+ However, as yet, no one has volunteered to write an expo photography guide. So this (decades-old) document is just an outline +of (a) what has been done up to now and (b) what needs doing in the future +without much (c) how to do it.
+ +Many people take cameras to expedition, a few make it up to Top Camp, and +a very few get underground, where the equipment may or may not work, people +may or may not cooperate or get too cold and photographers may persist or +give up. Hence there are plenty of photos of Base Camp, festering, dead cars +etc., quite a lot of the walk in, Top Camp, the plateau, a fair number of +entrances, and a very few good underground shots.
+ +Getting a collection of photos together to make an "expedition slide set" +has taken years, and is still not really satisfactory. There must be some +more good pictures out there ? August 1996 saw the first 99 slides (they +missed one) put onto Photo-CD, and a start made in getting these onto the +website. This is proving quite hard work, because digitisation is not very +tolerant of poor exposure, especially different exposure across the photo. +Correcting this is pretty time-consuming, though it can reveal unexpected +detail that was never really visible in slide shows.
+ +Quite a bit of "notebook" photography has been done with a video camera +and digitiser card. This is a handy way of getting quick pictures of +entrances and approach routes (and much cheaper than Photo-CD, if you have the +equipment), but the quality leaves a certain amount to be desired (it would +be improved by a slightly less cheapo video digitiser). Some pictures are +also here courtesy of video of postcard-sized prints.
+ +For 1997, a 2700 dpi transparency scanner should ensure that your +photos will make it to the web site quickly, without having to wait +to make up a set of 100 for a Photo-CD :-) Experience has also shown that +the final results are somewhat better as we have more control at the +scanning stage. See the Lost World +virtual tour.
+ +Since the above paragraphs were written, there has been a vast increase in +the prevalence of digital cameras. Unfortunately as these are even more +expensive than their film counterparts people are exceedingly unwilling to take +them underground. Hence underground photography has been rather thin on the +ground of late; we desperately need more photos of the further reaches of +Steinbrückenhöhle, for example.
+ +A number of photographs specifically illustrating topics in the Expedition +Handbook would be useful. We would prefer that this involved a practice rescue +in Yorkshire rather than a real one in Austria. Likewise, a bit of photography +during a practice survey trip would be good. Another topic, on which we have +neither words nor pictures, would be expedition rigging.
+ +Almost every entrance needs documenting photographically, to make it +easier to find and identify. Some aerial photos would really help here. As a +temporary measure, there are various photos taken from the Bräuning +Wall. With a bit of surface-survey visualisation software, these may even +get a few entrances marked...
+ +The major need is for quality underground photographs. Of the couple of +score or so representing the 21.5km of Kaninchenhöhle, almost all had +to have quite a lot of hacking about to make them look acceptable on the +medium of the computer screen, though this has become rather easier now +we have access to a transparency scanner. In particular we are short of +pictures of the following:
+ +and we could do with rather more of
+ +Photos showing approach routes would be useful, as would photos taken +(and carefully documented) during surface surveys.
+ +Scenario: Photographer gathers together all the equipment needed for a trip. +Three photographers and several helpers have volunteered. Photographer comes +back late and knackered from one trip - postpones the photographic trip. +Weather is crap - no one goes up to Top Camp, another postponement. One of the +photographers has to go home - hands all gear to another. Expo dinner - no one +doing anything. Finally the trip is on. Photographer at Top Camp religiously +tests all the equipment - it works perfectly.
+ +Dodging showers, the team heads up to and into the cave. Through Triassic +Park and to the scene of the first photo. All flash equipment fails to go off. +Change connectors. Fails. Use slaves. Fails repeatedly until second +photographer fires an electronic flash at the roof to see how high it is - +slaves fire bulb flashes in dazzling coruscation of light - no cameras with +shutters open. Try again, bulbs fail to fire. After about an hour and a half, +everyone freezing and irate, give up and move to another site. Similar +performance, but with a stronger, colder draught. Cave now floods as +mega-thunderstorm occurs on surface. Party retreat along Triassic Park, +pausing for one or two more attempts. Exit, apparently after total failure.
