Hi All,
I can't believe the 30 seconds extra run time I mentioned in my last post didn't draw any comment? If you are not equalizing now this is pretty huge. This isn't one of those things where I just "think" this is what happens. It has been measured to be accurate.
However I do feel the need to explain a little further. Several tests were completed to see what the difference was when equalising in different ways. Firstly, equalising to 0.9V/cell and cutting off as soon as it reached that point was found to have little to no effect on run time at all. Going down to 0.1v/cell and cutting off was found to have a small effect on cells (between 5 and ten seconds). Only when going down to 0v and holding there for a few hours was the whole 30 seconds run time benefit realised. On later tests we also found that holding at a set voltage gained run time benefits too (I think the test was done holding at 0.3V/cell).
Now a lot of people will say - yes so what, I run stock, won't make any difference to me - I have to disagree quite strongly here. I think we can all agree that during discharge cell volts goes down untill we reach whatever cut off point we use and then the cell is dead. Now if you are 30 seconds further away from the "dead" point this will mean that you are further back on the discharge curve or put another way - higher up on the voltage curve. Having watched cells at the end of discharge this could mean around 0.03V/cell to even 0.1v per cell extra at the end of the run. Let's say you are running 6 cell stock, this would mean you will have between 0.18v and 0.6v more available at the end of your race which translates into higher rpm in the motor.
Please let me know what you think. And if you can confirm or refute that would be great too.
Chris.