(4) 3S packs Charged+Balanced Simultaneously using one charger

[GreenBar0n]

I am looking for the best and safest way to charge and balance, 4 packs simultaneously. I would rather purchase and use only one charger.

I recently purchased (4) 3S Zippy 2200's, and I now need the correct charger to accomplish the goal of 4 at a time. I will be using the packs separately in the Blade 400.

What charger and method, series or parallel, would be the best and safest?


Very tempted to use parallel:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=932319





EDIT: Meant to post this in the Charger forum, sorry guys.

[GreenBar0n]

I am looking for the best and safest way to charge and balance, 4 packs simultaneously. I would rather purchase and use only one charger.

I recently purchased (4) 3S Zippy 2200's, and I now need the correct charger to accomplish the goal of 4 at a time. I will be using the packs separately in the Blade 400.

What charger and method, series or parallel, would be the best and safest?


Very tempted to use parallel:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=932319

[birdiecoop]

Hmm, this is interesting.....i'd like to know more about this myself.....my biggest question is how safe is this method.

[ChasHeliCop]

Merged double posted threads together.

[NolanManley]

I think this may work for you. Saw it in action today and it does the job just fine. :thumbup:

http://www.atlantahobby.com/shopexd.asp?id=7706
http://www.atlantahobby.com/images/7706_gpmm3015-Main_lg.gif

[GreenBar0n]

Hi NolanManley,

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately the Polycharge4 can charge 4 packs but with no balancing. Balancing is supposed to take the longest time if I am not mistaken, so individually balancing 4 packs separately would nearly defeat the purpose.

I was excited about that charger until I heard about the balancing problem.

Do you know of a balancer that could balance four packs simultaneously? I might go with the Polycharge4 if there were a balancer for 4 packs, then it would only be a two step process.

I really would like an all inclusive solution if possible though.

[TheBum]

Well, if you can find the balancing Y adapters, you could get something like a Hyperion EOS0610i DUO and series-charge two 3S packs on each side. It will only really work if the batteries are of the same capacity and, preferably, about the same age.

[4gettinit2]

GreenBarOn,

For what ever it's worth, the Owner of the LHS talked me into the PolyCharge4 about a year and a half ago when I got my first T-Rex 450. He told me I didn't need to worry that much about balancing of the 3s that much. I've been running 4 Thunder Power 2100s from then and they are still doing well. They are still balanced well. I monitor them with a Flight Power, V Balancer, to make sure they stay close.

I have just recently taken steps to monitor and balance my Li-po batteries seperately, due to purchasing 4 Flight Power 2500s and amassing lots of other batteries. I would like to keep better track of their charge life.

The only thing that comes close to what you want, that I have found is the Hyperion Duo and charging them as two 6s packs. It's what I was thinking about doing, but it's a lot of money to shell out.

If you find something better, or cheaper, please post your results. Good Luck.

[GreenBar0n]

Well, if you can find the balancing Y adapters, you could get something like a Hyperion EOS0610i DUO and series-charge two 3S packs on each side. It will only really work if the batteries are of the same capacity and, preferably, about the same age.

That's what I was thinking too, I just keep reading back and forth about the risk of series charging with improper balance. The parallel charging method is very intriguing, though I would like to find a few who have tested it first. Thanks for the reply TheBum.

I posted the question here also, regarding parallel:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=932319


GreenBarOn,

For what ever it's worth, the Owner of the LHS talked me into the PolyCharge4 about a year and a half ago when I got my first T-Rex 450. He told me I didn't need to worry that much about balancing of the 3s that much. I've been running 4 Thunder Power 2100s from then and they are still doing well. They are still balanced well. I monitor them with a Flight Power, V Balancer, to make sure they stay close.

I have just recently taken steps to monitor and balance my Li-po batteries seperately, due to purchasing 4 Flight Power 2500s and amassing lots of other batteries. I would like to keep better track of their charge life.

The only thing that comes close to what you want, that I have found is the Hyperion Duo and charging them as two 6s packs. It's what I was thinking about doing, but it's a lot of money to shell out.

If you find something better, or cheaper, please post your results. Good Luck.

4gettinit2, how many cycles have your packs seen over the year and a half, while charged in this method, with no balancing?

How long does it take all four packs to fully charge?

Does the rheostat dial seem to be accurate in terms of output?

http://www.atlantahobby.com/images/7706_gpmm3015-Main_lg.gif


Thanks for replying.:thumbup:

[lavi]

I'm doing 2s2p. i.e. from 4 3s packs i'm making two paralel 6s packs.
you do need a 150W or better a 200W charger.

