EFusion Duo - 2 LG HG2 - Imbalanced battery error {Solved}

[fredrogers]

I finally got my Efusion in hand yesterday! 

I happily opened up the box, slapped in my married HG2s that were previously in use in a cuboid (though I never changed them in that device).  Almost immediately I got imbalanced battery error coming up on the screen when I tried to vape my Russian 91 1.84 ohm at 8.5 watts.

After a few more presses the device would "reboot?" and I would see the welcome screen again, then it would just go black. I then left the batteries out of the device for a few minutes and put them back it.  I could power on the device, but got either the imbalanced error or check battery errors, then just flashing the welcome screen and turning off when i pressed the fire button. 


The batteries had been sitting around waiting for the Efusion to arrive so I thought they might have discharged a little bit. So I used my multi-meter to test them. They where within .02 volts of each other. So I tried my fresh off the charger pair, both read 4.21 with the meter, and got the same bad results. 

I am glad I also got the lipo pack. I pulled the battery sled out and put in the lipo. It was a tight fit. I hooked my device up to escribe, changed the battery settings to 3s and used the watt hour calculator to enter in 1300 mah capacity. 

Now it works like a champ! What is the best way to trouble shoot the 2 18650 configuration?

Should I put the batteries in the sled and test the leads with my multi-meter?

Can I use EScribe to ferret out the issues?

Thanks!

-=fred=- 

PS The EFusion is awesome! It weighs less with the lipo pack installed then my cuboid with out any batteries.

[BillW50]

It sounds like to me that it was set for three cells and not two when you tried the battery sled. Thus it saw the three cell as 0v or something. And yes you can troubleshoot this under EScribe and if you open up the Device Monitor, it will show you things like cell voltages and such.

Be careful about the upload button under EScribe. Because you can loose important settings. Once connected to EScribe, do a File -> Save first and then no worries since that saves everything if you connect and download from the device.

[BillW50]

I should add with the lipo battery it should be on 3 cell and for the sled, two cell.

[fredrogers]

Thanks Bill!

Man, you are all over this forum. 

Yes the very first thing I did before anything was to save a copy of the current config. 
Then I changed the battery settings for the lipo. 

I wil pop the sled back in this evening and post the results. 

-=fred=-

[fredrogers]

Well I got home and tried again to get my EFusion Duo to use 2 18650s. 

I had the exact same experience.  

I tested the batteries with my multi-meter and they both read 4.21. 

I put the batteries in the sled and tested the voltage coming off the large red/black power leads: 8.41.

I then put the sled in the mod and pulled up EScribe and changed the battery config
under the Mod tab.


 


I uploaded the settings then inserted the batteries and checked out the device monitor:


   


I then tried to vape and the device "rebooted" again then the screen went dark. It would flash the welcome logo and then go black ever time I pressed the fire button.

I plugged it back in to EScribe and did a soft reboot and opened up device monitor again:

 

I am at a lost. I put back in the lipo pack, adjusted the battery settings back to 3 cell under Mod, and I am vaping like a champ. 

What do I need to do? Is it the board? The sled? The batteries?

-=fred=-

[dwcraig1]

My guess is there's something wrong with the balance connector or it's wiring on the sled. Take a good look at the pins of the jst connector of the sled also.
Measure the voltages off the balance connector. I'll have to locate what they are, I'll be back.
Maybe this will help:
https://forum.evolvapor.com/topic/66226-topic/?do=findComment&comment=895167
 

[fredrogers]

Nice! I think that is exactly what I need to troubleshoot this. 

Thank you dwcraig1!


I will get the tester out tonight and see what I can find. 
I feel that is has to be something with the jst connector on the 18650 sled. 

-=fred=-

[fredrogers]

Well I think I found it. 

Here is how I am labeling the JST for ease of reading:

 

When I try to test for connectivity from the 3 pin (counting from left to right starting with the positive lead) to the connector plate at the bottom of the battery sled it is open. 

When I test with the batteries installed in the sled I get 8.4 on the main power leads and 8.4 on 1 and 4: 

 


But when I try 1 and 3 I get 0:

 

I think the culprit may be a wire splice on the back of the sled:

 

Or possibly the solder joint at the bottom. 

Assuming that is the issue, I just need to decide it I want to try my luck with a warranty or just repair it myself. 

But if there is something I am missing in my testing please let me know. 

Thanks!

-=fred=-

[BillW50]

Hey Fred, that last picture of the battery sled and plugs. Can you take another image so I can see the wires on the sled and which pins they go to? Well I guess you can tell me too. What I see is...

1) Blk goes what you are calling pin 4 (it is really pin 1, but that is ok. We will use your numbering.)

2) Wht goes to pin 3

3) And I can't see what is connected to pin 1 and 2. I assume two reds goes somewhere but I can't see. Does one go to pin 1 and the other red goes to pin 2?

If that is right, ohm between pin 1 and 2 and they should be connected together and ohm a short.

[BillW50]

EScribe is showing cell 1 isn't right. That should be between the black and white wire. You should read one battery between them. Between white and red would be another battery (cell 2). But it does seem that that white wire is open somewhere, probably where it was spliced.

On that side of the battery sled, that white should be connected to both posts on that side. You could ohm it and make sure it is. Also ohm both posts on that side, they should be shorted together.

P.S. Pull out the batteries when you start to ohm on the lowest range. Short the test leads together to test it can read a short.

