Tips and other stuff: 1) The battery clamp cable looks to be copper stranded class K 25.0 mm^2 (4 AWG) if so you can use a Ferrule to keep the strands from splaying with the screw pinch connector in making the screw connection. But you would need a Ferrule crimper. This is handy in making a robust screw clamp pressure connection (which for this large wire technically the screw should be torqued) and also if you have to disconnect/reconnect the cables (handy when replacing the clamps when the originals wear out). I usually have a spare clamp set available in case a clamp gives up in some way. I then rebuild it at a later date. 2) The PowerMax manual states to disconnect the battery before connecting the unit to the vehicle? Well what if the battery is buried in the trunk like on a Cadillac ATS? 3) The PowerMax manual states that the three stage battery charge is optional? 4) The problem I have with both the Midtronics PSC series and PowerMax is reverse battery protection results in blowing a fuse. Higher end battery chargers will alert (indicator) to reverse battery condition without blowing a fuse or damaging the unit. You just have to reverse the leads and continue. 5) It is clear that if you want an accurate vehicle system voltage measurement is to do it on the vehicle side and not the power supply side, given the 12 foot long cables and the high rated currents. 6) No mention about how to deal with inaccessible batteries found in the trunk. Usually this means using the jump start posts and obviously the battery is still connected. In using jump start posts you must be very careful not to overvoltage the vehicle at high currents. This is where the battery chargers usually try and do CC modes and the voltage can surpass 15V at the posts. Also, many smart chargers cannot diagnose accurately the battery condition through the jump start posts and may just lock you out if you cannot override. Which is why the manual modes (power supply modes) of regulated voltage are provided. 7) What would be more helpful is a current meter which could accurately measure up to the full range of the supply. However, an accurate current shunt alone would probably cost more than the PMBC charger. 8) The PowerMax unit looks like an extended PC 12V switcher with a voltage adjust pot, voltmeter and extra fuses. The stickers are not even quality controlled. 9) The PowerMax manual states to not leave the unit unattended. I leave my battery chargers "unattended", that is not being continually watched, for hours at a time. A lead-acid topping charge may take 8 hours to complete. If all you are doing is reflashing a vehicle then I guess you could continually watch the unit attended. However, charging a battery fully in three stages as shown in the PowerMax manual can take up to 12 hours or longer from 50% SOC. 10) It is hard to tell from the video but the PowerMax cable clamps should have a tinned flat braid strap (1 inch wide with 2 in parallel) between the jaws for anything greater than 50 Amps so both jaws are supplying current. You will see straped jaws on fleet chargers rated for 60 Amps and above. Many will use intinned flat copper braid but may have protective heatsrink over it.
@weldingjunkie3 жыл бұрын
I went with the PL6100 Chlore I love it, also has 20,40 & 60 amp battery charger as well as 35mm dinse connection for removable leads and also has a fully digital display. You do need a 20a plug but I’m not mobile so it’s great for me. I wanted to have the charging capability as well as 100amp power supply. I paid $400 néw for it. The pl6800 has 100 amp power and charging. I looked into the powemax to be just looks cheap like a computer power supply that cost too much. The fit and finish isn’t great vs the Chlore. Thanks for sharing great video
@JLSR-vg9ol2 жыл бұрын
@Welding Junkie Do you think the 60 amp is fine for flashing "mostly gm and ford" or should I spring a little extra for the 100 amp model?
@SpringvisualTk2 жыл бұрын
@@JLSR-vg9ol Can anyone help with this, since I dont understand how many amps are actually needed, I need the PMBC for just car flash programming for potentially all car brands (ECM/UCH matching/initializing), from what I understand 60AMP is more than enough, I was even thinking of getting the 55W, -in what scenario the 75 or 100 will be reached? Edit: I spoke with Autel about it (makers of the MaxiFlash tool) and they said 55 is fine, still need clearance though, dont want to buy something i'd regret.
@DrShock2 жыл бұрын
@@SpringvisualTk GM recommends that Midtronics unit I mention in the vid, which is also 55A. Jaguar and Volvo as well. But they also approve the 70A model. So for that range of recommendations, that's why I went with the 75A PowerMax unit. Their PMBC 75 ADJ is comparable to the high range of the Midtronics recommendation, the PSC-700. I can't imagine ever needing more amps than that thru and including the upcoming 2022 model year. But I don't work on anything but GM vehicles. Hope that helps.
@jamescc2010 Жыл бұрын
Is PL6100 mobile unit?
