I am having a problem charging my LiPo battery through my balancer. Any input would be appreciated.

This is my setup:
-Team Checkpoint LiPo 7.4V 5400mah
-Team Checkpoint Pro Balancer
-Multiplex Multicharger LN-5014
-Prolux Max Power DC 12V 10A switching power supply

Settings on the charger:
-LiPo mode
-Charge mode
-5000mah (max on charger)
-7.4V

Balancer
-Sucessfully registers 2 cells
-Pressed twice for charge thru mode
-Red LED indicated charge-thu mode was activated

Everything was done according to the manuals in the correct order. When I get to the final stage of pressing and holding the enter button to start the charge, the charger fails to find the battery.

Is it the battery or the balancer?

3 more details:
-I had just come off of a run with the the car. The motor was luke warm at its hottest. The battery was pretty cool. My ESC heat sink wasn't even hot.

-My ESC has LiPo cut-off on. It cut me off before I dropped in power on that run. It worked as it was supposed so.

- Only my fourth time charging the battery since I built my RC10B4 a week ago. The first three went without a hitch.

Update:

- Tried on another charger at my hobby shop and still had the same issue. Charger can't find battery.

- I am still able to balance discharge the battery by just hooking it up to the balancer. It completed successfully.

- I used my voltometer to measure the current in the battery. It was 6.8V. So the battery seems good.

I would guess its the balancer, unless I am missing something.

Someone else here in NorCal was saying the same as you to me recently.

I have the same Checkpoint Pro Lipo Balancer; but, not their charger.

Their lipo balancer won't work in charge mode with either my CE GFX or LRP Pulsar 3 chargers. Was forewarned about the GFX not working; but, was told it should function with the LRPs.

Otherwise, the lipo balancer does work on its own (without any charger) in its discharge mode. Try that.

This maybe not want you want; but, is better than nothing.

I did discarge the battery through the balancer, but now I cannot charge through it. I did charge it 3 times prior through the balancer with no problems.

Can I charge the battery without the balancer? Or is that a no no. The manuals aren't very clear on this.

Yes, 95% of the time, I don't use the balancer and it takes little time (15 minutes?) for it to do its thing as a fairly low amp discharger.

Supposedly, the balancer is no big deal with lipos. I have only used mine twice over the past two months after having my issue with using it while charging.

Interesting that yours initially worked and then quit...I would contact Checkpoint considering you are exclusively using all their product. Then, we will know how they stand behind such.

AHH. Thanks. I am just returning to the hobby (after 14 years) and LiPos are very new to me so I didn't want to start charging it without the balancer until I could confirm that there would be no atomic explosion in my room.

My hobby shop said that they would replace the balancer. So I am not worried there. I have spent over $1300 since I first walked in there last week so they are pretty good to me. I am ordering a Team Associated TC5 through them next month.

I think down the road I am going to get the team checkpoint charger as well. I really do not like the Multiplex. Then I will have the whole TC setup.

Sorry, I just reread the above. Was thinking that you had the CP charger as well...my bad!

Only $1,500 so far...

I have basicly the same setup as you. I use the TrakPower Vbalancer (same as the checkpoint model), and I use the Team Checkpoint charger.

I played around with the balancer. And I think you might just have a blown fuse. I took my fuse out, and the balancer will still work perfectly for balancing a battery while not connected to the charger, but the charger will report no battery is connected when trying to charge thru the balancer.

Take a quick look at the 10Amp fuse. It isolates the balancer circuits from the charge lead.

Shawn.

I did check the fuse. Nothing wrong with it. It's like it just stopped working. I can charge the battery directly from the charger just fine. The balancer won't even discharge balance either. I though it was but all that happens is that the lights flash 5 times to say finished as soon as I set it to discharge balance.

Wierd. I think it is just a defective product. My local hobby shop owner said he would exchange it for me. I may even trade in my current charger as well and instead get the Hyperion 610i charger/balancer.