YZPOWER Charger: Adjusting Output Voltage?

[PeteCress]

After a lightning strike fried my fancy-schmancy Grin Satiator and a half-dozen other devices in the house, I bought one of these simpler, vastly-cheaper chargers.

They come in different flavors for batteries of different voltages, but they seem to look and act exactly the same except for output voltage.

That being the case, I would hope to find an adjustable something-or-other (potentiometer?) inside that can be tweaked to slightly change the output voltage.

My agenda is that I have a 14-cell 52-volt battery that I want to charge to 55.4 volts (80% charge).

Using one of the 48 volt versions of this charger, I get a 75% charge (54.6v) which is OK, but I would like to get it right on the money.

Has anybody been inside one of these things?

Is there any hope?

Amazon.com: YZPOWER 48V Lithium Battery Charger,54.6 Volt 4A Power Supply Adapter Smart Fast Charging with Display for 48 Volt 13s Lithium Pack Built in Fan (54.6V 2A F) : Sports & Outdoors

Buy YZPOWER 48V Lithium Battery Charger,54.6 Volt 4A Power Supply Adapter Smart Fast Charging with Display for 48 Volt 13s Lithium Pack Built in Fan (54.6V 2A F): Batteries & Battery Chargers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[amberwolf]

If that's an actual voltmeter on it, vs a display that just shows a number that equals the voltage it's meant for, it may imply adjustability...but that may be via programming on the PCB rather than an analog adjustment.

Or it may be by installing a specific resistor in a voltage divider, etc.

Could be as simple as a jumper block or jumper pad set.

If you're up for it, and can open the casing, and take good high resolution, clear, in-focus well-lit images (direct sunlight works best for most cameras, no flash) of the top and bottom of the board inside, and post them directly into a reply in this thread, we can at least make some guesses as to what might be adjustments, and suggest things you mgiht be able to trace out for more info if needed.



BTW, the satiator might be fixable depending on what actually failed from the lightning strike.

 

[fechter]

I haven't played with that model, but most have some kind of adjustment. The 2A units look like they might be glued together and very difficult to open. Sometimes they hide screws under the label if you're lucky.

 

[PeteCress]

I haven't played with that model, but most have some kind of adjustment. The 2A units look like they might be glued together and very difficult to open. Sometimes they hide screws under the label if you're lucky.

Looks to me like it's glued.

Instead of trying to fool Mother Nature, I have opted to keep this one as a backup and spend the big bucks ($125) for a charger from electrifybike.com that has settings for 80, 90, or 100% charge.

https://electrifybike.com/collections/52v-chargers/products/52v-300w-super-charger-80-90-100-1-5-amp-lithium-ion-battery.

 

[artbo]

i have recently found this charger enhancer Charger Enhancer CE140

you plug it in between charger and battery and can set the desired voltage. i dont have it, but i think there are some reviews available about it.

 

[amberwolf]

That would have to be a DC-DC converter with current limiting.

FWIW, it's going to use up some of your charger power in the conversion, anything from 10% to 50% depending on how efficient it is at any particular conversion and how extreme the conversion being done is, so charging your battery will be slower with it, and it is one more point of possible failure to either prevent charging or to cause other problems, and it's one more source of waste heat.

But...it would help people turn regular non-current-limiting (or crowbar-type) power supplies into proper chargers, assuming it does actually work correctly.

The linked page does have a potentially useful connector chart, which is attached in the page copy below, in case of link rot:

Zoom

(19)

CHARGER ENHANCER CE140​

Sale price$69.00

---

Charger Enhancer (CE140) – a compact, standalone device designed to elevate your standard charger.
It offers effortless monitoring of charging information, customized charging limits for long battery life and storage, and enhanced safety features including auto-disconnection to prevent overcharging and protect against charger failure.
To set up the charger enhancer properly, you'll need a pair of adapters to connect your charger and your device. We provide a free pair of adapters, please select the one fit for your charger. Not sure which one to select? Read our Selection Guide.

Select The Included Adapter:GX12-2
GX12-2
Sold out
Extra Adapters
GX-XT60 Adapters (A Pair) For CESale priceFrom $9.90
+ Add
+$9 for air shipping.
Our typical shipping time is 7-10 business days.
Share

CHARGE SAFE WITH AUTO-DISCONNECTION

OPTIMIZING BATTERY MANAGEMENT
ENHANCED INFORMATION
Charger Enhancer provides crucial charging information, including voltage, current, power, time, and energy capacity.
As we become familiar with CE140, we can check electric grid stability before connecting our vehicle to a charger in new locations, inspect the charger's status after an electric shortage or verify its output after charger adjustments as a precautionary measure.
We can measure the battery's effective capacity for future reference, assessing its natural decay over time or to determine when a battery replacement is necessary, helping mitigate risks when considering the purchase of preowned vehicles, or verify the battery's integrity after an impact or when observing a sudden decrease in mileage.

SAFEGUARDING PEACE OF MIND
ENHANCED SAFETY
With Charger Enhancer, constant supervision becomes unnecessary.
Regardless of your charger, CE140 proactively disconnects the power supply upon reaching a full charge or your preset partial charging level, preventing overcharging and saving energy.
Even in the event of charger failure, improper settings, or unexpected occurrences with the electric grid, CE140 acts as a one-time insurance, adding automated protection layers for your vehicle's health and your peace of mind.

DC 30-140V
UNPARALLELED COMPATIBILITY

MASTERING BATTERY HEALTH
ENHANCED CONTROL
Charger Enhancer, has been designed to provide sophisticated yet user-friendly solutions, to get the several benefits of taking control of the charging process.
With CE140, you can customize the charging level and overcurrent protection limit according to your specific needs. Among other benefits, controlling the charging level with CE140 makes it easy to achieve battery levels for healthy long-term storage, facilitates the equalization of battery packs before replacement, and by partially charging while periodically balancing cells to prolong the lifespan of expensive lithium batteries.

