Yes i know all of this. That is why i always load check the volatge of each cell. It is hard for me to balacne charge due to the location of the battery in a new plane im building. So if i check voltage and it is off i will balance, buit if not i will not. Chances are that i wont need to balance more often than i will need to.
I think I hear you chafing slightly at my reply. I suppose that's fair. I just spend 30 minutes of my life posting a reply that lectured you on things you already knew. Nobody likes to be lectured.
Err.. You did know they make balance lead extensions, right?
http://www.progressiverc.com/balance-extensions.html Route the balance lead of your battery to some place where it's easy to balance charge. Job done. Spend 5 bucks and then your (dads) house won't catch fire.
It's really pretty simple... and I really don't care what
you do. If you jumped out of plane every day and some asked you do you want a reserve parachute, would you tell them no - I check the primary myself and I've never had a problem before - and I find putting it on inconvenient? If you've got a charge system in place that allows you to sleep at night, do it. Me, I'm saying yes to the reserve question.
Bill