RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

Can fully charged RX packs be left on a trickle charger (5ma) to maintain the charge?

Goldenduff

Yes. For how long?

mehrshad

Yes it can for ever.
there is no time limit for nimh or nicd batteries and charge current less than 0.05C .

JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

If you are talking about NiCd packs then yes, but it will shorten the life of the pack. Better to use a timer and charge just for an hour (or so) a day at 10%. See http://www.hangtimes.com/keeping_your_packs_ready.html

I would think the same applies to NiMH but don't know that for a fact.

mehrshad

5mA won't affect the life of a 1000mAh pack or so.
5mA*1.4=7mW and virtually no heat will generate.
Even for 50mA...

landeck

My Feedback: (1)

For the last 30 years I have been leaving my NiCad batteries on trickle charge continually. I charge them up with either a slow charge (0.1C) for 15 hours or peak charge them when I get back from flying and then leave them on trickle charge (0.02C or between 5 and 20 ma) until the next time I go flying. The batteries last 4-5 years doing it this way and they are always ready to go flying. The NiMh batteries in my transmitters I do the same with the same results.

Bruce

Goldenduff

They might last 6 or 7 years if you altered your practice!! Lol

StangFlyer

My Feedback: (17)

Guys....I need a little assistance here please. First, a little brief history about me. I have been flying about 20 years and have actually had pretty good success compared to most fellows. Have not lost many planes... two total losses and one that can be repaired...in almost 20 years. Considering that I have owned a number of planes, probably around 100 or so, everything from 60 size trainers to 1/3 scale aerobatic and 1/4, 1/5 scale warbird. So needless to say, I kind of know what is happening. Now for my problem. I have been using mostly Nicd and Nimh for all of those years. Only lost one plane due to a faulty battery pack, I charge and cycle on a regular basis and usually have zero problems. Lately I acquired two Fromeco 9.6 volt tx. packs that had been stored for many years in sealed never opened packages. I want to convert these to two 7.2 volt packs as my radio (Hitec Aurroa 9) is only designed in such that way. Before cutting them open and reconfiguring them, I chose to check the voltage... and charge if need be. One showed .09 volts, the other 7.4ish volts. I figured the low one was maybe bad, but might be able to save the other. I charged them as per the FROMECO instructions, and both charged right up and at present holding good charge values. Too good I am thinking. They are both showing 11.3 volts after coming off the charger. Any other 9.6 volt I have charged is normal to be around 10 or maybe just slightly higher. But not over 11 volts! IS THIS NORMAL for FROMECO? Am I even going to convert these packs to a useable voltage for my Aurora? Can anyone give me some direction of what to do or expect? In 20 years I have never seen values like this. Now either these batteries are REALLY REALLY good...or something is REALLY REALLY wrong. I double checked my settings on my charger and sure enough, I am set correctly. I have used this charger for many years and it has never failed me. In fact, I like it, (Hobbico Accu-Cycle Elite) much better than my brand new Hitec X-4. My X-4 seems tempermental at best.... while my Accu-cycle continues to do precisely what I have always known it to do. I would love to hear from anyone that can give me good input on this subject. Thanks so much.

mehrshad

11.3/8=1.41v per cell and is normal.
do some discharge/charge cycles and check the pack performance.

StangFlyer

My Feedback: (17)

I had actually already considered that... At 2700 Mah, this is going to take a while. LOL. As you are probably aware, FROMECO "INSISTS" that you do not (NOT) charge these Nimh as one would with any other Nimh. Paper work states very clearly...DO NOT charge at a rate of over 150mah. Good Lord, It took nearly 24 hours to bring them up to capacity at the indicated rate. Now another question. Is it really true the chemistry of the FROMECO Nimh is really that much different from any other Nimh? I usually discharge and re-charge at a rate of 1 1/2 to 2 c on all my Nimh and Nicd batteries and have had not one problem ever. These are Sanyo cells like many of my other battery packs.... I can't believe they would be any different from all my others. Thoughts?

Rodney

Yes, voltage over 11 volts on a Nixx pack is normal right off the charger. If you are only getting around 10 volts, you have a bad cell somewhere in the pack.

mehrshad

only "high drain" types could be charged and discharged at 1.5 to 2c. Standard type can't go over 0.3C for fast charging and up to 1C for nimh and 2C for Nicd discharging.

tmbatteries

Surely it's no problem for a trickle charge continued after a full charge.

Goldenduff

It is not a big problem but it is a problem. I believe it can accelertate the degregation of the pack. Also if you have a small pack the "trickle" charge might be relatively more than a trickle!

Leaving a car idiling for a week isn't a big problem but it cannot be a good thing?!.......