[GreenBar0n]

I'm doing 2s2p. i.e. from 4 3s packs i'm making two paralel 6s packs.
you do need a 150W or better a 200W charger.

What charger are you using lavi? Would you happen to have a pic of your setup? Thanks.

[TheBum]

I've done series charging and there is a risk if your adapters don't have one particular safeguard. The whole idea with a series balancing adapter is to tap into the cells as if you were dealing with a single 6S pack. The problem is that many adapters connect the ground of the upper pack to the top voltage tap or the lower pack, which is OK unless you get the mains swapped when connecting them in series. The you end up with a short circuit that, at the minimum, will fry pins on the batteries' balance connectors.

The safeguard is to connect the charger to either the ground of the upper pack or the top tap of the lower pack but not both. The mains connection will actually take care of connecting the two together. Now, that doesn't mean it'll charge that way (it won't), but at least you won't fry anything and you'll be able to tell from the cell individual voltages on the charger's display prior to starting the charge cycle that it's backwards: one cell will read zero voltage.

I have my balance and mains connectors labeled with 'A' and 'B', so I know to connect both 'A's to one pack and both 'B's to the other pack.

[NolanManley]

Listen guys, the poly charger is ment to be used at the airfield to fast charge your small 3S packs. At home you need to use a charger that balances the packs (Hyperion EOS0610i DUO works for me).
Chargers are like tools, use the one you need at the airfield and others for at home. If your going to fly electric it will take the investment. Do you need a Poly? No. Do you need to fly 4 packs back to back? No. It's all a matter of Choice. :thumbup:

If your packs are balanced good at home you won't need to balance them for field charges. You are following the 80% rule for flights, Yes? :YeaBaby:

[lavi]

I'm using a 150W (http://www.century-rc.com/ecs/product_show.asp?p_id=3492&type_id=205&kind_id=609) charger (http://www.century-rc.com/ecs/product_show.asp?p_id=3492&type_id=205&kind_id=609).

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66982&stc=1&d=1225085368


I'm also using a 2 2x3S->6S balancing connector, 2 serial charge leads and 1 parallel charge lead i made myself.
balancing connector - (x2) (http://www.century-rc.com/ecs/product_show.asp?p_id=3005&type_id=204&kind_id=478)
Serial connector - (x2) (http://www.century-rc.com/ecs/product_show.asp?p_id=3078&type_id=204&kind_id=478)

[Wazzer]

The Hyperion Duo is just the charger for this task
Yes its a little pricey but youo get waht you pay for.

However
you do need to make sure that when you hook up two of your 3s packs to charge it as a 6s pack you need to make sure that the voltage of each of them is pretty close as the balncer will take a long time and work much harder to balance what it thinks is a 6s pack.

Yuo can use the Duo as two separate chargers or in linked mode you can balance charge two 6s packs (or four 3s) packs and have them all perfectly matched to each other.\\

But dont forget it is very inportant to have any two packs you join togetehr for a 6s to be very close in voltage.

hope this helps

Ben

[GreenBar0n]

Thanks to all of you guys for your insightful approach and recommendations. HeliFreak's forum-members willingness to help people, is over the top cool :hug:.

After much reading and study, I was convincingly persuaded to charge and balance the (4) 3S 2200 packs in parallel, using one charger/balancer in conjunction with a high amp output 12V DC power supply.

Excellent thread about parallel charging and from where I got the inspiration:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=932319

This is what the completed project should look like:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10656738&postcount=1895

I have received the charger I plan to use, the iCharger 106B+ (http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=6792&Product_Name=iCharger_106B-plus_250W_6s_Balance/Charger), and I am very impressed with it. The open community development of this charger, based on forum users request directly to Hong Kong manufacturers, and its near instantaneous implementation into the design, is what sold me alone. The actual quality and tolerances are what made me glad I bought it.

If you have time to read through this, the first 20 pages are amazing to see the features and programming of this companies chargers evolve based on user request:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=839657

I am currently in the process of making the parallel cable setup, though I'm still missing some components for the balancing cable (JST male 3S connector). I'll post back with pics of the completed setup.

Thanks again for the help guys :thumbup:.



EDIT: I am also looking to make a parallel harness for 1S 3.7v 110Mah Blade MCX packs, to charge at least 4 if not more in one setting. If your charger does 1S, you are more than halfway there. Here is the connector:
http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ3052

[logger1]

I have a couple of blinky balancers which I use along with the PolyCharge 4. Just rotate them so you balance every other charge and the charger does fine.