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ZKETCH EBC-A40L Charge Cutoff Current Issue

SolarFlux

New Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2024
Messages
3
Location
Missouri
I seem to have an issue that I can’t find much information about on the internet. I recently purchased a EBC-A40L on Amazon. Upon setting it up and running some tests on a LifePo4 cell, I noticed when doing a charge test CHG-CV I am unable to get the Cutoff Current to go above 9.99a.

Example:
Using the buttons on the tester, when I’m doing a charge (CHG-CV) I can set the charge current (30a) and the constant voltage (3.5v) without issue. But I am not able to get my cutoff current to go any higher than 9.99amps.

I’ve also tried the computer software and have the same issue. On the EB Tester software using the single test window, I set the charge current to 30amps, then the charge voltage to 3.36v, then the cutoff current to 29a. When I hit start the cutoff current changes to 9.99a on the screen and during the test when my voltage reaches 3.36v the charging will continue until the current goes down to 9.99a then it will cut off.

I have tried 2 different versions of the EB Tester software v1.8.5 and v1.8.8 and both have the same issue.

When I power on the tester, I show I am running V3.0.3 firmware, but my startup screen does not say ZKETECH on it like I've observed on some other videos on the internet.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.
 
Last edited:
I seem to have an issue that I can’t find much information about on the internet. I recently purchased a EBC-A40L on Amazon. Upon setting it up and running some tests on a LifePo4 cell, I noticed when doing a charge test CHG-CV I am unable to get the Cutoff Current to go above 9.99a.

Example:
Using the buttons on the tester, when I’m doing a charge (CHG-CV) I can set the charge current (30a) and the constant voltage (3.5v) without issue. But I am not able to get my cutoff current to go any higher than 9.99amps.

I’ve also tried the computer software and have the same issue. On the EB Tester software using the single test window, I set the charge current to 30amps, then the charge voltage to 3.36v, then the cutoff current to 29a. When I hit start the cutoff current changes to 9.99a on the screen and during the test when my voltage reaches 3.36v the charging will continue until the current goes down to 9.99a then it will cut off.

I have tried 2 different versions of the EB Tester software v1.8.5 and v1.8.8 and both have the same issue.

When I power on the tester, I show I am running V3.0.3 firmware, but my startup screen does not say ZKETECH on it like I've observed on some other videos on the internet.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.
Sorry I don't have a solution for you at this stage but I have exactly the same issue with my first use of the EBC-A40L. If I find anything I'll get back to you.
 
I’ve also tried the computer software and have the same issue. On the EB Tester software using the single test window, I set the charge current to 30amps, then the charge voltage to 3.36v, then the cutoff current to 29a. When I hit start the cutoff current changes to 9.99a on the screen and during the test when my voltage reaches 3.36v the charging will continue until the current goes down to 9.99a then it will cut off.

I have tried 2 different versions of the EB Tester software v1.8.5 and v1.8.8 and both have the same issue.

When I power on the tester, I show I am running V3.0.3 firmware, but my startup screen does not say ZKETECH on it like I've observed on some other videos on the internet.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.
I'm a little new at this, but from what I understand.. getting to the voltage while charging does not mean it is charged, the absorption would need to continue until a drop in the accepted charge.. Just getting to the voltage would be caused by the pushing of current into the battery, waiting for it to stop accepting (shown by the drop in amps) is what would be the sign it it getting full .. So the charger will hold at your set charge rate while the battery tops off and the amps drop showing it is getting full.. many of the test I have seen use 1A or 2A as the full cutoff..

Hope someone that know more about it provides you with more insight...
 
I reached out to ZKETECH support and just heard back from them today. They responded with:
--------------------------------------------------------
Hi Andy,
I’ve double checked with the engineer department. The cut-off current in charge mode is set at the max 9.99A and it will be limited to 9.99A if a higher current is set.
Do you need to set cut-off higher than 9.99A?
---------------------------------------------------------
It seems to be working as expected but it's not what I had observed in some online videos and isn't going to work for what I need it to unless I keep my charging amps below 10a which is going to take really long to test a 280ah cell.

So, I replied with:

ZKETECH, thanks for your feedback. I am performing some battery testing, and I want to do a test where the battery charging turns off once a certain voltage is reached. That way I can charge and discharge between to different voltages and measure the capacity between them.

