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 Post subject: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2011 9:38 pm 
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Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 3:08 pm
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Location: Portland Oregon
Hey guys I'm new to balance charging but I believe I had my question answered about exactly what it is, slow charging over thinner wires to peak every cell in the pack..

I just picked up a Turnigy 8150 charger, its really cool looking! it does 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 cells however it doesn't do 2 cells! I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about this if its possible to charge on the 3 cell connection and possibly bridge cells 1 and 2 so it reads the same data the charger would think cells 1, 2 are identical but the wire for cell 3 would be going to 2 on the battery if this makes sense?

Long shot I know.

--Aaron

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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sat May 14, 2011 1:19 am 
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Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:46 am
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Location: Norway
Hi,

Does the charger support 2 cell balance charging at all? If not, there are probably no way to do this.
An adapter should come with the charger if that was possible.
After looking at all the reviews it doesn't seem to be possible. I suggest that you post this question on the hobbyking forum or try the support center (you must login first).

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[b]Kåre Halvorsen, Zenta[/b]
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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sat May 14, 2011 3:12 am 
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Location: Portland Oregon
Hey zenta, yeah I think its my fault entirely as I thought I had a 3 cell pack for my Pheonix.... turns out its a 2 cell. although since I have that Turnigy Ubec.... I'm not sure why I cant buy a 3 cell pack now and use it and let the Ubec device step it down to 6volts or was that not advised?

But then again how often do you need to match use the cell matching.. cant you just slow charge the battery on the normal plugs over like xyz time?

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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sat May 14, 2011 11:10 am 
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Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 9:39 pm
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Location: Quebec Canada
Balance LIPO charger charge the batterie by the "Power" wire. and "Discharge" cell to keep the all at the same by the balance port !
If your charger don't do 2cells .. get one.

Using a 3cells on your setup would end in more lost since it has to convert your voltage from higher input voltage.

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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sat May 14, 2011 4:47 pm 
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Location: Norway
I would also recommend spending money on a 2 cell charger and balancer. Read the product info next time.. :wink:

DiaLFonZo wrote:
Using a 3cells on your setup would end in more lost since it has to convert your voltage from higher input voltage.

Thats true if you use a linear regulator, but using a switch regulator with high efficiency the wasted energy is much lower. But then again, I would also recommend using a 2 cell since you could also power the electronics directly from the 2S.

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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sat May 14, 2011 8:17 pm 
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Location: Portland Oregon
Well why cant I just use a 3 cell pack? and have the Ubec handle all that nonsense?
Or is the battery options for the Phoenix limited as 3 cell packs are way bigger?

Also when does one need to "Balance" a Lipo pack?

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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 2:16 am 
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Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:46 am
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Location: Norway
Do you have a 3 cell pack already?
In theory you can use the 3 cell since the regulator support it. But you'll get a little more playtime with a 2S with the same energy (watt) vs. a 3S.
How do you power the electronics, 9v batt?
Does your charger support 2 cell charging without balancing?.

A LiPo pack can be charged without balancing, but after some cycles there is a risk for different voltage on each cell. The end-result can be that one cell gets overcharged or discharged to much. And thats not good. Balancing gets more important with increased count of cells. Another option is to buy a 2 cell balancer that you hook up together with your charger (if the charger support 2 cell charging though).

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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 3:43 am 
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Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:07 am
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Location: Belgium
I've seen a video by EVTV about active balancing and they say that you have big chance to kill your battery by using it.
Because chargers balance to the upper point of the cells (each at 4,2 V) but when discharging, they haven't all the same capacity (fabrication tolerances), and so there are some which will discharge faster than others.
So you can end up with cells discharged below their lower point (3,0 V per cell) but your BEC won't notice because he only survey the whole battery pack voltage ...

They advice to balance on the lower point by discharging each cell to the same voltage and then charge them without balancing (if your batteries are good, the voltage differences won't be that much). You just have to survey that none of them get too high in voltage.
And when you discharge, they will balance themselves again by losing the same capacity.

I've tried myselves but not enough to affirm it's better (all I can say is that my cells had about the same voltage on the end of charge, difference was around 10mV on a cell, with Turnigy Lipoly).


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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 3:54 am 
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Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:07 am
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Location: Belgium
From what I've seen on the Net, you can do 2S charging with your charger. Just have to find a correct adaptator or make one.


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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2011 6:39 am 
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Location: Quebec Canada
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/digital-multi-cell-lithium-battery-voltage-led-display-for-r-c-models-10787

Get one of theses... very usefull to check battery balance...

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 Post subject: Re: Balance charging??
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 5:26 am 
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Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 8:29 am
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Location: Poland
i think would be easier to create 2x2s -> 4s adapter and balance charge 2 packs as one 4s cell. of course if you using 2 packs (i am so that's from where idea came)
just check polarity and balance plug standard of your cells and do one :)
balance charging is not needed very often.

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