+ +In fact, the second photographer, who hasn't had his gear out of its ammo +can since his previous expedition photographic trip three years earlier, does +turn out to have a few usable shots.
+ +This is probably how not to do it, though it does illustrate the +problems. Can anybody write something more positive?
+ +Just a few brief notes:
+ +Camera: preferably use a robust camera with minimal electronics +(the most sophisticated of metering is useless in the dark :-) For black and +white work, many prefer 2¼" square format (120) film, often using an +old folding camera. For colour, 35mm is almost universal. If you want an SLR, +the old Zenith ones can stand being dropped a considerable distance in an +ammo can. They also fulfil the final criterion on cost: don't take a camera +underground unless you can afford to write it off.
+ +Some cavers in recent years have had some success with pocket-size digital +cameras. These are much more delicate than a film camera, but vastly smaller +and lighter and easier to carry around. It seems unlikely that these will +supplant film cameras for 'artistic' photography with fifteen different +flashguns in enormous chambers, but they have the vast advantage of allowing +you to see on the spot if you've taken a completely blank exposure. They are +probably ideally suited to 'notebook' style photography, just photographing +anything you find without worrying overmuch about quality: any photos are +better than no photos.
+ +Flash: You can get more light from a bulb flash than electronic, +and they are less sensitive to damp, though still far from wholly reliable. +Bulbs cost a lot more per flash than an electronic gun, and are less reliable +as the master flash for setting off slave units. Some slave units also fail +to fire bulb flashes, or can even be damaged by them. And finally, it is +getting hard to obtain flashbulbs as they are widely regarded as obsolete.
+ +Film: If possible, use more light, rather than faster film. In big +passage or chambers, this may not be feasible. 400 ASA film is fine for +postcard sized prints, but dreadfully grainy for enlargements, for +projection, or to be scanned for the website. The best results for scanning +seem to come from 100 ASA negative film - go for amateur films, which have +more exposure latitude, cope with a greater contrast range in the subject, +and are invariably cheaper than professional emulsions. 64 or 100 ASA seems +to be about right for slides.
+ +Protection: the classic is the ex-military ammunition tin or +"ammo-can". There are two sizes useful for photography, 3½" and 6". +The latter are really heavy and clumsy to carry, whilst the former are a very +tight or impossible fit for most SLRs with the lens on (and carrying a +camera with the lens off is asking for shit inside). Whichever is used, +the inside should be padded with old karrimat or something similar. Don't +rely on the little metal handle - these have been known to pop their spot +welds - use some chunky nylon tape, especially in vertical cave.
+ +One alternative is the Peli or Otter polycarbonate case (the Peli ones are +famously guaranteed against all damage except shark attacks, bear attacks and +children under 5). These appear to be genuinely indestructible and much lighter +than ammo cans, but they are expensive. Sponsorship +from Peli in 2004 might bring a few more into circulation.
+ +Another option is the plastic "BDH" or "Daren" drum. These are lighter, have +less awkward corners to catch in crawls, but are more difficult to fit +rectangular objects into. They are also slightly more prone to fall over, and +the lids are more easily mislaid. "Rocket" tubes are similar.
+ +This is not really a bank.
This is an online system which does accounting. It keeps records of how expenses are allocated and who has paid what. You will be issued with an online username and password to access it when you pay your Expo deposit. Your transactions are not private: all transactions on all accounts are visible to any logged-on user.
Please be respectful of this website as you'll find you can edit transactions that others have listed. This is to allow people to collaboratively add their combined expenses with all the complications that cavers bring to anything. However, it could be abused. Please don't. The admins can see records of who changed what and when. -
BoC was originally designed for expedition use, where expenses are distributed by number of nights/car-passengers/beers. Being online helps accounting transparency, allows real-time review of creditors/debtors, and, if input permissions are devolved, reduces the burden on the treasurer. Due to its expedition origins it correctly handles exchange rates changing over time. +
BoC was originally designed for expedition use, where expenses are distributed by number of nights/car-passengers/beers. Being online helps accounting transparency, allows real-time review of creditors/debtors, and, if input permissions are devolved, reduces the burden on the treasurer. Due to its expedition origins it correctly handles exchange rates changing over time. +
Please read how these expenses records are also kept manually on paper in the Bier and Sesh books in the potato hut.
