Just got a BC6

[enahs]

I'm a little new to Lipo batteries and such. I am so used to using Nicad packs and using a charger where I select how much mAh I want to put in and then let it charge all night.

I have 3 FP 2500mAh Evolites. 1 18C and 2 20C. I just want to make sure I charge them correctly. Charge at 1C which =2.5A? I can use the charge/balance mode at 2.5A correct?

What is the benefit to using the fast charge feature?

For the storage menu, I have the option of using 0.1A-1.0A. What should I select?

I know it is bad to discharge a Lipo, so do I even really ever need to use that menu? When I won't be using a pack for a while, I'll just use the storage mode.

Also, about how long should it take to charge one of these packs in the normal balance mode?

Thanks

[RC Accessory]

I'm a little new to Lipo batteries and such. I am so used to using Nicad packs and using a charger where I select how much mAh I want to put in and then let it charge all night.

I have 3 FP 2500mAh Evolites. 1 18C and 2 20C. I just want to make sure I charge them correctly. Charge at 1C which =2.5A? I can use the charge/balance mode at 2.5A correct?

What is the benefit to using the fast charge feature?

For the storage menu, I have the option of using 0.1A-1.0A. What should I select?

I know it is bad to discharge a Lipo, so do I even really ever need to use that menu? When I won't be using a pack for a while, I'll just use the storage mode.

Also, about how long should it take to charge one of these packs in the normal balance mode?

Thanks

Sent email.

1C on a 2500 mah pack is 2.5 Amps.

For Storage charging/discharging, select 1 amp.

99.999999% of the time you never discharge a lithium pack or cell. I once had a A123 pack with 1 cell very high in voltage compared to the other cells. It was easier to discharge the 1 cell to approx the same voltage as the others instead of charging the other cells. You won't use it very often.

Assuming the cells are balanced well, no different than a normal lithium charge. However, if there is an imbalance, the amount of time could be a tad longer. How long depends on how out of balance the pack is.

[enahs]

Thanks for the reply. I found this forum after I PM'd you. I would have put it in here too. Thanks again!

[istandalone]

i just got my bc-6 in the mail last night. i think i spent around two hours trying to figure out how to charge packs on it (going from an mrc superbrain 977, and the DN power balance charger, both very easy to use lol) before realizing that when your balance charging, you need to connect the balance lead AND the main dean's lead. DOH!

[warpspeed]

Once you get used to it you're gonna love it. I've got a TP1010, the new 610, couple of DN's, the 977 and few other cheapy chargers, but the one that gets used and abused the most is the BC6. I still run NIMH's in other vehicles and it's nice to have a charger that will do it all. At it's price point I don't think any other charger on the market today can compare, and mine has been bullet proof so far.

[enahs]

i just got my bc-6 in the mail last night. i think i spent around two hours trying to figure out how to charge packs on it (going from an mrc superbrain 977, and the DN power balance charger, both very easy to use lol) before realizing that when your balance charging, you need to connect the balance lead AND the main dean's lead. DOH!

I just figured that out too. :D

[istandalone]

once you get her figured out, it's really easy. my one complaint is that you can't read the voltage of the pack that's plugged in unless your actively charging? or am i missing something simple?

[Sling Blade]

Hey Mon-I also have a new BC6 and I get nothing but a "Connection Break " message whether I am trying to charge, discharge, or balance. As I understand your post, the
Dean's has to be plugged in also? To the heli? Can't check for myself until my heli gets back from the repair shop, hopefully next week. I am wishing I would have got the cheaper Cellpro, but I liked the built in AC port. Such is life
I find nothing in the instruction book about plugging in the Dean's, so I will wait for a little clarification from you. I have attempted to email the compny as well as the eBay store I purchased my charger from. So far no response from either. Thanks for your time!

Respectfully,

Sling Blade

[tppjr]

Hey Mon-I also have a new BC6 and I get nothing but a "Connection Break " message whether I am trying to charge, discharge, or balance. As I understand your post, the
Dean's has to be plugged in also? To the heli? Can't check for myself until my heli gets back from the repair shop, hopefully next week. I am wishing I would have got the cheaper Cellpro, but I liked the built in AC port. Such is life
I find nothing in the instruction book about plugging in the Dean's, so I will wait for a little clarification from you. I have attempted to email the compny as well as the eBay store I purchased my charger from. So far no response from either. Thanks for your time!

