LiPo, the big guide thread *updated March '10* *

[locky]

46 minutes ago, Peachy37 said:

Step 1 - Charge Lipo at 1c (batteries mah)

 

 

Recommend use balance charge setting (usually charger has choice of charge/balance charge/storage charge) with balance lead connected to charger.

[Peachy37]

5 hours ago, locky said:

 

Recommend use balance charge setting (usually charger has choice of charge/balance charge/storage charge) with balance lead connected to charger.

 

Nice one, yep, amended my post.

 

cant wait for my Firestorm now, shop said due in on 21.4.17, managed to get it at the old cost as they said they would be putting them up this week.

[Ross9999992]

On 2007-1-13 at 14:34, Garry said:

Charge to peak voltage (3.7v per cell) at max charge current (1C normally)

- Holds the voltage at 3.7v per cell until the pack is approx 80%, lowering the amperage constantly

 

Umm unless I've been missing something should that not be 4.2v/cell.

 

We have a mildly confused peachy it would seem and I'm wanting to point the finger towards that being the reason.

[dave.1]

I bought a few LiPos when I returned to the hobby (briefly) about two years ago.

 

I have had them stored in a LiPo bag in my garage ever since. When I went back to them, three soft packs I had used a couple of times are really swollen and therefore totally trashed, but I also had one hardcase battery that I never even took out of the original packaging.

 

Is it reasonable to try to charge that one and use it after two years, or should I just safely dispose of it and start again?

Edited June 14, 2017 by dave.1

[Ross9999992]

As long as it's held it's (hopefully storage) voltage then you should be good to charge and go. God knows how old some of my still in use lipos are  

[dave.1]

34 minutes ago, Ross9999992 said:

As long as it's held it's (hopefully storage) voltage then you should be good to charge and go. God knows how old some of my still in use lipos are  

 

Thanks. I'll give it a go tonight. It should be at storage charge as it has never been opened, but I didn't know if storage charge only related to keeping it for a certain period.

[Ross9999992]

Nah storage is storage, like I said if they have held their voltage then they are good.

 

My older packs seem a touch weaker than my newer packs but well they're older  

[BoutTime]

So just a quick two questions regarding LiPos....

 

1. Am I right that I can just Balance charge my 2S Lipos every so often rather than every charge?
2. My RC6-VSR has a Fast Charge option for LiPos, should I use this or not?
3. The aforementioned chargerhas a Storage Charge option. Do I need to use this to store my 2S LiPos if I use them once a week minimum?

I've only just ordered a Storage/Charge bag today.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Zoea]

1) You are correct though many balance charge every time. For safety try for at least 1 time in 3 balancing and check the cell voltages with a multimeter after each run. Storage charge will also balance so you should be fine.

2) the FAST charge option simply doesn't insert the last few bits of charge into the battery, cutting down the charge time. It's safe to use at any time. Unless your batteries specifically say you can go over, aim for 1C charge, so for example 4 amps max for a 4000mah battery or 6 amps for 6000mah

3) Most people storage charge a battery after each use. Unless you are very careful about how much you use each battery, and can stop using each at close to 7.4 volts (IIRC), you should do the same.

 

Enjoy!

[BoutTime]

4 minutes ago, Zoea said:

1) You are correct though many balance charge every time. For safety try for at least 1 time in 3 balancing and check the cell voltages with a multimeter after each run. Storage charge will also balance so you should be fine.

2) the FAST charge option simply doesn't insert the last few bits of charge into the battery, cutting down the charge time. It's safe to use at any time. Unless your batteries specifically say you can go over, aim for 1C charge, so for example 4 amps max for a 4000mah battery or 6 amps for 6000mah

3) Most people storage charge a battery after each use. Unless you are very careful about how much you use each battery, and can stop using each at close to 7.4 volts (IIRC), you should do the same.

 

Enjoy!

Thanks for your help!

 

Just bought one of these to keep them in.

 

https://pay.ebay.co.uk/xo?action=success&sessionid=827940101012

 

Is it ok to put them in a Lipo Bag, then inside the ammo case, then inside the shed? I work away so need to know the family are safe when I'm not about.

 

Thanks again.

[everclear1984]

38 minutes ago, BoutTime said:

Thanks for your help!

 

Just bought one of these to keep them in.

 

https://pay.ebay.co.uk/xo?action=success&sessionid=827940101012

 

Is it ok to put them in a Lipo Bag, then inside the ammo case, then inside the shed? I work away so need to know the family are safe when I'm not about.

 

Thanks again.

 

That's about the safest way you're going to find to store them. Storage charge after each use unless the cells come out of the car around 3.8v per cell. There really isn't much in it time wise between a balance charge and a fast charge so just balance charge every time imo.

[Zoea]

Sorry for the inaccuracy - yes storage charge is 3.8 per cell so 7.6 total for a 2s. Within 0.1v is ok though, lower probably better than higher (slightly).

As for storing the lipos outside, I would be wary of temperature fluctuations, these may shorten your lipo life. But if safety is your priority outside is probably very slightly safer.

[RobFandango]

are these batteries really that dangerous that they have to be stored and kept in the above manor?

 

I have been away from RC but trying to get back in to it, I was involved long before Lipos were what they are today.

