LI-PO Questions

[Garry Driffill]

Hi everyone,

Having seen the benifits and power LIPO can give Ive just recently bought my first LIPO pack the Team Orion 4800 hard cased version (Plat version i think) from the forsale section. I have a few questions and would like some advice on what precautions i should take when charging using the right amp rates plus any extras i should buy too.

The charger i have says it does LIPO packs and here is the info on my charger i think is a good idea to post for people to compare and say if its a good idea to charge with it or not.

I know it can do 3.6 - 14.8v LILO & LIPO cells (1 - 4 cells) Because its written on the front :blush:, so bought the pack thinking that it would be fine. But id like to know for sure so i dont plug it in and set the house on fire or somthing :lol:

Info:

" Pro-Peak Constellation Charger Ref: 1071-012 Replacing the Supernova and Mercury Ex chargers, this microprocessor controlled programmable charger / discharger has even more features:

Input voltage 12V or 10-15V power supply (Pro-peak 20A power supply can drive 2 chargers)
Charge voltage NiCd/Ni-MH 1-25 cells (1.2 to 30V) Lilo/LiPo 1-4 cell, PB 1-6 cells
Fast charge current 0.1 to 7.0A - dependant on battery being charged
Maximum charge 120W
maximum discharge 20W
Optional temperature detection voltage cut-off (NiCd/Ni-MH only)
Display 2 x 16 two line display
Cooling fan
Overload protection
Short circuit protection / electronic shut off
Reverse polarity protection on both input and output
Size 161W x 138L x 60mm H
10 programmable memories
Featuring 10 user definable memories for storing battery characteristics. Suitable for N-Cad, Ni-MH (1 to 25 cells), 2 to 12V SLA batteries and 3.6 to 11.1V Lithium batteries. Powered from a 12V supply (battery or mains), supplied with croc clips as standard but option of high quality banana plug available. "

I know there a good few people on here who can point me in the right direction ;)

Garry

[rcracer]

i dont want to plug it in and set the house on fire or somthing :lol:


Garry


it will be getting charged in the garden then on a long extention lead :mad: but yeah i would like to know myself its going to ok to charge it before you do attempt it on that charger.

[chris_dono]

Most lipos for cars are 2 cells packs, and should be charged on the Lipo setting ONLY at 1C (in this case 4.8amps)

[Garry Driffill]

Can this LIPO pack be discharged? or is it not advised that they are?

[mobile chicane]

Can this LIPO pack be discharged? or is it not advised that they are?


lipos dont need discharging and if you let them drop below 3v per cell it can knacker them.

ALWAYS charge the lipo on your chargers lipo mode set it to 1C and set the mah to the capacity of the charger e.g a 4300mah lipo should be charged at 1C 4300 mah the charger will have a CC CV ( constant curent constant voltage) function for lipo which automaticly charges the pack up to a set voltage of 8.4v then varies the charge current to keep the charge voltage at this level, as the pack is charged so the curent reduces keeping the voltage stable.

lipos can be balanced but ONLY using a special lipo balancer and they dont need doing anywhere as often as nimh or nicad packs.

if your speedo has one turn on the lipo cut off if it dosent get a lipo cut off ( these prevent you acidently draining the pack below 6v and damaging it)

if you want to get a lipo charge sack and charge the pack in that although opinion is devided on these.


if you have a brca aproved pack


see here:

http://www.centralbooking.org/cbs/images/stories/brca/eblipo2008-1.pdf

( please note this is a rolling list and it may not have been updated to include your pack yet)


then drop dead short and overcharge tests have been caried out on that pack and the results have only been venting or expansion within the solid case.


Lipo's are great you can do an entire days racing on one pack just topping up ( I've done this numerous times) they dont seem to get hot like nimhs do ( max charging temp I've had was 26degc in a lipo sack)

[mark christopher]

Garry if you want to be 100% sure your charger wont do anything sily, if you use a trakpower balancer it will terminate charge if your charger fails to do so, so you get the benifit of balancing your pack and an extra saftey feature

[Garry Driffill]

Most lipos for cars are 2 cells packs, and should be charged on the Lipo setting ONLY at 1C (in this case 4.8amps)


Lads ive charged the pack at the ampage above and it seemed to charge fine. The speedo im running i dont think will have a LIPO cut off point ( MRT-V trac ).

It charged fine didnt get hot or anything like that or even when in use for 4 mins or so in the garden.

[Garry Driffill]

Garry if you want to be 100% sure your charger wont do anything sily, if you use a trakpower balancer it will terminate charge if your charger fails to do so, so you get the benifit of balancing your pack and an extra saftey feature

Mark how much are these?

[jayst]

get a novak lipo cut off m8 for ur speedo so u dont knacker ur lipo

[jayst]

Mark how much are these?

bout 35 pounds

[jayst]

http://www.microtechracing.com//product_info.asp?name=TRAKPOWER+V%2DBALANCE+UNIT&ID=13231&Pcat=ACCESSORIES&cat=CHARGERS lipo balancer


http://www.microtechracing.com//product_info.asp?name=NOVAK+SMART%2DSTOP+2%2DCELL+ Li%2DPo+CUT%2DOFF+MODULE&ID=12290&Pcat=BATTERIES&cat=LIPO+PACKS lipo cut off

[Garry Driffill]

Thank you so much for youre help guys, you have been most helpful ! :cool:.

Without the LIPO cut off item by Novak it would still be ok to run the LIPO pack for 5 min runs and top up between rounds? Because i was looking to use it tomorrow at Batley in the X-6.

It cant honestly drop that much capasity after a 5 min run in a 2wd with an 11x2 outdoor on grass?

[jayst]

u shud be ok , but i was u i wud get 1 for peace of mind

[Garry Driffill]

u shud be ok , but i was u i wud get 1 for peace of mind


Yea definatly, dont really fancy messing it up or blowing it up charging it :lol:.

[JCJC]

Thank you so much for youre help guys, you have been most helpful ! :cool:.

Without the LIPO cut off item by Novak it would still be ok to run the LIPO pack for 5 min runs and top up between rounds? Because i was looking to use it tomorrow at Batley in the X-6.

It cant honestly drop that much capasity after a 5 min run in a 2wd with an 11x2 outdoor on grass?


5 min's no problem, as Giles said, its what he has been doing for a while, and you can monitor what you top up.

[markwilliamson2001]

Garry if you want to be 100% sure your charger wont do anything sily, if you use a trakpower balancer it will terminate charge if your charger fails to do so, so you get the benifit of balancing your pack and an extra saftey feature

Thoroughly recommended in my experience!