Can anyone help me understand my Swallow Advance charger?

[Aussie newbie]

Hi everyone,

I am using a Swallow Advance charger to charge my Lipo's (1800mah, 11.1V, 15C). The instructions that came with the charger are next to useless because they are so difficult to understand. I have no trouble setting the capacity and voltage to match my packs, but I don't understand the numbers displayed during the charge cycle. Can anyone explain to me please all I need to know about this charger. I have attached a picture with labels. Label 1. I believe shows the mode and charge time. As for label 2, 3 & 4 I have no idea what the numbers represent and their significance as they change. Can someone please help.

thanks.

[marcelino]

G`day mate

i used them a while ago.

If i remember correct, it shows:
1: It`s charging and elapsed time (It will show END or CHG END if it`s finished)
2: Charged or discharged capacity (MAh)
3: Lipo mode (on your pic) and charging at 1.8A at this time
4: Pack Voltage at this time

maybe someone else can jump in here and double check that?

Hope this helps

Marcel

[Aussie newbie]

Am I correct in assuming that the numbers represented by label 2 are the MAh or capacity put back in the pack after charging is complete?

If this is correct could I also assume that I should aim to keep this number below 80% of the pack capacity. For example for an 1800 MAh pack the numbers should be less than 1440 to avoid over discharging the pack?

I hope this makes sense :?

Thanks

[z11355]

marcelino is correct.

yes, #2 is the # of mA that the charger inserted or removed from the pack.

you can find the Multiplex LN5014 charger instruction manual. It is the same unit as the
Swallow Advance. Maybe the manual is better for you.

http://www.multiplexusa.com/RC-comp/Chargers/LN-5014.htm

[Aussie newbie]

Thanks z11355, the multiplex manual is a little easier to understand. :D

[PeterV]

You should get a LiPo balancer for your batteries too.
Charging off the Swallow alone will not charge all cells to the perfect voltage, which is important for full power and for a long battery life.

You can get a balancer that just discharges a batteries cells to all be equal, then you charge them, or get one that can actually charge them to the same voltage (will probably have both charge and discharge options).

I have an SJ Electronics LCB-5C which just gets run off the Swallow output, as per a battery, and then plugs into the battery's balance plug.
It can do the stand-alone discharge balance mode, or the charge mode balancing from the Swallow output. In charge mode you still just run the Swallow as you would anyway - it feeds the Balancer, which then splits the required voltage/current to each individual battery cell.

[Aussie newbie]

Thanks for that info PeterV. I actually bought an LBC-5C yesterday. My packs must have been really bad as they took over an hour each to balance.

[PeterV]

Aussie, (Melb, Vic here)
With the LCB-5C did you work out how to get it to charge/balance?
The intructions say 1 reset button press to enter Connection mode, but on mine that just cycles it through the same as the initial battery plugging in.
1 press just gives a "No Battery' result on the Swallow.

Another instruction page part says 2 reset button presses to enter Connection mode (for discharging to a charger). So I had to do all forms of charging/discharging with the 2 reset presses to get it working at all - which all seems to work fine.
So I assume they messed up the instructions in one section.

[Aussie newbie]

Hi PeterV,

My balancer works exactly as per the instructions. When I plug the battery in, the balancer goes through its check cycle (battery condition LED flash according to number of cells and level of unbalance) then press mode/reset button. After a brief pause status LED begins to flash, then start charger.

If the mode/reset button is pressed after the balancer has finished balancing all cells, this will then cause it to cycle through again in disconnection mode. If this happens simply press mode/reset button again.

Hope this helps.