I thought it had this capability based on a few internet videos I had seen where people set the cutoff current to the same as the charging current so there would be no absorption time.

Here is an example where a user is setting the cutoff current the same as the charging current when doing testing at several different currents, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 amps. He sets the cutoff current the same as the charging current, so it stops charging as soon as the voltage he set is reached. In this case it was 3.5v at 40amps

Here is another example video.
. In this video the user is charging with 20A and has the cutoff current aet to 19.90.

I am trying to reproduce these tests to do capacity testing between different voltages (which is how my charger works). I am unable to set absorption times on my chargers. So, I need to know what my capacity is between 2 voltages.

I am using the latest EB tester software 1.8.8. However, I noticed in his videos, he has an older version of EB Tester software (v1.8.5) which he shares on his website. I downloaded it and gave it a try and I am still unable to set the cutoff current higher than 9.99.

In one of his videos when he is powering it on and I was able to see the firmware version. My guess is he has an older firmware on his charger which allowed him to set the cutoff current higher than 9.99. In this video of him powering it on you can see firmware v 3.0.3 and has a date of 20-05-08.

On my charger I have the same version of v3.0.3 but mine does not show a date at all. Maybe my firmware is newer since I just bought the charger? If this is the case, can I get a firmware that allows me to go higher than 9.99a for my cutoff current so I can perform the tests I need? Also, can I get instructions on how to perform the firmware upgrade?
 
I reached out to ZKETECH support and just heard back from them today. They responded with:
--------------------------------------------------------
Hi Andy,
I’ve double checked with the engineer department. The cut-off current in charge mode is set at the max 9.99A and it will be limited to 9.99A if a higher current is set.
Do you need to set cut-off higher than 9.99A?
---------------------------------------------------------
It seems to be working as expected but it's not what I had observed in some online videos and isn't going to work for what I need it to unless I keep my charging amps below 10a which is going to take really long to test a 280ah cell.

So, I replied with:

ZKETECH, thanks for your feedback. I am performing some battery testing, and I want to do a test where the battery charging turns off once a certain voltage is reached. That way I can charge and discharge between to different voltages and measure the capacity between them.

I thought it had this capability based on a few internet videos I had seen where people set the cutoff current to the same as the charging current so there would be no absorption time.

Here is an example where a user is setting the cutoff current the same as the charging current when doing testing at several different currents, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 amps. He sets the cutoff current the same as the charging current, so it stops charging as soon as the voltage he set is reached. In this case it was 3.5v at 40amps

Here is another example video.
. In this video the user is charging with 20A and has the cutoff current aet to 19.90.

I am trying to reproduce these tests to do capacity testing between different voltages (which is how my charger works). I am unable to set absorption times on my chargers. So, I need to know what my capacity is between 2 voltages.

I am using the latest EB tester software 1.8.8. However, I noticed in his videos, he has an older version of EB Tester software (v1.8.5) which he shares on his website. I downloaded it and gave it a try and I am still unable to set the cutoff current higher than 9.99.

In one of his videos when he is powering it on and I was able to see the firmware version. My guess is he has an older firmware on his charger which allowed him to set the cutoff current higher than 9.99. In this video of him powering it on you can see firmware v 3.0.3 and has a date of 20-05-08.

On my charger I have the same version of v3.0.3 but mine does not show a date at all. Maybe my firmware is newer since I just bought the charger? If this is the case, can I get a firmware that allows me to go higher than 9.99a for my cutoff current so I can perform the tests I need? Also, can I get instructions on how to perform the firmware upgrade?

Did you get this resolved?

I'm having the same issue. I emailed them at tech@zketech.com but haven't heard anything.
 
Since my initial reply listed above, I have not heard anything. I have sent 2 follow up messages since then. One on 12-31-24 and another on 1-7-25. Nothing yet. I wonder if there is a way to get a firmware off one of the older models that don't have the 9.99a limit.
 
Since my initial reply listed above, I have not heard anything. I have sent 2 follow up messages since then. One on 12-31-24 and another on 1-7-25. Nothing yet. I wonder if there is a way to get a firmware off one of the older models that don't have the 9.99a limit.
It looks like the software only allows updating the firmware. There is no provision for saving the current firmware.
 

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