Orbit Pocketlader pc interface cable

[skew]

I didn't see it posted anywhere so I thought I would post what I figured out. Its basicly a serial port interface with a resistor inline on the rx & tx lines.

serial 3.5mm stereo jack
pin3--270 ohm resistor----tip connection
pin2--270 ohm resistor----center connection
pin5----------------------bottom connection ground shield

You can open hyperterminal on the com port @ 9600 baud while charging it will display this
#N00009,05989,00500
#N00010,05998,00500

the first part is seconds,second is voltage 5.99vlts,the last is amp .5

It also works in Orbit's Microlog Software and I did a firmware update to 2.15 with no problem :) Enjoy

[dang]

Sweet. Thanks for taking time to post this.
Dan

[meteor]

I'm not positive, but I think that the PocketLader (not Microlader) uses TTL level outputs at the unit, and there is a RS232 level converter chip inside the serial cable headshell, which creates the required +/- 12V signals for PC's.

The MAX232 is an example of the type of chip it uses, but they use a much lower-power SMD chip. (Dallas DS275, I think)


So, it's not just a simple wire connection from a Pocketlader to a PC 9-pin plug.


Hope this helps.

[peter_jensen]

Thanks for the useful info guys!

I confirmed today at work with a scope that the SIO port on my Orbit Pocketlader is indeed a TTL (5V) serial signal.

Many PC/USB converter serial ports will talk to TTL serial signals, and many microcontrollers will not be harmed by the full RS232 signals, but meteor is correct, and this is very not recommended.

I re-purposed a MAX232 circuit I built for connecting my Multiplex Evo to my computer by adding an external power supply option and a stereo jack for the SIO port, but if I were some random hobbyist reading this and didn't want to solder or buy the official cable, I would recommend getting yourself:

RS232 Shifter SMD
SKU#: PType-Shifter-SMD
Price: $9.95
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=449

and some sort of 5V power supply; you would want to use an actual regulated 5V for this. The sparkfun product http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=114 would probably work just fine, or you could use one of the LM7805 family of voltage regulators to feed it from the 12V supply that you're giving to the charger.

I don't know how much the official cable costs, but if you wire things up neatly you can make yourself a TTL <-> RS232 level converter that's useful for all sorts of microcontroller-based things where they're too cheap to include the circuitry on board or where it doesn't make sense to do so.

For reference, I used option #2 from this PDF for my Royal Evo cable:
http://www.sea-gull.demon.co.uk/sMPX%20Cable.pdf
The tip of the Pocketlader SIO connector goes in to PIN 10 on the MAX232, and the middle part of the SIO connector goes to PIN 9 on the MAX232. (Tip is Pocketlader TX, middle is RX, and base is ground.)

The charger output is well covered in the manul, but here's an example of me discharging a not-so-great 4cell HLG battery:

starting:

#D00000,05413,0000
#D00001,05413,0000
#D00002,05066,-0500
#D00003,05007,-0500
#D00004,04981,-0500
#D00005,04971,-0500
#D00006,04957,-0500

1174 seconds have passed....

#D01182,04010,-0500
#D01183,04010,-0500
#D01184,04009,-0500
#D01185,04009,-0500
#D01186,04007,-0500
#D01187,04007,-0500
#D01188,04005,-0500
#C,00000,00168,0000

Thus, the battery is down to 4.005V after 1188 seconds of discharge at 0.5A, for a total amout of 168mAh removed. Not the worst, but representative of a battery that I killed when a charger missed the peak and put 5.8Ah in to it (at C/2!).

Cheers,
Peter

[bigandy]

Hi folks,

Dragging this thread up from the depths, I have a couple of questions regarding the DIY approach for the serial link to a Pocketlader.

Can anyone tell me if the MAX232 type interface to the pocketlader can be used to program new firmware? According to the Orbit website, it says you need to use the USB-SIO lead.

If someone has tried this, can you let me know how you got on? If it works great, then I have no need to buy the 27 euro cable from Orbit :)

Cheers
Andy

[Bruce Abbott]

Firmware update is performed via the Microlog program, which works through a serial port. The USB cable creates a virtual COM port. If your computer has an actual COM port then you do not need the USB cable.

The circuit diagram below is for the RS232 cable that Orbit used to provide for the Pocketlader (for capacitor values refer to the appropriate IC data sheets).

[peter_jensen]

I just successfully updated the firmware on my Pocketlader from 1.61 to the latest version using the method described above (basically a home-made MAX232 chip interface.)

I got an error from the MicroLog program, "Cannot start flash procedure, Code: B1" several times until I re-restarted the program.

http://orbit-electronic.de/ is the website.

-Peter

[bigandy]

Thanks for the info chaps, I have a spare level shifter around somewhere, so I shall give that a go, and see if it works.

One further question, does the Pocketlader need to be powered when updating the firmware?

Cheers
Andy

[peter_jensen]

Yes, the charger needs to be powered, and I'm sure the standard warnings about firmware updates for small embedded devices with a tight price point probably apply - any loss of power or connectivity during the update risks leaving the charger without a valid firmware image.

-Peter

[heliphil]

Hi

I got the parts that Bruce used and have soldered up the board - will try it when I get home tonight.....

[heliphil]

Well I fired it up last night and updated my two chargers to V2.24 - but it did take about 40 attempts to get it to update properly.... Still not sure why - I will try logging a charge / discharge at the weekend to see what thats like.

So - so far so good.

[heliphil]

It works fine for loging the data while charging and discharging - hooray :)

[Julez]

Hey guys!

I have a geniune Orbit cable here.
Do you think it could be used to upgrade a Junsi iCharger?

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9707990#post9707990

Does it have the function of this device?

http://www.tildesign.nl/content/downloads/rs232_ttl_converter_schematic_and_layout.pdf

Thanks,

Julez