Battman II Battery Manager
03-11-2010, 07:10 AM
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Battman II Battery Manager
BattMan II is a computer controlled battery manager, intended for typical rechargeable batteries used by R/C and electronics hobbyists, as well as various consumer product batteries. BattMan II has the following capabilities:
• Works with Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH), Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), Lithium-Polymer (LiPo), Lithium-Nano-Phosphate (LiNP), and Lead-Acid (Pb-Acid) batteries of 1.2 to 14.7 Volts.
• Discharges batteries to measure capacity at rates of 130mA to 2A.
• Charges at rates of 130mA to 1.8A. Maximum current and voltage limits depend on the power supply used.
• Automatically performs repeated discharge/charge cycles to break in new batteries, or erase NiCd voltage depression in old ones.
• Measures internal resistance.
• Monitors self-discharge.
• Real time graphical display lets you see problems like mismatched cells.
• Keeps a log of all operations performed, which can be imported into any spreadsheet program.
• Saves graphs of charge, discharge, auto-cycle, and monitor operations.
• Connects via parallel port to any PC running Microsoft Windows (95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, or Vista).
A complete construction article can be found at:
[link]http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/battman2.html[/link]
I would like to build this device and post on this thread as I go along. Has anyone else had a go at building this? Any hints, tips, or problems encountered would be appreciated.
AlZ
• Works with Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH), Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), Lithium-Polymer (LiPo), Lithium-Nano-Phosphate (LiNP), and Lead-Acid (Pb-Acid) batteries of 1.2 to 14.7 Volts.
• Discharges batteries to measure capacity at rates of 130mA to 2A.
• Charges at rates of 130mA to 1.8A. Maximum current and voltage limits depend on the power supply used.
• Automatically performs repeated discharge/charge cycles to break in new batteries, or erase NiCd voltage depression in old ones.
• Measures internal resistance.
• Monitors self-discharge.
• Real time graphical display lets you see problems like mismatched cells.
• Keeps a log of all operations performed, which can be imported into any spreadsheet program.
• Saves graphs of charge, discharge, auto-cycle, and monitor operations.
• Connects via parallel port to any PC running Microsoft Windows (95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, or Vista).
A complete construction article can be found at:
[link]http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/battman2.html[/link]
I would like to build this device and post on this thread as I go along. Has anyone else had a go at building this? Any hints, tips, or problems encountered would be appreciated.
AlZ
03-12-2010, 09:23 AM
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RE: Battman II Battery Manager
For those of you that looked at Stefan’s web site, you probably freaked out over the complexity. And there is no doubt that if you don’t have some experience with electronics this can be quite a daunting project.
The first hurdle to overcome is making a printed circuit board. I use ExpressPCB software. Its free, it’s a great learning tool and it cuts down on mistakes. Find out more at:
[link]http://www.expresspcb.com/[/link]
Here are the steps I went through:
1. Redraw the schematic using express.sch
2. Layout the components using express.pcb
3. Connect the terminals on the various components using express.pcb
I laid out the components on a 4.5” x 3.5” PC board. Attached are the results. If anybody is interested in building one of these but doesn’t want to go through the hassle of making a PC board, send me a PM.
AlZ
The first hurdle to overcome is making a printed circuit board. I use ExpressPCB software. Its free, it’s a great learning tool and it cuts down on mistakes. Find out more at:
[link]http://www.expresspcb.com/[/link]
Here are the steps I went through:
1. Redraw the schematic using express.sch
2. Layout the components using express.pcb
3. Connect the terminals on the various components using express.pcb
I laid out the components on a 4.5” x 3.5” PC board. Attached are the results. If anybody is interested in building one of these but doesn’t want to go through the hassle of making a PC board, send me a PM.
AlZ
03-15-2010, 08:10 PM
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RE: Battman II Battery Manager
Well I got the board etched and the components soldered in. I got the D-sub connector and ribbon cable for free from a computer repair shop. If I had to do it over I would use a 24 pin DIP connector on the board instead of soldering all those little wires. I would also use terminal boards for connections to the pass transistor and current sense resistor.
