpro 10s charger. Charges Lithium Polymer or A123 Cells (variable charge rates for both Lipo and A123 cells). Charges 1 Pack of 1s-10s or 2 Packs of 1s-5s Simultaneously Includes Start/Stop Button
Backlit Liquid Crystal Display Supports 2-way P.C. Interface - Drive the Charger from the P.C. Access Advanced Features from the P.C. (Setup Custom Presets, Adjust Speaker Volume, LCD Contrast, and More) Internet Up gradability (IU) Feature -- No need to send the charger to the factory for firmware upgrades again. Do it over the internet. The Cellpro Node Connector is a key part of the system. It enables the charger to monitor individual cells and independently charge each cell to its optimum level. The Cellpro 10s charger may be used to charge any brand of Lithium pack using either the Cellpro adapters or pigtails. The charger includes two 5s output connectors and includes two simple 5s-to-4s adapters. This enables automatic support for any current Cellpro 2s-4s battery sold in the past. These extra accessories also enable you to connect any of the existing Cellpro 4s adapters for other brand batteries with the Cellpro 10s charger. Using the Cellpro 10s Charge Control Software, the charger can be set to work with virtually any good, regulated power supply, even if the power supply is not designed for high power. By entering current capability; e.g., 1-25A, the charger will automatically adjust the maximum charge current to protect the programmed power supply. There is also a simple procedure that can be performed at the field to reset the input power supply to the factory default (25A) if a PC is not available. You might need to do this, if for example, you use a small AC power supply at home, but you want full charge current from your car battery at the field. This powerful feature allows you to decide how much money to spend on your power supply. Faster Auto Charge rates (1.0C, 2.0C, and 3.0C), permit safe charging Lipo batteries at up to a 3C charge rate. This is only possible with Direct cell-balancing technology which incorporates integrated, highly-accurate cell monitoring and balancing during charge. Unprecedented Accuracy Fuel Gauge Readout Simple, easy to use one button user interface Unparalleled Safety Self Diagnostics Storage Charge Mode Safety Charge Mode Support for long battery extensions Cold Weather Mode Accessory Items: For PC Interface, the Cellpro 10s charger requires the new FUIM2, 2 way, P.C. USB Interface Module. The charger will not operate with the older FUIM1 device which is designed for 1 way communication only. The Cellpro charger is designed to charge Revolution battery packs directly. Adapters are available separately to interface with various manufacturer's battery packs up to 4s configurations. These adapters are used with the Cellpro 4s charger and may be used with the new 10s charger for packs up to 4s. Users of the 10s charger may also adapt to larger battery packs using the 6 pin Cellpro balancing connectors (CPBP6P-10) or a combinatioin of the 5 pin Cellpro balancing connector (CPBP7) and the CPBP6P-10. All current and future Revolution branded battery packs will adhere to the following conventions for the above connectors. We recommend that customers adhere to the standards we have defined when re-wiring battery packs using the Cellpro battery pigtails. No. Cells 1s-4s 5s 6s-9s 10s Requires 1 CPBP7 1 CPBP6P-10 1 CPBP7 and 1 CPBP6P-10 2 CPBP6P-10 In addition to all the great features found in the Cellpro 4s charger, the new 10 AMP version is designed from the ground up for super-safe, super-fast charging! With support for up to 10A max charge rates and new faster Auto Charge rates (1.0C, 2.0C, and 3.0C), the new version is capable of safely charging multiple battery packs at up to a 3C charge rate. This is only possible with Direct cell-balancing technology which incorporates integrated, highly-accurate cell monitoring and balancing during charge. We recommend 3C max charge rates for good quality, high discharge rate batteries of 12C or higher.. Size: 168mm x 87mm x 42mm Weight: 597 grams (1.32 lbs) Power Source: 10-16v DC input, 350W for maximum charge current Outputs: Two channel, 1S to 5S simultaneously, single channel, 1S to 10S
Revolextrix - Cell Pro 10 s and 4s LiPo Balance Chargers History and Features Overall photo of the new Revolectrix CellPro 10S charger RR A$259.99 I think it safe to say that Revolectrix / FMA was just about the first company in the USA to get into the lithium polymer battery business. That was something like five or six years ago. As we now all know, Li-Poly batteries provide about 95% of the power requirements for electric powered model aircraft. There are literally dozens of companies now involved in distributing both Li-Poly battery packs and their companion chargers. Much has happened over these six years. For example, there was obviously a learning curve involved with the application of Li-Poly batteries. Early on, some fires were reported and the safety aspect of using these new cells initially became a big concern. (See Part Three of the Sport Aviator article Those Things We Call Batteries for complete Li-Poly details.) The techniques employed for charging and discharging Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) and Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni- MH) batteries had to be learned all over again when it came to the new Li-Poly batteries. But, with a few years of experience under our belts, safe Li-Poly battery operation has become once again the routine for experienced electric power flyers. One of the first lessons we learned is that Li-Poly battery cells should not be charged over 4.20 volts and they shouldn t be discharged below approx. 