The 2018 Bank of Expo is hosted at expo.survex.com/boe.
Bank of Expo (and the same software running as Bank of CUCC for ordinary caving trips) was written by Stuart Bennett in Cambridge. He says:
diff --git a/handbook/baseops.html b/handbook/baseops.html new file mode 100644 index 000000000..20207afea --- /dev/null +++ b/handbook/baseops.html @@ -0,0 +1,135 @@ + +
+Base camp - the potato hut - is where the expo as a whole is organised from. +We do not have a centre of operations in the UK during expo. +
Shopping for food and equipment during expo is centered at base camp, +not least because this is where we have the beer fridge. + +
Obviously it is vital for safety that we know where everyone is and to ensure that +callout times are set and cancelled for every caving trip. +
We also have to keep formal, legal records of who is staying at the Staudnwirt Gasthof campsite and when +because (a) we pay the Gasthof for every person-night and (b) it is a legal requirement +because of tourist tax payments. +
These records are kept in two bound paper books which are pre-printed and bound +(including the names of all expoers) before the expo begins. +
Your next of kin, insurance and emergency contact details will need to be manually written onto your page of one of these +(the bierbook) on first arrival at base camp as a double-check that we have the latest correct information. + +
We have a hard-cover book where we record every caving or surface exploration trip that has departed or returned to base camp. This includes +sketched SRT rigging guides and some cave survey notes - in addition to those recorded in the waterproof underground surveying notebooks. +
The text in the logbook is typed up trip by trip as the expo progresses (e.g. see the +2017 logbook). The sketches are scanned on the scanner in the potato hut. + +
We have a hardcover book recording who has left base camp to go directly on a caving or surface trip, when they are expected back + and the callout time: the time at which rescue preparations will begin if they have not returned. + +
+
+
One of the first things to do is to put down the floor covering and gaffer-tape table-cloths to the tables in the potato hut. +But the absolutely first thing to do is to turn on the fridge and to put some beer in it. +
The bier tent (mess tent) has to be erected - a complex job for 2 people as it has a steel-tube frame and very stiff waterproofed canvas. +Then the bier tent kitchen (tables, cookers, gas cylinders, pans and plates, and all the stored food) needs to be set up. +The "kitchen" in the potato hut is just a sink and an electric kettle - and we deploy our bread-making machine there. +
+ 
+
Part of the area next to the hut is the winter curling "rink" - a lower area of gravel which we can't use for + pitching tents as it floods in heavy rain. +
Another big job is connecting and configuring the WiFI router, the networking netbook, +the expo laptop (and extra screen and extra keyboard), the WiFi antenna, the printer, and the scanner. +These are installed on top of the wood burning stove which we don't use. We also install mains power extension cables with UK-style +sockets everywhere in the hut. +
Every year we bring out A0 and A1 printed posters of the cave surveys of the caves which will be the focus of exploration. +These are stuck up on the walls of the hut. + +
+Base camp and top camp both have phones using highly-reliable, low-bandwidth Austrian phone company SIMs. +We use phone calls and text messages to coordinate callout times for +caving trips. See these instructions for using these and for renewing the SIM each year. + +
There is a whiteboard in the potato hut and another in the Steinbrückhöhle top camp. +
+These show current important and urgent information: what needs to be brought up to top camp from base, what we have run out of and needs buying +(hangers, custard powder, drill batteries...), what has broken and needs fixing, who is planning to come down the mountain. +The top camp board also records who is out on which caving trips and when they are expected back; and also promising leads to be checked out +in the coming days. + + +
We also have a bike which we use for shopping when all the cars are up the toll road and there are only +a handful of people at base. + + +
This is not the same as is the UK. Austrians recycle plastic bottles, but no other forms of plastic: +
The plastic bottles must be PET bottles: the normal fizzy drink type. +
There is a bin bag for PET bottles (no caps) between the new and old potato huts. + +
There is a bin bag for aluminium and steel food and drink cans between the new and old potato huts. +We also put the bottle caps from Gosser beer in there. + +
There is a bin bag for food waste - putrescible waste - between the new and old potato huts. +This goes to composting or digestion, so no non-food items should go in here. +The Biomüll bin truck drives past every Thursday morning, but you need to catch his attention to get them to take it away. +Twice a week you need to re-bag the food waste , double-bagging if necessary to keep the flies out. +
Flies, and wasps later in the expo, are a big problem. +They lay eggs in the food waste and it can be crawling with maggots: which hatch into new flies. +
+There is spray bleach in the bier tent (mess tent) which should be liberally applied around all the bins +between the old and new potato huts to keep the flies dead. If this runs out be sure to buy some more. + +
The riverBehind the Gasthof, following a path from the toilets, is the river which comes from Grundlesee and goes to Bad Aussee. +There is a small dam making a swimming pool and a raft to sit on with your feet in the water while drinking Gosser. +The river (Grundlseer Traun) is not only a cool festering spot and excellent swimming location, but also provides +us with some turbulence from a weir which is an ideal +place for washing ropes and other gear at the end of each expedition. See +the festering guide for other non-caving activities to do from base camp. +
+In July 2018 the Gasthof nearly ran out of water because so many tourists were visiting for a music festival, +and Hilda asked us to use river water if possible. + +
We have a complex installation of internet-connected computer hardware and WiFi in the potato hut - all running on donated or loaned gear. +This is primarily for recording the surveys of the cave we discover during expo. See base camp computers for more details. + +
See our photo gallery of base camp through the years. We have been +at Staudnwirt Gasthof since 1983. + + +
This is not the page you are looking for. -
This will be replaced with the information you want as soon as someone gets around to writing it. Why not find out how to do this yourself ? - - -
Many essential records at base camp are recorded in the "Bier Book" and the "Sesh Book". +
+
+This is used to record vital information:
+
The record of the number of beers (and other drinks) that each person drinks from the common store in the potato hut looks like this. This is used when the treasurer does the final accounts reckoning after the end of expo.
+
+
+
+We use this book to record where everyone spends the night. This is important because this is used to record our tax liability which is part of our camping fee for the Gasthof. We have been visited by tax inspectors in the past, so this is not just a "nice to have".
+
+
+This also records the number of nights spent at the bivvy and underground camp. We use this data to help us plan the food needed up the mountain for future expeditions. + +
As well as writing the amounts of money in the books, printed receipts for expo expenses need to be put in the envelope in the potato hut. +
Each receipt needs the name of the person paying and a sequence number if you have more than one receipt. +
Both expo communal expenses and shared group expenses should be entered into your Bank of Expo online account. When you have typed it in, make a written note "BoE done" against that line in the book. (If you don't do this the expo treasurer will +have to do it. And you want to keep the expo treasurer happy don't you?) +
It is perfectly capable of being ridden up the panoramastrasse to the car park. Some people do this "for fun". +
More sensible people have ridden the bike (with a rucksack of gear) to the bottom of the toll road at Bla Alm and +hitched up from there. It's still hard work - especially from Alt Aussee to Bla Alm.
@@ -17,9 +19,10 @@ Lock code: 1241
This is easily remembered if you just recall that this is the year that the Mongols invaded Poland. - +
There are no bike lights (use a couple of head-torches, one with red LEDs facing backwards) and no basket or paniers. Use a rucksack.
