View Full Version : TP1010C: Charging a 3S 2100 at 4 amps: 20 mins to 100%
Ok gang how about this... according to my local shop you can charge a TP 3S 2100 pack at 4 amps, all the way to 100% if you use the balancer (210V) with a TP1010C.
Thus resulting in a 20 min charge time.... Thoughts?
franky92
04-03-2007, 05:39 PM
according to what I know, you can't charge a 2100mah lipo above 2.1 amps...
Yea thats what I have always heard to, but accoring to the dealer... thats whats so special about the TP1010C and the 201V is that is monitors each cell and will dynamically slow down the charge rate as the cell gets hot... but effectively charging at 4 amps.
Ok I think I found something interesting... according to this you can charge your packs at 3C when using the balancer. So I guess no longer do you need to charge at 1C.... and can now really get a "quick" charge.
http://www.rctoys.com/pr/2006/12/15/thunder-power-1010c-li-po-charger-tips-tricks/
M Carr
04-03-2007, 07:51 PM
that says a 5S pack at 3c charge. careful with that.
I dont believe in pushing the charge past 1c unless stated by the manufacturer. so for a 2100 pack charge at 2.1 amps or lower.
I also believe that is where a lot of people have problems with lipo packs. Manufactures have a recommended charge rate and people should follow them.
Charging takes time, if your in that big of a hurry buy more packs..
Just my thought on it.. :)
Actually I am beginning to think you can also charge a 3S up to 3C:
http://www.rchover.com/inc/sdetail/29003
However I think you need to use a ThunderPower Extreme pack tho...
http://www.flyinggiants.com/forums/fg83/10180-thunder-power-xtreme-charge-rate.html
M Carr
04-03-2007, 08:44 PM
try it if you must. But you wont catch me doing it. Packs cost too much money to take a chance with and the possibility of burning them down or your house for that matter doesnt make it worth it to me..
I have a few hundred charges now on seven 3s and four 6s packs without any problems or ruined packs and would like to keep it that way.
I am by no means a technical wizard but I do know when to say NO. Others may do it but I wont.
GOOD LUCK, if you must try it. :)
Let us know how it works out.
Ok here are some MANY more posts about this. Basically here is what I have discerned from RCGROUPS.
Accoring to Charlie Wang (ThunderPowers R&D guy) he has been flying and testing 3S 2100 packs at 3C with no problems.. If you cant trust the R&D guy who can you trust.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5234252&highlight=3s+2100+3C#post5234252
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6100898&highlight=3C#post6100898
Hughes500Bob
04-04-2007, 02:13 PM
Thanks .... Using these links I found the wiring diagrams for charging multiple packs at the same time! :mrgreen: I think it is good to know that we CAN go to 3C if the need arises, but staying at 1C when there is no rush should be the standard operating procedure.
Motions
04-04-2007, 06:08 PM
It may be possible without catching fire, but it REALLY cuts the cycle life of the battery. If you can buy new batteries every month, go for it. More than likely it would be cheaper in the long run to just buy 10 packs and charge slow.
Pinecone
04-04-2007, 07:39 PM
There is NO WAY to charge at even 1C to 100%. Because to do so would require that you charge at higher than 4.2 volts per cell. Once you get to 4.2 volts per cell the charger holds that voltage and the charge rate decreases.
It takes my 1010C/210V abot 25 minutes to go from 12.6 volts at 2.0 amps to END, it will always take 25 minutes to do that part of the charge, no matter what rate is used to get there.
And at high rates, the charger will hit 12.6 volts earlier in the charge cycle and the charge rate will decrease.
Correct even at 1C you will not get to 100%.
If you take a look at the charging logs, you will see that TP was able to charge at 3C to 97.6% while charging at 1C resulted in 99.2%
Again here is the link to that info: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6100898&highlight=3C#post6100898
Pinecone
04-05-2007, 09:34 AM
Actually that is due to the firmware. You can charge to 100% or even 99.2% at 3C, but if you are cahrging at 3C they figure you will take a few percent less for a lot of time saved.
And the same with 1C charging, the extra time to get that 0.8% of capacity is a good bit, as the charge rate is below 0.2 amps, and falling.
My Triton charges down to 0.1 amp rate and checks that the voltage holds for a few seconds at 12.6 volts when teh charge current is removed. That will give a high charge, but it takes 5 - 10 minutes longer.
Pinecone,
Can you use your Triton to charge at 3C... does it include a balancer?
creightoncarr
04-05-2007, 12:43 PM
I can "Fast Charge" on my BC-6 which charges to about 95-96% and takes ~30 minutes on a 3S pack at 1C. On the TP1010/210 combo, I can "Charge to 95%" and that takes about 30 minutes on a 3S at 1C. While I think is would probably be okay to charge at greater than 1C with a good charger/balancer combo, particularly on the high end packs, for the extra 10 minutes I'm going to play it safe and charge at 1C until greater than 1C charging is recommended by the manufacturers.
I can "Fast Charge" on my BC-6 which charges to about 95-96% and takes ~30 minutes on a 3S pack at 1C. On the TP1010/210 combo, I can "Charge to 95%" and that takes about 30 minutes on a 3S at 1C. While I think is would probably be okay to charge at greater than 1C with a good charger/balancer combo, particularly on the high end packs, for the extra 10 minutes I'm going to play it safe and charge at 1C until greater than 1C charging is recommended by the manufacturers.
Thats my point... according to ThunderPower R&D (Charlie Wang) you CAN charge their new Extreme packs at higher than 1C.
creightoncarr
04-05-2007, 01:18 PM
I've seen that, and Charlie says he has cycled than over 300 times at 2 or 3C with no apparent degradation. Even though you can do it, I suspect (I haven't tried) if you call Thunder Power and asked them what charge rate they recommend for their packs using the TP1010/210 combo, they wouldn't tell you 3C.
M Carr
04-05-2007, 02:15 PM
Thats my point... according to ThunderPower R&D (Charlie Wang) you CAN charge their new Extreme packs at higher than 1C.
Well I say since you dont seem to want to listen to what anybody has to say, and insist on wanting to do it anyways. Go ahead and try it.
Just make sure you dont put anyone or anything in danger of what could possibly happen.
When you burn your house down I will buy your property!! :D
I am not saying that I dont want to listen.. I am just going by what TP says AND what I know people are doing in my area. All the guys that have 450s and 600s are charging with a 1010C and 210V are charging at 3C with no issues.
I dont quite get why you would be so against something the manufacturer says you CAN do.
creightoncarr
04-05-2007, 02:42 PM
I'm not against it. I'm just saying that if there is even a possibility that my packs will last longer charging at 1C as opposed to 2-3C, the 10 minutes I would gain by increasing the charge current is not worth it to me.
Pinecone
04-06-2007, 10:26 AM
Pinecone,
Can you use your Triton to charge at 3C... does it include a balancer?
As long as you are within the capability of the sharger (watts) You COULD do it. But supposedly the 1010C/210V combo has the smarts to avoid major problems. Bottom line, I would not charge over 1C on my Triton.
The Triton does not have a balancer built in, I use an Equinox balancer with it, and charge through the balancer and balancer taps.
Pinecone
04-06-2007, 10:29 AM
Fast charge on the 1010C and it seems the BC line just cuts the charge off earlier. It is the last percentage of cahrge that takes the most time. If yo can live with a slight reduction in flight time, you can cut the charge time dramatically.
Of course, remember that when figuring your max 80% discharge, if you are not fully charging, you want to reduce the max mAH put back to adjust lesser charge.