# Turbo 35 'charge limit' with deadshorted GP's?



## tfrahm (Nov 14, 1998)

I did a search and couldn't find this being posted, although I thought I'd seen something on it before. If there is a thread, point me to it -- if not, "jump in"...

I've seen a trend for some time now with my dead shorted GP 3300's (4-cell Oval)... When I charge them on my Turbo 35, they *ALWAYS* "peak" with charge time of 2719 seconds (5 amp charge)... I never thought much of it, although it was pretty weird, because I never had a problem that I related to that... I "always" re-peak right before my race, and things have always been fine...

*Until...*

Saturday night, getting ready for my main, I timed my charge about right, so the battery would be 'hot off the charger' for the race... strapped it in, went out and the car was "off" by 1-2 tenths -- really a BUMMER! After the race, everything checks out just fine... I cycled the pack and the numbers are as good as ever... I dyno'd the motor and the numbers are what you'd expect after being raced (still very close to "fresh" numbers)...

Then it dawned on me... I don't remember RE-peaking the pack for the main. (Remember the perfect timing I spoke of...)....

Is it possible that there IS a charge limit on the Turbo 35, and I didn't get a GENUINE "peak" on my pack...?

*HELP!* Your thoughts and comments please....

PS: FWIW -- After the race, when I discharged the pack, the voltage numbers were a "little" off (about 0.15v for the pack) -- not much, but it amounts to about 3-4%, and in Oval racing, that matter... What tripped me on the charge limit thing is that, when I cycle my packs, I do two (2) peaks prior to the discharge for the cycle... This would "hide" a charge limit on the first peak and explain why the pack cycled "normally" at home after the races...????


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## Alpha (Sep 19, 2002)

I know earlier Turbo chargers had a charge limit. I think it was about 3000 mah. I believe CE changed the limit to 5000 mah on turbo's with the stealth software. You can have your turbo upgraded to the newerer soft if that is the case.


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## BrentP (Mar 1, 2002)

Tom, I have an old 5 button Turbo 30 that always stops at 1800 seconds at 6 amps. The way around it for me is to stop the charge cycle at around 800 seconds & restart it immediately. I do it fast enough that the display #'s just barely change so I don't think the pack really see's it. But when I cycle my packs on it, there doesn't seem to be a limit. Durring the charge portion of the cycle, every pack stops at a different time & they are all over 2000 seconds. I don't know if this is the problem you are having but you might try stopping the charge cycle in the middle somewhere & see if your total charge time is more than 2719. If it is then you have figured out your problem & can either fix it or use my work around. I called CE about upgrading mine but they don't offer any upgrades for it. So until I can afford to trade it in or buy another charger, I will have to deal with it.


__________________
Brent Pearcy
Bulit Motorsports, TQCells


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## The Jet (Sep 25, 2001)

My T-35 ia an older unit and it too has a "safety" cutoff @ 2400 seconds. It's a failsafe to help prevent overcharging. I get around it by charging @ 6.5. Last night I had a pack peak at 2398 seconds LOL.


Later, Bret


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## SlipNSlide (Jul 6, 2004)

Sooo, is eveyone saying that some older Turbo 30/35s cannot handle charging the new GP3300?

because if you read their web site, they say everything is just fine and dandy.
If you read the SMC Batteries site, Dan lists the Turbo 30/35 as being fine and having been tested.

So, is CE lying to its customers?
So, is SMC lying to its customers?

How would one know if thier CE Turbo 30/35 is ok to work with higher MAH batteries?

Kinda pisses me off


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## Tres (May 10, 1999)

I would call CE and talk to Jim...


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## ts (Sep 28, 2001)

My older 35 charges my 3300s just fine. Sometimes I got a message when cycling (can't remember the message) but CE told me to set the number of cells to 6 and change the cutoff to 3.60 when cycling 4cells. Same when cycling 6 cells, set the # of cells to 7 and set it's cutoff to 5.4. Works perfect now.


