Hyperion Balance Boards Killing Batteries

[SkyRaptor]

Hi Guys...

I find out an issue with my Hyperion EOS 720 SDuo3 regarding the balance boards.

In the lasts 6 months I have had 3 damaged Hyperion LiPos (35C 6S 2950mAh) of a total of 6 batteries - that means 50% of failure. One puffed battery after about 60 flights and two with a permanent unbalance.

Until this weekend I though I was an unlucky guy. Always taking care of my lipos as recommended by the manufacturer (never over/under discharge, never stored fully charged and so on).

But this weekend I figured out an issue with my SDuo3 balance boards.. Bad contacts..
During the charge of one bad battery, the cell #3 was at about 4V and all others at 4.2V... Unintentionally I touched the balance board and the cell #3 jumped to 4.2V and the charge finished!! And then I realized the bad contact in the balance board.

Conclusion... The charger was unable to detect the correct cells voltages and probably damaged one or more cells since such measure is crucial to a correct and safe balance procedure.

Following is a picture of my original balance board. At the top you see the 5S connector, never userd.. and on the bottom the 6S connector used for 6 months..



The plastic connectors was easy to clean.. but the pins is quite impossible.

I even tried a Dremel with Nylon brush and Isopropyl alcohol, but the results was not good.. I'm gonna try Steel brush... let's if it works..

I see folks having so many issue with batteries and the problem may be with the balance boards.. I'm prone to believe this issue is the responsible for all my damaged batteries.

I've ordered a PL8, I hope the Safe Balance Boards have better quality and don't fail like the Hyperion's ones..

Alex.

[alexf1852]

Personally I don't believe the issue is with the balance board. The connectors were not designed to be connected and disconnected thousands of times. The issue is more likely to be at the lipo's balance connector where the metal contact gets pushed back into its own connector when plugging the lipo's balance connector into the balance board. Thus the electrical connection is poor. If you look at your lipo's balance connector and tug on the wires a little, you might notice the metal contact moving in and out.

Granted the connectors will get dirty like in your photo, but this isn't the only culprit that drops 0.2V.

We definitely need a better balance connector that can handle the usage.

[alexmit]

This has been discussed and there is also speculation that the balance circuitry in the Hyperion series isn't accurate as proven with a meter. Connectors can also contribute to this. I too will be getting a PL8 to see if somehow over time I magically break the 70 cycle mark on my packs. My guess is that I will since I notice stronger packs when even charging from my TP Charger (no longevity comparisons yet).

[alexf1852]

Bad balance connections will affect any charger. Including the PL8. I've owned the 615i Duo. I currently own the PL8 (getting a 2nd one) and two TP820CD. If the balance connector isn't making an optimal electrical connection, you will get a voltage drop. I've seen this happen on all 3 chargers.

[alexf1852]

I meant to ask...How did those connectors get so dirty?

[Gregor99]

Voltage drop across resistance only happens if current is flowing. The Powerlabs periodically pause the current to take readings. No current, no voltage drop across a bad connector.

[SkyRaptor]

Originally Posted by alexf1852

If you look at your lipo's balance connector and tug on the wires a little, you might notice the metal contact moving in and out.
...
We definitely need a better balance connector that can handle the usage.

So you suggest that the culprit is the balance connector on the battery?? I'm gonna check them and try to get a better connection.

Originally Posted by alexf1852

Bad balance connections will affect any charger. Including the PL8. I've owned the 615i Duo. I currently own the PL8 (getting a 2nd one) and two TP820CD.

I agree, but the balance board pins should be made of a resistant material. A gold coating would be great (and not so expensive). It will avoid corrosion/oxidation and improve the connection.

Originally Posted by alexf1852

I meant to ask...How did those connectors get so dirty?

Bear in mind it is not so visible without good lens.. The picture was taken with a good macro still camera..

Originally Posted by Gregor99

Voltage drop across resistance only happens if current is flowing. The Powerlabs periodically pause the current to take readings. No current, no voltage drop across a bad connector.

Never though about it.. Maybe the issue happens when the SDuo3 is draining current from the cells.

Anyway, the charger manufacturers should address such issue with balance boards and even with balance algorithm.

[alexmit]

Originally Posted by SkyRaptor

Anyway, the charger manufacturers should address such issue with balance boards and even with balance algorithm.

Agreed. Don't hold your breath on it though. Everyone claims they have the best balance connectors on their packs/charger. I didn't know the little fact about the PL8 detecting a bad connection. This makes me even happier to spend my money on the PL8.

[f3nix]

I had a similar issue with mine.

I suspected the balancing boards too.

