Battery care and nutrition
11-13-2005, 07:09 AM
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Battery care and nutrition
Now my Marder is running happily, time to pick a few brains on NiMh batteries. I have a 3300mah 5-cell battery and a Swallow charger. Do these batteries need any special care or precautions eg run flat before charge, don't let them go flat etc etc. Or can I just charge it when it goes flat regardless of its condition? I've not run it flat yet as I've had engine teething troubles but now that's (hopefully) sorted I'm in a position where I can give the battery a good test.
Does it need discharging with my Swallow at all? Does topping it up if it's been unused for a few days hurt? And what do all those numbers on the Swallow charger mean anyway?
Questions, questions, questions...
Does it need discharging with my Swallow at all? Does topping it up if it's been unused for a few days hurt? And what do all those numbers on the Swallow charger mean anyway?
Questions, questions, questions...
11-13-2005, 08:34 AM
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RE: Battery care and nutrition
OK… I fly electric helis, and aircraft… So, here’s the poop on NiMh bats.
The newer generation of batteries does not suffer as much from memory problems, as did the early NiCd’s did. Even new NiCd’s are better than before.
BUT… NiMh batteries do like a good cycling. Slowly, you should fully charge then discharge them. Probably four or five times. (if they are new, or haven’t been discharged for a while) And, while doing this, they should only get warm to the touch. If they are hot… drop the amp rate!! NiMh don’t like to be to hot.
If this is done properly… you will find that your pack will run longer per charge, and have a better discharge amp rate. (although, a couple servos won’t make the pack give out peak amps)
RC Helis require a high amount of current to fly. And I’ve seen a new pack not be able to even get the model off the ground… but, if it’s cycled a few times… the heli will fly fine.
Lastly… no… it won’t kill the pack to top it off before a run.
The newer generation of batteries does not suffer as much from memory problems, as did the early NiCd’s did. Even new NiCd’s are better than before.
BUT… NiMh batteries do like a good cycling. Slowly, you should fully charge then discharge them. Probably four or five times. (if they are new, or haven’t been discharged for a while) And, while doing this, they should only get warm to the touch. If they are hot… drop the amp rate!! NiMh don’t like to be to hot.
If this is done properly… you will find that your pack will run longer per charge, and have a better discharge amp rate. (although, a couple servos won’t make the pack give out peak amps)
RC Helis require a high amount of current to fly. And I’ve seen a new pack not be able to even get the model off the ground… but, if it’s cycled a few times… the heli will fly fine.
Lastly… no… it won’t kill the pack to top it off before a run.
