Combining two 3cell lipos

[JBuck]

So how do you combine two 3cell lipos?

I assume you just tape them together and I know there is a deans adapter to combine the two to one. But how do you balance charge both together?

Im using the BC6 charger.

[Pinecone]

ReadyHeli sells series adapters.

You can either just charge the two separately, and figure when they are both fully charged, they are both pretty much balanced, or you can charge them in series as a 6S pack.

I don't know what you will have to do with your charger. With my 2010C with 210V I just plug one into each Bank of Side A and hook them in series and charge away.

[brovic777]

You run them in series.

Whenever I get the T500E, I plan on using two CellPro 4s chargers on two 3s batteries. Or I can just charge one battery at a time with the one CellPro 4s I got now!!! :)

[JBuck]

I understand that I could charge each lipo separately.

In the 500 review video by Finless, he speaks of balance charging both lipos so that they are the same.

My question is how do you combine the two balance leads on the lipos? I have the BC6. Is there a series balance lead that you need to use.

[nieves50]

I parallel charge mine and balance with 2 astro blinkys. Been charging them like that for months and packs always stay within .01V between them..Never had a problem.

[fireup]

So how do you combine two 3cell lipos?

I assume you just tape them together and I know there is a deans adapter to combine the two to one. But how do you balance charge both together?

Im using the BC6 charger.

here you go...
http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=30434&d=1194710634

[JBuck]

So it looks like I would need to buy a separate balancer?

I couldnt just use the BC6 built in balancer?

[Backfired]

Helidirect sells the connector below that allows you to use your built in balancer.

http://www.helidirect.com/product_info.php?cPath=116&products_id=2877

[spencer737]

i am looking at fireup's pic, do i have to buy a 6s charger? cause this is what i am thinking

-Astro 109 charger
-V Balancer or 210
-2x FP 3s 11.1v 2170s

is this correct, can i use the 210 balancer witht the 109?

[spencer737]

also would i set the charger to 22.2v 2170mAh

[fireup]

i am looking at fireup's pic, do i have to buy a 6s charger? cause this is what i am thinking

-Astro 109 charger
-V Balancer or 210
-2x FP 3s 11.1v 2170s

is this correct, can i use the 210 balancer witht the 109?

Yes, the V Balancer would plug in-between the 109 and your battery.

The V balancer comes with a wire harness, if you use the included wire harness, then it's just like the TP-210, but the connection on the balancer unit itself is just like a blinky.


also would i set the charger to 22.2v 2170mAh
Yes

[PiccoZ06]

Im Thinking a bit bigger i want to charge it as 12S 2100MAH

But will i have a problem since the packs witch i used are not the same V.

Exampe:
Lipo1+2 in a 500 I took 1700 mah out of both packs.

Lipo 3+4 In a 500 I only took 1000 mah out of each pack.

If i connect them together

the 1-6 cells will need 1700 mah and the 7-12 will ONLY need 1000 mah.

So the balancer will need to burn 6*700 mah while im chargeing.

Am i correct?

[fireup]

You may have a problem there. 700mA is a lot for a balancer to burn off. Plus you won't be able to charge and balance at the same time. The packs that are mostly charged will peak first and throw off your balancer.

[RC Accessory]

So how do you combine two 3cell lipos?

I assume you just tape them together and I know there is a deans adapter to combine the two to one. But how do you balance charge both together?

Im using the BC6 charger.

In the near future, we will be releasing a special adapter board for the e-Station BC-6 and e-Station BC-8 chargers that will allow you to balance charge 2 packs at the same time.

We hope to have these available before Christmas.

[rcasey212]

In the near future, we will be releasing a special adapter board for the e-Station BC-6 and e-Station BC-8 chargers that will allow you to balance charge 2 packs at the same time.

We hope to have these available before Christmas.

This is outstanding news! Thanks for supporting us (Bantam charger users) so well, Evan. Thanks.

[Ticidytoc]

Im Thinking a bit bigger i want to charge it as 12S 2100MAH

But will i have a problem since the packs witch i used are not the same V.

Exampe:
Lipo1+2 in a 500 I took 1700 mah out of both packs.

Lipo 3+4 In a 500 I only took 1000 mah out of each pack.

