Nimh charging issues.
08-12-2010, 07:59 AM
#1
Nimh charging issues.
I seem to be having issues in charging my Nimh battery. The charger tells me that the battery is finished being charged, but it isn't.
The battery has a capacity of 4600 mah. Once it is dead, I charge it and the charger only gives it around 1500 mah. So, I have to press on the start charge button. Is there anthing I can do to fix this isssue?
My charger is a Onyx 210 and my battery is a Duratrax 6 cell 4600 mah nimh battery.
The battery has a capacity of 4600 mah. Once it is dead, I charge it and the charger only gives it around 1500 mah. So, I have to press on the start charge button. Is there anthing I can do to fix this isssue?
My charger is a Onyx 210 and my battery is a Duratrax 6 cell 4600 mah nimh battery.
08-12-2010, 08:29 AM
#2
i had the prob also on ip nimh 4200... this called false peak.
08-12-2010, 08:33 AM
#3
Pack is prob just false peaking. Just reset the charger and charge it again. If you want to know how much mah you're putting in, write it down each time before you reset the charger. Then total it up when you finally get a complete charge.
This charger uses a preset peak sensitivity, so there's nothing really to adjust besides charge rate. NiMhs should peak at 120-125F and if they're not getting that hot charging is being terminated too early - false peak.
I had similar prob with a DTX Piranha charger and would have to reset it 2 or 3 times before I'd get a complete charge. My probs always occurred at max charge rate. I had better luck charging at a lower rate, it didn't false peak as much at the lower charge rate.
This charger uses a preset peak sensitivity, so there's nothing really to adjust besides charge rate. NiMhs should peak at 120-125F and if they're not getting that hot charging is being terminated too early - false peak.
I had similar prob with a DTX Piranha charger and would have to reset it 2 or 3 times before I'd get a complete charge. My probs always occurred at max charge rate. I had better luck charging at a lower rate, it didn't false peak as much at the lower charge rate.
08-12-2010, 10:17 AM
#4
Ok, so it is nothing bad? My charger is not broken?
It is simply my battery playing some tricks on me.
I always charge the battery at 3 amps. Is that allright?
Is there any way to stop the false peeking? I never use to have this problem before. The battery only has about 18 charges.
It is simply my battery playing some tricks on me.
I always charge the battery at 3 amps. Is that allright?
Is there any way to stop the false peeking? I never use to have this problem before. The battery only has about 18 charges.
08-12-2010, 10:46 AM
#5
IP cells aren't the greatest. False peaking isn't really bad, just annoying and since you can't adjust the peak on your charger you will just have to keep pressing the charge button. The pack should be warm to the touch when it really does peak. The best way to prevent false peaking is to make sure you are discharging the pack down after you run it, the absolute best way is to take each cell down to .9V that way you equalize the pack. A equalizing discharge tray such as the Novak Smart Tray makes this simple and does it for you but will not work on a "sport" or "stick pack". I've used many different cell brands and IP is definatly at the bottom of the list. If you are going to go with NiMh packs, it pays to get good quality cells such as SMC or GP.
08-12-2010, 12:11 PM
#7
CBP is good, but these are better -
http://www.promatchracing.com/products.php?cat=27
One thing I found when I was having the probs was part of it was the circuit the charger was on in our house. It was a somewhat loaded circuit and when I was charging, if anything else on the circuit came on, I got a false peak. It was partly solved, at least improved by moving charger to use a circuit that was not as loaded.
http://www.promatchracing.com/products.php?cat=27
One thing I found when I was having the probs was part of it was the circuit the charger was on in our house. It was a somewhat loaded circuit and when I was charging, if anything else on the circuit came on, I got a false peak. It was partly solved, at least improved by moving charger to use a circuit that was not as loaded.
08-12-2010, 12:39 PM
#8
Thanks for the link.
Would these batteries perform almost as good as a LiPo 2s.
Are these fine for a Slash and B4:
http://www.promatchracing.com/products.php?cat=26
The batteries are rather inexpensive. Does this company ship to Canada?
Would these batteries perform almost as good as a LiPo 2s.
Are these fine for a Slash and B4:
http://www.promatchracing.com/products.php?cat=26
The batteries are rather inexpensive. Does this company ship to Canada?