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## tfrahm (Nov 14, 1998)

Thanks for the info... Looks like it IS sort of "just the way it is" for this charger... I didn't find my paper copy of the manual, but a pdf of the T35 manual I downloaded a long time ago includes this paragraph:



> *The charge mode will only allow a maximum of 3800mahr charge before automatically shutting off. This is to assure that batteries that tend not to peak will be shut off before they are overcharged excessively.*


Looks like I'll have to do a short "initial" charge and follow with a "final" charge... If this text is right, changing the amp rate won't help, as it says it cuts off at 3800 mAh, not some fixed number of seconds...? I suppose I could set the T35 profile up to always do two peaks...? (Thats what I do when cycling packs and it seems to work ok...)


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## baih (Sep 26, 2001)

i know for the turbo 35bl and stealth there are different versions of software.

the latest is 6.0. i called ce two weeks ago to see how much for a upgrade.
$25.00 for the chip and they will mail it to you.


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## SlipNSlide (Jul 6, 2004)

Tres:

I contacted CE yesterday, Jim sent me an Email stating that the Turbo 30s have a 3000MaH maximum failsafe. At 6amps that would be 1800sec. because its calculated this way:

(secs/3600) * 6000

When I start up my Turbo 30, it gives this version of the software:

****Version 4.5 ****
Competion Electronics

Jim stated that you will need to repeak, or in my case, remember to repeak. Short of purchasing GFX 35, you are SOL because they will not upgrade the Turbo 30.

I guess I am upset at two points:

1) Nothing in the original manual (which I have) states this problem
2) Nothing on their website states that this problem exists
3) Don't see any of the battery guys (SMC) who recommend the T30 stating that the T30 has a problem. Simple note like (Due to T30 limit.....you will need to peak twice) or, if you have Version X.XX you must repeak.

I can deal with the issue, just wish there had been a tech note someplace. I guess now I know why I never have anything left in my batteries at the end of the run -- they never were fully charged!


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## DC71 (Dec 6, 2003)

The original T30 instructions wouldn't mention this because when it was manufactured there was only Nicad batteries from the range of 1400 to 2000 Mah. Not the 3300's Nimh we have today.


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## Mayhem (May 5, 2002)

I own one of the orig. t-30 tan case models, and a newer T-35-BL. On the tan case model, I simply stop the charge somewhere in the middle, and re-start the charge, no big deal. If I forget, my pre-race repeak takes care of the problem. The beauty of the tan case model is that it will start a dead shorted pack charging right after you take the jumper off the pack unlike the finnicky GFX that makes you wait 10 mins before you can charge a dead shorted pack. Mine has a 3000MaH limit.
My T-35 Bl has a 3800MaH limit, usually not a problem, maybe though with the newer 3600 cells. There IS a really annoying problem with the T-35-BL that many people dont know about. The t-35-BL has an automatic 60 sec. lockout, in addition to the optional long lockout feature. EVERY time you charge a pack, including a re-peak, the 60 second lockout takes effect. One night while cycling packs, I set the 2nd peak to .03 dropback. I watched the display and to my horror the pack kept charging well past the .03 limit. Jim at CE didnt believe what I noticed and told me to call him back after he had a chance to cycle a pack on his T-35. Apparently the 60 sec lockout occurs even on repeak, when the pack is fully charged, an obvious oversight on CE's part. Bottom line, when re-peaking a fully charged pack it locks out until 60 secs expires, THEN starts counting the .03 dropback. Very easy to fry a pack when peaking at a high amp rate as I sometimes do. CE sent me a revised chip that eliminated the 60 sec. lockout in every instance, but caused more problems than it solved because of false peaking dead shorted packs. Great charger, but an annoying bug for a lab quality piece of equipment to have. Nothing a line of code couldnt fix I would guess. When you get a little time to kill, check it out on yours.


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## SlipNSlide (Jul 6, 2004)

I recieved another email from CE

The

****Version 4.5 ****
Competion Electronics

of the software has a 3800Mah limit. For higher rate cells, you will need to repeak.

T-35 abd BL35 owners can call to get the latest firmware upgrade.

Mayhem: For dead-shorted cells I have been told to connect the battery with the voltage sensing probes and wait until the voltage of the pack rises to about 5v and then start the charge. Otherwise, start the charge at 1amp for 60sec and then stop and do your normal charge.


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## highster (Dec 15, 2002)

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I have always wonder why my packs charged on my T30s always seemed different as compared to the same packs being charged on my GFX...........


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## Tres (May 10, 1999)

I would think the 2nd re-peak would do it....But, I guess not....hmmmmm
I didn't know out the 60 sec auto lockout...


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