Welcome to cheali-charger!

This fork is for personal use. Feel free to use it but there might be errors. I develop this for my own charger to suit my needs. If you have an idea just add a comment.

I try to keep up with merging changes from the orginal project.

If you want an always-working version use: https://github.com/stawel/cheali-charger

• New menu screen added ("battery id") after program selection, 300 different batterie selectable. up to 65000 possible (need changes in source).
• Logging with new frame (frame id 9): $9;program;timestamp;battery_id;crc
• The new 9 frame is sent at the first 30 secondes and then only once every 60 seconds.

Todo:

• send the complete program with the 9 frame
• setting in uart to switch on/off the 9 frame, to be compatible with logger software
• setting on/off for the batter id feature
• setting in battery menu to switch offbattery id for single programms.

<<<<<<< HEAD This project is an alternative firmware for a variety of lipo chargers,
see hardware.

Calibration

Connect a NOT fully charged LiPo battery to the main leads
and the balance port, if you don't own a battery with a
balance connector, just connect a regular one (~4V)
to the main leads and the balance port first two pins
(pin "0" <--> Bat-, pin "1" <--> Bat+).

go to: "options"->"calibrate":

• voltage calibration: go to "voltage"
  • use a voltmeter to measure voltage on all cells and the power supply voltage (Vin)
    and set voltage on Vin, Vb1, Vb2, .., Vb6
    • only Vb1 is mandatory, battery main leads and balance port must be connected
    • you need to change at least one value (this will copy V1-6 voltage to Vbat)
• charge current calibration:
  • connect your amperemeter in series with the battery, use the 10A(20A) input
  • disconnect balance port
  • go to "I charge"
    • go to: "50mA" (100mA on some versions)
      press "start" button (current flow should be visible on amperemeter)
      press "Inc", "Dec" buttons until the amperemeter shows 50mA (100mA on some versions)
      press "start" button to save the setting
    • go to: "1000mA"
      press "start" button
      press "Inc", "Dec" buttons until the amperemeter shows 1000mA
      press "start" button to save the setting
      WARNING: the battery will be charged with high current!
• discharge current calibration: go to "I discharge"
  Repeat the same steps as before
  WARNING: the battery will be discharged with high current!
• when needed: external (or internal) temperature probe calibration: go to "temp extern" ("temp intern") You have to set two calibration points

Done.
If you have any problems with calibration, go to "options"->"reset default" and try again.

Calibration - Expert (IMAX B6) - optional

Building from Source

Troubleshooting

1. After flashing I see "options" and some strange characters in the second line (for example: squares), what should I do?

• reset the charger to default settings (go to: "options"->"reset default" and press the "start" button)

2. I get "calib. error": see this.

Atmega32 CPU:

1. After flashing charger doesn't work (display shows squares):

• download the *.hex again, use the "RAW" button in github
• check the sha1 sum of the file, compare it with *.sha1:
  • linux: $sha1sum cheali-charger*.hex
  • windows: install Microsoft File Checksum Integrity Verifier
    • in cmd.exe: fciv.exe -sha1 -add cheali-charger-*.hex

2. Sha1 sum is correct and the charger still doesn't work (display shows squares):

• reset atmega32 fuses using avrdude:
  • windows: avrdude.exe -patmega32 -cusbasp -Uhfuse:w:0xc5:m -Ulfuse:w:0x3f:m
  • linux: avrdude -patmega32 -cusbasp -Uhfuse:w:0xc5:m -Ulfuse:w:0x3f:m

Useful materials

• Iggnus fork, branch: v0.99, v0.33+
• njozsef fork
• sasam M0517 flash tools
• [Cheali Charger v1.00 Manual / User Guide](docs/users_docs/Cheali Charger 1.00 User Manual English_draft_002.pdf) (draft 002) by PascalRZ
• Cheali Charger V0.33m - User Guide: English, Hungarian
• balancer modification, Hungarian: pdf, website
• Gyuiri's schematics: turnigy 2X400, turnigy 2x200, turnigy 8150
• Imax B6 Schematic, rcgroups
• Panasonic ni-mh-handbook-2014, Duracell Ni-MH_Rechargeable_Batteries_2007
• batteryuniversity.com
• Atmel AVR463: Charging Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries with ATAVRBC100
• Atmel AVR121: Enhancing ADC resolution by oversampling
• Programming of different charge methods with the BaSyTec Battery Test System
• Pulse Charging NiMh Batteries Candle Power Forums
• 9 stages Charge algorithm

Mailing list

If you have any questions or suggestions please write to us at: cheali-chargerATgooglegroups.com
or visit: http://groups.google.com/group/cheali-charger
The mailing list is open for all.

91eac275d5ac69fe9bc3450acd35ea29a744e372

Don't use it if You don't need to
(not everything is implemented yet).