Genaced300 lipo charger, is this normal?

[dshaf]

While storage charging 2-3s lipo batteries of same cell size/ capacity, channel B seems to take much longer than channel A. Have checked charger settings multiple times and both channels have identical settings. Sometimes channel A will storage charge in 30 minutes, while channel B may take closer to 2 hours. Just wondering if this is normal?.

 

[DavidB1126]

Depends on tons of factors

What amps is channel b discharging at? most AC chargers have limited discharge power around ~10w so if its under 1-2a, thats probably why.
storage mode can either - charge if lower than 3.8v/cell, or discharge if higher than 3.8v/cell. If its discharging, discharge is slower due to limited power. Ie the charger can put out more faster than take in juice. (this is usually the case)
Could also be that, that battery is trying to balance out each cell
Or the battery/cells have high internal resistance causing a imbalance in voltage between the cells.
Or can be other factors.
@WickedFog might be able to help further

just noting that the d300 has 15w discharge power and 0.1-3A discharge current. so yea if you're trying to "discharge" a 2 or even 3s pack from FULL charge then yea that would be the case that it would take super long. If the battery is around 3.8 it would just charge or discharge a little, balance out and complete the cycle. If its LOWER than 3.8 it would charge up to 3.8 at the amps you set it at.

If those aren't the case id contact gens directly as it could be a hardware issue or something wrong internally on CHB

 

[dshaf]

Have both channel A and B at 4 amps. Normally does this when charging up to storage mode, not discharging. Weird thing is charger will display all 3 cells on channel B around 3.79-3.8v within 15 minutes or so, but takes another hour to finish charging to proper mah for pack. Does exact same on different manufacturer 3s lipo batteries

 

[9x19]

Sounds like a limitation on the available balance current.

 

[DavidB1126]

Huh
Weird

since you do set it at 4 amps. It would get the voltage up to 3.8 in about 15 minutes but are the amps still at 4? And over that hour or so does the amps slowly go down? If so I think the charger is a bit "smart" and just slowly trickle charging the battery to get it balanced, right voltage and right mah.

 

[DavidB1126]

Sounds like a limitation on the available balance current.

Also true

 

[dshaf]

Yes, normally starts both channels at 4 amps and slowly trickles down. Just don't understand why channel B takes so much longer to complete than channel A with identical batteries and charger port settings

 

[dshaf]

Limitation on available balance current sounds correct, but would this be an improper setting on charger or faulty channel on B port?

 

[Ramp addict]

Another possibility is a battery with issues. Next time you store charge your batteries charge them on the opposite ports from last time. The 2 hour charge time might be your charger having a hard time balancing out a particular battery. 2 hours sounds like it's balancing till it times out.

 

[RustyUs]

I agree with @Ramp addict. A controlled test with swapping the two batteries in OP (with roughly the same starting voltage) to the opposite channels on the charger to see if you get the same results. Swap the balance leads as well.

 

[RustyUs]

When I first started using LiPo batteries, I did the recommended 1C charge rates . I'd set the safety timer to 90 minutes... about an hour to bring cells to ending voltage, and I give an extra 30 minutes for charger to finish up. I come back (I charge my packs outside on driveway) to find out the charger had timed out, but balancing the cells fully was not completed. I would then set safety timer to 120 minutes and sometimes that wasn't enough time to let the charger do it's thing. That's when I got into looking at chargers with internal resistance (IR) readings, and what specs the top end chargers had.

I don't think the balancing current is the problem on the charger. Your charger, with 1.2A balancing current, is pretty darn good compared to many chargers out there in the 300mAh range. I know years ago, I had exact same balancing issues of my packs that I tried to explain above. A part of it was the LiPo cells health. One cell had aged differently than the other on a lot of my 2S packs. When one cell reached 4.2v; enters the constant voltage part of a balance charge, it would take forever to finalize the other cell's ending voltage.

I know your charger has the ability to give (although not highly accurate) IR readings. I'm just curious as to how far off, or how close the cell's IR readings (from both channels) are when charging.

 

[Greywolf74]

While storage charging 2-3s lipo batteries of same cell size/ capacity, channel B seems to take much longer than channel A. Have checked charger settings multiple times and both channels have identical settings. Sometimes channel A will storage charge in 30 minutes, while channel B may take closer to 2 hours. Just wondering if this is normal?.

Alot of times 2 channel CCCV chargers (especially the budget ones) will have the ability to do a certain power level on each channel but can not deliver the full power to both channels at the same time. This applies to the balance current also, not just the main charge/discharge current. Channel A on these kinds of chargers will get the lions share of the current until channel A is done.

Its also possible that the IRs on the channel B battery are higher than the battery on channel A and that could also cause the issue. If its always channel B doing that though then its most likely the first issue.

 

[dshaf]

Think problem may have just been my new zeee batteries/3s 7000mah 100c. Have only ran them a few times since new. Tried charging them up to full capacity, then discharge back down to storage on genace charger, and both completed within few minutes of each other. Also tried a few different brand 3s batteries with no issues taking forever to complete charge. Must have just been the cells taking longer to balance out on one zeee pack a few times. Was concerned my new charger wasn't working properly on one output, but seems to be battery issue. If it happens again charging, I'll be sure to mark the battery and try it on other output port next charge

 

[easy rider]

Not a gens charger. But, last weekend I run my sledge down to low voltage. Got home and put the batteries on storage charge. Left side took about 7 minutes. Right side took an hour.

When finished I checked the battery out good and it had swollen quite a bit. So, I chunked it.


Check your battery/batteries.