Yosh70

iTrader: (17)

Just another observation, the owner (a fairly new HS) asked if the balance plug was used and the customer said no....I even asked the guy if he could go get his charger and we could check it out for him as he adamantly said it was on lipo setting. He seemed to brush that idea off.
I'm 99% sure it was on nihm as I cant see ANY charger putting 4.7V into each cell on a proper lipo setting.

On some of my previous low cell lipo's, I could only bring up the voltage using a nihm setting as my charger in lipo mode would only beep continuously saying there is a voltage error. Almost tells me that nihm charging is quite a bit more "lax"than lipo.

With my PL6, there is a couple confirmations I have to press to even start charging (lipo, cell count) and even with a cheaper charger, I'm pretty sure using the balance plug helps ensure proper charging is done. (Chamelion?)

Johnnysplits

iTrader: (1)

One time, I had a $90 that overcharged every time and the balance accuracy was less than desirable. Not super cheap by any means, but what a let down it was for that kind of money.

Dave H

Should sure, but that doesn't mean it always will be so. There were issues of poor voltage calibration with a some models of the early chargers. There used to be a fairly active thread and other discussion here about calibrating some of the cheap newer brands. Even an older brand MRC had models that were known to have poor voltage accuracy and weren't to be trusted on lipos.

That's why some of us stick with and recommend only proven high quality brands. Saving money is cool, but buying junk that blows up or shortens the life of lipos, not so much.

Haven't heard much about it with current models recently, but since many buy used equipment it can still be an issue, and worth a reminder I think.

Dave H

P.S. Although I do agree it's likely an incorrect setting in this case, as the over voltage is pretty extreme.

spookie

iTrader: (25)

Wow, so it let go when you got it outside? Dang, good thinking, glad everything was safe, sort of. I have 4 pairs of 3S and 2S, I'm a big matched pairs fan. I triple check the settings of the charger before starting, double check the battery. And to further safequard from accidently mixing a 2S battery into a 3S charge, I set all of them away, except for the pair I'm working with.

spookie

iTrader: (25)

A lipo charger won't charge a lipo if it's on lipo setting, unless the balance plug is in as far as I know. It HAD to be on Nihm.

Grasschopper

iTrader: (54)

I don't want to take the time to confirm but I'm pretty sure that isn't true. The ProTek/HiTech/Turnigy style chargers will "Fast Charge" a Lipo and it doesn't balance in this cycle. Pretty sure you don't have to have it plugged into a balance board.

RoketRdr

iTrader: (2)

Exactly. The balance plug does not have to be plugged in to charge a LiPo. Only for balanced cell charging.

spookie

iTrader: (25)

My Passports won't, even on charge vs balance. The port has to be plugged in on them, it kicks out some error code when you don't. I had a Ternegy, but never tried it on it, hated that charger, ended up in the trash lol.

oeoeo327

iTrader: (75)

Chargers that utilize external balancers won't require connection to a balancer prior to charging the battery... My GP Triton (which does have an internal balancer) doesn't require it to be connected to start a charge cycle.

spookie

iTrader: (25)

Even at that, don't most chargers have a max setting of 3.7 volts per cell?? So if you "charge" a 2S at 2S, then the charger would only charge to a total of 7.4volts right? Or would it continue to charge to the set maximum Mah set in the charger?

Thinking this through, I guess on some chargers, charging a 2S at a "charge" setting of, say 3S, it would grossly overcharge? There has to be a feedback in the charger to stop it if both the charger and battery are on 2S "charge".

RoketRdr

iTrader: (2)

Its actually 4.2v per cell. When you charge a 2S pack it will output 8.4v.

spookie

iTrader: (25)

My passports have a setting of 3.7volts in the menu. But they charge too 4.20volts per cell. I wonder why that is? Really not sure.

I think I just realised what's up. You select the cell voltage so the charger knows what "normal" is for the cells. If I remember right, it only has two selections, 3.6 and 3.7 volts. BUT the charger knows to charge to 4.2v. Haha, I guess I need more coffee lol. Cold getting to me lol.

RoketRdr

iTrader: (2)

You got it brotha.

oeoeo327

iTrader: (75)

Lipo chargers are programmed to measure a battery's voltage, and determine if the user selected the appropriate cell count when setting the charge parameters. I have yet to find a Lipo charger (using a Lipo charging algorithm) that would allow you to charge a 2 cell battery using a 3 cell charge profile. Even a fully charged 2 cell battery doesn't have enough voltage to start a 3 cell charge cycle, unless it was overcharged in the first place.