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Author Topic: icharger 306b  (Read 1795 times)

Offline Motorman

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icharger 306b
« on: October 21, 2016, 12:32:32 PM »
Does anyone use the fast charge mode? It says you don't get the full charge but is it significantly less?

I've been using balance charge and doing 2-3 batteries at once. Now I have an electric socket at the field and I'll be charging one at a time after a flight. Just wondering if fast charge is really that much faster than regular charge or balance charge.

Also, can you gang charge in fast charge mode?


MM

Online Fred Underwood

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Re: icharger 306b
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2016, 05:35:29 PM »
If I understand "fast charge," it is still up to you to determine the charge rate by setting charge amps.  Most chargers have a fast charge cycle and it is a faster cut off of the slow fill at the end.  Many chargers go to C/20 at the end, and fast is usually C/10.  Some chargers will allow you to set the finish at C/5 or faster.

You can finish the fast charge and then use a cell checker and see the voltage, or % charge if it has that feature.  You can also use fast charge, then wait a few minutes and put the battery back on at regular charge and see what it takes to finish.  It isn't a large amount, unless you are already up against the 80% use wall, then it may seem large :)  If you don't need a full charge, it is a great way to speed up things up and may be better for the battery - use the same rate as before and save the time on the finish charge and don't cram in every possible electron.  If the charger fast charge say stops at 4.19 when rested, though set for 4.20 and fast charge, the fast charge should be faster than setting for 4.19 and using the regular charge with slow finish.

Yes, you can parallel charge in most (probably all) charge settings.  The charger does not know what is on the board, for example a 10,800 mah battery or 4 parallel 2700s unless yours has a feature to tell it.  Powerlab asks the number of parallel batteries and then does the math so that you see the charge/battery instead of the total of the lead.
Fred
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Offline Motorman

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Re: icharger 306b
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2016, 06:39:06 PM »
The manual says in fast charge the iCharger 306b will terminate charging when the current falls below 1/5 of the configured charge current. Regular charge is 1/10. That's the only difference I can find.

Can anybody explain this in plain english? What does that mean, it just stops charging sooner and that's how it does it faster?

Thanks,
MM

Online Fred Underwood

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Re: icharger 306b
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2016, 07:07:11 PM »
it just stops charging sooner and that's how it does it faster?

Thanks,
MM

That is simplified English, stopping sooner makes it faster.  They were trying to help you understand why/how it is faster.  Try the charging suggested above and watch a cycle and you may understand the difference between faster by short charging to a lower voltage and stopping a bit sooner, versus by a faster cycle termination C/5 versus C/10, and some chargers or cycles at C/20.
Fred
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Offline Igor Burger

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Re: icharger 306b
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2016, 12:29:07 AM »
The manual says in fast charge the iCharger 306b will terminate charging when the current falls below 1/5 of the configured charge current. Regular charge is 1/10. That's the only difference I can find.

Can anybody explain this in plain english? What does that mean, it just stops charging sooner and that's how it does it faster?

Thanks,
MM

Well, maybe I can explain it better in plain Slovak, but I will try:

Aswer is YES: If you charge battery at 2.5A in "normal" mode, the charger will stop in 1/10 of 2.5A, means at 0.25A. It is visible on the picture down (blue line) - charging will take 1.5 hour

If you charge in fast mode, it will stop at 1/5 of 2.5A means at 0.5A. So you will stop 15 min earlier, but you will leave 5% of battery empty (compared to "normal" mode).

Another thing which will save you time is that you do not balance, that usualy gives some minutes also depending on battery health.

And if you ask if someone use it, then I can say yes, because I do ... I use slow mode home when I have time, I also balance battery, but I use fast charge on field. The fact that you stop it sooner than at 100% also means that balancing is not necessary, healthy battery will not disbalance during few flights so much that some of cells will exceed 4.2V after charging, however you can still monitor cell voltages during charging, just check the manual some of buttons will open screen with separate voltages for all cells (you must connect also balance connector in that case). That is also good idea on begin of charge just to see if some of cells does not fall under 3.7 after flight - that means your battery is on way already :- P






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