Half-A-Hec

Howdy all,


I am building my first electric plane and I am clueless with electrics. My question is this, What is the maximum charging amperage I can safely use on a 3 cell 1320 mAH battery pack? I can set my charger to 250 mA, 700 mA, 1200 mA, 1700 mA,2000 mA, 2500 mA. My intuition is telling me that I need to set my charger to the 3 Cell setting at 1200 mA setting.

Thanks

Hec

Walt Thyng

My Feedback: (9)

Yup, your intuition is right on. The normal chaare rate for that cell would be 1350 (1.3 amps), but 1200mah is as close as you're going to get. full charge will just take a little bit longer.
WT

jmir

My Feedback: (1)

I was told by my LHS and also read on my charger instructions that I can safely quick charge these batteries at a maximum charge rate of 2 times the battery rating. That is, a 1000 mah can be quick charged at no more than a 2000 mah rate.

To slow charge the same battery, just go below the current rating. The batteries should be slow charged "every so often" -- whatever that means!

Hope this helps.

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

people do it....

but AFAIK, you should never charge a LiPo at more than 1C

Half-A-Hec

Thanks for all the responses. It sounds like a charging rate of 1C is what I should be doing. Anybody out there have luck with maybe 2C charging rates?

Hec

DHG

My Feedback: (7)

jmir,

You didn't specify what type of cells you have, but if they are Li-Pos, DO NOT try to charge them at 2C. There are horror stories all over this forum about folks who set up their Li-Pos to charge at too high a voltage or too high a current, wandered away and came back to find a smoking crater.

Hec,

1C is really the upper limit, or close to it. Rather than try to push the charging, I would suggest that you buy a second pack and bring them both to the field. That way you can fly the second one while the first one charges.

Duane Gall
RCPRO