08-12-2010, 12:59 PM
#9
If tNiMhs are carefully maintained and treated perfectly (discharged, equalized, balanced etc), they will approach performance from a 2S lipo and actually may be equal for a short time, but NiMh generally lose more voltage where lipo holds voltage. If the NiMhs are ordinary with average care and maintenence, then the performance diff is more apparent between them.
Promatch sells direct, they don't sponsor anyone, advertising is mainly word of mouth and that lowers costs. They pass savings on to their customers. I don't know if they ship to Canada.
Promatch sells direct, they don't sponsor anyone, advertising is mainly word of mouth and that lowers costs. They pass savings on to their customers. I don't know if they ship to Canada.
08-12-2010, 01:47 PM
#11
Promatch cells are great Nimh cells, but before you spend the money you might want to look into a few different things. Compare the cost of one of those packs to the cost of going Lipo. The difference might not be as much as you think. Also, if you have any skills it is easy to rebuild your stick pack into a side by side formation, allowing you to equalize it and possibly get more performance from it. Finally, I would seriously consider a charger with an adjustable peak setting. Not only could you charge your current pack without so many false peaks, you can also take better care of any other packs you might buy in the future.
08-12-2010, 02:21 PM
#12
I've tried the Novak smart tray with some of my sports packs. It did not turn well. No matter what way I put the battery in the tray smock or sparks would appear. Since then, I do not use it. It freacks me out.
I can do the change to Lipo if I want to. Only one thing. I don't trust them. I donnot want to burn my house down. They don't seem to reassuring.
Nimh seem a little saffer.
I can do the change to Lipo if I want to. Only one thing. I don't trust them. I donnot want to burn my house down. They don't seem to reassuring.
Nimh seem a little saffer.
08-12-2010, 04:20 PM
#13
The tray is hard to use, I had trouble starting out. I have only a few 7 cell NiMh pacs left now and its impossible to use the tray anymore with the config the cells are in.
A word about lipo "danger". Utube vids that show them exploding are generally the result of seriously overcharging at 10 times (or more) the proper voltage and even then, it takes some time before the lipo goes off. These are also usually not modern, current generation lipos - lipos for sale today are much safer than what was sold 5yrs ago. There are some legit instances of lipo probs, but the %'age is prob about the same as getting hit by lightning. People tend to be lazy, they don't educate themselves about them, then they don't secure the lipo in their RC properly or adequately, they have a wreck, the lipo shifts, pinion gear chews up the power leads, it shorts the lipo and the rc is burned to the ground. Thats the other common one I see.
You have to know a little about lipo, the safe and proper handling - you do not drop, throw or mash them in any way, they have a strict voltage range that they should never be outside of and you have to have the correct charging equip for lipo. Just today I saw a seriously damaged lipo on RC Groups where the owner had charged it using his radio's wall type NiMh charger and left it on trickle overnight, 2 serious mistakes. It was badly puffed/damaged. He was lucky he caught it before it burned his garage down. But was this the lipos fault? No, it was strictly the owner's fault like most lipo incidents are.
Lipo danger is overhyped.
A word about lipo "danger". Utube vids that show them exploding are generally the result of seriously overcharging at 10 times (or more) the proper voltage and even then, it takes some time before the lipo goes off. These are also usually not modern, current generation lipos - lipos for sale today are much safer than what was sold 5yrs ago. There are some legit instances of lipo probs, but the %'age is prob about the same as getting hit by lightning. People tend to be lazy, they don't educate themselves about them, then they don't secure the lipo in their RC properly or adequately, they have a wreck, the lipo shifts, pinion gear chews up the power leads, it shorts the lipo and the rc is burned to the ground. Thats the other common one I see.
You have to know a little about lipo, the safe and proper handling - you do not drop, throw or mash them in any way, they have a strict voltage range that they should never be outside of and you have to have the correct charging equip for lipo. Just today I saw a seriously damaged lipo on RC Groups where the owner had charged it using his radio's wall type NiMh charger and left it on trickle overnight, 2 serious mistakes. It was badly puffed/damaged. He was lucky he caught it before it burned his garage down. But was this the lipos fault? No, it was strictly the owner's fault like most lipo incidents are.
Lipo danger is overhyped.
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