Charger advice

[The_RC_Dude]

@WickedFog
Hey bud so my new charger came today.
Reading through the manual is making me a little confused- it says if I use the balance charge function I have to connect the balance lead and the two main leads with the Deans connector on?
Is this correct or am I missing something here?

Yay! That didn't take too long to get to you!
Yes, that's correct. As you probably know, LiPos are charged via the balance connector instead of the main plug, like how NiMH batteries only have the main connector and that's used for everything.

The main LiPo leads are connected too for discharging if needed, like when you storage charge the pack (if you have the function on the charger), which will discharge or charge the pack to storage voltage, which should be between 3.7 and 3.8 volts per cell (everyone one likes a slightly different storage voltage, just have it between those numbers and you'll be fine. I aim for 3.75v per cell, and that saves me ~4 minutes to a full charge compared to storage at 3.7v, because I'll have a slight "head start". Don't store LiPos at above ~3.8v though!)

Yeah. That is how you plug them in with real chargers

Just remember to line up the positive wire on the balance lead with the correct cell count printed on the charger.

Don't most chargers have specific little tabs/ridges on the inside of the female end of the balance port, to make sure you can only charge a 2s on the 2s port, a 3s in a 3s port, etc?

 

[Stigtheone]

@Greywolf74 is good with electronics too, but too bad he's not been on for nearly a month (see one of my other threads for an explanation)! @WickedFog is good too with this stuff, especially 3D printers!

Yeah Greywolf defo is, I hope he's OK
And thanks buddy, the part that got me was where the manual says I have to connect both the balance lead and the main power lead (Deans connector) ss I wasn't aware of that. The basic charger that came with it just connected the balance lead to it to charge lol I'm so much of a noob it's painful haha
@WickedFog well you certainly have let it sink in mate lmao

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Really? So this battery was doing OK then haha its an etronix 3250mah 2s 20c but it was just the tiniest bit puffed so was advised to change it.

Good advice! Electric won't run as long on one pack vs. a nitro on a full tank. 20 min for a pack of that capacity is good, that means your vehicle is probably lighter and more effecient.

 

[Stigtheone]

Good advice! Electric won't run as long on one pack vs. a nitro on a full tank. 20 min for a pack of that capacity is good, that means your vehicle is probably lighter and more effecient.

Motor is a 60A motor, don't know if that helps or not bud

 

[WickedFog]

Don't most chargers have specific little tabs/ridges on the inside of the female end of the balance port, to make sure you can only charge a 2s on the 2s port, a 3s in a 3s port, etc?

No. They would have to have individual plugs for each size. All the ones I have had either had a regular 6s port, or a port with the top cutout to accept all plugs up to 6s. The numbers on his charger, and the fact that his shows the port with the top opened up means it is the same. The numbers are there to tell you where to plug the cable in.

 

[Stigtheone]

No. They would have to have individual plugs for each size. All the ones I have had either had a regular 6s port, or a port with the top cutout to accept all plugs up to 6s. The numbers on his charger, and the fact that his shows the port with the top opened up means it is the same. The numbers are there to tell you where to plug the cable in.

This is my balance port, going off what you say @wicked I'd put the red wire to 1, yellow 2, black 3 and it would be the middle 3 pins I'm using as my battery is only a 2s

Don't most chargers have specific little tabs/ridges on the inside of the female end of the balance port, to make sure you can only charge a 2s on the 2s port, a 3s in a 3s port, etc?

this one doesn't mate, you could put the lead on either way round and on any of the pins

 

[The_RC_Dude]

There are lots of YT vids that go over LiPo basics. Watching some on your specific charger will help as also. I charge at 1c only. Charging faster than that will only degrade your batteries faster. Never let them go below 3v/cell. To do that, I set my LVC to 3.6v/cell or so if the ESC has that option, but to be honest, I usually stop running around 3.8v/cell. Don't ask me how, but the last 10 runs have all ended at 3.8v-3.83v, and I stop before LVC kicks in. Getting to know my RC's I think

The ESC on my buggy is adjustable with a programming card, the stock setting is 3.2v I think? I always stop before 3.4v, but once I did somehow, once, in a parking lot discharge one of my packs to ~2.8v per cell, it was somewhat cold (fall, I think), and I was pretty shocked upon plugging in my LiPo alarm to see the voltage. The pack might have been at 3.0v, and the 2.8 was just under slightly load. This was with my old HW brushed ESC, and I brought my buggy in because I noticed the car was a bit limp and cut out now and then. Once we got home, I stuck it on my basic charger, and surprise surprise, it recovered just fine! And this was one of my Awanfi packs, from Amazon, I got both for $24!

