Running off of storage charge

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DarkCows

RC Newbie
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RC Driving Style
  1. Racing
I use a 2s lipo and always store it at storage voltage. I usually drive my RC car casually on the street, and I don't fully charge my battery before I go out: I just take it out on storage voltage, and once the charge reaches zero, I charge it up to storage voltage again. Is this damaging my battery? Should I always charge my battery all the way before running my rc car? If not, should I cycle my battery periodically?
 
Never run them down to zero. Charge them from storage charge. You will damage the battery.
I'm guessing you don't have the LVC set up on your esc. LVC is the low voltage cutoff.
 
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3.0v is the bare minimum you ever want to run a LiPo to. It's better to stay around 3.4v - 3.6v for your LVC.
 
Thanks for the info!

Just to clarify, with my current practice, I never charge my battery above storage voltage, so it always ranges between 3.3 - 3.8 volts. Is it good to give it a full charge up to 4.2 to keep the battery long lasting?
 
apparently you know nothing about lipos at all. it might be ok to setup a new servo on storage voltage thats all.
 
apparently you know nothing about lipos at all. it might be ok to setup a new servo on storage voltage thats all.
I like taking my car out casually and sometimes I'm too lazy to charge it up all the way, so I just run it from storage voltage. I usually get around 30 minutes of runtime.
 
Begin any run session with a full battery. Return it to storage voltage upon completion of a session.

I keep a 2s x 3500 LiPo shorty for bench checks and test runs in front of the house. Charges up off storage voltage in no time. Quickly returns to storage voltage too.

Keeping a low Mah battery on hand -perhaps a shorty- for when you're trying to work in a quick run session might be an option to consider.
 
I highly recommend you read up on Lipo's. There is a ton of info on the web about them.
Where and how do you store your Lipo's @DarkCows ?
 
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When a lipo is at storage, it's at 3.8v. Running lower than 3.8 is useless as when the battery gets down to 3.7v, the drop in voltage is significant and pretty much useless for to try and squeeze any more out of the battery.

Charge it up and use it. And use your LVC of the ESC. It will save you batteries.
 
I use a 2s lipo and always store it at storage voltage. I usually drive my RC car casually on the street, and I don't fully charge my battery before I go out: I just take it out on storage voltage, and once the charge reaches zero, I charge it up to storage voltage again. Is this damaging my battery? Should I always charge my battery all the way before running my rc car? If not, should I cycle my battery periodically?
Yeah thats horrible to do to your lipos. You eventually will never get it back. Plus your damaging each cell every time you do that. Why would you do that anyway. Every lipo battery always says don't discharge below 3.2-3volts. Or you will damage battery.. suggested While in none use (over winter) should give them a cycle very few weeks. Keeps everything fresh.
http://learningrc.com/

https://www.gensacearespammers.com/bw/
I use a 2s lipo and always store it at storage voltage. I usually drive my RC car casually on the street, and I don't fully charge my battery before I go out: I just take it out on storage voltage, and once the charge reaches zero, I charge it up to storage voltage again. Is this damaging my battery? Should I always charge my battery all the way before running my rc car? If not, should I cycle my battery periodically?
Here read some of these articles on lipos and educate your self bud. Before you burn down your rc or worse..

https://rogershobbycenter.com/lipoguide

https://www.gensacearespammers.com/bw/

http://learningrc.com/lipo-battery/
 
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I’m assuming when you mean zero you mean to the car shuts off at cut off voltage?
 
That’s the thing, at zero that battery won’t charge unless you jump it.
 
I like taking my car out casually and sometimes I'm too lazy to charge it up all the way, so I just run it from storage voltage. I usually get around 30 minutes of runtime.
Casually or not, you are damaging the hell out of your battery. Based on what you have said that you run it to zero, and 30 minutes run time, I assume you have no low voltage cutoff set on your ESC. If that is the case, I am very surprised you haven't caught your car or home on fire already. Regardless, if you have ran your batteries below 3v/per cell, they are very likely toast, and pose a potential fire hazard when you charge them simply because you probably have an internal resistance built up in them that is off the charts. Are they swelling up?

Educate yourself on the proper care and use of LiPo batteries. What you are doing is very dangerous, and frankly, a pretty dumb thing to do for anyone that understands LiPo's.
 
To the OP, go read up on lipo's. How they work, safe voltages ect ect. Lipos aren't cheap, so taking good care of them will give you more cycles. Like WickedFog said, doing damage to a lipo can cause a fire. Also watch some videos on YT on lipo fires. :)

Once you know your lipos, they are safe to use and charge without too much worry.
 
The OP definitely need a course in lipo battery usage and care. If he's running to zero. Like @ground_zero298 it will need a jump dought he knows how to jump them. If he doesn't know when to stop. Probably doesn't know how to jump a lipo either. And what happened with the LVC like @mzanzirc said or maybe does he kick it down road or maybe a tow string hooked to another vehicle?? 😉🤣🤣
I use a 2s lipo and always store it at storage voltage. I usually drive my RC car casually on the street, and I don't fully charge my battery before I go out: I just take it out on storage voltage, and once the charge reaches zero, I charge it up to storage voltage again. Is this damaging my battery? Should I always charge my battery all the way before running my rc car? If not, should I cycle my battery periodically?
This definitely has me worried a little about your safety. Lipos are a awesome source of power. They also can be very dangerous. PLEASE go back and look at the links I posted. And read them or just one. Definitely don't want to hear or read about you getting hurt or one of your lipos starting a fire...
 
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I'm beginning to think this is a late April fool's joke that was posted from somebody we already know. ;)
 
Thank you everyone on the information and the articles that you sent me. Don't worry, I have a LVC of 3.3 volts per cell and my battery hasn't ever gone under 3.3 volts, but from what I have been gathering, what I didn't realize is that it is pointless to run a car under 3.7 volts due to the drop in voltage. So just to clarify, on a regular basis should charge my lipo up to 4.2 volts and not let it drop under 3.7 volts?
 
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