TRP Battery manager

[refsiul22]

Just found out about this upcoming product/software from TRP

We will be able to analyze batteries, download results to your computer and use that info to match cells.

Heard price will be around $60

http://mini-zracer.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=178&pictureid=1784

source:
http://www.trpscale.com/miniz/
http://trp.cc/

[lfisminiz]

Nice! Good idea.

[arch2b]

i take it this never materialized?

[KWT]

They show the hardware on the website and also a link to the program.

http://www trpscale com/miniz/product/rp_manager-discharger/

[mikimotor]

Just to post the Windows 10 image version.
http://www.trpscale.com/miniz/wp-content/uploads/captura_rp_manager-300x207.png

[arch2b]

ah, i see PN is selling this here for our market.

[briankstan]

I just picked one up and have used it for the first time yesterday, I did find a few really bad cells in my sets, I also matched some of the set, time will tell if it helps.

I've always just kept the batteries in the set they came in, but I always did have some that were better than others. Hopefully this will help with knowing what my batteries are doing.

[arch2b]

please let us know of your findings based on practical results. i've not invested any measure of time in battery management myself and simply take them in or out of my box in any order they are placed. i do cycle them all the week of racing, thats about as far as my preparation goes.

[Mike Keely]

I always wondered if you matched your cells Brian. I have not done it in years. All my cells are in one big pile in the top of my race box. :confused::eek: It is jet skiing weather around here. Most cases I will be out on the water on Saturdays. I guess I will need to start doing a little home work on my cells in the future. :( I usually only work on my stuff at the track.

[lfisminiz]

I just picked one up and have used it for the first time yesterday, I did find a few really bad cells in my sets, I also matched some of the set, time will tell if it helps.

I've always just kept the batteries in the set they came in, but I always did have some that were better than others. Hopefully this will help with knowing what my batteries are doing.

Im pretty much the same....just run them the way they are. But, going to try this...sometime...when i have the time! :p

[briankstan]

I always wondered if you matched your cells Brian. I have not done it in years. All my cells are in one big pile in the top of my race box. :confused::eek: It is jet skiing weather around here. Most cases I will be out on the water on Saturdays. I guess I will need to start doing a little home work on my cells in the future. :( I usually only work on my stuff at the track.

I'm the same, I just figured I give it a shot, I had a few sets that really felt weak so I figued rather than just trash the whole set like I use to I would give this a go and find those bad batteries and just get rid of them.

I've never matched batteries so we'll see if this helps or not. I'll keep you guys updated on how it works out for me. :cool:

[mikimotor]

rp_manager not only helps in make good or better packs of batteries, also helps a lot to learn how to charge the batteries in order to obtain a better results on race.

As you will see after long use is that some ways to charge the batteries will give better results on the same cell, so I think this is also important to prepare the batteries for race.

Im my case, I realized that for get better results with the same cell, I need discharge to 0.9v, charge (1.2) .
Another important thing is that you need be sure that the discharging/equalizer process must be never under 0.9V, there are some dischargers that can't control this. If you are not sure that if your equalizer is doing that you can download the equalizer app for rp_manager.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrA14bGYgEk

[arch2b]

not discounting that at all but for the average user, who gets time to change cells before race day and little else, the practical benefit is if it easily and reliably aids in sorting those cells into more efficient packs. i'd love to be able to say i would tailor my practices to best make use of and charge, discharge each cell but realistically, i get a couple days before race day to simply run them through a cycle and back in their box to be topped off before use. at the end of the day, they all go back in their box and wait for the next cycle. If i were competing regionally, nationally, or by some miracle had the opportunity to race more than twice a month i would likely take more time to dedicate to cell management but for most drivers, and i consider myself an average driver, were lucky to remember to cycle the cells before the next race day and tinkering with the cars happens maybe 2-4 days a month. i'm always interested in practical, reliable, and time effecient means to make use of time and materials and if this bit of kit can be easily integrated into a routine that would better make use of what i do have, i'm very interested. :cool: i can squeeze in a weekend to sort my cells every couple months, maybe. :rolleyes: i have a motor break in stand and bearing cleaner with a nice layer of fine dust suggesting otherwise :rolleyes:

[mikimotor]

:)
I understand you perfectly.

