how much power supply do I need to charge 6s packs

[robl]

I have a 10 amp power supply, how many amps can I charge a 6s at? I believe I have a 16 amp pc power supply I could convert as well. just looking for some ballpark estimates.

Thanks

[hamslice]

the ten amp will work fine for charging just one 6s two will be too much for it to handle

[robl]

yes, but I'm looking for how many amps I can charge at, I've done it at like 3 amps, but wondering if I can go higher.

[hamslice]

i use a ten amp supply at home and it will push up to 7 amps with a tp1010c and 210 combo

if i try to use both my 1010c with 6cell 5amp and a 3cell 2.1 amp charge rate it will shut down.

[joehelicopter]

I have a 10 amp power supply, how many amps can I charge a 6s at? I believe I have a 16 amp pc power supply I could convert as well. just looking for some ballpark estimates.

Thanks

I can charge 2 6s 5000mah packs in series with a cheap($45)Chinese 13.5amp supply
charge time for 2 in series is 90 minutes to put back 80%
Hyperion 1210i charger
2LBA10 balancers:thumbup:

[robl]

But what amps. I know I can charge, but I need to know how high I can go on a 10 amp supply on a 6s pack. The charger I use balancepro 6s is very sensitive to input voltage, if it drops too low, it will get destroyed so I need to know what kind of amps I will be drawing off the supply charging the 6s at a certain amp rate.

[Pinecone]

Just as the charger switches from constant current to constant voltage, the draw peaks at 25.2 volts x Charge Amp Rate = X watts.

A 10 amp 12 volt power supply produces 120 watts. So 120/25.2 = 4.76 amps max charge rate assuming 100% efficiency, taking 90% efficiency, it is about 4.25 amps. But also check your power supply as many "12 volt" power supplies actually deliver 13.8 volts, as this is what a car electrical system runs at with the engine running. In that case you are looking at (128 watts/25.2volts) x 90% = 4.9 amps.

So a charge rate of 5 amps will probably be OK, as the peak is only reached for a short period of time. But 4.5 amps would be much safer and would be kinder to your power supply.

[csell]

Hello Robl.

You write that you use the balancepro 6s charger.

In FMADirect BalancePro manual on paper is this note:

Warning: Power Supply must provide at least 25A at 12v
( 300 Watts ). Failure to comply will void the charger warranty.

I will recomend you to use a min 25A power supply and then charge your lipo with 1C.

Regards Carsten

[robl]

I am not sure why they say that for the balance pro. I have been charging the 6s at like 2 amps with the 10 amp powersupply without a problem and 3s packs at 6s without a problem. I assume it is to cover the bases and hot have the chargers destroyed.

[joehelicopter]

But what amps. I know I can charge, but I need to know how high I can go on a 10 amp supply on a 6s pack. The charger I use balancepro 6s is very sensitive to input voltage, if it drops too low, it will get destroyed so I need to know what kind of amps I will be drawing off the supply charging the 6s at a certain amp rate.
I am charging at 1C=5000mah(5 amps)2 6s packs in series

[WayneBrown]

I'm using a converted PC 450W power supply. Output is rated at 12.10VDC at 23Amp, and 17VDC at .8Amp.
I've charged 4 TP 5000 extremes at 5 amps each, and three tritons charging three 4S 1850's(12V) and had my duralite charger going with three rx packs, one tx pack (17V)
all at once without thermalling off.
The duralite charger needs to have an input higher than the pack it's charging, so the 17V is required.
Took about 15 minutes to mod the PS, and total cost was about $4 for connectors and a 12V lamp and socket, PS was recycled from an old PC. Super quiet and uses vitually zilch for AC power.

[RKing]

I am charging at 1C=5000mah(5 amps)2 6s packs in series

That does not make sense with your PS, must be under rated or over voltage. Charging a 12s pack (2 6s in series) at 5 amps from 12v would take over 18a assumming 100% efficiency (which the charger is not). I think the 90 min charge time tells the real story. My little 9a PS will not handle a single 6s 5000mah pack at 5a charge rate, 4.5 to 4.6a max. My Iota PS will easily handle 3 TP1010's with 6s packs at 5a + a few 3s packs charging at 2.2a Charge time just under or over an hour for 80%. Total draw in the 36-38a range the PS is a 55a so no problem. I got it for about 135 shipped from Ebay. No jumpers, wiring or configuring needed just plug it in. To answer the original question, I believe a 10a PS would be barely marginal for a 6s 5000mah pack @ 1c (5a)

[joehelicopter]

That does not make sense with your PS, must be under rated or over voltage. Charging a 12s pack (2 6s in series) at 5 amps from 12v would take over 18a assumming 100% efficiency (which the charger is not). I think the 90 min charge time tells the real story. My little 9a PS will not handle a single 6s 5000mah pack at 5a charge rate, 4.5 to 4.6a max. My Iota PS will easily handle 3 TP1010's with 6s packs at 5a + a few 3s packs charging at 2.2a Charge time just under or over an hour for 80%. Total draw in the 36-38a range the PS is a 55a so no problem. I got it for about 135 shipped from Ebay. No jumpers, wiring or configuring needed just plug it in. To answer the original question, I believe a 10a PS would be barely marginal for a 6s 5000mah pack @ 1c (5a)
It is a cc cv charger-it doesn' t need to continuously put out that high current-
I charge by the book -the power supply is rated at 13.5 amps-100% charge on 12s 5000=
90 minutes-or 1 6s 5000 pack in 60 minutes to put back 80%

[Pinecone]

But with a 1C charge rate, a 12S and 6S pack should take exactly the same time to charge for the same % depletion.

