Zeee Lipo Batteries ..... what's the opinion ?

[toto]

Hi chaps.

 

To be honest .... I switch on the charger and hit start. It's set for the correct lipo type and category I know that much but I'm not into the finer intricacies of ensuring that I am using this to best or most efficient effect. Ie what amperage I can apply to the charge to get the best charge rate etc.

 

I have made mutings about taking the time to aqaunting myself with the capabilities of each of my various chargers for some time but haven't done it yet.

 

I hope what little understanding I currently have will be enough to keep me out of trouble for now. 

 

I need to get my head around how to maintain some of these batteries at " storage level " as I am unlikely to be using some of them for a while yet. I would intend to run some of these down ( in model ) to an appropriate level then storing them away for now.

 

So ... in short ...... if you have any concerns when you read of what I am doing .... I would prefer that you did shout out. I'd rather not ruin batteries .... or worse still ..... be using any unsafe methods.

 

Thanks for your vigilance.

 

Toto

[Graham Bowers]

I don't think I have concerns as such however I do like to keep an eye on individual cell voltages so I can spot potential issues before they arise. So I check the voltage of each cell before charging every battery. I use a common or garden lipo checker and just beep through the cells - takes seconds. And always balance charge when at home. Then check cells again afterwards. Probably OTT, but it's only seconds.

 

If charging at the field, I'll check the individual cell voltages and if they're close (don't ask me to put a number on it) I do a rapid charge. Rapid charge doesn't put any more current in, it just terminates a few percent before 100%. 

[Shaun Walsh]

Check the internal resistance of the cells

[Andy Stephenson]

This won't give you an absolute measurement but if you want a quick way of comparing cell internal resistances in a pack.

Posted in another thread...

"It's quite often the case when a battery isn't performing in flight, that one cell is going high resistance.

One good way of checking for single cell degradation in a multi series pack is to use one of those checkers that you plug the balance lead into. Whilst monitoring the cell voltages run up the motor with a prop using suitable precautions of course, and while under load see which cell(s) are dropping their voltage significantly relative to the rest."

[leccyflyer]

I always check individual cell voltages of every pack on arrival and, if they are more than 0.5v different I inform the vendor immediately. Some vendors request that you balance charge to see if they equilibrate and I have done that, but the better vendors IMO recognise that if they are supplying supposedly matched packs that they should deliver what they promise. On that basis I have had two packs where one cell was significantly out of balance on arrival replaced by the vendor.

 

In normal use I aim to check the individual cell voltage before and after every flight on all my multi cell packs and look out for any imbalance, or for them being discharged more than I would wish in that flight. I take no notice whatsoever of the % charge displayed on some checkers as that information is meaningless in terms of marking sure that my packs are being charged and discharged within sensible limits. Frankly I'd be more interested to know what colour the leads are or what the coefficient of friction of the velcro on the pack is - they would both provide  nearly as much useful information to monitor pack health.