Author Topic: Charge rates with my new charger. (Read 2168 times)

Russell Bond · « **on:** October 14, 2012, 05:24:45 PM »

Hi all,
I've just bought a new 306B iCharger (of 1000 watts) along with a 1000 watt power supply.
I am using Thunder Power G6 25c batteries and read on their website that I can charge at up to 5c.
If I'm using a 3900 battery, does this mean I can charge it at 19 amps instead of 3.9 (1C).
(Although my current charger only goes up to 3.3 amps and no more even if I set it at 4 amps, this is why I bought a new one).
I would rather play safe and charge at less than 10 amps, what do the experts suggest I charge at?

Dan Bregar · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2012, 06:10:08 PM »

Russell

I have the same charger & like it a lot. There are a lot of experts out there, and I'm not one of them for sure, but most knowledgeable lipo experts say not to charge at more than 2C. I use the parallel charging board and charge 4 batteries at one time at 1C. So in one hour I have four packs fully charged even at 1C.

Russell Bond · « **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2012, 06:52:10 PM »

Yes, I bought mine with the parallel board as well.

I've been using the HobbyKing Quattro that charges 4 at a time and this seems to work well.
It's just that I'd like to charge a bit quicker.
Even if I dial in a charge rate of 4 amps on the Quattro, it still only charges at 3.3.

William DeMauro · « **Reply #3 on:** October 14, 2012, 07:23:49 PM »

Russel.
Your quatro is really 4 50 watt chargers.So using real rough math 50watt divided by 14.8pack voltage= approx. 3.3 amps from your charger at max no matter what you set it for above that number. As far as the 306B goes. I have one and love it. I generally charge both my 4s 4000 hyperions and my 4s3800 Gens Ace at 16 amps. This is about 4c. It takes me 13-17 minutes a pack at that rate. I've been doing this for about the last 25 cycles on my packs. Before that I charged at 3c. If I'm in storage mode I don't take numbers so I parallel as many as 5 at the full 30 amps and put my other 2 on my 206B at 16 amps. Within 20 minutes I have 7 ready to fly packs!!
Is your PS 12V or 24V.? If its not 24Vyou may fall short of the numbers I'm getting on my 306B. Everything will also run hotter at 12V.
William

Russell Bond · « **Reply #4 on:** October 14, 2012, 07:27:59 PM »

Great! Sounds good to me...4C it is.
On the battery it says no higher than 5C, but I won't push it.

Yes you are right, no matter what I dial up on the Quattro, it charges at 3.3 amps.

Crist Rigotti · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2012, 07:48:58 PM »

I have the TP 5S 2700mah Pro-Lites and I usually charge them at 2C. The harder you charge them the less total cycles they'll give. I wouldn't push them that hard if you don't need to. Just my opinion.

Igor Burger · « **Reply #6 on:** October 15, 2012, 01:21:33 AM »

I charge my 6S 5C 2600 (also 2250) nanotechs by 9A (max of my charger) and it does not make any problems.

Russell Bond · « **Reply #7 on:** October 15, 2012, 05:12:01 AM »

Sorry william, I forgot to add that I bought a 24v power supply as well.

Keith Renecle · « **Reply #8 on:** October 15, 2012, 05:42:14 AM »

Quote from: Igor Burger on October 15, 2012, 01:21:33 AM

I charge my 6S 5C 2600 (also 2250) nanotechs by 9A (max of my charger) and it does not make any problems.

Hi Igor, tell them how many cycles you get out of your pack please.

Igor Burger · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2012, 05:54:32 AM »

The best number was 400 (2600mah at new, 2100 when it went away - I still have it as a backup), the worse number was 250 (it was 2250 new and 2050 at the end), typically over 300 ... but I fly ONE battery at a time, so I do not change batteries in model and that number is always during one season - means intensive flying.

And when I used Lifes, I got 600 :- )))))))))))) ... it was one battery for whole season

.. and do not ask me how I was able to do 600 flights during one season ... I do not know ... it simply did not fly well and I simply flew and flew and flew ... and then I was second on WCh in France 2008

... and battery had 600 flights

Ron Heckler · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2012, 08:17:08 AM »

Russell
I tried to post this yesterday, but it did not go through so I will try again.

