Need help with LIFE batts
#1
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Need help with LIFE batts
I have two 2600 2 cells LIFE batts and a 4 cells 5200 LILO, I have read all that I can handle on the subject and I still have questions.
My charger is the Turnigy accucell-6, I haven't use these bats for about a year and I got them about 3 years ago. What I like to know is how do I cycle them ( both LIFE and LILO batts ) what do I have to do to know the capacity? how do I do the cycling on them? I want to be sure that they are still in good conditions and are ok to use.
Thank you in advance.
My charger is the Turnigy accucell-6, I haven't use these bats for about a year and I got them about 3 years ago. What I like to know is how do I cycle them ( both LIFE and LILO batts ) what do I have to do to know the capacity? how do I do the cycling on them? I want to be sure that they are still in good conditions and are ok to use.
Thank you in advance.
#3
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RE: Need help with LIFE batts
Hey Cars. I don't have an answer, but if the plane is tail heavy, go with the regular Bud, instead of the lite. I just couldn't resist.
#5
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RE: Need help with LIFE batts
The accucel 6 charger has settings for lithium polymer (LIPO), lithium iron (LIFE), and lithium ion (LION)...I don't know what a LILO is?
You can set the charger to do multiple charge/discharge cycles and it will tell you how many milliamps are used in each cycle. I prefer to do the charge and discharge manually. First set the charger to do a full balance charge (set the charge current to no more than 2C). When that is finished set up a discharge cycle...you need to set the discharge rate (up to 1 amp) and the cutoff voltage (I use 6.3 v for a 2 cell LIFE pack). When the discharge cycle is finished the charger will show how many milliamps were discharged. If the milliamp reading is close to the capacity of the battery you are good.
You can set the charger to do multiple charge/discharge cycles and it will tell you how many milliamps are used in each cycle. I prefer to do the charge and discharge manually. First set the charger to do a full balance charge (set the charge current to no more than 2C). When that is finished set up a discharge cycle...you need to set the discharge rate (up to 1 amp) and the cutoff voltage (I use 6.3 v for a 2 cell LIFE pack). When the discharge cycle is finished the charger will show how many milliamps were discharged. If the milliamp reading is close to the capacity of the battery you are good.
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RE: Need help with LIFE batts
Yes, many retire batteries to non essential use (servo tester etc) when the charge is 80% of capacity. I have been wrong before so you might want to wait until somebody else agrees/disagrees!
#12
RE: Need help with LIFE batts
Those Lifes are probably fine. You need to discharge them below 6.3 volts to get the rated capacity, or close to it. I would try 2.5 volts per cell, or 5 volts for the pack.
KennyMac
KennyMac
#13
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RE: Need help with LIFE batts
Here is a discharge curve for A123 Life battery. You can see that the battery is completely gone when the pack voltage is down to 6.0v (3v per cell). At 6.3 v the pack is over 90% gone. You can read more info here: http://www.hangtimes.com/a123_batter...iants_faq.html
#15
RE: Need help with LIFE batts
Hey Carlos, good to hear from you. Willow is always fun.
When the battery mfg rates their packs, they do so with a discharge voltage cutoff well below 3.15v per cell (6.3 volts). To determine whether or not you are getting close to rated capacity, you need to discharge the same as they did when they rated the batteries. This doesn't mean you should go that low when using the batteries normally, only go that low on the discharge curve to determine how the batteries are performing compared to their rated capacity. I stop flying and start charging when either cell in a two cell pack goes below 3.3 volts.
For a discharge to determine battery capacity, I would use 2.5 volts per cell (5 volt for the pack) as the voltage cutoff. Make sure you balance charge when you recharge.
Ken
When the battery mfg rates their packs, they do so with a discharge voltage cutoff well below 3.15v per cell (6.3 volts). To determine whether or not you are getting close to rated capacity, you need to discharge the same as they did when they rated the batteries. This doesn't mean you should go that low when using the batteries normally, only go that low on the discharge curve to determine how the batteries are performing compared to their rated capacity. I stop flying and start charging when either cell in a two cell pack goes below 3.3 volts.
For a discharge to determine battery capacity, I would use 2.5 volts per cell (5 volt for the pack) as the voltage cutoff. Make sure you balance charge when you recharge.
Ken
#16
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RE: Need help with LIFE batts
ORIGINAL: GR7Racer
When the battery mfg rates their packs, they do so with a discharge voltage cutoff well below 3.15v per cell (6.3 volts). To determine whether or not you are getting close to rated capacity, you need to discharge the same as they did when they rated the batteries.
When the battery mfg rates their packs, they do so with a discharge voltage cutoff well below 3.15v per cell (6.3 volts). To determine whether or not you are getting close to rated capacity, you need to discharge the same as they did when they rated the batteries.
#20
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RE: Need help with LIFE batts
Kenny
I have, the Turnigy Accucel 6 has a balancer port and I have used it to balance the LIFE batts. I will keep working to get them back to full charge, the one thing I haven't done is charge them under balance charge, I will be working on that this weekend.
I have, the Turnigy Accucel 6 has a balancer port and I have used it to balance the LIFE batts. I will keep working to get them back to full charge, the one thing I haven't done is charge them under balance charge, I will be working on that this weekend.
#21
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RE: Need help with LIFE batts
You NEED to balance charge them. I balance charge every time. I discharge down to 5.8 volts on all my A123's. At 6.3 volts I would be leaving some mAh in the pack. The 80% rule works for nicd/nimh, I don't use that for life packs mostly because my 5 year old life packs are still within 7% of new.
I would also base the fact of using the batteries or not on how well they balance and how close the balance is when fully charged and fully discharged.
One last thing, your basing your lost mAh on the fact that your battery's would have put out 2600 mAh, my 3, A123 2300 mAh packs put out 2170 mAh when brand new. 5 years later they put out 2020 mAh.
I would also base the fact of using the batteries or not on how well they balance and how close the balance is when fully charged and fully discharged.
One last thing, your basing your lost mAh on the fact that your battery's would have put out 2600 mAh, my 3, A123 2300 mAh packs put out 2170 mAh when brand new. 5 years later they put out 2020 mAh.