Welcome to PowerLab 6, the second offering in the amazing Cellpro PowerLab series from FMA Direct and Revolectrix. Built on the same framework as the original Cellpro PowerLab 8, this latest Battery Workstation provides a virtually identical feature-set as the original. Capable of charging, discharging, monitoring, or performing multiple cycles on any current or future battery chemistry at alarming speed, PL6 is optimized to balance the need for high power, high current operations against the need for small size and affordability. The PowerLab 6 consumes some 23% less volume (size) than the original PowerLab 8. In keeping with the PowerLab philosophy, at $0.16 per WATT, it blows the lid off the competition and represents unprecedented VALUE. But power is only one part of the equation. Read the information, and talk to people who own a PowerLab and they'll tell you why and how it out-paces any other brand on the market in terms of it's rich feature-set, ease of operation, as well as it's expandability. You will be hard pressed to find a more stream-lined user interface, or more capable, native, and free P.C. software. Add to these facts, the industry's first, well-conceived plan to support safe parallel charging of virtually any number of same-cell-count packs all at once, and you will realize that the investment in PL6 has paid for itself many times over. You no longer need more batteries. You need a battery workstation that can charge, discharge, cycle or monitor many packs faster than you can fly them to depletion!
The Cellpro PowerLab 6 Battery Workstation directly supports all Cellpro Revolectrix battery packs by using the PowerLab basic adapter (available separately). Revolectrix also sells adapters separately to interface with various manufacturer's batteries, including the ALL NEW safe parallel adapters which can be daisy-chained to allow simultaneous, safe parallel charge of multiple packs. PowerLab 6 uses the same adapters as PowerLab 8. If you already own PowerLab 8 adapters, you are set.
More on the PowerLab Philosophy:
Power is important, but means little without other key features of SAFETY, RELIABILITY, FLEXIBILITY, and INTUITIVE OPERATION; the key elements that are painstakingly crafted into the Cellpro product line. The competition will come along with powerful chargers after we lead, but they will have trouble harnessing this power.
From the massive, over-sized heat sink, to the large cooling fan...From the 40A, 1000W (@ 30VDC/40A input) synchronous charging circuitry, to the 1000W capable "regenerative discharge" capability (see details below)...
Everything about this all-inclusive battery management system screams EXCESSIVE.
SAFETY
Do not be scared off by the claims of this advertisement by thinking this is too much charger for you. This may be the safest, simplest charger you will ever use. That's because it's a Cellpro, and being a Cellpro, that means you can not make a mistake when you use it. It simply will not let you. The charger will never let you charge a LiPo by selecting the wrong cell count. It knows how many cells are connected by monitoring charge voltage on each cell in the pack individually. It performs an entire series of tests to make sure the battery is hooked up correctly to the charger before it ever even starts to charge, checking for valid voltages on each cell, reverse polarity conditions, reversed node wiring to name a few. It constantly monitors the total pack voltage and compares that to the sum of the individual cells. It can not and will not ever charge a single lithium cell above the proper end-of-charge voltage, and because it is a Cellpro, it assures you of the most accurate, laboratory quality readings at all times. Every single Cellpro charger is factory calibrated using custom test equipment developed by the engineering team at FMA in the United States. Furthermore, if a pack has been over-discharged, it will automatically enter low-voltage restore mode. It will reduce charge voltage during cold weather to extend battery life; all parameters associated with this feature can be adjusted by the customer. Even though batteries in general, and especially lithium batteries, represent a volatile potential, the PowerLab 6 reduces the risks associated with maintaining any size battery, any chemistry by magnitudes over other brands. Safety has always been at the forefront of all FMA charger designs. PowerLab 6 represents the next phase in the evolution of safety.
RELIABILITY
Take top-notch components capable of handling all of the stresses associated with super-high power, high voltage operation; things like an over-sized heat sink, extra-heavy 12AWG input wire (now terminating in an EC-5 female pin connector), a large cooling fan and a gigantic sendust core toroid inductor to handle higher input current and combine these with stable firmware/software that is thoroughly tested in-house and with outside beta testing, and what you get is a new standard in reliability. We don't like getting chargers back from the field for any reason. That's why we've gone the extra mile on the PowerLab series.
FLEXIBILITY
No, the new Cellpro PowerLab 6 is not just another charger on the block. In fact, it is not just another charger at all. It is an all-encompassing battery management and analysis tool. It is compact, powerful, and easy to use. Combining this kind of performance with the ability to autonomously cycle batteries, graphing all aspects of charge and discharge at the cell level (using the free Charge Control Software) and over multiple cycles provides you with key information about any chemistry battery you might have. As well it will tell you the quality of your battery by monitoring and graphing internal resistance at the cell level; more accurately and faster than ever. It will maximize the health of your batteries and it will quite possibly re-juvinate batteries you thought were beyond rapair. It will do all of this faster and more accurately than other chargers by means of the industry's highest (and adjustable) power balancing current available. After all, what good is 40A of potential charger current if you back it up with spindly balance current? But most importantly, through the type of data the PL6 can provide, it will tell you if you are safe to fly with your battery.
