charging starter battery
 

MY LHS has a 75% off sale on RC stuff (closing out) so I got myself a starter and battery. I don't really plan on using it though, just got it for emergencies (my wonderful OS 46AX starts with the FIRST flip now, EVERY TIME!) So how do I go about charging it? I understand how to do the initial charge, but how often should I recharge it, and at what amperage and for how long? Do pb batteries drain themselves like Nicad's and Nimh's? Or will one charge be good for the season if I don't use it?

Thanks.

RE: charging starter battery
 

I use mine to charge and start my stuff, and I haven't neede to charge it yet. You can charge it with a normal 12 car battery charger as long as it has a low amp rate. I have a hangar 9 wall charger for it that will give it a full charge from dead in something like 24 hours. If you leave it on the floor in your garage it will discharge over time. Mine is in my field box since I use it.

RE: charging starter battery
 

I see you live in vermont, If you plan to fly in the winter keep the start close starting an engine in january can be a nice challenge [:-]

Steven

RE: charging starter battery
 

Geez my thumbs already get cold at night and I can't feel the sticks, so definitely not thinking about much winter flying!

RE: charging starter battery
 

For your starter battery, you want around a 7AH lead acid, gell cell battery. THe last is vey important as I've see three cases where a guy as knocked his motorcycle battery over and spilled acid in his car.

Besides uning the battery for the starter, I also have a power panned and it if for pumping fuel and for my glow starter. I have a couple of the battery in the handle sticks, but after using the pannel for the iginter, I never use the sticks any more. Last, I picked up a field charger and my starter battery is the power source for it also.

I used to have one of the old Montrola bricks, and then got a some of the first flip phones. THe wall warts for thouse put up 13.8V at about 1 amp, just right for my charger. I charge the battery overnight about every six weeks. A little more often if I'm doing a lot of battery charging from it. A car battery charger will work well, and like suggested above, a low amp one, 1 or 2 amps is enough.

The Lead Acid batteries will hold a charge for months if not over a year, and I expect used just for starting, you could get close to 4 months off one charge flying three times a week.

Don

RE: charging starter battery
 

I already got the battery - it's the Power Core battery that hooks right up to the starter. It's only 1.2amps, but it was $8 total with the case.

For future charges, I just charge it for a few hours and take it off? Overnight? The primary charge is for 12-14 hours.

RE: charging starter battery
 

Lead acid batteries are pretty forgiving. I use a 7ah gell cell for starting only, perferring stand-alone glow drivers and hand crank pumps (KISS). I charge my starter battery with a 1a manual trickle charger available at any auto parts store for about $10.

The most important thing you can do with a lead acid battery is keep it well charged. They do not self-discharge quickly like NiCd, but if discharged, they become self-destructive. The positive plate becomes permanantely damaged. Basically, don't allow the voltage to fall below 12.0 without recharging it. Lead acid batteries are far more tolerant of overcharging than they are of being left discharged.

Over the winter, even, I plug mine in for a few hours every month or 2 to keep it happy.

Folks who don't heed this are the ones you see at every flying field, with constantly dead starter batteries. I know you know who I'm talking about :)

J

RE: charging starter battery
 

Thanks, so pretty low maintenance. Much appreciated. I guess I was worried about over charging, but I just got a charger for it ($2.75!) with a 120mah current. Should be OK.

RE: charging starter battery
 

As said above, PB batteries are quite forgiving. Only two things will quickly ruin them, charging at to high a rate (should be at 0.1C rate or less) and deep discharge. Never let the voltage fall below 11.9 volts under load. Use a good charger, one that is current limited constant voltage. See www.rcbatteryclinic.com for some good info on care and use of all types of batteries.