A few years ago (2016?) we found a bike in Grundlesee lake. +
A few years ago (2015) we found a bike in Grundlesee lake. It was reported to the police and after a year they told us that no one had claimed it and that we could keep it. diff --git a/handbook/charging-pre2018.html b/handbook/charging-pre2018.html new file mode 100644 index 000000000..606e200b3 --- /dev/null +++ b/handbook/charging-pre2018.html @@ -0,0 +1,167 @@ + + +
+ +New for 2018 is varying battery capacity. We have 3Ah, 4Ah and 5Ah +packs. Bigger packs will take longer to charge from empty. The +capacity is on the cell label next to the yellow connector.
+ +Each pack has a sliding indicator on the side. This is entirely +manual, but is very useful for indicating when a pack is known to be +charged, flat, or partly discharged. Slide the slider to show green +for full, red for flat, half and half for 'partly used'.
+ +This is blue charger with 3 LEDs, and diagrammatic charging info on RH side. CHarges at up to 100W.
+ +This is the set of 3 (2 half-width) chargers made from old Makita chargers. They have a set of 4 LEDs. (The full-width one only has 1 LED in 2018). Charges at 40W.
+ +This is black all-purpose charger with blue LCD display. CHarges at up to 50W
+ +The Yellow Propeak chargers do the same job, and insturcuctions are +similar, but have no fan, no backlit display, and if pack is low +voltage will charge at C/10 (10% of normal) until voltage rises +sufficiently. Ensure that charge rate is set to 4000mA otherwise +charging will be very slow. Charges at up to 50W (5W in C/10 gnetle start).
+ +Simplest it try to charge it again and find that it says it is done +in a couple of minutes (Up to 4 mins on the balance chargers). This +may 'waste a life' on batteries that still work on the Makita +charger. Checking it on the RC charger will not waste a life. It will +quickly rise to 16.4V, and the current drop to 0.1A or so. That +indicates a full pack. It will tell you so after a while (1-5 +mins).
+ + +The drill batts are 4S2P 14.4V lithium ion packs (8 18650 cells: 4 in +series, each being a parallel pair). This means that they are charged +as 4-cell packs, to 4.1V per cell-pair. They can be charged at up to +3A rate. Battery 1 has connector wired as balance connector. No other +packs have this yet (2017). The official Makita packs use Sony SE +US18650VT (1.5Ah, 20A high-drain) cells, and we have a few with with Samsung +INR18650-13Q (1.3Ah high-drain cells). All give a reliable 2.3-2.6Ah + capacity in practice, even after 9 years expo useage.
+ +At end 2017 we bought two 4Ah packs. The non-makita one uses LG +DAHD21865 cells (2Ah, 25A). I can't read the Makita cell type without +unwelding the pack. For 2018 we made 3 new 5Ah packs from Samsung 25R +cells (2.5Ah, 20A) (Sponsored by uk18650.com).
+ +The drill discharges at 26A current draw when drilling (~400W), so +that's 13A per cell in a 2P configuration.
+ +Makita have put very 'conservative' software in the batteries which +will stop them working on the Makita charger, even when they are in +fact fine. The monitoring board is powered off the 1st cell pair so +that one tends to get discharged more than the others when left +sitting for the 11 months of not-expo. If an unbalanced (or +over-disharged, or too-hot) pack is inserted into the makita charger +the charger and battery will do serial-coms negotiation, the charger +will refuse to charge the battery and the battery will remember this. +If you try this 3 times, the battery will mark itself bad and will +never charge again on a makita charger. Only a replacement monitoring +board can fix this (or new software if we knew how to nobble it).
+ +Such batteries are normally still fine and charge on a sensible (RC +- Radio Control, because RC people are the main market for these +chargers) charger, possible after a balance charge to get the cells in +the pack in sync again. Expo has a couple of these (Yellow Pro-power +Prodigy II). Unfortunataly Makita don't build the 14.4V packs with +balance connections to the cells, so the PCB has to be replaced to +make this work easily for expo. For 2018 this was done for 7 of our +packs, and 3 automatic balance chargers built.
