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Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

Old 05-21-2012, 07:22 PM
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jstrach
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Default Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

I just got in the mail my new Thunder AC680 LiPo charger, and I was totally excited and stoked and happy and...

Then I plugged in a 3S LiPo and it's reporting "Connection Break" when I attempt to charge. I unplugged my adaptor, the battery, replugged all the plugs back in...checked for loose wires, everything looks and feels just perfect. But I can't get it not to report "Connection Break".

So i threw on another 3S battery, same thing...

Are there any reports of this new charger model having issues like this? Or does someone have an idea or suggestion? I'm just learning the menu'ing system, but I can't imagine there is something I'm missing. But maybe. I hope. I don't want to have to send it back....


HELP??
Old 05-21-2012, 07:38 PM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

I found on another forum the diagnosis for the issue:

Try it with the balance tap properly hooked up as well as main power lead.
Even in basic charge mode, this charger wants both cables connected.

My Triton2 does not require the main power leads to be attached, but the Thunder apparently requires that.  You cannot just rely upon the balance charger connections.

Maybe this will help someone else, so I thought I'd mention the solution.
Old 05-22-2012, 02:34 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

yep my team orions the same. needs all wires connected.
Old 01-30-2013, 04:12 AM
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j1911h
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

I bought a thunder ac680 from hobbyparzt. The first one did not show lipo in the menu, returned and now the new one shows "connection break" msg every time I try to charge. I am trying to charge 200mah, 3.7v lipo(walkera genius cp) I have the balance board and proper charge cable hooked up. I have 2 batteries so I set it to .4mah(2x200mah) and 3.7v press and hole enter, the check battery sign shows the fan starts, then the beeping an connection break msg. No matter how I configure the set up ie. 1 battery w/ balance board, 1 battery w/o balance board, 2 batteries w/ balance board same msg all the time. Seems even if it's hooked up wrong it shouldnsay so after battery check(yes?). Please if you see I am not correct in my set up let me know. It's making me crazy thiniking I am doing it wrong'
Old 01-30-2013, 04:53 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

how have you the batteries connected. any pics
Old 01-30-2013, 05:46 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

AFTER I reread the previous post in which the person indicated they returned the first charger (LiPo didn't show up in menu - I can't begin to imagine how that is happening...), and then they indicated they did in fact have both sets of wires connected - my information below probably didn't help them all that much. I agree - if you can post a picture we will all know for sure that you're doing what we all think you're doing. IF THAT'S THE CASE, that the main connection and cell balancer are all connected, my first question would be:

1) Is there a bad connector?
A) To determine, try on multiple batteries - if same result, then I'd be suspicious about the connector on the charger.
2) Are you connecting the battery PRIOR to powering the charger on?

My AC680 has been bullet-proof, but that's only a small sample size. If you've had issues w/ now 2 chargers, that's either bad luck...or poor quality control on their part. Lets start with a picture - can you post a picture of your setup when battery is connected?

-

OK, hold, I'll get a picture and update this post with a picture.

NOTE: I also have a PDF version of the manual I retyped from scratch; I'm going to update it with better information and more accurate information... (the typos in the real manual were annoying me)



So in my picture, you'll see the "cell balancer" connector must be connected AND the Dean connector (in my case) is where the charger is different from my past experiences; the charger MUST have both connected for it to properly work...otherwise it reports the error mentioned above in this thread. Hope this helps.

NOTE: The temperature is the 3rd lead under the rubberband.

NOTE: The QRCode is how I label ALL my battery packs and then I use my commercially available iPhone app (RCcoPilot) to help me maintain battery history, performance, and flight times.
http://itunes.com/apps/RCcoPilot

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Old 01-30-2013, 07:19 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?


ORIGINAL: trax de max

how have you the batteries connected. any pics
I have posted a picture above in the thread.

Old 01-30-2013, 07:51 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

I will get some pics and post them. I don't know how to see the pics you said you posted(I think that is what you were telling me.
Old 01-30-2013, 10:06 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?


ORIGINAL: j1911h
I don't know how to see the pics you said you posted(I think that is what you were telling me.
I posted two messages above with pictures that my browser shows at the bottom of my post; do you not see the 4 pictures I posted? If you click on them, they enlarge for clarity.

