imax B6

robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
Earlier this year d8veh took me through balancing the cells of my 36v 15ah lithium battery, I got it up to 41 volts
and was happy with that.
I balanced it using a 5v usb cable through the balance wires on the BMS, I kept checking it for a couple of weeks and it stayed at that voltage, so I decided to put it away for a month or so till the weather improved.
I kept it in a drawer in my garage, wrapped in bubble wrap.
Yesterday I got it out and measured the voltage at the bottom, and it was 32 volts, I was a bit taken back by that much drop.
I put it on charge for about six hours and it has remained the same, I think it requires charging again through the balance leads, I have an imax B6 that a friend gave me that can charge six of the cells at once, but I require a bit of help in where to put the main charging leads, and attach to the balance leads.
I have some seven wire leads.
hoping for some help.
ROB
 

drsolly

Pedelecer
Jan 21, 2014
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Maybe you need to start thinking about a new battery? A) the drop from 41 to 32 with a month's disuse sounds like a lot to me, and B) if it's still 32v after charging for six hours, that's not good.

Maybe one of the cells in the battery has failed.
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
The imax charger charges through the power leads and balances through the balance leads. It can do six cells at a time. You have 10, so do five at a time. You need a 5s balance cable to the imax, which you need to modify by adding two more wires. Splice one to cable 1 (negative) and one two cable 6 (positive). These will then be your power cables. You can use thin wire and keep your charge current down to one amp.

Assuming that you have an eleven pin connector on your balance leads to the pack, you need 6 pins from a piece of pin-strip to connect your 5S connector to the first six of the 11 pins. When those 5 cells are charged, you move it across to the second six pins to charge the remaining 5 cells.

You need:
A piece of pin-strip with ay least six pins.
A 5s balance lead.
Two pieces of thin wire
Some way of connecting the thin wires to the power wires of the imax.

If you only have 7 wire (6S) balance leads, splice the thin wires to the first and sixth wire. Use 6 pins from the pin-strip, leaving pin 7 empty.
 

robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
I have got six pin, pin strip, do I solder the pins individually onto the leads or leave the plastic on, also my 7 wire balance lead consists of wires,1 red, 5 whites and a black do i splice thin wire into the red and 5th of the white leaving black out, and yes it is 11 pins
when I splice these wires in I will 8 wires and only six pins, am I getting lost
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
Pin-strip is plastic strip with pins sticking through it - usually in lengths with about 40 pins. I can't give a link because I'm using my phone rather than a PC. You can get it from Ebay. You break off a bit as long as you want. You shove a bit into the BMS multipin connector, and then you can connect the same type of connector face to face.

When you make your lead, you'll have a 6 pin connector with holrs in it for the pin-strip plus two extra wires to connect to the power lead of the imax, so 8 wires to charge 5 cells. When I get home? I can draw it up for you if you're stuck.
 

robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
I have plenty pinstrip I know what you mean now, and the two extra wires positive and negative to go to the power on the imax
 

robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
I have a12v 5 amp power supply, and will use the crocodile clips to couple the positive and negative to the output of the imax, is that ok.
red to red black to black, thanks for your help
ROB
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
Youneed to connect the power supply to the input side of the imax. It shouldplug straight in the the jack-socket.
 

robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
yes power supply to 3 pin input, thin wires to + and - jack plugs, balance wires to 6 pin balance socket
ROB
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
If it goes bang, you got something wrong. If it doesn't, it's probably right. That's the easiest way to tell. Ask Cwah. That's how he learned, and to an extent, me too!
 

robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
I have the imax B6 coupled up as instructed, either charge or balance charge.
Set up for lipo 1 amp 5s and when I press the start button for 3 secs it comes up with, BATTERY CHECK LOW VOLTAGE, how do I get it to charge or balance charge
ROB
 

KirstinS

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2011
3,224
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Brighton
Before you get the error do you get a screen that says ?s on the left and ?s on the right ?

The ? Will be a number between 1 and 8 and they should match
 

KirstinS

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 5, 2011
3,224
899
Brighton
In your case it should be 5s on both sides. One side is what you've told charger a the other is what it senses


That error comes up if, for example, you setup to charge a 5s but plug a 4s in

Or when you setup for 5s and plug in a 5s where one or more of the 5x series is under 3v


At least it does this is on mine !
 

robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
I have it set at Lipo balance or lipo charge both at 1 amp on left 18.5v right side 5s, when I press start for 3 seconds, every time it goes to
battery check then low voltage, I have a 5s plugged in, plus the power arrangement explained by d8veh
I do not get the error ?
ROB
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
Are you sure that everything is connected the right way round?

Measure the voltage between pins one and six on the 11 pin connector. Each cell needs to be at least 2.5v (maybe 3v) for it to charge. You should therefore be able to find the problem. If one is too low, change it to Life battery until they're charged above 3v.
 

robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
I get 3.5 v
6.9v = 3.40
10.26v = 3.36
13.74v = 3.48
17.26v = 3.52
al above 3volts
 
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robdon

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 5, 2013
267
-70
I may have to start charging with a usb cable if no one has had this problem, using the imax b6, I will check all my cables first.
ROB