New to Li-Po

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GuyFromCanada

GuyFromCanada

Active Member
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Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Arrma RC's
  1. 4x4-Mega
G'day folks, I picked up my first Li-Po over the weekend and finally got around to being home long enough to charge it and take it for a spin. This is my charger:

http://hitecrcd.com/products/charge...ni-ac-input-balance-chargerdischarger/product

and this is my battery:

http://www.greathobbies.com/productinfo/?prod_id=GENT50002S50C

I thought I looked over everything inside the balance mode charging screens, set everything up (5A balance charge, 2S) connected the battery, and started charging. The charger slowly ramped up to 5A and everything seemed good. Then it occurred to me that I didn't set a max charge voltage or storage charge voltage, or anything else like that so I stopped the charging. I went looking on the charger settings, and couldn't find anything else, so I went back to charge. Now when the charger is ramping up, it stops at 0.3A with the following message:

upload_2018-6-19_11-6-41.png


So I stopped and rechecked things and tried again...same problem. I used the battery voltage setting, and it showed the expected voltage for the two cells and the discharge connector. I put the battery in my Granite in Li-Po mode, and it worked fine.

Again I double checked the connections and put it back to charge...same error.

Did I do something terribly wrong by interrupting the initial charge? Is there something internal to the battery that could have gone wrong? Should I just run the pack now until it hits LVC and then try charging again?
 
Jerry-rigged said:
Maybe did you plug the banana plugs on the main lead backwards?
Click to expand...

I removed and reconnected the banana pugs on the charger, to no effect. For a moment, I considered intentionally reversing them, but I figured that was a stupid move without knowing exactly what the charger does in that scenario. When it throws that error, the Battery Meter function reads all the voltages just fine.

I can set it all up again and take a picture if that helps...I just feel really stupid about now. I actually took the time to read the "safety" section in the battery manual :D
 
olds97_lss said:
Is it showing about the same voltage for both cells?
Click to expand...

I do believe so, but let me go check

*time passes*

Same to within 2 mV according to the charger. 3.895 vs 3.892. Total voltage 7.79V

I also tried the charger again with my NiMH battery and it worked fine. At first I was using a Deans charge lead with adapter to XT60...then a straight XT60 charge lead directly...same results.
 
GuyFromCanada said:
I removed and reconnected the banana pugs on the charger, to no effect. For a moment, I considered intentionally reversing them, but I figured that was a stupid move without knowing exactly what the charger does in that scenario. When it throws that error, the Battery Meter function reads all the voltages just fine.

I can set it all up again and take a picture if that helps...I just feel really stupid about now. I actually took the time to read the "safety" section in the battery manual :D
Click to expand...
A picture could possibly help. Are you using the balance charge setting on the charger and do you have the balance lead connected and connected correctly?
 
Yep, that's pretty weird. You have the charger in Lipo mode not Liion or something else, right? By default, the different Li* modes have a different peak voltage. I think Li-Ion is lower than Li-Poly.
 
Unplug the battery, turn the charger off, unplug it from the wall, let it sit a bit, plug the charger back in, turn the charger on, plug the balance plug into the battery, plug the main power into the battery, try again.

Don't plug the battery in before the charger. I've done that and it can mess up a charger. Not sure why, but they really don't like it. Not saying you did, just mentioning it.
 
olds97_lss said:
Unplug the battery, turn the charger off, unplug it from the wall, let it sit a bit, plug the charger back in, turn the charger on, plug the balance plug into the battery, plug the main power into the battery, try again.
Click to expand...

I tried a few variations on that already but I will try that particular order and let you know.

No dice. Yes, it shows that S: R: thing...I was just about to google it to find out wtf it means.

I just ran the pack until the ESC hit thermal, battery was just barely warm so everything is cooling now.
 
GuyFromCanada said:
I tried a few variations on that already but I will try that particular order and let you know.

No dice. Yes, it shows that S: R: thing...I was just about to google it to find out wtf it means.

I just ran the pack until the ESC hit thermal, battery was just barely warm so everything is cooling now.
Click to expand...
My Hitec chargers show the S: R: thing and then you hold the start button to get it going. Not really sure what it means exactly though LOL.

Have you tried bypassing the balance board and plugging the balance lead on the battery directly into the charger?

Does your battery balance lead only have two wires?
 
chevys10zr2003 said:
Have you tried bypassing the balance board and plugging the balance lead on the battery directly into the charger?

Does your battery balance lead only have two wires?
Click to expand...

I'll try bypassing the balance board again...see what happens.

There are 3 wires on the balance connector, which makes sense.
 
chevys10zr2003 said:
I don't think or don't know if that will help but I figured it's worth a try. Your picture looked like the balance plug only had two wires lol.
Click to expand...

After using it, cell voltages were at 3.5V, again within 1-5mV of each other. I tried with and without the balance board, and with my Deans charge lead with adapter, and the XT60 charge lead directly. The charge leads are both seem of high quality, and came with the charger. All of the above still resulted in the same thing. Even trying a non-balance charge produced the same result.
 
Well, I did a 1A discharge down to 3.3V, and voila, the battery is balance charging as we speak. I'm still curious whether this is a battery thing, or a charger thing...
 
GuyFromCanada said:
Well, I did a 1A discharge down to 3.3V, and voila, the battery is balance charging as we speak. I'm still curious whether this is a battery thing, or a charger thing...
Click to expand...
That is extremely odd. I'm happy that it's working now though.
 
I’ve got the exact same setup. Not sure if it was mentioned but you have to hold the start button and then press the start button once it checks the battery
 
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