@9-ballguru2 ай бұрын
Is 14.7 kind of high for the voltage setting? Even the GM docs said to use 13.4 ?
@DrShock2 ай бұрын
Varies with the vehicles alternator. Some do output over 14
@MrBumbles23 жыл бұрын
i just got this same model, do you move switch A to adjust V then back to set and maintain?? think that's how i'm reading it .
@DrShock3 жыл бұрын
I didn't have to adjust mine, but according to the manual included yeah you move switch A to _Adjust Fixed Voltage_ and then move switch B _gently_ adjust the voltage from 13V~16.5V. There's also a procedure for three stage charging around these same switches.
@MrBumbles23 жыл бұрын
@@DrShock yep checked it , was 14.8 works like a champ
@jamescc2010 Жыл бұрын
Best review video so far. I have been looking and trying to decide to save money. Is this enough Amp, or I need 100 Amp for BMW and Mercedes programming to be safe?
@DrShock Жыл бұрын
Thanks, I only work on domestics where this 75A PowerMax is more than sufficient being more amps than either of the Midtronics units the GM dealerships would have gone with. But I'd say get all the amps you can afford, you can always have too much but never not enough. ;-)
@Zlambert9910 ай бұрын
What Voltage do you leave it on for GM Programming? 14.4 or 13.4? Also is that on the Fixed voltage setting?
@DrShock10 ай бұрын
Fixed voltage for GM vehicles, at the default setting. Puts it in the range of the average alternator charging voltage.
@Zlambert9910 ай бұрын
@@DrShock Ok thanks. So just switch it to Fixed voltage and do not do any adjustment
@jasminerogers9971 Жыл бұрын
Could you please show how you charge a deep circle battery with it?
@DrShock Жыл бұрын
This is *not* a battery _charger_ tool. It's a battery _maintainer_ that is only used for maintaining clean backup power voltage and amperage when re-programming vehicle computer modules.
@catfishguy38223 жыл бұрын
Hi 🙋🏽♂️ good morning ☀️ Dr. Shock can you please please make a tutorial video on how to remove rotted Seized body bolts for 88-98 Chevy k1500’s. I have the sagging bed and cabin and I can’t remove one of my cabin bolts drivers side. No one on KZfaq here seems to show the real process or so called hack. Thank you in advance - one of your subscribers and fans!
@executive3 жыл бұрын
Have you tried the VCX Nano?
@DrShock3 жыл бұрын
Familiar with it, but have great clones of the Tech2 and MDI already.
@executive3 жыл бұрын
@@DrShock I'm interested in a reliable MDI clone for my tech2 era vehicle. Can you recommend a good vendor?
@DrShock3 жыл бұрын
@@executive I can't recommend a particular vendor as these are all no name imports from China and the sellers on eBay and Amazon come and go. But I did a review here kzfaq.info/get/bejne/psCWi9im37W2iqM.html on what I use, and I have a pair of them and they are 100% identical in functionality to the GM ones built by Bosch. Just look for the cosmetic details, and most important the double decker circuit board design inside (most sellers will show pics of this) with WiFi and Ethernet jack support. The ones without Wifi capability and this network jack connection (the USB only ones) are cheaper, but very inferior. It doesn't matter about the HDD (hard disk drive) option some offer as that's just a hacked version of the GM GDS2 diagnostic program and Tech2Win emulator running in in a virtual machine player for Windows. Mostly what these MDIs are for is SPS programming and you have to pay for that at www.acdelcotds.com still.
@executive3 жыл бұрын
@@DrShock Thanks.
@jb27627002 жыл бұрын
I'm in the process of setting up my vcx nano. I tried programming once but it failed before it even started, but I didn't have any type of power supply connected. You can configure the vcx nano many different ways. It's gonna take a lot of patience setting it up. Be sure to put it on a computer with a fresh Windows installation, and you have to spend a lot of time with the settings in Windows like disabling windows defender and antivirus software. It really is quite the pain in the end and I'm just guessing but it will likely continue to be a pain in the butt because you have to update it every 60 days to keep the license current, and of course every update will probably screw something up and cause it to not communicate properly. I'm still glad to have it. I had plenty of time to kill. Just waiting to get my power supply (and finish hunting down an electrical issue I found while digging around in the guts of my truck with the nano), and i should be programming in no time.
@simplemechanics246 Жыл бұрын
These screw terminals is so dumb installation. If inside is space, install welder terminals. They make that type small too. Way easier cable management and cost only about 6eur