I have three chargers. Two of them have a maximum charge rate of 5 amps and the other 10 amps. I charge four 3300 nano tech batteries in approximately one hour. I plan on buying one or two 306 chargers next year, and the reason for this is not just to improve charging times, but to improve discharging times. It is a known fact that batteries have better longevity if they are put in storage mode when not in use and charged before use. Of course everybody has their own system established. Mine is to charge them after use to get numbers put back for monitoring and statistic purposes, then discharge them down to storage mode (3.85 per cell). Using the 306 chargers will give me accurate numbers and speed up the times for both processes. I am sure you will find this true with yours.

Ron

Dan Bregar · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2012, 06:19:39 PM »

Igor

Do I understand that you go flying with just one battery, and keep re-charging it at the flying field. You said you don't change batteries in the model. Well then if you are getting 300 cycles per battery pack on the inexpensive nanotechs and you are charging them at 3C or more, I guess that throws a monkey wrench in the idea of not charging at more than 2C. I will try your strategy with my 4 new Sky lipo 4S3000mah packs and see what I get out of them. I'd be real happy with 200 cycles.

Dan

Ron Heckler · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2012, 11:13:10 AM »

Quote from: Motorman on October 15, 2012, 08:43:05 PM

I'm new to this but doesn't that double the number of cycles you have on the batteries?

MM
It doesn't matter how many cycles you have on a battery. The most important thing is to preserve it and get the most for your money. At a $1 per flight vs cost of the battery and compared to cost of liquid fuel, I am way ahead of the game right now and still going strong as are other people. So I really do not understand why you are asking that question.

Ron

William DeMauro · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2012, 05:33:58 PM »

When we discharge an unflown battery or charge and then discharge to get our numbers,yes, technically is adds to the # of cycles. Keep in mind though that the discharge mode on most chargers is from less than 1 amp to around 5 amps depending on your charger and how many batteries that you put in parallel. This is a very easy discharge as opposed to flying the battery out at a high discharge rate. This is also way less harmful than leaving your batteries fully charged for any length of time. I try to never have my batteries in a charged state for more than a few hours. If I don't fly a battery, I try to always discharge the same day as soon as possible.

Ron Heckler · « **Reply #14 on:** October 16, 2012, 07:45:26 PM »

Quote from: Dan Bregar on October 15, 2012, 06:19:39 PM

Igor

Do I understand that you go flying with just one battery, and keep re-charging it at the flying field. You said you don't change batteries in the model. Well then if you are getting 300 cycles per battery pack on the inexpensive nanotechs and you are charging them at 3C or more, I guess that throws a monkey wrench in the idea of not charging at more than 2C. I will try your strategy with my 4 new Sky lipo 4S3000mah packs and see what I get out of them. I'd be real happy with 200 cycles.

Dan
Hi Dan,

I am curious to know, is this the first time you are using Sky Lipo's? Have you used any other brands in the past? and if so, what was the reason for switching? I would appreciate your input as I am considering them myself.

Ron

Igor Burger · « **Reply #15 on:** October 17, 2012, 12:46:32 AM »

Quote from: Dan Bregar on October 15, 2012, 06:19:39 PM

Igor

Do I understand that you go flying with just one battery, and keep re-charging it at the flying field. You said you don't change batteries in the model. Well then if you are getting 300 cycles per battery pack on the inexpensive nanotechs and you are charging them at 3C or more, I guess that throws a monkey wrench in the idea of not charging at more than 2C. I will try your strategy with my 4 new Sky lipo 4S3000mah packs and see what I get out of them. I'd be real happy with 200 cycles.

Dan

Yes, one battery. Second is only backup, so I do not go home from contest with dead battery. I fly always the same, so also discharged capacity is the same, and I know I do not go deeper than 80%. I always check if battery has voltage no less that 3.7V per cell. I see it when I connect battery to charger. I never charge battery when I go home, so my battery is stored discharged after flight all the time. When I charge, I typically do not wait until it charges to 100%, I want go fly, so I cut charging when currend drops to apriximately 2A. So battery never reachses 100% or 0% of its capacity.