Anyway I got everything connected and soldered and it was time for my first check. With the IC’s removed from the sockets I connected up the 18 volt power supply and blip! Just like that my power supply tripped out on overload. I made some checks and quickly determined that the 7805 regulator was shorted from input to ground. I couldn’t find any in my junk box so I made a quick order to Digi-Key – should be here day after tomorrow.
In the photos you will see that the 7805 is missing on the board.
Anyway I got everything connected and soldered and it was time for my first check. With the IC’s removed from the sockets I connected up the 18 volt power supply and blip! Just like that my power supply tripped out on overload. I made some checks and quickly determined that the 7805 regulator was shorted from input to ground. I couldn’t find any in my junk box so I made a quick order to Digi-Key – should be here day after tomorrow.
In the photos you will see that the 7805 is missing on the board.
03-19-2010, 06:35 AM
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RE: Battman II Battery Manager
OK, I’m back at it. Got the 7805 and soldered it in. Checked the Vcc pin on all the IC chips and we got 5 volts on all. Hoo-ah! So far so good.
Next step is to check the operation of relays K1 and K2. We do this by applying 5 volts to D4 for relay K1 and D5 for relay K2. Oops! Relay K1 is not pulling in. I pulled relay K1 off the board and applied 5 volts to the coil. It pulls in when connected in one direction but not when I reverse the polarity. I checked the data sheet for this relay and there in the fine print it says that the coil is polarized. I might mention that I substituted this relay for the one in the construction article. Oh well! I modified a couple of traces, added a jumper and re-installed the relay. K1 pulls in now when 5 volts is applied to D4.
I downloaded the Battman2 software and installed all the IC chips in their sockets. None of the components got hot so I connected the parallel cable to my computer's parallel port and powered up the Battman2. I clicked the Setup button to open the Setup Assistant. In the Configuration File panel, I set the "base port address" for the parallel port to 378.
In the Relay Control panel, click the Charge button. Once again, K2 should turn on. Clicking Discharge should turn it off. Repeat using Connect and Disconnect to test K1. Wouldn’t you know it K2 wont pull in. I checked the pins on the cable to make sure D4 and D5 were going high when I clicked the appropriate button. That checked out.
Went to the circuit board and checked the voltage on pin 2 of Q1 and Q2. Q1 shows zero volts (as it should). Q2 shows 5 volts which indicates a base-collector short on Q2. I replaced Q2 and re-checked everything. K1 and K2 are operating correctly now.
Whew! Enough for tonight.
Next step is to check the operation of relays K1 and K2. We do this by applying 5 volts to D4 for relay K1 and D5 for relay K2. Oops! Relay K1 is not pulling in. I pulled relay K1 off the board and applied 5 volts to the coil. It pulls in when connected in one direction but not when I reverse the polarity. I checked the data sheet for this relay and there in the fine print it says that the coil is polarized. I might mention that I substituted this relay for the one in the construction article. Oh well! I modified a couple of traces, added a jumper and re-installed the relay. K1 pulls in now when 5 volts is applied to D4.
I downloaded the Battman2 software and installed all the IC chips in their sockets. None of the components got hot so I connected the parallel cable to my computer's parallel port and powered up the Battman2. I clicked the Setup button to open the Setup Assistant. In the Configuration File panel, I set the "base port address" for the parallel port to 378.
In the Relay Control panel, click the Charge button. Once again, K2 should turn on. Clicking Discharge should turn it off. Repeat using Connect and Disconnect to test K1. Wouldn’t you know it K2 wont pull in. I checked the pins on the cable to make sure D4 and D5 were going high when I clicked the appropriate button. That checked out.
Went to the circuit board and checked the voltage on pin 2 of Q1 and Q2. Q1 shows zero volts (as it should). Q2 shows 5 volts which indicates a base-collector short on Q2. I replaced Q2 and re-checked everything. K1 and K2 are operating correctly now.
Whew! Enough for tonight.
03-20-2010, 06:32 PM
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RE: Battman II Battery Manager
Well back at it. I connected the Battman2 to the computer’s parallel port and powered it up. I opened the Battman software and pulled up the setup screen. An image of the setup screen is attached.