+ +Note that the drills have no battery-voltage monitoring at all, and the +monitoring circuit is bypassed when conected to the drill (the charger +uses a different connector-pair from the drill - that's why there are +3 slots). Thus the drill can easily be used to over-discharge a +battery, so please stop drilling when it gets slow and put on a new +batt, unless it's an emergency. Drilling with an excessively-sagged +voltage is a good way to knacker the weakest cell-pair. If your battery +does get to this state, try to charge it up as soon as possible. Cells +must not be left at <2V for any length of time as they rapidly +(hours/days?) degrade to useless in this state (and that pair will +need replacing).
+ + + diff --git a/handbook/charging.html b/handbook/charging.html index 606e200b3..5f0210978 100644 --- a/handbook/charging.html +++ b/handbook/charging.html @@ -4,23 +4,157 @@[None of this applies to the Bosch drills and their battery packs.] + +
Please check with a battery nerd whether this is still up to date. It was valid on Friday 27th July 2018. +
These instructions are for the +Pro Peak/ Makita Charger [photo needed]: This will charge all Makita drill batteries. +This is the charger which has the Makita slide-socket for the battery which is connected to the yellow ProPeak box. +
First insert the battery. +
+
+Check that screen looks like this: Displaying
+
+
+LiIo CHARGE
+C=3300mAh 14.4Vp
+
If this is not the case then move to the long instructions.
+
+
If it is showing exactly as shown above, hold down the "Enter, Start Stop" button +(the one at the right-hand end, the 4th one from the left) for two seconds. +The screen will display "battery check" and then start charging. +
The screen will then look something like below +(but with different numbers) when charging: +
+CHG 0.04 00002
+LI+3.26A 15.331V
+
If this is not the case then move to the long instructions. + +
First insert the battery. +
If the charging screen is not displaying the settings shown above then the correct charging settings need to be selected. +You can do this as follows. +
Now hold down the "Enter, Start Stop" button for 2 seconds until "Battery Check" is displayed +and the screen looks similar to below, but with different numbers: + +
+CHG 0.04 00002
+LI+3.26A 15.331V
+
This information will not go out of date. +
Note that the drills have no battery-voltage monitoring at all, and the +monitoring circuit in the battery is bypassed when connected to the drill. Thus the drill can easily be used to over-discharge a +battery, so please stop drilling when it gets slow and put on a new +battery, unless it's an emergency. Drilling with an excessively-sagged +voltage will knacker the weakest cell-pair. If your battery +does get to this state, try to charge it up as soon as possible. Cells +must not be left at <2V for any length of time as they rapidly +(hours/days?) degrade to useless in this state (and that pair will +need replacing - which means reassembling it back in Cambridge and welding in a new cell pair).
+ +
+Makita have put very 'conservative' software in the batteries (as bought) which +will stop them working on an as-bought, unmodified Makita charger, even when they are in +fact fine. The monitoring board in the batteries is powered from the 1st cell pair so +that pair tends to get discharged more than the others when left +sitting for the 11 months of not-expo. If an unbalanced (or +over-disharged, or too-hot) pack is inserted into the Makita charger +the charger and battery will do serial-comms negotiation, the charger +will refuse to charge the battery and the battery will remember this. +If you try this 3 times, the battery will mark itself bad and will +never charge again on a Makita charger. Only a replacement circuit +board in the battery can fix this (or new software if we knew how to nobble it).
+ +Such batteries are normally still fine and charge on a sensible (RC +- Radio Control, because RC people are the main market for these +chargers) charger, possible after a "balance charge" to get the cells in +the pack in sync again. Expo has a couple of chargers capable of doing a "balance charge" (Yellow Pro-power +Prodigy II). Unfortunataly Makita don't build the 14.4V packs with +the necessary connections to the cells, so the circuit board in the battery has to be replaced to +make this work easily for expo. For 2018 this was done for 7 of our +packs, and 3 automatic balance chargers were built by Wookey.
-
+We have these types of charger; the non-mains chargers are all at top camp and can run all night using the car batteries: +
New for 2018 is varying battery capacity. We have 3Ah, 4Ah and 5Ah packs. Bigger packs will take longer to charge from empty. The capacity is on the cell label next to the yellow connector.