But most of us in Spain we are doing races each week, and as you know we try to go to all important races in Europe and overseas, (USA/HK/JPN/Europe) since 2004.
Last year in Italy we got a nice experience when we saw drivers using different brand cells in same pack and in their cars and.... we got the conclusion with the results that it will be absolutely necessary to select the batteries if we want to win next race :-D

[arch2b]

in those circumstances, i completely agree :p i don't know how you guys pull off racing every week... it's an envious thing you do. status of organized racing in the north american market is vastly different than it is just about everywhere else for whatever reason. i can certainly understand and appreciate the level of competition and preparedness required to compete over there.

[mikimotor]

This is the advantage of miniz. You can play much more time than other rc scale cars.

I can remember when I run with my 1:8 gas... I had a year only 52 Weeks, 20 week end was not good wheather, 5 of them i got to go to a weading or other compromises, rest ... my wife always said .... you had to be with your family .... so finally I just take my car 8 times a year :-D

With miniz, I can play all week and week ends too.:):):)

[Mike Keely]

i have a motor break in stand and bearing cleaner with a nice layer of fine dust suggesting otherwise :rolleyes:

:D:D:D:D I have no clue how many things that I have bought and used them once or twice and are just collecting dust now. Just don't tell my wife!!:eek:

[unclearty]

Has anyone purchased one of these and used it yet? I'm very curious about this device.

[unclearty]

It's now been a few months...anyone tried this analyzer out yet?
We run 4 AAAs per race.....6 to 8 races a night....times 7 drivers......I'd really like to find a way to rate my cells and perhaps match them better than just guessing.

[briankstan]

I have it and have used it to go through all my batteries, the biggest thing that I know it help was to find some of my really bad batteries and I just tossed them. I did group them together and so far I have been happy with the results.

I don't know how often one should test and re-match the batteries. I'm just leaning as I go and have time to mess with it.

All of my batteries are pretty old and I'll probably be replacing them in the next few months. I'll cycle them all several times and then I'll use the analyzer to match them.

[arch2b]

if this does all individual readings, why limit to 4 cells? this is highly inefficient when most have a box of cells to go through. I would rather pay a bit more for a version that accommodates a greater number of cell that would markedly reduce the overall time spent going through all my cells.

[briankstan]

if this does all individual readings, why limit to 4 cells? this is highly inefficient when most have a box of cells to go through. I would rather pay a bit more for a version that accommodates a greater number of cell that would markedly reduce the overall time spent going through all my cells.

I would totally agree with this, would be nice if there was one that could do maybe 10 cells. it would have been faster for sure.

[arch2b]

what i do not see explained is the criteria used to match the batteries from the data generated by the software.

how does the software correspond to generation of labels? TRP shows labels available for purchase.
Battery label, with bar code and with unique code.
For AAA battery. Its a easy way to identify your batteries when matching process.

[arch2b]

TRP site has a decent looking case this appears to slide into. Looks like a 3D printed product. Anyone have details on the labels?

How long does the process take for 4 cells?

[briankstan]

TRP site has a decent looking case this appears to slide into. Looks like a 3D printed product. Anyone have details on the labels?

How long does the process take for 4 cells? I didn't use the labels or bar code, when you put the batteries in you label them. I just numbered my batteries.

you charge the set and then put them in the manager, Label the batteries according to the slot they are in and start the manager, you can let them run for 20 minutes if yo want, I set a time and stopped them just after 8 minutes as that is what our races run for. the battery manager does a discharge cycle that in a way replicates a race, drain stop, drain stop, kind of like on throttle off throttle.

after you stop it you can save the results and import them into their online "cloud" this allows you to sort the batteries into the the best sets based on the data collected from each battery. you can sort them by best set for 8 minute race and then group those batty numbers together for your set.

hope that explains it.

[arch2b]

just picked this up yesterday and looking to give it a try. is there a diagram to tell which channel corresponds to the channels illustrated in the software? the board is not marked in any way and no diagram provided with the product leaving you to guess which way is up. no instructions provided or link to download the software, drivers other than to say come here to hunt for it on our site.

[arch2b]

anyone able to explain to a layman how to interpret the information to match appropriately?