Battery charger for Genesis and other DPVs

[stuartv]

You can reset the max charge voltage in the BMS app and use the default charger. I almost never charge mine to the stock 97-98% nevermind 100%

That is good to know. Unfortunately (for ME), I feel just ignorant enough about all the things I see in the BMS app (the iPhone one), that I am very reluctant to change anything in it. I haven't see any documentation on that app that really explains all the parameters in there and relates them to practical knowledge of the Genesis.

Or maybe I've been making it more complicated than it is.

Regardless, I like that I rubbed a few brain cells together one time (today) and set up this Satiator charger, so now I don't have to really think about it when I want to charge my scooter. I don't have to remember what the correct numbers are to enter/change in the BMS app. I named all the profiles on the charger, so I can just pick "G Full", or "G 80 Fast", or whatever I want, and let 'er rip.

And it's faster than the stock charger, when I want that. And slower, when I don't need it done in a hurry.

Maybe slower isn't any better for the cell life. But, maybe it is. It's surely not any worse.

 

[grantmac]

I think this is what you're asking for.


It's a post in the DPV Innovations group. You might have to join the group to see the post.

I sent in a request. What I'd really like to find is a wiring diagram for the original split battery setup.

 

[tbone1004]

The question is: Will it charge reliably at 5A? Or will it be constantly causing the BMS to disconnect and reconnect? Or trip some other internal protection? If either of the latter, then do I run it at, say 4.8A? 4.5A?

The battery pack is 850Wh. So, that (0.3x) would be 255W? The Genesis charger runs at about 300W (I think), during the bulk charging phase, then slows way down for the last 10%.

I think this charger is supposed to deliver a max of 360W, and I know it is a max of 5A (at least, for this voltage range). So, still well under 0.5c?

You would have to try it to see, there is no telling what he programmed it to for a max charge rate in the BMS but even a 0.3C rate is going to fully charge the thing from 0 in 4 hours and it's not like you're going to be fast charging for two full run cycles in one day. The faster charge is more for if you don't want it plugged in overnight.

 

[stuartv]

I had emailed Jon. I got this response back this morning:

"If the charge current exceeds 5A for 5sec, the BMS will trip off. CC/CV charging makes reduced charge current pointless at these levels."

So, I think that answers that. I will adjust my charging profiles to use 5A. And probably make one that runs at 4A, for just in case it turns out that the 5A profile is actually tripping the BMS off.

 

[rjack321]

That is good to know. Unfortunately (for ME), I feel just ignorant enough about all the things I see in the BMS app (the iPhone one), that I am very reluctant to change anything in it. I haven't see any documentation on that app that really explains all the parameters in there and relates them to practical knowledge of the Genesis.

Or maybe I've been making it more complicated than it is.

Regardless, I like that I rubbed a few brain cells together one time (today) and set up this Satiator charger, so now I don't have to really think about it when I want to charge my scooter. I don't have to remember what the correct numbers are to enter/change in the BMS app. I named all the profiles on the charger, so I can just pick "G Full", or "G 80 Fast", or whatever I want, and let 'er rip.

And it's faster than the stock charger, when I want that. And slower, when I don't need it done in a hurry.

Maybe slower isn't any better for the cell life. But, maybe it is. It's surely not any worse.

The BMS is probably going to limit the charge to whatever the max voltage per cell is set in the app. So driving a higher voltage in the charger won't change your final state of charge. I have the android version and I'm not near the scooter so I can't check what the stock BMS cell voltage setting is. I think on mine it was 4.12 or 4.15V. Max on an 18650 cell is 4.2V

 

[stuartv]

The BMS is probably going to limit the charge to whatever the max voltage per cell is set in the app. So driving a higher voltage in the charger won't change your final state of charge. I have the android version and I'm not near the scooter so I can't check what the stock BMS cell voltage setting is. I think on mine it was 4.12 or 4.15V. Max on an 18650 cell is 4.2V

I just checked and the BMS says max of 4130 mV.

But, there are other settings for over voltage protection and release. A bunch of parameters that I'm not sure exactly about exactly what affects what.

And no desire right now to figure it out. It works well just like it is.

 

[rjack321]

Voltage protection and release are telling the BMS when to cut off charging (overvoltage). There are similar settings for when to cutoff discharging (short circuit) and what resets the BMS after events like those.
You shouldn't need to mess with any of those. And similarly the practical difference between charging to 4.13 and 4.2 is about 1.5% of capacity, at the expense of battery longevity - so probably not worth taking months off the battery life in exchange for 10mins more battery time that in all likelihood you wont actually use.

 

[cosmosaure]

I just checked and the BMS says max of 4130 mV.

But, there are other settings for over voltage protection and release. A bunch of parameters that I'm not sure exactly about exactly what affects what.

And no desire right now to figure it out. It works well just like it is.

What cells make up the battery?
Once this information is known, simply refer to the manufacturer's datasheets to find out the characteristics of the recommended load.

 

[rjack321]

What cells make up the battery?
Once this information is known, simply refer to the manufacturer's datasheets to find out the characteristics of the recommended load.

18650s - I'm guessing various makes & models have been used as suppliers have changed over the 2+ years the warp cores have been made.
The expensive bluetooth BMS is controlling all the charge and discharge functions. The default settings in the BMS were already set the way they were at the manufacturer.

 

[stuartv]

I changed a profile in the charger to charge at 5.0A.

I hooked it up to my Genesis and it ran for maybe a minute. The BMS app (on iPhone) showed an "overcurrent protection fault" and the charger stopped charging.

I changed the charger profile to run at 4.9A and hooked it up again. It has been running with no issues for 5 or 10 minutes now.

Looking at the BMS app, it is showing the BMS charging at a current that is changing back and forth between 4.93 and 4.97A.

I'm taking that as an indication that it was running at something like 5.03 to 5.07A on the previous setting. Based on what Jon emailed me, that is why the charging stopped.

So, now I am feeling settled. I have "Fast" profiles for charging to 74.8V @ 4.9A and 67V @ 4.9A, and "not-Fast" profiles for charging to 74.8V @ 4.0A and 67V @ 4.0A. And one for charging to 75.6V @ 4.0A, if I should ever feel a need.

In case anybody gets this charger and wants an Easy button, I'm attaching a zip file of the saved off profiles I created. The zip just contains one XML file, which you can load into the Satiator charger using the Satiator software for your PC/Mac.