CE140 features inbuilt automated, customizable, and quick-button functions, empowering you to take control, extend battery life, increase safety and reduce your environmental footprint.

A MIGHTY POCKET COMPANION
ENHANCED COVENIENCE
Charger Enhancer seamlessly combines power and portability, featuring an impressive capacity able to support up to 30A of current and a continuous charging power of 4200W. CE140 effortlessly handles the high demands of most PEV 'fast chargers'.
Despite its remarkable capabilities, we've managed to encapsulate this powerhouse in a size that fits in the palm of your hand. CE140 can effortlessly slip into your backpack, be attached to your charger, or placed in any location of your choice. CE140 does not require complex integration with other devices nor internet access.

PIDZOOM CHARGER ENHANCER UNBOXING
Play video

SELECTING ADAPTERS

1. Why Use Adapters with Charger Enhancer/Fast Charger?
   Each vehicle possesses distinct characteristics, necessitating adjustments. By utilizing suitable adapters, the Charger Enhancer/Fast Charger can seamlessly connect to the charging ports of various devices.
2. How Do I Choose the Right Adapter?
   Identifying the suitable adapter involves recognizing the type of charger port in use. Typically, the charger itself displays a label illustrating the layout of its port. Once you ascertain your charger's port type, refer to the diagram below, displaying our adapter layouts, to select the appropriate one.
3. What's the Maximum Charging Current Supported by the Adapters?
   The maximum charging current supported varies across adapters. Detailed specifications for each adapter are provided in the diagram below for your reference.

ADAPTERS LAYOUT

COMPARE & PICK​

Charger Enhancer CE140Sale priceFrom $69.00
View
Charger Enhancer CE200Sale priceFrom $79.00Regular price$99.00
View


Voltage
DC 30-140V
DC 10-200V
Current
DC 0-30A
DC 0-20A
Dimensions
95x72x26 mm
(3.7×2.8×1 inches)
95x72x26 mm
(3.7×2.8×1 inches)
View all

FAQ​

Q1. Is it like a WIFI switch or a monitor?

Q2. Isn't CE140 overlapping with BMS purpose?

Q3. Do I need the additional protection features of CE140?


Q4. Is CE limited only to "old" vehicles or basic chargers?

Q5. Isn’t "partial charging" dangerous for batteries?

Q6. Is there a specific sequence for connecting the wires?


USER MANUAL
Charger Enhancer CE140 User Manual
(also attached this to the post)

 

[Yanis]

I would hope to find an adjustable something-or-other (potentiometer?) inside that can be tweaked to slightly change the output voltage.
Has anybody been inside one of these things?

I did that, but not on the type you linked. Theses have plastic cases, and are difficult to open them without breaking the case.

I used this type of charger, with an aluminium case :
aliexpress.com/item/1005004825709253.html

The display (showing voltage and amps) is so imprecise that it is useless. Better to get a version without it.

When you open the case, you'll find inside 3 variable resistors. One is for the voltage, one for the current, and I believe the third one sets the current trigger for the charging light to go from red to green (by default this happens when the charge current is under 0.5A and I didn't change it).

My charger is by default 58.8V and 5A.
The variable resistors allow to modify voltage from 40 to 60V and amps from 3.5 to 6.5A.

In order to view theses values without a multimeter attached, I added this little thing that not only shows volts and amps but also capacity : aliexpress.com/item/32788030454.html

I also wanted to be able to easily adjust parameters, so I drilled 2 small holes in the case above the resistors, and on top of the resistors I glued a small tube (a piece of Q-tip if I remember) with a screw glued on top, flush with the charger case, so I can change voltage and current with a screwdriver.



Also, since I didn't like the fact that the fan blows full power all the time (a little noisy), I added a small PWM thermostat that was laying around in my workshop, so this way the fan speed is relative to heat. BTW these chargers have a good cooling since the case itself is used a a heatsink.

I've been using this setup several times a week for the last 2 years, usually at the 6.5A maximum, and never had an issue with what is now a nice little smart charger !

 

[amberwolf]

the fan blows full power all the time (a little noisy),

If you remove the grillwork at the fan, it will decrease the noise. If you remove hte grillwork at the other end as well it will increase airflow even more and probably also decrease noise and bushing wear on the fan from the drag.

Best not to just remove the endcaps, in case they actually designed the airflow path , just the grillework over the air entrance and exit.

If there are wires in the airflow that can be moved out of the way, that may help too.

If you are willing to install a duct on the outside with a size adapter to a larger fan, you can put a slower quieter one in that will move more air but make less noise.

Ball bearing fans usually make less noise than bushing fans, and last longer, but almost all the noise is from airflow, not the motor or mechanics.

Some fans have better designed fan blades that make less noise, if you can find one that actually has a datasheet proving this instead of just an ad claiming it.

 

[Yanis]

If you remove the grillwork at the fan, it will decrease the noise.

Some fans have better designed fan blades that make less noise, if you can find one that actually has a datasheet proving this instead of just an ad claiming it.

Oh, now that I added the PWM thermostat, it's not much an issue anymore : the fan turns slowly enough most of the time and its speed follows the heat buildup.
The grillework is actually cut into the aluminium case, so I can't really remove it, and there's indeed lots of stuff in the air path which I can't do much about (especiallly since I added a couple of modules). Anyway it was more an annoyance than a real problem, since the cooling itself is efficient.
It's true there can be a huge noise difference between fan models. I recently bought a few Arctic which were impressively quiet for LED heatsinks, but as you said, it can be difficult to trust the claims (especially on Aliexpress/Amazon)