Fellas

I hope someone can provide me with some assistance on charging Lipo batteries using balancer. I have the following products:

• Thunder Power Saddle Packs TP5400-2SPRS (see pictures below)
• Jamara Lipo Balancer (see picture below)

Initially I really need to understand the fundamentals of charging Lipos with balancer. I assume the small plug (4 wires) on the battery is used somehow by the lipo balancer to check the balance (is it used for charging?) and the main plug (thick 2 wires) is used for actual charging?

From the pictures - how do I connect this all together and what do I need to set on my charger? (apparently it is necessary to choose cells, voltage, amps etc.). It says on the battery 'Charge as 2-Cell or may cause fire' - does this only apply for one of the saddlepacks so it's infact 4-cell? (because they're connected?). I'm just really confused and don't wanna blow anything up

I hope someone can help - Thanks!

/Tom

You're on the right track. The balancer will connect to your charger's outputs where it says charger on the balancer. Then the lipo will connect to the balancer thru both sets of wires. This is a charge thru type setup which is what I assume I'm looking at since balancer shows place for the charger output.

The small 4 wire connector is the balance connector and it will go to the balancer. Balancer uses it to read voltages from the cells and adjust them to balance. The balancer will also connect to the lipos main power leads and charge them them while balancing.

Charge rate ideally is 5.4amps or as close to it as your charge will allow, say 5amps. You don't want to go higher - the the 1C rate is 5400/1000. They mean charge as a 2S - the lipo 'pieces' are wired together in parallel so they are a 2S lipo (actually a 2S2P). Your charger must have a lipo charging selection - do not attempt to charge the lipo as anything other than a lipo - thats unsafe.

As far as hooking it all together, you need compatible ends dictated by whats on the lipo. I can't see whats on the end of the main power leads, but you need to match that with the lead from balancer to lipo (opposite end obviously). I know Thunderpower uses a TP/FP style balance lead - you'll have to have the matching end on the balance cable from the balancer. Its not that hard give compatible connections on all leads. I'm not familar with that balancer, but I'm going to guess you'll need adapters for it to work with the TP lipo you've got.

Duster - great stuff, thanks!

I've been searching a bit and apparently my balancer is similar to HYPERION EOS LBA6. I was looking at the diagram on what harness to use for a 2S and it doesn't quite add up (or perhaps I simply don't get it). I have attached an image of the 2S wiring diagram (see below). It shows a 2S which only has a total of 3 wires? (where as my Thunder Power has 2 + 4). Any idea how the wiring diagram for my thunder power battery would look like?

Another thing. The balancer's output connection has like 8 legs. Are they simply auto deteced some how? (is it fixed? do they charge? etc. Slightly confusing ).

Anyway - appreciate your time! Thanks!

I wonder if you're missing a piece? My Hyperion charger has an 8 wire cable coming from the balance port, but that connects to an adapter board (like shown here - http://www.allerc.com/product_info.p...oducts_id=3159 ) and then the balance connector from the lipo plugs into the board.

There are diff boards for the 4 diff types of balance connectors in common use, I have one for thunderpower since its the same one for flightpower lipos which I run in 18th scales. Whatever the diff in wiring is handled transparently, I just plug and balance charge using correct adapter on any of the diff type lipos I own.

Any way of telling if you're just missing the adapter piece? I'm guessing your lipo doesn't connect to the end of that 8 wire cable.

You're quite right - looks like I may need an adapter board.

When you connect a thunder power lipo to your adapter board you only use the balancer connector from your lipo? (nothing is connected to the main battery wire?). I am considering simply refitting the battery balancer connector with another plug - however is there a way to find out what wire goes to what leg on the balancer?

Thanks!

No, the main power wires are connected as well, but my charger is a balancing charger with balancer builtin. A lipo is connected to the charger at both the main power leads and the balance wires. You can't charge at high rates thru the balance wiring. I have a specialized charger that is designed to rescue problem prob lipos and it charges thru the balance leads at rates less than 1a. Takes a long time to charge that way.

I don't understand TP's balance scheme using the extra wire, so I can't help there. I understand the wiring scheme that uses 1 more wire than you have cells (2S would be 3 wires, 3S 4 wires etc). There may be an explanation in battery/charger thread on RCGroups, they discuss these things in depth over there if it comes up. Also, if you locate a manual for the LBA10 Hyperion balancer there may be sometheing there to help. That was the reference I used when I balance wired my 5S and 6S a123 pacs that I built.

Duster - thanks a lot! I really appreciate your assistance!

I managed to get a hold of a suitable adapter board that fits the Thunder Power plug. It works perfectly now

Thanks again!

/Tom

Super, I'm glad you got it sorted out! Balancing lipos can be a challenge sometimes.