Trips

iTrader: (16)

Howdy everyone...

I've been away from racing for the past three years or so, but it looks like some friends are about to drag me back in to it again...

I've been reading about step chargers with some interest... My question is this... I can program my Victor IQ3000 with three different Quick key programs, then string them together in a macro to run in sequence... \

Let's say the first part of the macro is a 7.5 amp charge for 20 minutes (2500 mah total), then the second part of the macro charges at .5 amps for 6 minutes (50 mah) then the third part of the macro runs to peak at 5 amps (.040 drop for peak)

The question is am I getting "real" step charging in this manner, or do I need to go out and get a step charger? The only thing I can see lacking on the Victor is that I have no temperature probe.

??

Trips

iTrader: (16)

Wow, 52 views and no opinions?

POOKYT

Trips--I have only seen the Victors and never used one but as you say if you can string the charges together then I say it sounds ver close. On most of the new "step" chargers as I understand them temp. is only one way that the charge cycle can end. You can also add your own temp sensor and monitor it visually if your unsure. Hope I helped.

Brant

nimble

I have no knowledge of the specific charger you mention, but the problem with taking a charger that doesn't know about stepping and just lowering the charge rate, is that this causes the voltage to also drop, and then charger will false peak and stop charging. If the charger is reset when the rate is lowered, or you can specify a very large delta peak voltage, then it might work. But notice you are now essentially doing manual timed charging, which is what peak detection eliminated in the first place..

hope that helps,

PizzaDude

Can you explain how this macro is to be programmed please?

As for the temp-probe try this link.
http://www3.telus.net/super_iq/thermal_probe.htm

Trips

iTrader: (16)

PizzaDude,

Thanks for the link to the probe...

Using QuickKeys, I set #1 to be a 7.5 amp timed charge for 20 minutes. I set QuickKey #2 to be a .5amp timed charge for 6 minutes, then I set QuickKey #3 to be a peaked charge at 5 amps.

Then I set QuickKey #4 to run 1,2, 3 in succession.

David

Trips

iTrader: (16)

nimble,

It's no more manual than any other step charger from what I can see... Only difference between what I'm doing and an actual step charger is I'm setting by time, they're setting by MAH. But if you know the charge rate, you can easily substitute time for mah.


No false peaking issues yet, with the first two steps being timed, they're not even looking for a peak, it only starts looking for a peak in the third phase. I guess if I hooked up to a charged pack by mistake, the first phase of 7.5 amps for 20 minutes would definitely fry it... gonna have to watch out for that.

jsp

Trips: Your way on the Victor will work fine. I have had Victor IQ's for 17 years. The only difference is the slight pause when the machine switches from #1 to #2 and again to #3. You have to make the mah calculations and convert to time but that's easy. There are tons of different ways to step charge. So far, in all my testing, I have gained nothing of the discharge side. As you lower the final charge rate the charge capacity goes up a little but nothing is gained on the discharge.
john

forty6

So step charging does not give you more runtime?

jsp

So far nothing. I have been testing on and off for almost a year. When you see an increase in the charge capacity it looks good. But when the discharge finishes there is nothing extra. I have looked at the discharge curve also and again nothing. Make sure your batteries are about 120 deg when peaked. They will gain 5 to 10 deg. after the peak. That's the most important thing. Deep discharging with a ProMatch or Orion tray is very good. These trays have diodes that limit the cell dischrge to .5 volts. Keep the pack it the tray for a minimum of 24 hours. I store all my race packs in the trays all the time. I remove them the night before racing. That works.
john

Trips

iTrader: (16)

Hi John...

If I'm not mistaken, I got my last Victor IQ3 from you. I was living in Texas at the time, I think you told me it was the last one you had when I bought it.

They're going to have to bury me with this Victor. I made the mistake of selling one years ago, but I know better now.

jsp

Trips: that was me.

Trips

iTrader: (16)

I thought so...

How have you been?

jsp

Everything is good. I don't race as much as I used to. I went to the On Road Worlds in Orlando last October as a mechanic and that was great. I will do the same at the Reedy in May. Where are you now?
john

Trips

iTrader: (16)

I'm in NY for now, I'm hoping to get back to TX sometime. I got burnt out on racing a couple seasons ago, but it looks like I'm getting back in now... Carpet 1/12 and TC, maybe some asphalt this summer.