Sign of old battery for me is, when I see that voltage after flight drops under 3.7V - it means the capacity is already too low. The voltage at end of the flight drops, governor keeps the input power and that means the current is high and it discharges battery even quicker, so it will kill battery soon. Means discharging under 3.7V is sign for replacing. So far I did not notice clear sign of old battery on resistance or something else. May be little balooning can be also sign.

Dan Bregar · « **Reply #16 on:** October 17, 2012, 04:15:17 AM »

Hi Ron

As to my reason for using Sky lipos, for the last two seasons I ran the Blue lipo from Hobby Partz. They have given satisfactory performance for over 200 flights. One problem with them is the wire for the tap is very stiff (read cheap) and they will break from time to time. I have had to resolder them numerous times . The Sky lipo has a nice soft silicone insulation on the wire for the tap which should eliminate the problem. So I will see. I have a friend who uses them on all his EDF stuff and they have given good service. Time will tell. Good luck to you Ron.

Ron Heckler · « **Reply #17 on:** October 17, 2012, 07:36:40 AM »

Quote from: Dan Bregar on October 17, 2012, 04:15:17 AM

Hi Ron

As to my reason for using Sky lipos, for the last two seasons I ran the Blue lipo from Hobby Partz. They have given satisfactory performance for over 200 flights. One problem with them is the wire for the tap is very stiff (read cheap) and they will break from time to time. I have had to resolder them numerous times . The Sky lipo has a nice soft silicone insulation on the wire for the tap which should eliminate the problem. So I will see. I have a friend who uses them on all his EDF stuff and they have given good service. Time will tell. Good luck to you Ron.

Dan,
Thanks for the reply. If you don't mind answering another question, over what period of time have you recorded 200 flights? I put in 100-125 flights per year. I'm sure to some people that doesn't seem like a lot. That's why I am experimenting with various types of batteries to see which ones will give me the most service, and Blue lipos was my next choice.

Ron

Dan Bregar · « **Reply #18 on:** October 17, 2012, 03:47:45 PM »

Ron

When I said "over 200 flights" I was referring to 2 full flying seasons in N.E. Ohio. The 2011 flying season I logged 115 flights, and for the current 2012 season I'm up to 97 flights so far, and I hope to put in 6 or 7 this week end. The batteries were purchased in April of 2011. Also I heard that the Blue lipo's are going to be discontinued.

I just realized that I may be giving the wrong impression about my battery usage. The "over 200 flights is made up of 6 different battery packs, so each pack has "approx." 34 flights. These packs are cheap enough that I can afford having 6 of them. My normal drill is to bring them to the flying field fully charged, and after using 2 or 3 packs, I'll put one of the recently flown (discharged), packs on the charger by my car. I never charge more than 2 at the field cause 7 or 8 flights is all I can do. My flying usually starts to go down hill after the 5th or 6th flight anyway. So maybe I'll get another season out of them. If not I'm OK with it cause they are cheap and I figure I got my money's worth out of them.

Ron Heckler · « **Reply #19 on:** October 17, 2012, 06:40:46 PM »

Dan

OK!!! We are both on the same page. I have 4 batteries that I use each flight day(3 nanotechs and 1 GensAce) all 3300 mAh, and so far this year I have a total of 91 flights. Considering $1 per flight for each vs the cost of them, I am ahead on the nanotechs and almost there with the GensAce. They are still going strong so I should finish this season with no problems. I plan on buying two more next year but undecided as to which. That is why I asked about the Sky lipos. One of our club members is using them and has had no issues. He too like you, charges two of them off his car battery at the field and when he is done has put in seven flights.

By the way, I wrote an article that appeared in "Stunt News" about the importance of keeping statistics on batteries using an Excel spreadsheet on the PC. It's for entering the numbers put back after flying, which then shows the percentage value put back, and keeps track of how many flights on each battery. I received some nice comments on it and was glad it was helpful.

Thanks for all your input. How did you hear about them discontinuing the Blue lipos?

Ron