LiPo Discharging Error!
 

I just upgraded to a Lipo Battery and charger for my RC18R. I got the X-Charger which is identical to the Turnigy Accucel-6. I charged my GE Power 1800mah 25C lipo and ran my car for a long time (25 min). After the run, I set up the battery to discharge to see how much "mah" and voltage is left in the battery since I don't have a LiPo cutoff. After about 25 min. of discharging, the charger beeped with an error saying the voltage on one of the cells was too low. One cell was 3.3 and the other was 2.1. The charger is set to cut off at 6v total (3v X 2). I know this was bad...or so I thought. I immediately switched the charger to "Balance Charge" and the voltages on both cells read 3.51 and 3.27. Why would the discharge function say something completely different??? Is my LiPo ruined? It charged back up just fine to 4.20 on one cell and 4.19 on the other. I am thinking that the discharge function got a bad reading or something. Thanks for any insight...

Sounds like that charger is either not set up right, or the discharge function has a prob. Accucel-6 you can't set it lower than 6v for a 2S on discharge.

I know you were curious and wanted to know what was left in your lipo, but this is the potential trouble ypou get into discharging a lipo and a good example of why not too, make a mistake or have a prob and the lipo is damaged or poss puffed and ruined. If those voltages were accurate, you prob have damaged the lipo internally and reduced its life. What you saw on charging might just be how quickly lipo voltage can recover. I see some big changes in voltage based on data recorder runs. The swings can be pretty big and very pretty quick.

Next time time your run and when you recharge it, calculate the mah/min that was consumed. Then knowing what came out and the capacity, you'll have a idea of what was left without discharging and risking the lipo.

Don't worry bro, I have ran one of my lipos down to 1.3v on a 3S (11.1v) I left it my airplane over night plugged in, and theres no on/off switch. I just charged it as a NiHm untill it was over 3v per cell, then switched back to Lipo mode to take back overand charge it the way it's supposed to. I deffently got lucky, and if I did this all the time I'm sure my battery would be toast, but I don't think one mistake is going to totally hose you.

And the reason it read so low is that you were dicharging. When you stopped discharging the battery was at rest, and the voltage came back up, or recovered how ever you want to word it.

Jay

Thanks for the responses. I think it was just a bad read or something by the charger. The lipo recharged fully, I used it for a while, and all appears fine. The battery looks normal, not puffed or anything. I just worry about the small stuff I guess!