You are correct, that CC-CV charing doesn't draw the max all the time

But on 12S, even starting out with depleted pack you need 40 volts x 5 amps = 200 watts to charge at 1C. 12 volts x 13.5 amps = only 162 watts.

[joehelicopter]

But with a 1C charge rate, a 12S and 6S pack should take exactly the same time to charge for the same % depletion.

You are correct, that CC-CV charing doesn't draw the max all the time

But on 12S, even starting out with depleted pack you need 40 volts x 5 amps = 200 watts to charge at 1C. 12 volts x 13.5 amps = only 162 watts.
Incorrect-
it takes longer to charge the single packs-over 1 hour each
in series the resistance is lower-90 minutes for 2 packs as per Hyperion instructions with the charger.The charger is rated at 180 watts.

[bpd964]

WHAT?...

You guys are freaking me out because I think I need to learn this stuff.. This is like learning a new language..

[fogger]

Sorry Joe, it does not matter how many cells are in series, if you are really suppying 1C worth of current the charge should always take aprox. one hour to 100% charge. I charge 2 5s 3700 packs in series with a 1010 at 1C (actually I usually use 3.5A as I do 2 sets at once and my PS is slightly underrated for this purpose) and it always takes between an hour and about 66 min for 100% charge, for 80-85% depleted cells.

-Fog

[joehelicopter]

Sorry Joe, it does not matter how many cells are in series, if you are really suppying 1C worth of current the charge should always take aprox. one hour to 100% charge. I charge 2 5s 3700 packs in series with a 1010 at 1C (actually I usually use 3.5A as I do 2 sets at once and my PS is slightly underrated for this purpose) and it always takes between an hour and about 66 min for 100% charge, for 80-85% depleted cells.

-Fog
My charger I believe supplys less wattage than yours,hence the slightly longer charge time-apples compared to oranges sorta-that's the difference-I am speaking RELATIVE TO MY EQUIPMENT>>>I WILL GET A SLIGHTLY different result than you.
I work for the military-all my equipment is battery powered-two batteries charging side by side on chargers with different ratings take different times to charge-
I was speaking about my equipment-
and the time it takes it to charge my batts...
anyone is welcome to come to my place and watch my charger(now there's an exciting 90 minutes)
YOU may have different results with YOUR EQUIPMENT.
I was answering a question about what I use to charge with-not contesting OHM'S LAW.
If we all had IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT we would have a real argument-----`:Bang
You are comparing your batts to mine-3700 vs 5000 mah-and different equipment.

[Pinecone]

IF you are charging at 1C, the charger in Constant Current mode will up the voltage until it is delivering the 1C amperage, no matter what the resistance.

There will be some effect when you get into the Constant Voltage mode, but not a huge amount.

If you charger is limited to 180 watts, then you are running into a charger limitation. And that is masking the effect of your power supply.

But bottom line is, you aren't atualy charging at a full 1C rate for the entire CC stage, especially with 12S packs.

[joehelicopter]

IF you are charging at 1C, the charger in Constant Current mode will up the voltage until it is delivering the 1C amperage, no matter what the resistance.

There will be some effect when you get into the Constant Voltage mode, but not a huge amount.

If you charger is limited to 180 watts, then you are running into a charger limitation. And that is masking the effect of your power supply.

But bottom line is, you aren't atualy charging at a full 1C rate for the entire CC stage, especially with 12S packs.
Exactly-
in other words there must be higher voltage available for 12s than 6s-it's still charging at 5amps+-

[fogger]

No worries, it just sounded like you were saying charging 2 packs in series should take twice as long as one, which given adequate power output from the charger / PS is not the case at all. Now if you only have the one charger and you can charge your 2 packs in series at what appears to be roughly 0.75C, then yes, you will get them charged faster than charging each one seperately at 1C.

[RKing]

Sorry joehelicopter, did not mean to get anybodys feathers ruffled. I hear the Hyperion chargers are great. I did not even think of the wattage rating of the charger being the lmit. I was just trying to get across what pinecone and fogger said. But I did it badly. The 13.5a PS is right there for 180w if output is 13-13.5v

[joehelicopter]

Sorry joehelicopter, did not mean to get anybodys feathers ruffled. I hear the Hyperion chargers are great. I did not even think of the wattage rating of the charger being the lmit. I was just trying to get across what pinecone and fogger said. But I did it badly. The 13.5a PS is right there for 180w if output is 13-13.5v
Yes the PS is variable up to 14v-I can crank it up and shorten the time charging a little but as it is It's fast enuff for me.
The Hyperion charger is very easy and affordable-it keeps 3 packs going all day at the flying site(plus reciever and TX batts when they need a quick boost.)I am going to buy a second charger soon!:thumbup: