Charger recommendation?
09-22-2015 | 06:24 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Tech Rookie
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
Charger recommendation?
Hey guys.
I just purchased my first electric truck and bought a 2s Lipo. I will probably buy a 3s in the near future as well.
The charger I bought is the Hitec x1 touch and I'm not too happy with it's performance so far. It seems to take forever to charge because it reduces the amps significantly @ about 4.15 volts per cell. Those last .05 volts take an eternity to finish.
Also when I use storage mode it hovers around .60 amps and takes about 2 hours to complete the storage discharge.
Is this type of performance/time typical with chargers? If not, can you please recommend a charger that can get the job done quicker.
I'm also considering a charger that can charge 2 batteries at once. Trying to stay in the $150 or lower range if possible.
I just purchased my first electric truck and bought a 2s Lipo. I will probably buy a 3s in the near future as well.
The charger I bought is the Hitec x1 touch and I'm not too happy with it's performance so far. It seems to take forever to charge because it reduces the amps significantly @ about 4.15 volts per cell. Those last .05 volts take an eternity to finish.
Also when I use storage mode it hovers around .60 amps and takes about 2 hours to complete the storage discharge.
Is this type of performance/time typical with chargers? If not, can you please recommend a charger that can get the job done quicker.
I'm also considering a charger that can charge 2 batteries at once. Trying to stay in the $150 or lower range if possible.
09-22-2015 | 11:06 PM
#4
Tech Regular
iTrader: (6)
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 295
You only put back in, what you've used (like gasoline in a real car).
eg: Let's say you only ran the car for a few seconds and used up only 20mAh, and then charged that same battery. It will keep charging very low (0.01-0.30 amps or whatever) for hours, until the safety cutoff turns off the charger... very likely the timer safety first, before the capacity safety ..since you've only used 20mAh and there's no way it's going to pump in an extra 4500mAh (or whatever your battery's capacity is) into an already full battery. Hope that made sense.
When I start seeing my charger becoming low/slow on the amps (hovering between .01-.20), it usually means the battery is full and then I shut it off.
eg: Let's say you only ran the car for a few seconds and used up only 20mAh, and then charged that same battery. It will keep charging very low (0.01-0.30 amps or whatever) for hours, until the safety cutoff turns off the charger... very likely the timer safety first, before the capacity safety ..since you've only used 20mAh and there's no way it's going to pump in an extra 4500mAh (or whatever your battery's capacity is) into an already full battery. Hope that made sense.
When I start seeing my charger becoming low/slow on the amps (hovering between .01-.20), it usually means the battery is full and then I shut it off.
09-23-2015 | 04:15 AM
#5
Tech Champion
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,341
A lipo charge should go to 4.2 Volts per cell before the amperage drops off. I suspect you are seeing a drop occur sooner due to hitting the 55 Watt charge power limit as the pack voltage rises.
The amps dropping off after it hits full voltage is normal as mentioned, but it's not necessarily because of balancing. While there may be some balancing going on the reduced amps is a standard part of the lipo CC/CV charge routine. This will still happen on balanced packs and even a single cell where no balancing is required. However packs way out of balance may increase this time. Especially chargers with limited balance current, as the charger will automatically slow down to allow the balancer function to keep up.
The limited amps during a storage discharge is due to the 5 Watt discharge power limit. The amps will be less for a 3S pack. Similarly the maximum charge amps will be less with a 3S due to the 55 Watt charge power limit.
Look for a charger with higher power limits for both charge and discharge.
The amps dropping off after it hits full voltage is normal as mentioned, but it's not necessarily because of balancing. While there may be some balancing going on the reduced amps is a standard part of the lipo CC/CV charge routine. This will still happen on balanced packs and even a single cell where no balancing is required. However packs way out of balance may increase this time. Especially chargers with limited balance current, as the charger will automatically slow down to allow the balancer function to keep up.
The limited amps during a storage discharge is due to the 5 Watt discharge power limit. The amps will be less for a 3S pack. Similarly the maximum charge amps will be less with a 3S due to the 55 Watt charge power limit.
Look for a charger with higher power limits for both charge and discharge.
Last edited by Dave H; 09-23-2015 at 06:04 AM. Reason: Kan't rite
09-23-2015 | 06:43 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Tech Rookie
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
A lipo charge should go to 4.2 Volts per cell before the amperage drops off. I suspect you are seeing a drop occur sooner due to hitting the 55 Watt charge power limit as the pack voltage rises.
The amps dropping off after it hits full voltage is normal as mentioned, but it's not necessarily because of balancing. While there may be some balancing going on the reduced amps is a standard part of the lipo CC/CV charge routine. This will still happen on balanced packs and even a single cell where no balancing is required. However packs way out of balance may increase this time. Especially chargers with limited balance current, as the charger will automatically slow down to allow the balancer function to keep up.
The limited amps during a storage discharge is due to the 5 Watt discharge power limit. The amps will be less for a 3S pack. Similarly the maximum charge amps will be less with a 3S due to the 55 Watt charge power limit.
Look for a charger with higher power limits for both charge and discharge.
The amps dropping off after it hits full voltage is normal as mentioned, but it's not necessarily because of balancing. While there may be some balancing going on the reduced amps is a standard part of the lipo CC/CV charge routine. This will still happen on balanced packs and even a single cell where no balancing is required. However packs way out of balance may increase this time. Especially chargers with limited balance current, as the charger will automatically slow down to allow the balancer function to keep up.
The limited amps during a storage discharge is due to the 5 Watt discharge power limit. The amps will be less for a 3S pack. Similarly the maximum charge amps will be less with a 3S due to the 55 Watt charge power limit.
Look for a charger with higher power limits for both charge and discharge.
When I used storage mode last night it discharged at a rate of about .60 amps. I ended up turning it off after 2 hours.
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