Originally Posted by
AMA 74894
mostly because of the battery chemistry, lipos (unlike NiCads and NiMh's) do not typically drop voltage when a load is applied.
A partially discharged nicad or nimh battery can show 1.2v per cell with no load, and then suddenly drop to 1.0 volts when a load is applied.
lipos and LiFe's don't do that. so adding a load to a lipo battery checker won't do anything.
Not eggzactly-
LiPos and LIFE - ANY battery chemistry will drop voltage as load is applied.
How you do it however, is different -
First these chemistries have a relatively flat discharge curve
Secondly -tho the curve is flatter- it drops like a rock at the end of the capacity-
Using the old dinky loads which were common on NIMH/ NICAD charges is simply a worthless test.
When 2.4 radios came on the scene, a number of users blamed failures on the rx - real issue was typically, voltage depressions.
If you elect to use LiPo / Life - get a charger which will balance charge these and also learn to read accumulated time of a flight and then recharge the packs to see how much capacity is used PER TYPICAL FLIGHT.
Finally get a meter designed to be placed between battery and rx and read no load voltage vs the load of your radio system as shown by stirring the stick fully for a couple of minutes .
If you se a voltage which drops more than ONE volt each time you cycle -
you have a battery pack which isn't up to the job.
Either the battery is too small (not enough capacity) not high enough C rating (low discharge capability)
Or both.
Also the test will reveal a servo overload or wires which won't carry the load .