party_wagon

iTrader: (29)

I have also heard about guys wiring up packs w/ more capacity as 3 packs in a 2s config. Then when they run they have a harness that puts them all in parallel. When they charge them they have a harness that puts them all in series so that they can charge a 6900 pack in under 15 minutes since it is alot easier to find a 10 amp charger w/ a balancer for a 6s pack then it is to find a charger that can charge at a 30 amp rate.

Cain

iTrader: (294)

Ok, so who here has the A123 packs and uses there Sonic charger to charge them in 15 minutes?

Can anyone explain how they are doing this? Is this like a really high 3C charge rate?

party_wagon

iTrader: (29)

Yes, the company says its fine to charge them at a really high 3c rate. w/ lipos the current slows down as the pack peaks. However, a123 cells can take a constant current untill they are peaked. With a123 cells do not use a lipo setting to charge them. You will damage them if you charge them to 4.2 volts per cell. Stick to the 3.6 volts per cell as is recomended. I am waiting on an mrc 989 to arive, for the money it seemed like a much better bargain.

Cain

iTrader: (294)

party wagon, what settings are you going to use on the MRC989 to charge the packs? I currently run the LBA10+ Balancer that can be configured for A123 packs, I am just not sure if that means it will let you use a lipo charger on the packs running through the LBA10+. You know about this at all?

party_wagon

iTrader: (29)

I don't know about the lba10, however lipo chargers will over charge a a123 pack. You need a charger that has lithium ion settings.

RBMike

I'm using a Hyperion 1210 with the LBA10 balancer. The Hyperion has an "A123" mode & I'm charging them at 8 amps. To guys trying this note that the A123 packs will charge like 95 to 98% in a short time but with my charger they take forever to get that last 2 to 5%, so I don't really "peak" these packs.

Buggy Brad

Great info guys, here are a few links with a lot of A123 info......BB

2s and 3s in a rustler with on board data logger.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...79&postcount=1

How fast can you charge a A123.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=614805

A123 charge graph.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=603368