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philipw avatar image
philipw asked

IP67 Smart Charger NOT configurable

I've just purchased an IP67 Blue Smart Charger, and on the Product Page it clearly states:

All settings of the charger can be configured with the VictronConnect app.

On that basis I purchased it with the expectation that I could use it to charge an LTO battery, and adapt the charging settings as required. Only now I find this is not the case. Disappointing.

Can you advise if or when the this charger will be fully configurable, ie "all settings", as clearly advertised?

charger
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3 Answers
Matthias Lange - DE avatar image
Matthias Lange - DE answered ·

For what you want the Phoenix Smart Charger maybe is what you need.

Just take a look at the demo library within VictronConnect.

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Justin Cook avatar image
Justin Cook answered ·

@PhilipW, I suspect that this is just an unfortunate incidence of "it depends how you read it". While I understand your point, I personally read "all settings of the charger can be configured" to mean "every setting that this charger has is configurable"... which it is. It has (if I recall correctly) about 6 different settings, and you can configure them over bluetooth... as advertised. The description does not say that it has customizable charge profiles or anything of that nature... but I see how, in reading that description, one might make the assumption.

Given the vast complexity of adding the hardware and software to be able to customize the charge profiles of this device, however, I strongly suspect that the viable solution here will be to rewrite the product description to more clearly describe the product's actual features rather than trying to reinvent the product to match the slightly vague description.

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ttbb avatar image ttbb commented ·

Fixed it... Charging 'options' are accessed via the VictronConnect app.

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philipw avatar image
philipw answered ·

@Justin Cook

Thanks for the answer. I have some background in software development; I suspect the task of developing the interfaces necessary to get the product to match it's 'Smart' description is not as hard as you think.

All I want is the ability to set the voltage setpoints and the time durations in the charge profiles. These must already exist in the firmware now, exposing them to the end user should be very doable. I would be very surprised if any hardware changes were needed.

And with so many new battery chemistries available now I don't think I'm asking for anything that more and more people will want. It's a very nice product in every other respect ... I just feel very letdown by this one massive roadblock.

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ttbb avatar image ttbb commented ·

From a quick look at specs for LTO they say cc/cv @ 2.85v so a 5s that is 14.25v cc/cv.
The Li-ion setting on that charger is 14,2V anyway so that would be an acceptable charge voltage for a 5s.

The charger specs suggest it then drops to 13.5v float. Going on other Lithium chemistry if the same rules apply then that would also be fine to use. The voltage is dropping below the cells charged resting voltage.

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