Airbike

My Feedback: (6)

Hi Bax or anyone else out there,

I started using a Polycharge 4 several weeks ago to charge my Lipos (all 3 cell, 1050 mah to 2250 mah) but I found that the charger would stop charging when the packs got to 12.3 v (4.1v per cell).

I checked it several times and even put the charged packs from the Polycharge 4 onto my Accucycle Elite, and found that it put in another 130 to 190 mah to stop charging at 12.6 (sometimes 12.63v)

So I sent it in with a note explaining what I observed.

Well, I got a replacement today but the note that came back with it was that they found nothing wrong with the one I had sent in.

OK, so I put this replacement unit to work, charging some 1200 mah packs and some 2250 mah packs. Again the Polycharge 4 would stop charging early, this time a little higher at 12.38 v. I put the packs onto the Accucycle Elite and it puts in another 150 mah on the 2250 packs. The 1200's are charging as I type. The whole reason I bought the charger was so I can charge more than 2 packs at a time. I don't want to use the Polycharge 4 as a Pre-charger, then have to finish charging on the Accucycle Elite!

I use a timer and don't normally fly until the LVC. My packs typically are at around 11.3 v or so when they go on the charger.

Also, in case it makes any difference, all my charge leads are 24" long 16awg size, I use the same leads on the Accucycle Elite.

Now I know that 150 out of a 2250 pack is not that big a percentage, but I was just wondering about a couple of things:

First, are others having this same issue with their Polycharge 4 units?

Second, do Lipo's have a steep drop off from their fully charged state like Nicads do, so after a few seconds I wouldn't really notice any difference?


Should I just pretend I don't have the Accucycle Elite and just charge and fly? I just expected the Polycharge 4 to charge to 4.2v per cell, isn't that pretty much the industry standard?

What gives??

Crash-RCU

There is a big thread over on RCgroups about this and the generel consences is this is the way the charger is setup, charges on the conservitive side. 4.2 is the standard from my understanding, but they also say 4.15 or 95% and you get more life cycles from the cells. I am just repeating what I have read so I hope this helps.

Airbike

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks Gary, I went over to RCG and found the thread. Seems at least someone else had the same issue that I did.

I'll just charge and fly with the Polycharge 4 and check the packs once in a while on the Elite.