If i connect them together

the 1-6 cells will need 1700 mah and the 7-12 will ONLY need 1000 mah.

So the balancer will need to burn 6*700 mah while im chargeing.

Am i correct?

If you use the Shulze balancer there will be no burning like the thunderpower balancer.
http://www.schulze-elektronik-gmbh.de/index_uk.htm IMO the Shulze is the best way to balance your packs, the thunderpower and other "burn off" balancers are wasting energy.

Here are 2 pics, once with 2 packs wired to a TP and the other is the Shulze 14s balancer.

-Matt

[jack726]

An adaptor like this would allow you to run a single 6 cell or 2 three cells, simply by using or not using this adaptor.You would have to come up with a way to keep the inatentive from plugging it in wrong as this would put a dead short across one of the batteries.

Jack

[aussiemick]

If you use the Shulze balancer there will be no burning like the thunderpower balancer.
http://www.schulze-elektronik-gmbh.de/index_uk.htm IMO the Shulze is the best way to balance your packs, the thunderpower and other "burn off" balancers are wasting energy.

Here are 2 pics, once with 2 packs wired to a TP and the other is the Shulze 14s balancer.

-Matt

Matt

I just purchased a nextGeneration Schulze charger and have a question to the Balcab20

Is it possible to rig up an adaptor cable so I don't have to resolder all of my packs? (Thunder Power and Flight Power)
I have only got 4S 2100 packs so differing sizes and capacity is not an issue. I use the packs sometimes as a 4S1p in my Trex450 and 4S2P in my HDX500. The packs I use together I would love to able to charge as an 8S setup. I could then use the universal plug for any other battery I may end up using.

Mick

[Heli_freak]

In the near future, we will be releasing a special adapter board for the e-Station BC-6 and e-Station BC-8 chargers that will allow you to balance charge 2 packs at the same time.

We hope to have these available before Christmas.

Oh cool :noteworthy I just got your email for the sell too. I need to buy some stuff :thumbup:

I have a question. How long will it take the BC-6 to balance charge 2 packs at the same time if they are the 2170mah 3s? Would the BC-8 be able to charge it any faster than BC-6? Thans for you time

[jaron]

The BC6 can charge a 6S Lipo pack with a maximum of 2.3A (manual page 21).
As long as your packs are less than or equal to 2300mAh it takes the same amount of time to charge them as it would to charge a single pack.

[RC Accessory]

Oh cool :noteworthy I just got your email for the sell too. I need to buy some stuff :thumbup:

I have a question. How long will it take the BC-6 to balance charge 2 packs at the same time if they are the 2170mah 3s? Would the BC-8 be able to charge it any faster than BC-6? Thans for you time

The BC-8 has 150 watts of power compared to the BC-6's 50 watts, 3x more. So the BC-8 can charge a 6S pack at over 6 amps.

2170 size pack, 6S on the BC-6 is as large as you can go to get a 1C charge rate. 6S 6000 mah is as large as you can go on the BC-8 for a 1C charge rate.

[kgfly]

JBuck - I think this is the 2 x 3s = 6s balance adapter cable you are looking for: http://www.wattsuprc.com.au/product_detail.asp?pid=EAB103

[helibird]

Here's a question. I have a Hobbico Accu-cycle 2. It can charge 2 packs simultaniously up to 3 cells. I currently charge my 450 batts one on each side with 2 blinky balancers. The blinky can balance up to 6s right? If so is their a way to have the two batts charging as 3s packs and wire the blinky to balance both packs that way all the cells are even? Or can I charge them the way I do now and be close enough on cell voltage?

I'm kind of battery ignorant, what happens if you have cells of different voltage wired together in series. Why is it so bad? I realize if they are way off you could over discharge a cell, but if we are talking about .2 volts will it really matter?

[JBuck]

Thats it.

Thanks jgfly

[th3tick]

Functionally, there really is no down-side to charging them separately, right?

I mean, I could see where one pack is lower than the other, resulting in it discharged more in the end than the other, but as long as you're using reasonable safety margins, that should be OK, right?

Oh, and RC Accessory, is there any news on your balance plug adapter? Are you doing Align/AT, FP/TP/KP, or both?

TIA,
John