fjm9898

iTrader: (11)

yes. by traying cells you will gain more voltage. that is why you see alot of people that just run stock dead short or try their batteries all the time to gain voltage since they dont have to worry about run time. i usually try and tray mine on integy 6s trays for at least 2 hours before a run. this is not as damaging as dead shorting but i can really feel a difference in punch.

i would try that and see what you get for volatge #s and run time. if you run stock i would suggest doing this if you want more voltage. aslo next time you cycle the pack after you try traying them. just discharge to .9v and see what you get again...

XrayFK

iTrader: (1)

Have people experimented with step charging IBs? Or is a linear charge better suited for them?

BritRacer

search this thread, there is a lot of discussion on step charging.

AdrianM

iTrader: (4)

I like step charging as it keeps to keep the batts cooler during charging. I charge at 6.5A for 2750mAh, .2A to 2800 and 4A to 4300mAh or the peak...whatever comes first. On the Much More Cell Master use a 00 voltage cut. The 03 setting gets them too hot before they peak. I wish MM had a 01 and an 02 setting. The 00 setting will not heat up the batts much. You may want to repeak to warm them up just before running.

josh69162

iTrader: (3)

Danny- As the man with connections to IB, are they planning to bring their technology to the AA world? I'm sure they could cook up some wicked TX batteries. I saw on their (pathetic) website a picture of the sub-c's and other battery types, and I saw AA's, but I have seen nor heard anything about them. Are they being developed?
-Josh

Danny/SMC

iTrader: (2)

The Intellect cells are high drain cells which mean they can put out more amps than regular consumer cells. The AA they have is a 2000mAh. It's a challenge to increase the mAh and maintain the cells high drain ability.

BeetleBailey

I'm glad you guys are having luck with the IB's. I bought one pack and hate it as of last week. When I first got it, it was awsome. It charged to 4225 right out of the box and only got better. Then last week before the A main I did my normal routine, I put it on my 030 and charged it. It only peaked at 3785. I thought it was strange. It dumped with about 45 secs to go. I barely finished the race. I think I'm going to stick with GP's. JMO

AdrianM

iTrader: (4)

How old is the pack and what is your "normal routine". The normal routine for GP's (Equalize to 0.0v, Charge, Race, Dump to 5.4) if done to IB's will make them lose 100-200 sec of run time. The equalization to 0.0v is the killer.

What is your cutoff set at on your charger? If it gets the cells too hot you will lose run time.

If you run stock or mod you HAVE to run IB's. They are a real advantage.

The latest generation of IB's to come out in the last 2 months or so have been really good in Mod too. The GP3700 SP2 production cells have the same voltage and IR's as the IB but they are coming up short on run time by ~50 sec at 30A when compated to IB's.

erock1331

In the Oval world people are seeing the IP3800 cells running strong, Maybe even stronger than the IB cells especially the last minute of the run. Latest batches are producing up to 530+ at 30 amps or 454 at 35 amps.
Not too shabby for a suposed inferior cell.

I run for a matcher who only carries IB cells so I have no reason to hype them. Just reporting what I am seeing on the track.
Matter of fact they want them banned at an upcoming snowbirds warmup race (being that they are not allowed at the birds). Guys are claiming they dont wanna buy IP's to run at this one race because of the so called advantage they have over the IB cells right now,

BeetleBailey

They are about 1.5 months old. I only leave them on my 030 until the lights go out. I have Quasar pro set at 5.5 charge 3mV/C 18mV/P. Am I doing something wrong?

BATT_MAN

Try charging your batteries at 3 amps.
Then discharge them on the 030 untill you see the lights starting to dim. If you let the lights go out the batteries will drop to 0.4 volts.
If you have an EQ tray like a NOVAK SMART set the cut off voltage to 0.6 volts and let them equalize.
Charge again at 4 amps and repeat the cycle.
The next time, charge at 5.5-6A and RACE, do not discharge on a tray or discharger.
*** LET THE BATTERIES COOL DOWN IN BETWEEN CYCLES
Test your batteries again andsee what happens.

If you have not damaged your cells, thisshould bring them back to 90%(+/-) of their original SOD and you shouldfinish your race w/o dumping.

With good IBs you can have in excess of 1500mahr left on the batteries after a race (depending on motor and driving style)
Let me know if this helps.

Also, do you have any white deposits on the + side of your batteries?

BTW, can you see the date code on your batteries. if you do, POST IT.

Like Adrian said, there are HUGE differences between the older IBs and the newer ones.
I started testing IB3800s around June, and they have improved exponentialy.
Both voltage and running time have increased, and the venting issue is OVER.
Average capacity for IB3800s is in excess of 4150mahr (500 sec @ 30a) and average voltages are in the high 1.19 to 1.20X.

We have seen IB3800s in the 4380 mahr with 1.205 Vavg...holding 1.2v (not average but real voltage) past 2300 mahr.
That how good they are...

BeetleBailey

no white stuff. The only code I can find is DHEEV on all six cells.

BATT_MAN

The batteries did not vent and the code is not that old...
Try what I told you and see if thatworks.

I have seen so many people damage their cells with the 030 discharger.
We are making an upgrade kit to set the cut off voltage at 0.85v/cell which will stop the damage from the high current/low voltage discharge characteristics of the 030.

The upgrade kit for the 030 should be ready to ship within 2 weeks.

BeetleBailey

So I should take them off when the lights go dim right. I'll try what you said. Let me know about the upgrade for the 030 when they come out. Thanks, Bailey.

BATT_MAN

Yes, I recommend that, because otherwise you are still going to take the battery down to 0.4 volts at a very high current. Seconds after that the voltage will continue to drop.

If you have a voltmeter, measure the voltage at the pack and remove it when it gets to 5.1 - 5.4 volts. Do not let it get bellow that. Then put it on a tray at no more than 5A to equalize down to 0.6 volts.
You should be able to charge ones the battery pack cools down to room temp

This only works as long as there is no irreversible damage to the cells.

The other thing I would recommend to do is to check each cell individually; you may have one or two cells that could be causing the problem.

All I can tell you is that we have revived many packs that way.
There are other ways, but you need more specialized equipment.