And when we say flexible, we mean it. Simply by calling up the appropriate User Preset, it's EASY to go from charging or cycling something like 40AH, 6s worth of batteries at 40A continuous output in a little over 1 hour, to a 20mAh, 1s LiPo at 10mA.
So you don't have a 12v, 500W or a 30v, 1200W power supply lying around? Not many people do. With smart power management in the PL6, it's easy to limit the unit's input current to match what you do have. This innovative feature has been standard on Cellpro chargers for years but has been vastly expanded in the new PL6. It is now possible to create 2 unique and custom Input Power Source profiles. Using the CCS, begin with a template and adjust parameters to meet your needs. Or enter the appropriate parameters right at the charger. Then easily choose between "Battery" or "Power Supply" input each time (and one time) before you start to use the PL6. Now, thanks to the new 4 button, intuitive interface and high capacity microcontroller in the PowerLab 6, adjusting power limiting at the CCS or at the PL6 just got a whole lot easier.
But perhaps one of the coolest new features makes PL6 the "greenest" battery management system on the planet. Environmentally friendly, regenerative discharge capability of up to 1000W. Unlike traditional methods of discharge, which deplete the output battery's energy in the form of heat across a transistor, regenerative discharge takes most of that energy and puts it back into the input battery. In other words, when you discharge your LiPo for storage, you will be re-charging your Lead Acid input battery. The total amount of power that you can achieve is limited only by the amount of current that your input battery can accept, or 1000W, whichever is lower. Regenerative discharge is an optional feature. Turn it on when you need the highest power discharge. Turn it off and use standard internal discharge of up to 50W if you choose.
INTUITIVE OPERATION
The original Cellpro 4s introduced the whole idea of a super-safe, super-simple charger with power balancing built right into the charger. The Cellpro 10s expanded on this theme enabling customers to do two batteries simultaneously. It also introduced the concept of two-way P.C. communication opening up new doors into customization at the customer level, not just in terms of printing graphs, creating or modifying presets or charger settings, but in streamlined and 100% reliable firmware updates. Cellpro Multi4 took these concepts and extended them to multi-chemistry batteries and open architecture presets, fully customizable with some 80 adjustable parameters. Still, the chargers are easy to use and fool-proof. That's what we hear day after day from happy customers around the world. Sure, they are rich in features, but designed to be simple to use and simple to understand. Cellpro PowerLab is the epitome of the Cellpro philosophy. Its basic operation is patterned after the Multi4, so if you have one of those, you will instantly be familiar with the charger as well as the free Charge Control Software (CCS). But the unit sports a totally new 4 button interface for accessing information. Let's face it, with 4 buttons, it's just easier to use. You requested it. We gave it to you. When REVOLECTRIX says "Designed by You", that's what we mean.
Major Features
Selectable charge rates range 10mA to 40A
Continuous maximum output power rating, 1000W @ +30VDC input voltage, 408W @ +12VDC input voltage
Using +30VDC to +32VDC input, 1000W output will deliver full current rating (40A) over the full range of output voltage up to 25.2V
Industry's first "daisy-chainable" Safe Parallel adapters available to maximize available power potential. Safely connect virtually any number (2s-6s for any brand or 2s-8s Cellpro compatible) of equal cell count/capacity together in parallel; charge, discharge, cycle, or monitor on a single PowerLab 6 unit. These items are peripheral products, available separately or as part of Combo packages, not included as a part of the basic PowerLab 6 unit. PowerLab 6 and PowerLab 8 both use the same adapters.
Smart power management allows customer to select between programmable input power sources. Using the Charge Control Software (CCS), choose from several templates to get you in the ballpark, then fine tune the settings. Available settings include power supply input current limit, input low voltage limit, regenerative discharge rate and voltage limit. PowerLab 6 stores 1 set-up for Power Supply and 1 set-up for Battery and asks for verification one time on start-up
PowerLab 6 does not support charging through balance wires only. For balanced charging, unit requires balance wires in combination with discharge wires (charge rate support up to 40A max)
Initiate charge, discharge, monitor, and multiple cycles at the PL6 or via remote control from the CCS. Graph all major operations when using CCS.
