Onboard BMS for 20s hobbyking Lipo?

[macribs]

My initial plan was to use the Adaptto with their BMS board. And let that Adaptto BMS handle it all. Then I got a tip for another controller w/o BMS but with a price tag so low it kind of feels like I need to give it a try. And if I swing for that low cost controller I will need another BMS. The pack is 20s4p.

I would like the BMS to handle bulk charge as well as balancing. The best solution for me would be a solution where I can charge without thinking of balancing, with no need to disconnect any wires or to split the battery pack. Just plug in the charger and forget it.
Because that is my impression of the Adaptto BMS so I would be looking for something similar. Is there any solutions like that let me wire up once and forget about it after?

Those BMS I have looked at don't have the JST-XH plug - and that would really help keep things simple. To tell the truth some of the BMS picks in here is kind of scary looking. With insane amount of wire coupled to a BMS. Connecting all that without burning the house down is a challenge I am sure of. But connecting a few JST-XH harnesses I can do. Any tips for good quality BMS that one can depend on over and over?

What is consensus for LVC and HVC for hobbykings LIPO's? Long lasting battery pack is the goal, so conservatives numbers are OK for me. It seems 4.15v seems to be the general idea for HVC, correct? What about LVC?

 

[dnmun]

HVC for lipo is 4.25V and the LVC for lipo is 2.80V. balancing voltage is 4.20V. if soldering the sense wires to the pouches is a problem you will have to stick to using the balancing chargers with the JST plugs. the best way to extend the cycle life of the lipo pouch packs from HK is to take them from the shrink wrap and get them into some sort of orthogonal compression without the shrink wrap to damage the corners of the pouces.

 

[macribs]

I will be using hard case batteries so I think they will remain within the hard case.

 

[wesnewell]

Use pigtails to the bms so you can just plug the balance plugs into the bms. Rc lipo doesn't sag like that 18650 crap, and it's basically at 0% soc at ~3.3V, so get the LVC set to as close as you can get to 3.2V if using rc lipo. If you check the cliff voltage for 18650's you'll find it at a much higher voltage than 2.8V also, but it really depends a lot on the particular brand you buy. Samsung 26F cells for instance are rated for discharge to 2.75V, but under a 2c load fall off the cliff at ~3.1V, and ~3.2V at 1C load. Of course if you monitor pack voltage, the bms lvc is kind of irrelevant.
http://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Common18650comparator.php