Respectfully,

Sling Blade

Take a look at:

http://www.rcaccessory.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=71

Great person to deal with too.

Thomas

[Sling Blade]

Thomas-Thank you!!!!!!! I borrowed a battery from a friend-hooked it up like I was suppose-all along-and all is well again. Thank You! Still think the instructions could have been a little clearer, but no harm, no foul. Again-Thank you,Sir, for saving me from myself! And I will be paying attention to the website you sent me to. Looks like some really good deals!

Sling Blade

[istandalone]

anyone have any ideas about this? my one complaint is that you can't read the voltage of the pack that's plugged in unless your actively charging? or am i missing something simple?

this is the one feature that's lacking imho.

[RC Accessory]

anyone have any ideas about this?

this is the one feature that's lacking imho.

Keep in mind that this was designed as a balancing charger which it does very well. It is not designed to be used as a separate balancer. Can't call it a missing feature when it was never meant or designed to do that. No other balancing charger has that functionality either.

I have forwarded the request to Bantam for consideration.

[istandalone]

i don't care about it being a balancer/balancing charger ect. this charger works great as it is, it's just the fact that when you plug your pack in to charge it, nothing tells you what the voltage of the pack is until you've already started charging. even the simplest of lipo chargers usually have a V readout without having to be actively charging to read voltage. just my .02 though.

[RC Accessory]

Well I'm glad you like the charger anyway. :)

[istandalone]

believe me, i'm not complaining. it's just that i thought i was missing something, not being able to see voltage when it's not active. i'll live, though. for the $ it's the best charger on the market. does the newer bc-6 (bc-610?) show the rest voltage?

[RC Accessory]

believe me, i'm not complaining. it's just that i thought i was missing something, not being able to see voltage when it's not active. i'll live, though. for the $ it's the best charger on the market. does the newer bc-6 (bc-610?) show the rest voltage?

No it does not. But, try this. If you want to know the rest voltage, start a charge at the lowest setting, 100 mah. That low of a rate you will not see any cell voltage change and you will get the results that you are looking for.

Now, the idea is a great one, so I have already forwarded that request to Bantam.

[pinoydodo]

Does fast charge mode also balance the pack?

I am charging 2200mah batteries, but the display only shows 1800-2000mah when the charger stops charging the battery (full). Is this a normal reading or is there something wrong with my batteries?

[istandalone]

fast charge does not balance the pack, so you dont' really need to connect the balance lead when using fast charge, unless you want to monitor each cell's volts. fast charge charges to 95% of cap.
I am charging 2200mah batteries, but the display only shows 1800-2000mah when the charger stops charging the battery

the total cap of the pack is 2200mah. you should be using a max of 80% of that, which is 1760mah. if you constantly pull 2200 out of a 2200 pack, you're going to suffer from short pack life and lots of heat and puffing. as a rule, with lipos only use 80% of rated cap.

[RC Accessory]

Does fast charge mode also balance the pack?

I am charging 2200mah batteries, but the display only shows 1800-2000mah when the charger stops charging the battery (full). Is this a normal reading or is there something wrong with my batteries?

Yes, Fast mode will balance the pack if you connect it to the balancer. You should only be putting back 80% max of the rated capacity. If you are putting in more than 80%, then cut back on your flight time.

[pinoydodo]

I just got two conflicting answers for the FAST charge mode regarding battery balancing..:confused:. I wonder which one is the correct answer.

[RC Accessory]

I just got two conflicting answers for the FAST charge mode regarding battery balancing..:confused:. I wonder which one is the correct answer.

This is not mentioned in the manual, but balancer is active in Fast Charge Mode. We are the US Importer for Bantam.

[pinoydodo]

Thanks Evan for clearing that up.

[istandalone]

yea, he'd know better then me for sure. sorry about that, but like he said, it's not in the manual. seems to me that balancing would slow down the fast charge a bit. it does take quite a while for this charger to balance.