[NOFX]

They're ok if you charge em properly. Don't take em below minimum voltage either.  I've had nimhs smoke out in my summit.  I bought a 2 motor brushed system & nimhs from Kershaw designs.  I was told it was ideal for the esc I had. I was bashing in 1 inch long wet grass when a load of smoke poured out of the truck . One of the motors died.I emailed kershaws & they blagged me into buying a smaller pinion.( id bought the whole lot including pinion from em) . I went & bashed the summit & one of the nimhs went poof . Could have lost the £500+ truck. Anyway.  Lipos are good if treated properly. I've got a few on top of a cupboard in the kitchen. 

[Nickarla]

Presumably if you storage charge after each use it should be done relatively quickly as the Lipos will be around the correct discharge rate when the LVC is activated anyway...I think.

[stu.artd]

I have a SkyRC Ultimate Duo charger. I connected my 2 x 5200mah lipo batteries and set to charge at 5.2 A (as I think this is 1C, and read that's a 'safe' level to charge at). I had a message on the charger stating 'Over charge capacity limit'. Going into Settings and upping the default max charge capacity to 5200 sorted it out.

Edited September 1, 2018 by stu.artd
Adding info.

[Peachy37]

HI Guys

 

 

Anyone use a parallel charging method for Lipos or isn't it recommended ?

 

 

Cheers

[capri-boy]

5 minutes ago, Peachy37 said:

HI Guys

 

 

Anyone use a parallel charging method for Lipos or isn't it recommended ?

 

 

Cheers

 

Yes - with my small 1300mah 2s race packs for the lc emb.  My understanding is you can only do it with identically matched packs - so same capacity and C rating - and that are also at very similar discharge states when you start - otherwise I think there's the chance for one to discharge to the other via the balance taps - and there only designed for very low currents.

 

I did it when racing, mostly when one of the mini me's we're also using the same packs.  I also (pre BRCA rule change) used to do it a 2 or 3C rate (and beyond when only doing 2 or 3 at a time).  Did it harm the lipo's?  Not that I can tell, the cycle did often take a long time to balance at the end - so I often took them off charge slightly unbalanced (cell one 4.2, cell two 4.18 etc).  The packs were/are £7 each so I wasn't overly fussed - and it never casued safety issues.  I'd never do it with any of my better quality packs.

[Peachy37]

Nice one.

 

So my charger amp cap is only 7amp.
 

I've 2 x 2S, 6amp Lipos that I want to charge in parallel so as I can't charge at 1c in parallel I'm guessing I should charge at 0.5c (in this case 3amp) as I'm charging 2 x 6amp batts ?

 

Not overly sure, LOL

Edited October 11, 2018 by Peachy37

[Grumpzter]

For those who salt batteries...

Getting them too 0.0v

Use fan yep, but when fan stops for even more discharge..... use 50 ohm resistor, on legs of resistor solder a low power led, then plug resistor in. The led will light and as the 50 ohm resistor discharges the battery circuit the led will get dimmer. When out of voltage the led will go out.

 

Use fan first resistor will get to warm other wise. For super low equalization. Salt water, well if its below little red led probably bit over the top to melt the Ali, and such small cadmium parts in the battery very hard to clean something so small.

 

Just a bit more for the mega thread.

Ps who's buying all the zappy compacts up, out of stock. Whaaaa

 

Pss. Dont rag a nearly flat battery if you using high c like 30c. The balance circuit is so f necessary. 

Puffy hydrogen happenes quicker, and if you get into gast balancing leave the last top 20% out stop balancer and go sloooow. 

You'll get the extra number of complete cycles.

No ones gonna read page 13 but hey use lithium poly carefully,  and lithium ion. The 4.7 compared to 3.7 poly. Same applies refilling each cell must be attempted (drain about 1 volt or 1.2 volt no more) before you remove that golden high {  }volt energiser type power.

The reason we like big motor products in first place.

Done!

Edited June 25, 2019 by Grumpzter
Bad sentence word swap wierdness and double pss added

[Tintin]

Newbie question... help! 

 

So just been out bashing in the park mainly on short grass, and I noticed that the 1st Lipo (2s, that comes with the FXT Brushless Vantage) seemed a little swollen, like 1- 1.5mm domed in the middle.

 

It is still cooling down, but should it be used again? 

[Goody690]

Hi. I'm looking at buying my first RC truck for (Kraton 6s) and wondering which batteries to buy? What's the difference between 35c and 50c? Can I use either in the Kraton? Also, can I use any power battery in it or is there a limit?

Sent from my SM-N976B using Tapatalk

[J.K]

6 minutes ago, Goody690 said:

Hi. I'm looking at buying my first RC truck for (Kraton 6s) and wondering which batteries to buy? What's the difference between 35c and 50c? Can I use either in the Kraton? Also, can I use any power battery in it or is there a limit?

Sent from my SM-N976B using Tapatalk
 

 

In the kraton you can either use 1x 4s pack or 2x 3s packs (6s). For decent run times you want at least 5000mah packs. The BLX185 esc is rated at 150a so you need at least 5000mah 35c packs to avoid straining and potentially "puffing" the lipo's. 

 

Generally the higher mah and C rating the better, depending on your budget

[Goody690]

Awesome, thanks for the reply.

[Needmoreamps]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering if someone could help me and let me know if this lipo is safe to use? Cells charge and balance fine but is it ballooned? To point where it's not safe to use?

 

Thanks