FOR YOU to post pictures, the link below the message window where you type - you should see a link that states "Click here to upload images & files"

Old 01-30-2013, 11:15 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

Ok here are the 2 pics I wanted to post. These I think show what you need to see. Let me know if this helps. The batteries I want to charge are 3.7v 200mah, and 300mah for a walkera genius I thnk they are either 2 or 3 cell. I have to plug the balance cord into the 3s slot on the board. I also have 3.7v 250mah 1s batteries I would like to charge in parallel. If you can see what I am doing wrong you'll be the best thing to happen today. Thanks for your help.
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Old 01-30-2013, 11:19 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

Have you eliminated the tamyia to deans connector adaptor as the error?
Old 01-30-2013, 11:25 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?


ORIGINAL: j1911h
One shows my plug in set up and the other actually shows the battery rating and there are 2 batteries attached to the parallel cable. Hope this helps because it's making me kinda crazy.
So I'm used to using the 2S/3S LiPo with cell balancer connector; I can't tell if you're using a cell balancer on that configuration - will pull images into Photoshop and zoom in.

I would agree with the other post; are we sure that Y connector and conversion connectors are good? Any other batteries you can throw on there to ensure our sanity?

Old 01-30-2013, 11:33 AM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

Everything is brand new. I guess I have to think it's all in working order. Ihave tried another 1s, 3.7v, 250mah both with and with and without the balance board. I know I don't need a balance board with 1s but checked both ways just to see. MY thinking is even if I have things connected wrong or have entered the wrong charging information the screen would show that what i was seeing is different form what I told it, yes?
Old 01-30-2013, 12:03 PM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?


ORIGINAL: j1911h
Everything is brand new. I guess I have to think it's all in working order.
Right, we'll assume it since it's brand new. (for now)

ORIGINAL: j1911h
Ihave tried another 1s, 3.7v, 250mah both with and with and without the balance board.
OK, so I don't charge 1S batteries (yet), but my observation based on the picture is this (and hopefully someone can correct me if I'm wrong with my analysis):

You have a connector going to the balance board, but the wires from that connector don't go to the batteries; they are "taped" into the splice or something (from what I can tell) - but your actual physical batteries (1S) only have the black & white lead coming from it, I don't see any of the balance wires needed to balancing. (now with a 1S, I would think the balancing isn't necessary - but you ARE trying to charge two 1S batteries simultaneously...so your connector is in the 3S connector on the balance board? I'm not sure what's going on here... but I suspect the cell balancer is reporting OPEN because it is in fact not connected.... I'm just basing it on the picture you submitted.)

NOTE: Look at the picture I have attached here; see the right red circle shows the connector to the cell balancer board, the purple circle shows those wires stopping at the tape...and the left red circle does not show any balance leads going to the battery. Again, I'm naive with 1S batteries, but I suspect this is the root of your problem. You won't know unless you get a 2S or 3S battery (like in my picture earlier in the thread) - and test a standard cell balanced battery pack with YOUR new charger to know what the issue is (charger or batteries). That's my $0.02
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Old 01-30-2013, 12:26 PM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

I am now on the right track. Thanks in large part to you guys and some kudos to hobbypartz where I bought the charger. I just got off the phone with a tech there and am now charging a 1s battery with the alligator clip lead that comes supplied. I think you are correct in your observations. My first mistake and what has thrown me off the track is thinking because they were hooked up to the parallel cablle and it had a balance connector they must be 2s(wrong of me). So when this battery is finished I will see if I can charge 2 of the other 1s at the same time. If I am corrrect to do that if the batteries are 200mah and 3.7v I would connect 2 to the parallel cable and enter 200mah, 7.4v 1s as my charging set up. Let me know if that is correct. Thanks a ton you guys, phew!
Old 01-30-2013, 02:35 PM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

200 1s 3.7v if you are parallel charging two 1s cells/batteries.
NOT
"I would connect 2 to the parallel cable and enter 200mah, 7.4v 1s as my charging set up."


Parallel keeps the voltage and doubles the amps so really it can be 1s 400Mah
Series keeps capacity and doubles voltage
Try to do some basic series versus parallel battery hookup through google if you wish to use a parallel board. Or just hook one battery/cell to the board and charge/balance one at a time.
Old 01-30-2013, 02:41 PM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

>>Or just hook one battery/cell to the board and charge/balance one at a time.

I agree with this... but it's up to you.
Old 01-30-2013, 02:44 PM
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Default RE: Thunder AC680 - CONNECTION BREAK?

yea was a mistake using wrong cable, In parallel you add the capacity together but voltage stays the same. In series you add the voltage together but capacity stays the same.
In parallel you should be charging 0.4A 3.7V 1s.
In a series connection it would be 0.2A 7.4V2s charge.

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