Clicking on the Charge/Discharge and Connect/Disconnect buttons has the relays energizing properly. So it’s on to calibration.
The first step is to do the Digital to Analog voltage calibration. This is done by changing the Count To field and measuring the voltage at test point 1. The D/A converter bit weights are then entered into the config file. With the Count To field set at 4095 the voltage at TP1 is the VDACmax.
SEN+max is measured at TP3 and is adjusted with R35 to read 99.5% of VDACmax.
SEN-max is measured at TP4 and is adjusted with R39 to read 99.5% of VDACmax.
Finally we have to set the sensor low side and high side multipliers by dividing the power supply voltage by SEN+max and SEN-max.
So far so good. We are finished with voltage calibration and everything looks good to go. Now for current calibration.
To do this we need a fully charged battery and a fully discharged battery and a digital ammeter. My power supply can deliver 2 amps so I set the maximum current batman will charge at to 1.8 amps. This is done by adjusting R34.
Finally I set the charge and discharge rate pairs for each of the sixteen available rate settings (which are a multiple of 1.8 amps). The charge and discharge rate pairs are recorded in the config files and the Battman is ready to go.
In summary, I have cycled two transmitter batteries and two receiver batteries. This device performs exactly as advertised. What is really interesting is to watch how the true battery voltage changes during the charge and discharge cycle. What is really neat is to watch how the voltage changes at charge termination. By measuring the internal resistance and monitoring peak voltage it is easy to determine if you have a bad cell.
I have not cycled any LiPo’s but the Battman will handle these as well. It will charge at higher currents as long as the power supply will deliver it. I didn’t need any more than the 1.8 amps max so I used a $10.00 power supply I picked up on e-bay.
One final comment. This is not a cook book project. If you don’t have an understanding of discrete electronic devices and some experience in electronic construction projects I would advise against attempting this project. Feel free to comment or PM me if you have specific questions about the operation of this project.
Clicking on the Charge/Discharge and Connect/Disconnect buttons has the relays energizing properly. So it’s on to calibration.
The first step is to do the Digital to Analog voltage calibration. This is done by changing the Count To field and measuring the voltage at test point 1. The D/A converter bit weights are then entered into the config file. With the Count To field set at 4095 the voltage at TP1 is the VDACmax.
SEN+max is measured at TP3 and is adjusted with R35 to read 99.5% of VDACmax.
SEN-max is measured at TP4 and is adjusted with R39 to read 99.5% of VDACmax.
Finally we have to set the sensor low side and high side multipliers by dividing the power supply voltage by SEN+max and SEN-max.
So far so good. We are finished with voltage calibration and everything looks good to go. Now for current calibration.
To do this we need a fully charged battery and a fully discharged battery and a digital ammeter. My power supply can deliver 2 amps so I set the maximum current batman will charge at to 1.8 amps. This is done by adjusting R34.
Finally I set the charge and discharge rate pairs for each of the sixteen available rate settings (which are a multiple of 1.8 amps). The charge and discharge rate pairs are recorded in the config files and the Battman is ready to go.
In summary, I have cycled two transmitter batteries and two receiver batteries. This device performs exactly as advertised. What is really interesting is to watch how the true battery voltage changes during the charge and discharge cycle. What is really neat is to watch how the voltage changes at charge termination. By measuring the internal resistance and monitoring peak voltage it is easy to determine if you have a bad cell.
I have not cycled any LiPo’s but the Battman will handle these as well. It will charge at higher currents as long as the power supply will deliver it. I didn’t need any more than the 1.8 amps max so I used a $10.00 power supply I picked up on e-bay.
One final comment. This is not a cook book project. If you don’t have an understanding of discrete electronic devices and some experience in electronic construction projects I would advise against attempting this project. Feel free to comment or PM me if you have specific questions about the operation of this project.
05-09-2017, 11:05 PM
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In case anyone is interested I have been working on a new version of BattMan II compatible with Raspberry Pi. So far I have redesigned the circuit to handle 3.3V logic, and made a PCB (in Raspberry Pi HAT form factor). I have also converted the original code into Python with a TKinter GUI. The project is called BattMan Pi.