@@ -30,77 +164,22 @@ manual, but is very useful for indicating when a pack is known to be charged, flat, or partly discharged. Slide the slider to show green for full, red for flat, half and half for 'partly used'. -This is blue charger with 3 LEDs, and diagrammatic charging info on RH side. CHarges at up to 100W.
- -This is the set of 3 (2 half-width) chargers made from old Makita chargers. They have a set of 4 LEDs. (The full-width one only has 1 LED in 2018). Charges at 40W.
- -This is black all-purpose charger with blue LCD display. CHarges at up to 50W
- -The Yellow Propeak chargers do the same job, and insturcuctions are -similar, but have no fan, no backlit display, and if pack is low -voltage will charge at C/10 (10% of normal) until voltage rises -sufficiently. Ensure that charge rate is set to 4000mA otherwise -charging will be very slow. Charges at up to 50W (5W in C/10 gnetle start).
- -If a battery has green insulation tape on it it has been +modified by us and will not charge on an unmodified as-bought Makita charger. +
Simplest it try to charge it again and find that it says it is done +
Simplest is try to charge it again and find that it says it is done in a couple of minutes (Up to 4 mins on the balance chargers). This may 'waste a life' on batteries that still work on the Makita charger. Checking it on the RC charger will not waste a life. It will @@ -128,40 +207,95 @@ cells (2.5Ah, 20A) (Sponsored by uk18650.com).
The drill discharges at 26A current draw when drilling (~400W), so that's 13A per cell in a 2P configuration.
-Makita have put very 'conservative' software in the batteries which -will stop them working on the Makita charger, even when they are in -fact fine. The monitoring board is powered off the 1st cell pair so -that one tends to get discharged more than the others when left -sitting for the 11 months of not-expo. If an unbalanced (or -over-disharged, or too-hot) pack is inserted into the makita charger -the charger and battery will do serial-coms negotiation, the charger -will refuse to charge the battery and the battery will remember this. -If you try this 3 times, the battery will mark itself bad and will -never charge again on a makita charger. Only a replacement monitoring -board can fix this (or new software if we knew how to nobble it).
+This is the green/turquoise charger with 3 LEDs, and diagrammatic charging info on RH side. Charges at up to 100W.
+ +This is the set of 3 (2 half-width) chargers made from old green/turquoise Makita chargers. +They have a set of 4 LEDs. (The full-width one only has 1 LED in 2018). Charges at 40W.
+ +This is black all-purpose charger with LCD display. Charges at up to 50W
+ +The Yellow Propeak chargers do the same job, and instructions are +similar, but have no fan, no backlit display, and if pack is low +voltage will charge at C/10 (10% of normal) until voltage rises +sufficiently. Ensure that charge rate is set to 4000mA otherwise +charging will be un-usably slow. Charges at up to 50W (5W in C/10 gnetle start).
+ +
+LiIo CHARGE
+C=3300mAh 14.4Vp
+
Such batteries are normally still fine and charge on a sensible (RC -- Radio Control, because RC people are the main market for these -chargers) charger, possible after a balance charge to get the cells in -the pack in sync again. Expo has a couple of these (Yellow Pro-power -Prodigy II). Unfortunataly Makita don't build the 14.4V packs with -balance connections to the cells, so the PCB has to be replaced to -make this work easily for expo. For 2018 this was done for 7 of our -packs, and 3 automatic balance chargers built.
-Note that the drills have no battery-voltage monitoring at all, and the -monitoring circuit is bypassed when conected to the drill (the charger -uses a different connector-pair from the drill - that's why there are -3 slots). Thus the drill can easily be used to over-discharge a -battery, so please stop drilling when it gets slow and put on a new -batt, unless it's an emergency. Drilling with an excessively-sagged -voltage is a good way to knacker the weakest cell-pair. If your battery -does get to this state, try to charge it up as soon as possible. Cells -must not be left at <2V for any length of time as they rapidly -(hours/days?) degrade to useless in this state (and that pair will -need replacing).