CellLog 8 hacking

[fechter]

Beautiful work. I love the optocoupler mod. Nice to hear the regulator worked out too. That looks a bit more challenging to install. Handy thing about the CellLog is you can program the alarm to be NC or NO. I think a lot of CellLog failures were caused by alarm line connections too, so the opto protects against that.

 

[IBScootn]

.

 

[simat]

). Anyone have the format for that data stream documented yet?

I know this post was a while ago and you have probably worked it out but here is a link that should explain everything
http://www.logview.info/vBulletin/content.php?54-description.

Basically it is a plain ASCII text string of voltages seperated by semicolons.

The baud rate is 128000, data format no parity, 8 data bits. Still haven't managed to get the output onto my Linux computer as 128000 baud is non standard and although the kernel and driver should handle non standard baud rates, something is not working!

Simon

 

[Otmar]

Thanks for the format, good to know it's so simple.
I only looked at it a bit and then got distracted by my new Zilla code.
128000 is pretty fast, unless there is flow control I could see the computer not being able to keep up.
I've still got a box of Celllogs on the shelf, but lately we're leaning toward building something new instead.

 

[dnmun]

i found another depletion mode mosfet, with the SOT-89 package so a little smaller, 1.6W. i am gonna order 25 if someone needs some i will have 18 left.

http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/205/CPC3703-26259.pdf

 

[doovalacky]

And speaking of isolation....
The alarm output connections and USB connection on the 8S are NOT isolated. They are referenced to the pack (-) connection.

I know the post I am quoting is old but thanks for that and the other information posted in this thread.

I was probably a day away from blowing 4 cell logs, a power log, picaxe board and probably a usb hub as well. Just assumed they were isolated outputs. Only a delay on my cell modules link bars has saved me, now to pull it all apart

 

[dnmun]

you can use the more common 817B for the opto transistor also. just need to keep track of polarity. plus so much cheaper on ebay too.

 

[dnmun]

also the 817B will work on as low as 1mA drive current for the led and if you chain them and use just one alarm led on the dashboard then the battery could be in alarm for a long time and not drain much current from the battery.

this could be important if the alarm is for LVC since any current used at this time for the alarm would be significant.

so the alarm could be continuous for hours until the fault is discovered without draining too much more juice. just saying.

 

[rf]

Imagine.

Imagine if we built our own celllog. With all the effort that's gone into hacking the Chinese one we could have an incredible tool by now. And people would be posting regularly with fancy new programming they've written to make it even better. As many channels as we want. No drain when off. Bluetooth, WiFi, tons of cool logging. Incredible accuracy. Display on your cell-phone.

How hard is it to hang a multiplexor with opto-isolators (?) off an Arduino? Everything else is pretty easy.

The CellLog-8 is pretty cool. But we can do a whole lot better! And the core design could easily morph into many new and wonderful things down the road.


Richard

 

[dm9876]

I so agree agree with you! I think the real thing that holds us back is economy of scale.. can we really integrate all of the front end for $15 per 8 cells?

Plenty of people on here have done or tried to roll their own BMS, just never seems to be popular beyond a few or the cost is very high. I just wish that the developers of the CellLog8 would evolve the design and steal some of the endless sphere community R&D. Imagine if the CellLog8 did all of these mods for low drain, even drain, built in isolation of the alarm output.. and even better also isolation of the serial / USB outputs (or add a CAN bus output (ok maybe that one is expecting too much) . It really is already a great starting point for modular custom solutions, it just could be so much better for hardly any more money.

Dean

 

[rf]

I so agree agree with you! I think the real thing that holds us back is economy of scale.. can we really integrate all of the front end for $15 per 8 cells?

Dean

Eight or 16 or 32 cells. Once you work out isolating and multiplexing the cells you can probably do as many as you want. Then things become cheaper than messing with the CL8. And so much better. Create access to the cells and everything else is just programming. Cake.

 

[vehiculeselectriques]

Hello,

i'm looking for a bigger cell log 30 pin lcd 128X64 replacement, did someone identified the LCD driver it is using ?
This OLED bigger LCD
would be great (though 31 pin...)
or maybe this 30 pin one

or a fresnel lens solution ?

 

[simat]

I so agree agree with you! I think the real thing that holds us back is economy of scale.. can we really integrate all of the front end for $15 per 8 cells?
Imagine if the CellLog8 did all of these mods for low drain, even drain, built in isolation of the alarm output.. and even better also isolation of the serial / USB outputs (or add a CAN bus output (ok maybe that one is expecting too much) . It really is already a great starting point for modular custom solutions, it just could be so much better for hardly any more money.

