Do I really need a balancer for Lipo?
 

Ok I got the battery 2 weeks ago and got the charger today. Reads 3.52v and 3.58v. I discharged the one side to 3.52v with a small fan at .01A discharge. Going to let it sit overnight and recheck it.

I would think this is acceptable but want a second opinion.

if the batts got that far out of ballance, then yes, you do need a balancer

Theoretically, you are balancing the batteries already. It just is not the most convenient way. If your going to check your batteries frequently with a meter, you might be ok. But since you already have a charger, you really could pick up an in-expensive balancer and save a lot of time and trouble.

--pakk

I am well over my budget as it is and $30 for a balancer is is just something I dont have right now.

+1 what your doing will work, it's just a pain......check it often.

Its a SPC 8000 pack. Just charged it to 7500mah is this typical? I did stop using it after the LV kicked in on the VXL. Also both sides charged to 4.2v

All this nice rc equip you own and you can't justify $30 for a balancer that will keep your $80 battery as well as you and charger safe?

These companies put balance leads on them for no good reason?

No cant still got to buy my daughter a swing set and feel guilty at heck. Charger and battery were used. Have $145 into Ice, Power supply, and Battery. All in great shape and hope I can pass on the balancer for now. I don't use my trucks much just plan on racing once a month just for fun a a local backyard track. That will be about the only time the battery gets used. Feel I can prep it the night before and charge it. Run it down and charge wile i use my nimh reuse and the day will be done.

/\/\ I can agree with you a bit there. Just fit the balancer into your near future plans. My biggest concern on not using balancers is the danger aspect. The performance loss almost doesn't even cross my mind.

Its not like I am not balancing it at all just manually balancing it, But the multimeter just reads 0.00 so not sure if this is close enough. I got to be within 0.005 of being balanced.

Not sure what you're asking - if you thought you'd get 8000 from it, you're under the wrong impression. If you overdischarge it, under about 3v/cell, or 6volts), you can damage it - one or both cells can puff or swell and then its basically ruined. Once a cell puffs, lipo is not safe to either charge or discharge. The low voltage cutoff is there for a reason.

The max voltage per cell is 4.2v/cell and thats what the charger is supposed to charge to. Its also bad to overcharge a lipo as well, that can also damge it.

Won't charge your big battery very fast but it will work kick ass as a balancer and is CHEEEEEEEP........
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s..._Charger_2S-3S

Charge your battery normally and then put this on and it will balance.

This not good for the battery. You should only discharge the battery 80%, in your case 6500mah. It you use more than this then you can have a big explosion in your car if it happens to many times.

Why don't you just charge the battery one cell at a time? You could easily rig a harness up using the balance port. If you aren't in a hurry, and it sounds like you aren't, that's what I'd do...

its a real good idea to balance them but your way is fine besides u dont use it that often