2.70 volts per cell under load (3.00 volts being better!). Going higher in charge voltage or lower in discharge voltage will ruin the battery cell quickly. Normal charge current rate is recommended at a 1C level or 1 times the capacity of the battery; rated in amp/hours. A 2 amp/hour rated battery would be charged at 2 amps and if that battery were close to being fully depleted, it would take approx. an hour to reach full charge. Everyone learned early-on these several constraints associated with the use of Li- Poly batteries. But the real breakthrough with Li-Poly batteries came as a result of development work done by FMA Direct. They were the first to recognize that, upon completion of charge, Li-Poly cells within a pack must all have the same voltage or close to it. When each cell is at the same voltage the pack is said to be balanced. Following this concept you will be able to safely charge and discharge your Li-Poly battery packs and obtain excellent service life from them. To make this concept work, FMA Direct wired all of the battery packs they sold so that each cell was brought out separately into a multi-pin connector. This connector has now been called a node connector and can have any number of pins based on the total number of cells in the pack. With node wiring, each cell can be charged separately until they reach the same voltage. The concept is actually more technical than that, but I think you will get the basic idea. Besides having this added connector you need a special charger with multiple outputs. As part of this balanced Li-Poly battery pack process, FMA Direct developed the necessary companion charger, the Balance Pro 6S.
The Skyvolt Charger, later known as the BalancePro 6S, which is now being phased out in favor of the new CellPro-10S Charger When balance packs and charging was first introduced, FMA Direct introduced their SKYVOLT charger and Li- Poly battery packs. The name was changed later to BALANCE PRO 6S. It was their first time effort. The node connector was large and heavy. The battery packs were sized primarily for larger models. There was no LCD screen on the charger to tell you what was going on. To obtain any info on the charging parameters you had to connect up to a PC and use special, FMA supplied freeware. This proved a great nuisance at the flying field. But the charger did work well! I ll have some further comments on the 6S later on. CellPro 4A Charger, the forerunner of the new CellPro 10S, can handle up to 4 cells and at up to 4 amps charge current RR A$ 99.99 Recognizing some of the BALANCE PRO 6S shortcomings, FMA developed the now very popular CellPro 4A charger. This is a balanced charging device that can handle up to 4 cells in series and at up to 4 amps charge current. It also has a multi-function LCD display that tells you important parameters, such as the capacity remaining in the pack, the individual cell voltages, the charge current when charging and when charging is complete. This charger can be used with battery packs intended from micro indoor/parking lot size on up to approx. 3 pound model aircraft. You might be able to extend this limit to even larger models, but then the charging time would have to be increased. Typical Li-Poly battery packs at the top of this photo, with an A123 Li-Ion battery at the bottom The CellPro 4A and 10S can charge both types of batteries
With the success of this CellPro 4A, FMA added a feature that allows for charging the A123 Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries from this same unit. It also has a STORE mode for Li-Poly battery packs that charges the pack only to half capacity, which provides the most optimum storage life. Best part of the CellPro 4A is that presently (April 2008) it sells for only $99.99. Li-Poly balanced battery charging is now employed almost exclusively throughout our hobby. It is safe to say that except for the smallest of packs, all new Li-Poly batteries now have individual cell wiring to permit balance charging (charging each cell in a pack to the same voltage level). To allow you to select and purchase a Li-Poly balanced battery pack of your choice, FMA is offering an extensive array of adapter cables that will allow almost any node connector on the market to plug into their CellPro chargers. New CellPro 10S Charger on the left and the CellPro 4A on the right. The CellPro 4A Charger will continue to be offered to modelers who are only interested in charging up to 4 cells with a 4 amp maximum current The new CellPro 