Dean

I agree! Besides what is mentioned above i would like to see the power supply fixed up, two or maybe three alarm outputs, one for low voltage, one for hi voltage, and one for cells out of balance, and to be able to program some hysteresis into the alarm outputs.

Simon

 

[megacycle]

Thers plenty of threads around for cellog hacks.
Heath was working on them too http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=45254&start=15.

Manafacturer's contact details are here to see if they are open to suggestions.
http://www.jun-si.com/Encontact.asp

Founding power do a nice looking 24S unit http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=40774
Gonna pay for this level of functionality.

 

[rf]

CellLogs are tiny and cheap. But they have lots of shortcomings.

How hard would it be to replicate them without all the drawbacks? And make them work with lots more cells and all the wonderful addons available for Arduinos, etc. WiFi, Bluetooth and tons more.

Most folks may not even want the display. Bluetooth connect to a cell-phone, for any number of cells, would be way better.

Once you have the base unit, you can do amazing things through software, etc.

Patching the CellLog is a mistake.

 

[dnmun]

well then you need to get off richard's thread and start your own. if it is not about hacking the cellog then you should have started your own thread long ago when you decided to start this rant.

 

[rf]

well then you need to get off richard's thread and start your own. if it is not about hacking the cellog then you should have started your own thread long ago when you decided to start this rant.

The purpose of this site, as I understand it, is to advance technology. Not to create religion.

This thread, as the subject suggests, is apparently about hacking the CellLog. My post was about that too.

The hacks piled onto this tiny product seem destined to overshadow its very existence soon. The modifications to make it work correctly are eclipsing the original product. It is a wonderful tool to explore the possible. But it's usefulness and necessity are fading, in my opinion.

Thanks,

Richard

 

[amberwolf]

Then perhaps you should create your own thread for designing a new product that does what you would like it to, and then link it here?

That would provide those wishing a new device existed a way to follow your progress and/or help you create it, while also leaving this thread free to continue it's own path.

 

[migueralliart]

Amberwolf I just wanna say that new avatar of yours is Kicking ass.

 

[powersupply]

Was anybody able to repair a CellLog 8s?

I got this free and have no idea how it died.

When plugged in, it won't do anything, not even that light piezo "tick".

How would these die to begin with?

From what I see, due to the diodes used to supply of the power, and the high Ohm resistors at the inputs, nothing should happen?

thanks!

 

[fechter]

Check the voltage regulator transistor. You should have voltage on the middle tab from the highest cell and about 3v out on one of the other legs. The 431 supplies the reference, something like 3.7v to the base of the transistor.
You should see the battery voltage on one side of R37 (the one marked 202) and this 3.6-3.7v reference on the other side.

 

[powersupply]

Yes, 2.99V, same with the flash chip.
The weird thing is that everything seems to function, like the 4MHz oscillator, even the USB is working!
Could it be a firmware error? Read somewhere that this happened to somebody.

Edit: had tried to upgrade it, but it only loops with "...connecting again".

 

[dnmun]

do you have the initial splash screen come on? is there no led backlight at all or is there something that you can read on the display. someone might have turned the back light way down so now you cannot read it. do you have the disc with operating instructions for it?

 

[powersupply]

It works! It works! It works! It works!

Well, it is alive, but won't show the voltages.

Here is what I did:
researched (again) the many posts regarding CellLog. Found this again
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=20142&p=579769&hilit=CellLog+8S+_V208#p579769

But for me none of the mentioned wirked, I was giving up and tried V204, and that worked!

http://www.jun-si.com/UploadFiles/CellLog(8S)_V204.bin

With that, I was able to "upgrade" to V208.

So it turns on now and beeps and all, but shows no voltages at all!

Stumped, what could THAT be?

 

[powersupply]

Before the downgrade NOTHING worked, no beeps no screen no faint click while turning on (even if all start items are deselected it does a faint tick).
Even glanced at the LCD in reflective light, in case the LED is toast, nothing.
C3, C4 ..C6-C9 didn't exhibit the LCD typical higehr voltages, another hint that nothing is working.

Now after the successful down/upgrade it works and gives me the melody and all.
I selected LiPo and even checked the calibration, but to no avail.

It simply shows no voltages whatsoever.
I have only 4s, will try the higher cells.

Please all remember this, when a CellLog is TOTALLY dead, but the USB/UART bridge is recognized, DOWNGRADE to V204, remove, reconnect, and then upgrade to V208.

However, my unit won't show any voltages, neither with 204 nor 208.
Vref is good (2.5V), all Op Amps give the right voltages to the A/D inputs, what could it be?
Is there a master reset/flush for this thing?

do you have the initial splash screen come on? is there no led backlight at all or is there something that you can read on the display. someone might have turned the back light way down so now you cannot read it. do you have the disc with operating instructions for it?