It turned out to be bad connection between the charger and the balancing board. Bought a new one (http://hyperion-world.com/products/p...P-EOSLBA-7UCBL) and everything is back to normal now.

HTH,
Mateusz

[SkyRaptor]

Hi f3nix, your issue just confirms the sh*t quality of the Hyperion Balance Board/Cables.

Today I'm driving to an electronic stuffs store to get some wires, connectors and pins to make a new and reliable cable. As far as I get it done, I post pictures here.

Yesterday I had to connect the batteries directly to the charger cause It was quite impossible to use the balance boards.

Best Regards.

Alex.

[f3nix]

I'll be looking forward to it!

Subscribed.

Cheers,
Mateusz

[SkyRaptor]

Here it goes.. I've finished the cables today...

The cable is meant to connect the battery directly to the charger, so the female connector goes in the charger and the male ones goes in the battery.


Male pins soldered in the matrix PCB:


Solder side:


Male connector soldered in the cable (sorry bad focus)


Male finished (covered with shrink tube)


Female already soldered in the cable


Female connector side


Female finished with shrink tube




Next weekend I'm gonna test it.. and let you now how it performs.

Best Regards.

Alex.

[Wizza]

Alex, How did your homemade balance cables work out earlier this year..??? I too have had enought of the Hyperion balance connectors/leads/boards. Second set are now failing.... On my 720i I beleive the issue is also the connector of the balance lead to the charger. I was also thinking about making my own balance leads... Please update us re your leads and how it worked out for you....

Thanks...

[3D Dave]

Funny I just saw this thread. I experienced the exact same issue this fall (and had a 2nd set of new balance wires doing the same thing) and just received a new (at reduced replacement cost) 720i Duo 3.

I thought about making my own balance cables for the old 720 like Alex but buying the connectors on the charger side just seemed to be a hassle. The micro soldering would not be fun either.

I wonder how long this new chargers connections will work?

My last thought (before I traded the bad one in) was to try soldering each pin at the charger. The problem though is then it's a hassle to change the whole connection when a wire develops a short.

[alexf1852]

Just use a short balance extension and plug your lipos in to that. When the balance extension starts to get iffy, use something like Deoxit to clean it. If that doesn't fix it, then toss it and get a new balance extension cable. These connectors aren't designed to take lots of connects/disconnects.

[SkyRaptor]

Hi guys,

Those balance cables performed pretty well!! Actually I have sold my Hyperion 720 to a friend of mine and together he took them.. Then I bought a Powerlab8 and made a similar balance cable, although the PL8's balance boards are pretty good. I loved the idea of a easy-to-clean balance cable.

Check it out:





It's pretty easy to build. I've got a extension for the PL8 balance board - so I have the connector to the charger side, cut the board end and soldered those pins (looks like this: http://www.futurlec.com/ConnHead.shtml but it's a longer version)

To clean you just need a alcohol.. pretty straight forward.

I no longer have any bad connections issue.

Alex.

[Wizza]

Originally Posted by SkyRaptor

....Actually I have sold my Hyperion 720 to a friend of mine and together he took them.. Then I bought a Powerlab8 .....

If only they made a "Powerlab14" or something to do 12S and 14S packs...... ho-hum....

Thanks for the update and the info Alex...

[SkyRaptor]

Originally Posted by Wizza

If only they made a "Powerlab14" or something to do 12S and 14S packs......

Actually they do!!! And it costs $460!!! Capable of 2700W, Dual port of 40A x 8S each!!!

Check it out:





Today I was charging my 7HV Lipos at 30A each one... 60A total!! about 8 minutes of charge and ready to fly!!

Best Regards.

Alex.

[Wizza]

Hi Alex, Are you saying that if you gang 2x CellPros together, you can charge a single 12S or 14S pack (not 2 x 7S packs). We fly with 12S stick packs, that have a single output and 2x balance taps. Will 2x CellPros do that...???

Thanks...

[SkyRaptor]

Originally Posted by Wizza

you can charge a single 12S or 14S pack (not 2 x 7S packs.

Sorry Mark, I misunderstood you... No, you cannot charge a 16S Lipo with 2x PL8. You need to have it split in 2 Lipos (2x 8S).

But as far as I know, Hyperion 720 don't do it as well, right? Only that 14S models, but they lack power, at least to my habits.

Unfortunately we don't have a powerful 10S+ charger at the market.

I don't see any drawback having a split pack (I have 2x 6S packs).. you just need one more connection and the advantage of 8 minutes (or less) charges.

If you need a more powerful solution and can afford those twins, go for it, you will never regret.

Best Regards.

Alex.