10S charger does every thing that the CellPro 4A charger does and much more. If you don t own any balanced Li-Poly charger at this time, you would want to consider stepping right up to the 10S. If you were going to concentrate on parking lot size models, as well as moderate size models up to approximately 3 pounds total weight, the CellPro 4A might fill your needs and it costs less than half of the CellPro 10S. But if you contemplate much larger electric powered aircraft,upwards of 10 to 15 pounds, or you need to charge two packs simultaneously (such as the Hobbico NexSTAR EP or the Hobbico ElectriStar trainers), then you will definitely want to consider the 10S. The CellPro-10S is charging two separate Li-poly battery packs simultaneously There is also another important consideration. With CellPro balanced charging technology, you can now safely charge at current rates higher than 1C. You can, in fact, go as high as 3C, which will provide full charging in 20 minutes or less depending on the state of charge in the pack. If you own the CellPro 4A the maximum current is 4 amps. That means that the highest capacity pack that you can charge at the 3C rate is going to be around 1300 mah (3 x 1300 = 3900 ma or 3.9 amps!). When you move up to the CellPro 10S, you can charge packs at the 3C current rate with up to approx. 3300 mah (3 x 3300 = 9900 or 9.9 amps.). The higher output current allows for faster charging times in larger capacity packs. Of course, the 10S can also charge at a slightly lower rate of 2C, which provides a full charge in 30 minutes. It can do that with packs rated up to 5000 mah. So, the higher current output of the 10S can charge at higher rates and in faster times.
Another nice feature of the CellPro 10S is that two Li-Poly packs can be simultaneously charged. Think of two packs being charged at the field, while you are flying with a third pack. Let s just summarize the CellPro 10S capabilities at this point: It can charge Li-Poly, Li-Ion and A123 battery packs up to a total of 10 cells and at a total maximum current of 10 amps. Backlit LCD screen showing individual cell voltages in a three cell li="poly" battery pack The new backlit LCD screen on the 10S works much the same as on the CellPro 4A. It tells you the capacity remaining in the battery pack, the voltage of each cell in the pack, the charge current and when charging is completed. A new feature is a reading of the IR (internal resistance) of each cell in the pack measured in milliohms. Once we get used to reading and recording this parameter, we will be able to determine the quality of the cells in the pack and will be able to note early on when cells are beginning to lose capacity and drop off line. Much will be said about this feature in the future. This screen display shows the percentage charge presently in the battery pack. In this case it is almost fully charged. The CellPro 4A allows you to connect to a PC to record and store (file) battery pack data and plot graphs using an FMA freeware called Viewer Software. The new 10S goes much further, utilizing new 2-way interface between the PC and charger, the Charge Control Software or CCS allows you to establish, and download to the charger, up to six pre-set charging routines for your favorite battery packs. It also allows you to adjust the contrast of the LCD screen, set LCD scrolling options and adjust the speaker volume. There is also a special check box for setting charge optimization to choose between faster charging and accurate balancing. But perhaps the most exciting new capability provided by the new software is the ability to automatically receive the latest software and firmware updates for your charger via the Internet. It works much the same, and is based on, the basic engine used by Microsoft Corporation for Windows Updates and has been adopted by many other industries. This substantial innovation to the industry is something that will be incorporated into many other FMA Direct products and stands to bring the R/C industry into the modern age. Never return a charger to the factory again for firmware updates. Keep up with the latest updates at the click of a mouse button. It s easy and it keeps your charger tuned up and equipped with all the latest features for free.
A special 2-way USB PC interface cable is available as optional equipment, or can be purchased as part of a combo deal. FMA provides the proprietary Charge Control Software as a free download and promises to continually update this software as experience is gained with the 10S in the future. The two cables that make up the FU1M2 cable assembly are used to connect the CellPro 10S to your PC allowingyou to download software revisions or to record and plot charging data This is how the FU1M2 interface cable attaches between the CellPro 10S and a USB port on your PC Distributed in Australia By- 135 Shannon Ave Geelong West VIC 3218 Ph 03 52224201 Fax 03 52231257 International Phone 61 352 224201 Fax 61 352 231257 E Mail ; sales@tates.com.au Web : www.tates.com.au ABN 80007437523 Importers and Distributors of Quality Radio Control Hobby Products