I have a PE Pro and a PE Sport.

After reading through the instruction manuals, I'm not clear when using two packs if my capacity is doubled as in a parallel switch set up, or if the PE uses each pack one at a time and switches at a fast rate between them in which case I have a single pack capacity?

Thanks, and Happy Holidays
Bob

Hi Bob,
If the two packs are not equal in voltage (such as right after charging) then it will use the higher pack until the two equalize. At that point it will use both packs and you have double the capacity. It does not switch quickly between the two.

Thanks Bob

Does that hold for the PE Sort, as well as the Pro?

Take care and Happy Holidays!

Hi,
Yes, its true for the Sport just because of the way batteries work. Since the Sport has no active circuits in it to prevent the two batteries from adversely affecting each other this all depends on the batteries. The Pro's active circuits will only enable the higher battery until they are both equal and then will enable both batteries.

Thanks!

Yes, its true for the Sport just because of the way batteries work.

By that do you mean the fact that two batteries in parallel naturally tend to equalize?

Since the Sport has no active circuits in it to prevent the two batteries from adversely affecting each other this all depends on the batteries.

Would you be so kind as to elaborate a little on this statement?

Thanks again
Bob

Originally Posted by bob_nj

By that do you mean the fact that two batteries in parallel naturally tend to equalize?

Yes, that is correct.

Originally Posted by bob_nj

Would you be so kind as to elaborate a little on this statement?
Thanks again
Bob

On the PowerExpander Sport the two battery inputs are just shorted together inside. This is the same as having two batteries in parallel. If one pack shorts or otherwise causes a current drain on the other pack, both packs will go dead. The Pro prevents a bad pack from affecting a good pack in any way.

Originally Posted by rrritchey

On the PowerExpander Sport the two battery inputs are just shorted together inside. This is the same as having two batteries in parallel. If one pack shorts or otherwise causes a current drain on the other pack, both packs will go dead. The Pro prevents a bad pack from affecting a good pack in any way.

Uh oh....I was under the assumption that I had full redundancy....if one pack fail/shorted I'd have the other one to run on until landing. Guess I'd better re-evaluate the use of the PE Sport on my 35%.

Earle

Pistolera --> We may still have redundancy so to speak.
In my mind one pack is more likely to be weaker, or may go dead because of one thing or another, in which case the second pack will, or I think will still be working.
Obviously not the case in the event of a shorted pack, which seems less likely than a bad pack.
Is that accurate Bob?

Bob, what is the practical difference then between the Sport Plus Batt Share circuitry, and the Sport where sort of conventional parallel fundamentals are in affect?



Thanks again

Originally Posted by Pistolera

Uh oh....I was under the assumption that I had full redundancy....if one pack fail/shorted I'd have the other one to run on until landing. Guess I'd better re-evaluate the use of the PE Sport on my 35%.
Earle

The PowerExpander Sport was initially designed primarily to go with a SuperReg or TurboReg before our PowerSystem line was available. The regulators had the BatShare built in.

Originally Posted by bob_nj

Pistolera --> We may still have redundancy so to speak.
In my mind one pack is more likely to be weaker, or may go dead because of one thing or another, in which case the second pack will, or I think will still be working.
Obviously not the case in the event of a shorted pack, which seems less likely than a bad pack.
Is that accurate Bob?
Bob, what is the practical difference then between the Sport Plus Batt Share circuitry, and the Sport where sort of conventional parallel fundamentals are in affect?
Thanks again

There is a lot disagreement on whether a bad cell with cause that pack to put a drain on a good pack. I have seen posts where it does and doesn't. I think its unpredictable at best.

On the Sport Plus which has a BatShare, the BatShare prevents any reverse current from flowing to a pack where the voltage is lower than the other pack. On the Sport (sorry for the naming confusion) the current can flow from a higher voltage pack to a lower voltage pack (with a bad cell).

Isolation is the key for having redundant packs. If 2 packs are hard wired together in parallel, then what ever bad things that can happen to one pack(or single cell) will effect the other pack. If they have isolation/protection circuits that can allow either one alone or both(P.E. Pro or Sport w/reg&batt share)to function together, then you have redundancy. The 2 packs plugged into the P.E. are not hard wired in parallel, they each have a different "port".

On the PowerExpander Sport the two battery inputs are just shorted together inside. This is the same as having two batteries in parallel. If one pack shorts or otherwise causes a current drain on the other pack, both packs will go dead. The Pro prevents a bad pack from affecting a good pack in any way.

That's the whole point here Jimbo. As you can see from post #7, our SPORT expanders don't have the

isolation/protection circuits that can allow either one alone or both(P.E. Pro or Sport w/reg&batt share)to function together

that you think they have. The SPORT is just like having two batteries in parallel across the buss of the receiver, No?

The PowerExpander Sport is just like having two batteries into a receiver, no isolation if one pack goes bad in such a way it can drain the other pack. All other PowerExpanders and PowerSystems will isolate a bad pack and continue to use the good pack.

Thanks Bob

Jim and I have Sport PE's and I just wanted to make sure he understood the situation.

Happy Holidays!