Someone doesn't know what voltage a lipo should be storage charged to

[carckton driver]

Well either me or a reputable retailer has no clue what storage voltage is. I bought 2 batteries from them. One arrived at sorage voltage and the other arrived dead at 3.2 volts. I put it in my crawler and the car ran for about 5 seconds before going into lvc. I emailed them and told them one of the batteries arived dead at 3.2 volts and they replied that 3.2 volts per cel is normal for stoarge charge. So yea, that happened.

 

[Armarookie43]

Well either me or mofoRC has no clue what storage voltage is. I bought 2 batteries from them. One arrived at sorage voltage and the other arrived dead at 3.2 volts. I put it in my crawler and the car ran for about 5 seconds before going into lvc. I emailed them and told them one of the batteries arived dead at 3.2 volts and they replied that 3.2 volts per cel is normal for stoarge charge. So yea, that happened.

It's supposed to be between 3.6 to 3.8V per cell for storage charge. From what I understand, sometimes new batteries have been on the shelf for a while, and can go below 3.6V? That's what I've heard. Have yoi checked internal resistance? Did you balance charge your batteries before using them? You are not supposed to use them until you balance charge them every single time.

 

[Diem Turner]

It's supposed to be between 3.6 to 3.8V per cell for storage charge. From what I understand, sometimes new batteries have been on the shelf for a while, and can go below 3.6V? That's what I've heard. Have yoi checked internal resistance? Did you balance charge your batteries before using them? You are not supposed to use them until you balance charge them every single time.

Batteries at storage charge should remain, virtually, unchanged. Even if you just leave it sitting there for a year or three.

 

[Armarookie43]

Batteries at storage charge should remain, virtually, unchanged. Even if you just leave it sitting there for a year or three.

So if you storage charge a battery, it never looses charge after a few months? That's not what I've heard and read. I've always heard that you have to storage charge them again after a few months. So what stops a lipo from losing charge vs when it's fully charged?

 

[Diem Turner]

So if you storage charge a battery, it never looses charge after a few months? That's not what I've heard and read. I've always heard that you have to storage charge them again after a few months. So what stops a lipo from losing charge vs when it's fully charged?

No, it doesn't. I've had a pair of CNHL 4S 9500s sitting here for a few months unused and they stayed right at the 3.8-3.81V/cell that I received them at.

In short, chemistry. At storage charge the chemistry is in stasis or equilibrium. I'm not deep enough into the details to explain it any better than that, but perhaps someone else that is can do a better job than I can.

 

[carckton driver]

It's supposed to be between 3.6 to 3.8V per cell for storage charge. From what I understand, sometimes new batteries have been on the shelf for a while, and can go below 3.6V? That's what I've heard. Have yoi checked internal resistance? Did you balance charge your batteries before using them? You are not supposed to use them until you balance charge them every single time.

I used it for 5 seconds, because it was dead. I don't have a way to check internal resistance and i should have to on a brand new battery

 

[Sandracer_NL]

A ‘reputable’ seller saying that 3.2v per cell is a normal for storage charge level would make me question their ‘reputability’.

 

[slick2500]

I used it for 5 seconds, because it was dead. I don't have a way to check internal resistance and i should have to on a brand new battery

The ISDT charger should have an IR meter built in and you should always check the voltage and ir of a battery before you use it.

 

[carckton driver]

A ‘reputable’ seller saying that 3.2v per cell is a normal for storage charge level would make me question their ‘reputability’.

They are VERY reputable but yes i couldnt agree more

The ISDT charger should have an IR meter built in and you should always check the voltage and ir of a battery before you use it.

Its a little battery with a weird plug that i don't have an adapter for or have the suplies to make one

 

[Diem Turner]

They are VERY reputable but yes i couldnt agree more

Its a little battery with a weird plug that i don't have an adapter for or have the suplies to make one

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but is it possible that the battery that came at 3.2V is a LiFePo battery and not a lipo? I only ask because I bought one of these batteries and it had this bizarre looking contraption on it that I swapped out for an XT60. That would at least explain the odd voltage reading. If not, then they don't know what they're talking about.

 

[Armarookie43]

The ISDT charger should have an IR meter built in and you should always check the voltage and ir of a battery before you use it.

But they didn't mention that they balance charged it first. You can't just take a new battery and use it. You have to to balance charge it first.

 

[Diem Turner]

But they didn't mention that they balance charged it first. You can't just take a new battery and use it. You have to to balance charge it first.

That's not correct. You can use a lipo right out of the box. While it won't be at peak performance, there's nothing that says you can't or shouldn't (though I would say that you shouldn't run any high amp loads). As for balance charging, the charger straight charges (without balancing) until the cells hit 4.1V so that it goes faster (balance leads are only rated for 2A) at which point it switches to balance charging for the remaining 0.1V. There's nothing wrong with removing the battery from the charger before balance charging begins and to use it (assuming the voltage of the cells is roughly in the same neighborhood). I'm not sure where you heard this from, but it's definitely not true.

