5 Simple (?) Triton & TP Lipo Questions

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

Hello,

Noob here...

I have a Triton charger and two Thunder Power 3 Cell 2100 mAh "Pro Lite" 11.1V LiPoly batteries.

Been looking but can't find answers to the following:

1. TP says not to charge a Lipo that shows under 9.9 volts. Why does the Triton only have the option to discharge these lipos to 9.0 volts?

2. Should you ever have to discharge a lipo?

3. Upper right corner of Triton screen shows a "charge capacity" mAh number. I read about folks "putting in" so many mAh to come to a full charge. If I go to recharge from a 9-10 volt pack, I usually get around 2100 mAh displayed there. I read I am only supposed to need to "put in" around 1625 mAh. So this number is mAh used to reach full capacity and not the total full capacity of the battery?

4. What should a multimeter reading show on a lipo that is properly ready to be recharged? If I am at 9.9 volts, Triton will likely show 2100mAh after completely charging.

5. I thought the Triton reading was total mAh capacity of the battery. 1625 = battery getting old, 2100 means the battery is still new, etc. So, is it total mAh capacity of the battery (like the volts reading) or is it the "putting in" aMh reading of the battery?

I don't wanna cook my new lipos.

Thanks,
Gary

[capebob]

1. the 9.9 volts is open circuit, no load, voltage. The Triton discharges to a safe 3.0 volts/cell under load. When the load is removed the voltage recovers to >3 Volts/cell.

2. Only if you are interested in seeing what the capacity of the battery is. You would discharge the pack at 1C ~2 Amps then charge the battery. The reading in the upper right corner is the present capacity of the pack. This number will slowly be reduced as the battery accumulates cycles. The harder you use the pack the faster its capacity will be reduced.

3. That number is the actual mAh delivered to the battery by the charger and is close to the amount that the battery has accepted. If you are putting in 2100mAh you are overusing your battery and will shorten its life.

4. It's been my experience that you cannot get a reliable voltage reading that will give you an indication of remaining capacity with a battery in an unloaded circuit. 3.3 Volts/cell is given as a exhausted battery, but it is safe to discharge a LiPo to 3 volts/cell under load. In other words your multimeter is practically useless in the care and feeding of your LiPos. Try this: Charge your battery fully then discharge it to 3 volts/cell or 9 volts for a 3 cell at 2 Amps (~1C). After the discharge cycle is complete look at the voltage displayed on the charger. That is the open circuit flat battery voltage of your pack.

5. The 1625 is the amount that the charger has delivered to the pack and is close to the amount that the pack has received. Many limit their discharges to to about that amount to lengthen the life of the pack.

I hope this helps,

Bob

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

Thanks Bob, that helps alot.

Here I've been trying to be very careful with the lipos and it turns out I'm whacking them.

I have the overheated 25AMP ESC problem so it's difficult to get a good run time. Been checking with the old multi meter when I think it's getting close. It's usually just over 11 volts when the ESC starts to over heat. I let it cool and hover again until glitching, check volts agin, etc. until I get just over 9 volts.

The lipo is warm, not hot. I let the battery cool and then charge it back up on the Triton.

Guess I'll try recharging at 10+ volts and see what mAh it gives me.

I was under the assumption that the mAh reading was the total capacity of the battery and if I hit 2100 I was doing good.

Thanks,
Gary

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

Ran my T-Rex tonight... 4 minutes before it started with the hot ESC problem. Let it cool, run it another four minutes until hot. Pulled lipo and it was at 11.41 volts. Lipo was a little warm, waited for room temp and charged on Triton. Lipo took 1148 mAh.

My nest back I did similar except added a 3rd 2 minute flight. 11.26 and it's charging now.

Guess I will run one for 3 complete 4 minute passes, check voltag and charge.

I'll get this thing figured out eventually. I thank you for setting me on the right path.

Now I just have to tackle my Align 25 amp ESC heating issue. I know I should replace it with a beafier ESC but I think the problem is my 3 65HB's, 1 6250 and a 401 gyro.

Regards,
Gary

[Tintin]

What blades do you use, the yellow ones? In case, throw them away. Too heavy and crappy in general.
Second, what's your throttle setting at hover? If it's anything below 80% (and you have programmed the esc at least once which is required so the esc learns your tx) then bump it up to 80 or 85. The esc does not like 60% throttle and the amount of pitch needed to fly then.

Then ofcourse the std stuff, make sure belt is not too tight, avv to instructions is fine and make sure mesh is not too tight. If you cut throttle from lets say 80% and zero pitch your heli should use something like 12 sec+ too spool down with woodies on.

[bluemooone]

I have seen the esc mounted under the main gear . really good idea may help to keep it cooler!

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

I ended up selling the XL and bought an SE. By the time I bought new ESC and get beefier motor, I would have been at SE costs.

All set now. The 35amp with 430 motor and I put in an SBEC 6volt with lipo alarm for good measure.

Still a newbie in hover mode. I run for 5 minutes, land and shortly thereafter run another 5 minutes and thats about the limit for my TP2100.

I'll be trying 10 minute hovers soon. That will give my electrical a workout.

Thanks,
Gary

[redgiki]

As an extra data point, I run the Align 25A ESC with the Align 3550kV motor, 325 Pro Woods, and 11 tooth pinion at about 2500RPM head speed (tached). My ESC stays remarkably cool. I believe the key is that I use a ParkBEC 5V stand-alone battery eliminator circuit, so the ESC has no BEC duties.

Just a part I had lying around in my shop. I'm really impressed, after all the problems I've heard with the 25A ESC. Mine is mounted on the side of the aircraft, and hardly gets warm at all. Long live stand-alone BECs!

[Sgt_BF_Gunner]

Yes, I went with a SBEC and a new 450SE... 35amp ESC and 430 motor. No more overheating problems.

Now I just have landing problems (without training wheels...). Guess I'll put them back on.