Open Architecture presets allow for customization of any User Preset including show/hide presets on unit, preset name editing, up to 100 parameters control how presets are displayed and charging/discharge/cycling parameters associated with particular batteries and/or charging strategies. Unit includes 25 user preset banks pre-loaded for most major battery type/chemistries, plus 50 library presets.
Environmentally friendly, industry first, regenerative discharge capability of up to 1000W. Unlike traditional methods of discharge, which deplete the output battery's energy in the form of heat across a transistor, regenerative discharge takes most of that energy and puts it back into the input battery. In other words, when you discharge your LiPo for storage, you will be re-charging your Lead Acid input battery. The total amount of power that you can achieve is limited only by the amount of current that your input battery can accept, or 1000W, whichever is lower.
PowerLab 6 is also equipped with a traditional, 50W internal discharge capability which is non-regenerative.
Large cooling fan
Massive over-sized internal heat sink
12AWG silicon input power cable terminating in an EC-5 female pin connector. A plier clip assembly with EC-5 on one end and red/black plier clips on the other is available as an accessory item.
Massive sendust core toroid capable of 40A continuous input current requirement for maximum output specifications
Other Features
Supports native Cellpro batteries automatically with the PowerLab basic adapter (sold seperately)
Adapters available for all popular R/C battery brands
2 line, 16 character backlit LCD
Available opto-isolated PC interface and free Charge Control Software (CCS)
Intuitive 4 button user interface
Sleek and attractive high-impact ABS enclosure for maximum airflow efficiency
Sturdy Aluminum top panel with reliable, recessed tactile buttons
Quick "preset over-ride access" to common charging parameters like setting charge and discharge current and operational modes of charge / discharge / monitor / cycle(s)
Additional advanced options menu for adjusting in-depth charging parameters and global options at the unit
GUI PC software (CCS) allows access to 25 User Presets and 50 Library Presets stored in the unit or available in unlimited number on the P.C.
Free and reliable firmware updates for the life of the product using the CCS
Automatic Low voltage restore for recovering damaged or overdischarged packs
Programmable options allow speaker ON/OFF or volume, customized welcome screen, and much more
Cold weather mode reduces end-charge voltage; parameters adjustable by customer including ON/OFF, end-charge voltage offset reduction, and temperature
Multiple product cases can be interlocked
Expansion Channel mode whereby one PowerLab 6 Primary (Master) can control one or more Expansion Channel Units, send over preset information, control all aspects of charging and balancing. This feature is perfect for charging multiple packs of same chemistry using multiple devices such as split packs connected in series during operation all at unbelievable rates.
Auto charge mode available utilizing advanced fuel gauging technology
Customizable fuel table lookup values based on presets. Fuel tables can be created using a Fuel Table Wizard in the CCS and applied to individual battery brands by presets for improved accuracy
* Please note: all specifications and features listed above subject to change without notice.
For Battery types: Lithium Polymer (1s to 6s balanced, 1s to 2s unbalanced), Lithium Ion (1s to 6s balanced, 1s to 2s unbalanced), Lithium Manganese (1s to 6s balanced, 1s to 2s unbalanced), A123 (LiFePO4) (1s to 6s balanced, 1s to 8s unbalanced), NiCd (1s to 19s), NiMH (1s to 19s), 6v, 12v, 24v Lead Acid batteries (Flooded, Gel, AGM, SLA)
Power conversion: Synchronous DC/DC converter, supports multiple switcher frequencies of 31.25 kHz, 62.5 kHz, 125 kHz; user selectable by preset, 85% to 93% efficiency depending on output current
Output battery charge current: Adjustable range 10mA to 40A, limited by 40A input current*
Output battery discharge current: Internal discharge 10mA to 8A, 50W max Regenerative discharge 10mA to 40A, 1000W max**
Cell balancing: Resolution 78uV (16 bit) for 1s-8s Li or A123 (LiFePO4) balanced charging
Voltage calibration: Cell voltage measurements are factory calibrated to a standard traceable to NIST; calibration is to +/- 6 mV
Current calibration: Charge current is factory calibrated on a 4A standard; calibration is to +/- 1mA
Measurement accuracy: Voltage resolution: 78uV (16 bit) Voltage tolerance: +/- 6mV Charge current: +/- 1% Capacity added to pack: +/- 1% Percent capacity (“Fuel”): +/- 5% (with accurate fuel table defined for battery being charged)
Serial data output: 19.2kbps, 8 bits, 1 start bit, 1 stop bit, no parity
Data integrity: Checksum, CRC checking
Cooling fans: Single, 13 CFM, 50mm diameter
Heat sink: Internal 120W aluminum, thin finned
Output battery connector: “Cellpro” compatible, JST PA series, 9 position
Electric 
