thecrow2k

I have been looking at a charger and it takes the pack down to 4.8v(0.8v/cell). I hear cells should only be taken down to 0.9v but some equluizers go to 0.5v/cell, is this okay?

Mr. Shookie

iTrader: (9)

I bring mine down to 0.00 on the integy Z6S trays over night before a race. The reason why people say don't take your cells down oast 0.09 per cell is that you could risk cell reversal and kill your pack. The Novak smart tray is great for equalizing and you can adjust the rate from 0.09 per cell to 0.01 or you can even dead short on the smart tray...Now that is getting into the land if "YOU BETTER KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING". I like the Integy trays because they stack and I can put a three or four in the same amount of space as one (really great for tracks with limited pit space). Hope this helps.
Check both of these at
www.speedtechrc.com
Stephen <><

thecrow2k

i dont know, if the charger takes them down to 0.8v a cell they'll most likely need equalizing to equalize the pack out, would taking it any lower be unproductive.

Mr. Shookie

iTrader: (9)

OK here I go,
If you are competitivly racing then go to your local track and find a expert level guy and ask him how you can get the most out of your batteries. If he says dead short I would not suggest it unless you know what you are doing. If you are just trying to keep your batteries around longer or for what ever reason. Discharging your cells down lower only helps to reduse internal resistance and help you get more into your cells. It really is phisics class to get anyfurther into this. If you are trying to get that next competitive edge. Work on set-up it will make you faster in less time than doing all the speed tricks. I still work on set-up just to try and get every little bit of performance from my car.....Really it is important....Also if you are just trying to make your packs last longer (as in last a couple years) than a good equalizer is a good asset to have I would recommend the Smart Tray from Novak.
Hoep this helps,
Stephen <><
Sorry if I have a little attitude it is too early to open up my brain to thinking.

thecrow2k

Okay, im mainly looking to last longer so I think the nosram equalizing board with 0.5v/cell would be good, ill consider that.

crimson eagle

Hi All,

The difference in run time at 30A discharge when you equalise as compared to not equalising is in excess of 30 seconds. You have to leave them on the trays for a long time, overnight is best. I take mine down to zero. Cells discharge at different rates, if you don;t go down to zero how do you know if they are truly equalised? You will know when you have done a good job of equalising as you will get a lot of Mah in on charge, with my new cells I generally get 4200 to 4400 into the cells on charge when I have equalised them well.

Chris.

Mr. Shookie

iTrader: (9)

I have similar results, although it also depends on the charger. I get 4300-4400 on my newer cells on my GM Commander and on my Eagle CDC I get 4300-4500, now in my new APS Dyno-Chrage those same cells are only getting 3900-4000 on regular peak detect and with the TEMP I get 4100-4300 so it also depends on charger.
Just my two pennies.
Stephen <><

primusblowsgoat

iTrader: (14)

Alright, i dunno if this is the right place to ask but here goes

Ive just now finally got enough good batterys to where i can run them once or twice in a race day. I want them to last, all my older packs still worked but not as good as they used to.

I have a novak Mil, an lrp pulsar comp and a cheapy integy zero equalizing tray.

What can i do to make sure these packs that i have still take good charges for a long time?

right now, im discharging after i race the pack and throughout the week ill equalize them all and i wont charge them till i get to the track on sunday

picco007

iTrader: (99)

What I can tell you is that getting your cells hot while charging will deteriorate them faster. I usually lower the delta volts to keep the cells from getting hot. If they are not getting warm then you will have to raise your delta volts. After your done with them for the day discharge them to .9 per cell and leave them alone. That is what I have done....tray them to equalize to .9 per cell right before you charge next race day......


Now here is something I may do in the future that I have not tried yet but bringing your cells down to 0 volts will give you longer runtime, at least that is what has been shown on some data..........the day or night before you race you may want to put them on the discharge tray, or you may put them on the discharge try right before I start charging. If you want to bring your cells down to 0 volts you may have to tray them an hour or two before you charge them depending on your tray and it's discharge characteristics.

And just repeat the process.....It has worked for me and I have had cells for over 6 months.

primusblowsgoat

iTrader: (14)

well when i charge on the milenium they get hot, when i charge on the pulsar they are alright not to hot, but warm.

if im not mistaken the delta on the two chargers i have is differnt, anyone know what i should have these set on, as a starting point?

i think on the milenium ive got it at 12 per cell, i have no clue what i have it set on the pulsar

thecrow2k

Just say the charger takes them down to a fixed 0.8v/cell, do you think you cold disconnect the battery halfway through the discharge then stick them ona tray that takes them to 0.9v?

primusblowsgoat

iTrader: (14)

what charger are you using?

isnt the discharge voltage adjustable?

crimson eagle

Hi All,

Picco is doing what I started recently with good results and he is right about the temperature of the cells, I generally temperature charge to 115F and do not repeak.

I will discharge to 1v per cell with my 30amp discharge which is on my charger and put them away. Even though you go to 1v per cell when you equalise at 30A the cell will recover to 1.25v or so. The night before I race I will equalise them all down as far as I can get, this is easier when you have more than one tray a it takes a while my final cells I'll leave on the tray overnight. On the day of the race, as soon I get there my first heat set will go on the equaliser until it's time to start charging them and I'll get 4200 to 4400 into them. If you don't equalise it will be about 500-600 less.

As far as the life of the cell is concerned heat is the big issue. Expecting 5 years service from a set of cells is unreasonable no matter how you treat them but I like to get a year on a set of cells, probably around 50-60 runs. Hopefully I will not lose much more than 20seconds over the cell lifetime.

Chris

primusblowsgoat

iTrader: (14)

im only able to put between 3400 to 3600 into my cells, if its the second time im charging that pack its considerably lower, but i would think thats cause i didnt take it all out when i ran it.

ive only got 10amp discharge max, and i believe when im doing my 4 cell packs its lowered automatically on my pulsar. i dont mind that my numbers arnt high, as long as they arnt too low, and my packs last me so i dont spend a fortune on batts.

theres just too much you can do to batterys, who really knows whats good and whats not, you just try stuff and see what happens right? if it works for you and your happy with it who cares right?

between car set up and battery and motor maintence its enough to make my head spin, but if my head wasnt spinning with this stuff, it would be spinning with something else.

theres too much knowlege in this and not enough time or money to absorb and use it all

RCNitroDude999

iTrader: (26)

Im still new to electric as well, and i recently bought a couple of 3300 matched packs, and when i charged them they only peaked at around 3300-3400 mah, but after putting them on a Integy Indi Zero-Equalizer and leaving them on there untill the lights went out, the packs peaked at close to 3800mah. I also use a 20amp discharge with 0.9 volt cutoff.