 

[CrashBoom]

As for balance charging, the charger straight charges (without balancing) until the cells hit 4.1V so that it goes faster (balance leads are only rated for 2A) at which point it switches to balance charging for the remaining 0.1V.

I've always understood the balance leads are used to bleed off high cells near the end of the charging cycle, then when they are all about the same, "charging" resumes ... rinse, repeat until balanced.

 

[Diem Turner]

I've always understood the balance leads are used to bleed off high cells near the end of the charging cycle, then when they are all about the same, "charging" resumes ... rinse, repeat until balanced.

That's not my understanding of how it works. My understanding is that the bulk is charged via the main leads and then last 0.1V via the balance lead. But I could be wrong.

Paging @jkflow

I'm sure he can clear this up. He's very knowledgeable on the topic.

 

[carckton driver]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but is it possible that the battery that came at 3.2V is a LiFePo battery and not a lipo? I only ask because I bought one of these batteries and it had this bizarre looking contraption on it that I swapped out for an XT60. That would at least explain the odd voltage reading. If not, then they don't know what they're talking about.
View attachment 255337

no, its a lipo

 

[Diem Turner]

no, its a lipo

"Don't know what they're talking about" it is then.

 

[slick2500]

That's not my understanding of how it works. My understanding is that the bulk is charged via the main leads and then last 0.1V via the balance lead. But I could be wrong.

Paging @jkflow

I'm sure he can clear this up. He's very knowledgeable on the topic.

That is what I have read as well.

 

[jkflow]

a) Why in the world would you even try a lipo that is at 3.2V. Charge it first and see what the IR is. If IR is fine, the lipo is ok. I wouldn't freak out at low levels unless the IR is way off. Yes, immediately contact the seller, which you did, just to see if they have a weird return policy.
Hoppyshop people are frequently wrong on lipos, not surprised of that answer. You always get the 'sales person' plus if they admit it's bad they loose money.

b) Storage is 3.75 - 3.85 and can sit for very long times (month, years). Detrimental effects that will cause discharge are humidity and temperature changes, not so much time. I always try and check after longer periods (~3-4 month if unused)

c) Balance - tricky as technology differs. I believe majority chargers pretty much do the same, i.e. bleed off the high cell but route it to the low(er) cell(s). If the high one is too low, it charges again through the main leads, rinse and repeat.
Some chargers just discharge into a load and waste that energy. Honestly never looked into it, not really worth the time.

 

[carckton driver]

a) Why in the world would you even try a lipo that is at 3.2V. Charge it first and see what the IR is. If IR is fine, the lipo is ok. I wouldn't freak out at low levels unless the IR is way off. Yes, immediately contact the seller, which you did, just to see if they have a weird return policy.
Hoppyshop people are frequently wrong on lipos, not surprised of that answer. You always get the 'sales person' plus if they admit it's bad they loose money.

b) Storage is 3.75 - 3.85 and can sit for very long times (month, years). Detrimental effects that will cause discharge are humidity and temperature changes, not so much time. I always try and check after longer periods (~3-4 month if unused)

c) Balance - tricky as technology differs. I believe majority chargers pretty much do the same, i.e. bleed off the high cell but route it to the low(er) cell(s). If the high one is too low, it charges again through the main leads, rinse and repeat.
Some chargers just discharge into a load and waste that energy. Honestly never looked into it, not really worth the time.

a) you missed the point. the battery was shipped at 3.2 volts, it obviously should have been around 3.8 in which case there wouldnt have been a problem running it, at least not for the 30 seconds i was planing on using it to try it out. you think i received a battery, checked the voltage only to find it was dead and then decided to run it or something?
lol it wasnt a hobby shop. it was a reputable company that makes parts for RC cars. the battery was branded with their name on it, i would assume they made the battery/assembled it.
also, hobby shops don't lose money on bad items, at least not mine for the one item i bought from them that was bad. do you lose money on bad items you buy?
like i said at the moment i don't have a way of checking IR of cells. one would think a battery would be delivered in state that wouldnt allow that to happen.

 

[Diem Turner]

lol it wasnt a hobby shop. it was a reputable company that makes parts for RC cars. the battery was branded with their name on it, i would assume they made the battery/assembled it.
also, hobby shops don't lose money on bad items, at least not mine for the one item i bought from them that was bad. do you lose money on bad items you buy?
like i said at the moment i don't have a way of checking IR of cells. one would think a battery would be delivered in state that wouldnt allow that to happen.

I doubt they made or assembled it. They had it made and they just branded it with their logo is more likely. Pretty much all batteries these days are made in China to the specs of whoever is distributing them. Even companies like SMC don't make or assemble their own lipos.

You are correct and that shouldn't happen, but since humans are involved and we're inherently flawed, mistakes will happen. Just tell them that they're wrong, quote a website explaining what storage voltage for a lipo is and tell them you want a new one and what you should do with the faulty one. That's what I'd do anyways.