12-15-2023, 05:54 PM
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Well back at it. I connected the Battman2 to the computer’s parallel port and powered it up. I opened the Battman software and pulled up the setup screen. An image of the setup screen is attached.
Clicking on the Charge/Discharge and Connect/Disconnect buttons has the relays energizing properly. So it’s on to calibration.
The first step is to do the Digital to Analog voltage calibration. This is done by changing the Count To field and measuring the voltage at test point 1. The D/A converter bit weights are then entered into the config file. With the Count To field set at 4095 the voltage at TP1 is the VDACmax.
SEN+max is measured at TP3 and is adjusted with R35 to read 99.5% of VDACmax.
SEN-max is measured at TP4 and is adjusted with R39 to read 99.5% of VDACmax.
Finally we have to set the sensor low side and high side multipliers by dividing the power supply voltage by SEN+max and SEN-max.
So far so good. We are finished with voltage calibration and everything looks good to go. Now for current calibration.
To do this we need a fully charged battery and a fully discharged battery and a digital ammeter. My power supply can deliver 2 amps so I set the maximum current batman will charge at to 1.8 amps. This is done by adjusting R34.
Finally I set the charge and discharge rate pairs for each of the sixteen available rate settings (which are a multiple of 1.8 amps). The charge and discharge rate pairs are recorded in the config files and the Battman is ready to go.
In summary, I have cycled two transmitter batteries and two receiver batteries. This device performs exactly as advertised. What is really interesting is to watch how the true battery voltage changes during the charge and discharge cycle. What is really neat is to watch how the voltage changes at charge termination. By measuring the internal resistance and monitoring peak voltage it is easy to determine if you have a bad cell.
I have not cycled any LiPo’s but the Battman will handle these as well. It will charge at higher currents as long as the power supply will deliver it. I didn’t need any more than the 1.8 amps max so I used a $10.00 power supply I picked up on e-bay.
One final comment. This is not a cook book project. If you don’t have an understanding of discrete electronic devices and some experience in electronic construction projects I would advise against attempting this project. Feel free to comment or PM me if you have specific questions about the operation of this project.
Clicking on the Charge/Discharge and Connect/Disconnect buttons has the relays energizing properly. So it’s on to calibration.
The first step is to do the Digital to Analog voltage calibration. This is done by changing the Count To field and measuring the voltage at test point 1. The D/A converter bit weights are then entered into the config file. With the Count To field set at 4095 the voltage at TP1 is the VDACmax.
SEN+max is measured at TP3 and is adjusted with R35 to read 99.5% of VDACmax.
SEN-max is measured at TP4 and is adjusted with R39 to read 99.5% of VDACmax.
Finally we have to set the sensor low side and high side multipliers by dividing the power supply voltage by SEN+max and SEN-max.
So far so good. We are finished with voltage calibration and everything looks good to go. Now for current calibration.
To do this we need a fully charged battery and a fully discharged battery and a digital ammeter. My power supply can deliver 2 amps so I set the maximum current batman will charge at to 1.8 amps. This is done by adjusting R34.
Finally I set the charge and discharge rate pairs for each of the sixteen available rate settings (which are a multiple of 1.8 amps). The charge and discharge rate pairs are recorded in the config files and the Battman is ready to go.
In summary, I have cycled two transmitter batteries and two receiver batteries. This device performs exactly as advertised. What is really interesting is to watch how the true battery voltage changes during the charge and discharge cycle. What is really neat is to watch how the voltage changes at charge termination. By measuring the internal resistance and monitoring peak voltage it is easy to determine if you have a bad cell.
I have not cycled any LiPo’s but the Battman will handle these as well. It will charge at higher currents as long as the power supply will deliver it. I didn’t need any more than the 1.8 amps max so I used a $10.00 power supply I picked up on e-bay.
One final comment. This is not a cook book project. If you don’t have an understanding of discrete electronic devices and some experience in electronic construction projects I would advise against attempting this project. Feel free to comment or PM me if you have specific questions about the operation of this project.
