Anyone familiar with using an IMAX B6 to balance battery cells in a GS450h or similar?

[Xane]

Hi All,

I hope you are keeping well and safe during these difficult times. 

I have a lexus 2006 GS450h which was showing a hybrid Battery fault. 

I have managed to get the hybrid Battery out and strip it down and get to the individual cells. All cells are showing similar voltage around 7.8 volts.

I have decided to attempt to balance the Battery and bought an IMAX B6 for the job.

I made the following settings on my IMAX - 

Dischage and then charge (2 cycles)

Discharge rate - 1 amp

Charge rate - 5 amp

Charge to 7500mah (my understanding is that 6500 is the capacity but some energy is lost as heat)

safety cut off timer 720mins

I attempted to balance my first cell yesterday and left it for around 9 hours, checking on it periodically. It seemed to be charging and discharging correctly. At the end of the 9 hours I went to check on it and the device had frozen. I tried to cycle through the results but it only gave me results for half of a cycle and nothing else. 

My cell had also swollen up quite a bit but after leaving it all switched off overnight the cell seems to have shrunk again.

Any ideas on how properly to use the IMAX B6? I got it from eBay and am now wondering if the device is faulty. It's more likely to be user error though!

 

I used this youtube guide (see 15:48 time stamp for how I set up my IMAx) - 

 

[Steven Lockey]

I don't know specifically for these Battery cells, but in most cases if the cells start to swell at ALL they are bad and in the worst cases can be dangerous.

I know I have a bad cell that did the same, I've actually got all the cells from the original Battery sitting in 2 boxes next to me at the moment and one shows
signs of swelling like that. 

From what I understand, balancing the cells is unlikely to do more than buy you another few months before the error pops up again at best. 
Really you will want to get it fully reconditioned and each cell will need a full deep charge/discharge cycle before you have any real idea if
any of the cells are good or bad. 

I'd strongly recommend Hybrid Battery solutions:
http://www.hybridbatterysolutions.co.uk/

He'll be able to give you far more expert advice than anyone here.