[fredrogers]

BillW50 said:

Hey Fred, that last picture of the battery sled and plugs. Can you take another image so I can see the wires on the sled and which pins they go to? Well I guess you can tell me too. What I see is...

1) Blk goes what you are calling pin 4 (it is really pin 1, but that is ok. We will use your numbering.)

2) Wht goes to pin 3

3) And I can't see what is connected to pin 1 and 2. I assume two reds goes somewhere but I can't see. Does one go to pin 1 and the other red goes to pin 2?

If that is right, ohm between pin 1 and 2 and they should be connected together and ohm a short.

1) Sorry I was not sure how to refer to the different pins. 

2) Yes, that white wire goes to the connector plate at the bottom of the sled. When I try to ohm it out from the plate to the pin in the JST I get an open.

3) There are 2 red wires that connect  to the top positive of the sled. When I test them the are shorted. I took the pics over my lunch so I will have to get a better pic after I get home. 

-=fred=-

[fredrogers]

BillW50 said:

EScribe is showing cell 1 isn't right. That should be between the black and white wire. You should read one battery between them. Between white and red would be another battery (cell 2). But it does seem that that white wire is open somewhere, probably where it was spliced.

On that side of the battery sled, that white should be connected to both posts on that side. You could ohm it and make sure it is. Also ohm both posts on that side, they should be shorted together.

P.S. Pull out the batteries when you start to ohm on the lowest range. Short the test leads together to test it can read a short.

Thank you for all the help! I will test this when I get home from work and report back.

-=fred=-

[BillW50]

That is okay about the pin numbers. It is really numbered like this starting with the black wire.

GND (black), 1 (white), 2 (red), 3 (red).

The first pin they really call ground and not pin 1. I thought that was funny Evolv labeled it that way. And yes, if that white wire doesn't ohm through, that is it.

[dwcraig1]

Here's the voltages using your pin numbering and  batteries @ 4 volts ea. 
1 + 3 = 4 volts
2 + 3 = 4 volts
1 + 4 = 8 volts
2 + 4 = 8 volts
3 + 4 = 4 volts
1 + 2 are bridged so 0
Anyone using this just keep in mind that the pin numbers being used are not Evolv's numbers

[fredrogers]

dwcraig1 said:

Here's the voltages using your numbering and a batteries @ 4 volts
1 + 3 = 4 volts
2 + 3 = 4 volts
1 + 4 = 8 volts
2 + 4 = 8 volts
3 + 4 = 4 volts
1 + 2 are bridged so 0
Anyone using this just keep in mind that the pin numbers being used are not Evolv's numbers

Thank you for converting them for me!

I sent an e-mail to the vender asking if I could just get a battery sled, but i doubt they will.  

I am tempted to just replace that white wire and see if it works. 

-=fred=- 

[BillW50]

Whoa! Are you sure dwcraig1? Three cells should be wired using Fred's pin numbering would be:

3+4 = cell 1
2+3 = cell 2
1+2 = cell 3
1+4 = sum of cells 1+2+3

On two cells it should be:

3+4 = cell 1
2+3 = cell 2
3+4 = should be a dead short. (<-- Wrong sorry, should be 1+2)
1+4 = sum of cells 1+2

UPDATE: Corrected error.

[dwcraig1]

Can't you check it for continuity?
Between the bridge between the two batteries and which ever pin the white wire goes to.

[fredrogers]

dwcraig1 said:

Can't you check it for continuity? 

Yes I did. Using the diagram you posted, thank you again ,  I checked all of the wires and the white wire is the weak link.  It show an open from the pin to the sled. I am suspecting the splice you can see in in the pictures I posted.

All of the other wires have good connection to where they need to go.

-=fred=-

[dwcraig1]

BillW50 said:

Whoa! Are you sure dwcraig1? Three cells should be wired using Fred's pin numbering would be:

3+4 = cell 1
2+3 = cell 2
1+2 = cell 3
1+4 = sum of cells 1+2+3

On two cells it should be:

3+4 = cell 1
2+3 = cell 2
3+4 = should be a dead short.
1+4 = sum of cells 1+2

Using the diagram in post #6
I have double checked it and got the same as I previously posted.
Is the diagram in post #6 correct?

[BillW50]

dwcraig1 said:

Using the diagram in post #6
I have double checked it and got the same as I previously posted.
Is the diagram in post #6 correct?

Yes the diagram is correct. Oh I see why your looks all wrong. You numbered them from left to right. Fred numbered them if held that way right to left. 

[dwcraig1]

 

I'm missing something here.
Warning this plug is numbered incorrectly, should be from left to right 3, 2, 1, gnd

[BillW50]

fredrogers said:

Thank you for converting them for me!

I sent an e-mail to the vender asking if I could just get a battery sled, but i doubt they will.  

I am tempted to just replace that white wire and see if it works. 

-=fred=- 

That would be best for everyone if they went along with that plan. 

[BillW50]

dwcraig1 said:

I'm missing something here.

Nope! I missed something, sorry. I corrected mine above and made a note. I guess somewhere I got mixed up for a second between Fred's labeling and Evolv's.

Fred's = Evolv's
1 = 3
2 = 2
3 = 1
4 = GND

[dwcraig1]

The idea of changing the numbers threw in an added element of confusion, I had to sketch it out and refer to my extra lipo's plug.
I should have just put the two pictures up in front of me, it would have been easier.

[BillW50]

^^^ BillW50 likes this post.