Can this battery be charged at 2C?
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...-Balancer-Plug

I wouldnt. 2 amps is all I would push into it.

Ahh, come on Frank. Can't we just give it it a try next weekend? lol

Usually protek is good for 2c charge but idk. You better use a bag and your charger might even out smart you and not push the 4 amps anyway. Mine does that to me sometimes. Just put it in a safe bag seen too many fires andone guy almost burnt down his house.

I sent an email to A-main to see what they have to say about it. I might try one. It may turn into a donation to the testing gods!!!

Anybody else have any comments on this? FYI Its not just a private conversation between for me and Frank. You're all welcome to chime in!!!lol

I wouldn't think it would take 2C charging. Low C rating implies higher IR and that isn't generally compatible with higher C charging. If manufacturer had intended for it to be charged are higher than 1C, I would've have expected the label to say so.


It's the manufacturers call though, supposedly backed up by testing.

By higher IR, I'm assuming you mean internal resistance. If so, is this how they control the amps a battery can put out (ex: 25C rating)?

If I understand correctly, this battery is rated at 8C, which means it has a bunch of internal resistance limiting amperage output, which in turn, would limit the speed at which you put the amperage back in. Is that correct?

Yep, you pretty much got it for all practical purposes.

So to keep the thinking going.
If the battery can be discharged at a max of 8C and it's a 2000mAh battery, that's 16 amps. If I charge the battery at 2 times its capacity (2C) at 2.0 amps that would equal 16 Amps.
Theoretically it can be charged at 2C unless they are advertising higher values for this battery then it what is actual. Either way, you're probably really pushing the limits.

2C would be 4 amps. I tend to grossly overcharge (current) all my batts so I can fairly accurately predict what will happen. On this particular pack I'd worry more about the connector getting warm than the pack itself. In fact once you set it for 4 amps or higher you'll find it is self-regulating and will tag the cv very quickly , partly because of the IR , but partly because of the connector/plug/size leads. I say go for it and let us know for sure.

The basis for this concern over lipo charge rates was a graph of cycle life versus charge rate. The older first gen lipo media indicated a significant fall off in cycle life at higher charge rates. As C has climbedwith the newer gen of lipo media (IR has fallen), this concern has basically disappeared.

It's not a matter of getting away with charging at highe rate, but of how much impact the increased charge rate will have on cycle life.

The discharge amps have little to do with the charge rate other than they are both based on 'C'. A 2C charge rate for a 2000mah 8C rated lipo is 2000/1000 x 2C = 4amps (16amps would be an 8C charge rate).

Thanks, but what do you mean by "tag the cv"?

Ok, looks like I thought into it a little too far. Thanks. So with this new generation of materials, do you think I could charge this at 2C safely and without damaging the battery's cycle life?

No way to tell, you're assuming that this is newer gen lipo media and only the manufacturer really knows what's in there. I think manufacturer had his say when he didn't put 2C on the label.

Try emailing AMain and see what they can tell you about it, this is their store brand, you can't be the only one thats ever asked or wondered.