I stop at 3.65v-3.8v too! I very rarely discharge my packs below 3.55v, and I don't always need to charge them to full capacity. That's on my 1500mAh Awanfi's, but my new 1/16 MT comes with this tiny (in capacity) little 800mAh Li-ion. It has nearly half the capacity of my 1500mAh's, and even with the light MT, with a smaller, decently efficient 390 brushed motor, it still doesn't last long. Good thing I made a second battery tray mod, on the top deck, to allow me to use my bigger packs. Anyway, I've rambled enough now!

 

[WickedFog]

View attachment 141431
This is my balance port, going off what you say @wicked I'd put the red wire to 1, yellow 2, black 3 and it would be the middle 3 pins I'm using as my battery is only a 2s

No. The plug will insert all the way to the right, with the red wire on the left, in port 2 for a 2s. So you will use 0-2. The plug will only go in one way up. Just make sure it is all the way to the right

 

[The_RC_Dude]

View attachment 141431
This is my balance port, going off what you say @wicked I'd put the red wire to 1, yellow 2, black 3 and it would be the middle 3 pins I'm using as my battery is only a 2s

this one doesn't mate, you could put the lead on either way round and on any of the pins

Yeah, I see. No, I believe you could plug your 2s in like that, only one pin over to the right, all the way over to the right, with no pin left between the right side of balance port and the right side of the casing. I'm pretty sure that all packs, no matter the cell count, start on the "1s" pin, if that makes sense. It's hard to tell you what I mean without a drawing! My charger only does 2s and 3s, so it has 2 separate ports.

 

[Stigtheone]

@The_RC_Dude @WickedFog
So I'd be plugging it in black to the - port, yellow to 1 and red to 2?

 

[pug]

@The_RC_Dude @WickedFog
So I'd be plugging it in black to the - port, yellow to 1 and red to 2?

Yes, as long as it's all the way to the right on the charger.

 

[Stigtheone]

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Yeah Greywolf defo is, I hope he's OK
And thanks buddy, the part that got me was where the manual says I have to connect both the balance lead and the main power lead (Deans connector) ss I wasn't aware of that. The basic charger that came with it just connected the balance lead to it to charge lol I'm so much of a noob it's painful haha
@WickedFog well you certainly have let it sink in mate lmao

We all start somewhere!

View attachment 141432

Yeah, that's how you'd charge that 2s! Make sure to plug the battery into the charger though! Just kidding (no, but actually do plug it in!)

 

[WickedFog]

Yeah Stig. That is the correct way in that pic.

And oh... I thought the far right port was a "0", not a "-" lol

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Motor is a 60A motor, don't know if that helps or not bud

Eh, helps a little, but mainly depends on the gearing, motor kV and size, ESC, car weight, how hard you drive, and the car's efficiencey.

 

[Stigtheone]

Eh, helps a little, but mainly depends on the gearing, motor kV and size, ESC, car weight, how hard you drive, and the car's efficiencey.

I see bud, it gets full throttle most of the time as its ran on a big field, I'd have to check the kV though as I can't remember it off the top of my head lol

Yeah Stig. That is the correct way in that pic.

And oh... I thought the far right port was a "0", not a "-" lol

It's It's cool bud just didn't want to knack my battery before I'd even used it haha

I've just ordered a male Deans to female xt60 adapter for £2.95 so then I'll be set to go once that arrives!!!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-XT60...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

 

[The_RC_Dude]

I see bud, it gets full throttle most of the time as its ran on a big field, I'd have to check the kV though as I can't remember it off the top of my head lol

It's It's cool bud just didn't want to knack my battery before I'd even used it haha

I've just ordered a male Deans to female xt60 adapter for £2.95 so then I'll be set to go once that arrives!!!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-XT60...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Ok. I wasn't trying to calculate battery life, I was just saying that for around 3200mAh worth of capacity, getting 20 min is good! Is it 1/10? I'd expect it to be a little smaller, maybe 1/12 scale.

 

[Stigtheone]

Ok. I wasn't trying to calculate battery life, I was just saying that for around 3200mAh worth of capacity, getting 20 min is good! Is it 1/10? I'd expect it to be a little smaller, maybe 1/12 scale.

It's a 1/8 FTX Bugsta mate

 

[The_RC_Dude]

It's a 1/8 FTX Bugsta mate

Seems like it's actually a 1/10, but no worries. It seems to be reasonably lightweight, and the motor kV doesn't seem to be too high, thus slightly lower speeds, but more torque, less heat, and more efficiency. I'm not sure what typical kV is used in 1/10, 4wd, off-road buggies though.

 

[Stigtheone]

Seems like it's actually a 1/10, but no worries. It seems to be reasonably lightweight, and the motor kV doesn't seem to be too high, thus slightly lower speeds, but more torque, less heat, and more efficiency. I'm not sure what typical kV is used in 1/10, 4wd, off-road buggies though.

Yeah just looked and it is a 1/10 mate, my apologies! Also says its a 2950kV motor on the online shops bud. Seems to do OK though, has enough torque to backflip if you hit the throttle too quick haha