2nd flight, Kong Power 2200 and my new CNC blade grips. :)

[Cralis]

Took my heli to a field today for it's first flight with the CNC blade grips. They don't mak any different to my skills. :(

Anyway, this was the 2nd flight on the packs.

Did my first 6 minute flight. All was good. Slight drop in HS while landing..

Batteries cool - put them on the KP charger.

Says there is quite a difference in the cell voltage. :shock:

Reports:
3.59
3.38
3.52
:wow2:

Does this seem bad? It's the packs 2nd flights. They were cycled 3 times, and flown for a short 4 minute flight. This was their 6 minute flight....

Battling to get the eagle tree graph. List Index out of bounce: 66. :(
But I took off with the packs being around 20 degrees. At the end of the flight the packs were 40 degrees and 45 degrees.

Engine.. cool.

I used 1650mah...

[Cralis]

! oo...
:thinking
Noticed this on the other pack used on the flight (Yet to be put on the charger).

There is a crack in the blue plastic film that holds the pack together. Possibly from the heat (up to 46 degrees)? Is this OK, or very suspect? I haven't checked the balance of the cells yet.

[Mikej]

Cralis,

I have been using my KP's for almost a year - about 70 flights on 1 set and and about 50 flights on the other set. They always stay very well balanced (within 0.01 or 0.02 volts per cell) unless I take too much out of them when they get slightly out of balance like yours. I would suggest that you drop your flight time down to 5.30 for a few flights and see how that affects things.

Cheers,
Mike.

[Cralis]

Not looking fantastic..
The pack charged for close on an hour and a half. (1Amp)

Then went to 'Charge Complete', at 11.89V!

Why would this happen? Brand new packs and charger, :(

Volt meter confirmed the chargers readings...

2nd pack now on charger. All cells at close to the same voltage...

Agh! these packs and charger came from ReadyHeli... What a mission if they are faulty!

[Mikej]

Cralis,

Why are you charging at 1 amp ? that is about 0.45C ! - I use the Maxpro X6 (the KP is the Maxpro rebadged) to charge mine at 2.2 amps using this to charge both at the same time
http://www.rc-tek.com/us_store/image.php?object_type=detailed&image_id=526

It takes me less than an hour to charge both at the same time

Cheers,
Mike.

[Cralis]

Thanks Mike.
I've actually posted a question somewhere else.. How many amps SHOULD I be charging my 2200 25C packs at then? (Just upped to 2.0 ...)

[JaggedEdge]

1c charge rate on a 2200mah pack is 2.2A.
2c 4.4A

You're over discharging your packs. Cut down the flight time.
Hopefully that cell which is discharging faster than the others will recover some of its capacity and be ok.

[istandalone]

i charge my kp 2200's on 4.4 amps and they perform great.

[mysticmead]

I really need a better charger... that's it... if I get any cash for my Bday.. I'm getting a charger. .8a charge rate sucks

[mjdee14]

.8a charge rate sucks

.8A :wow2::wow2::wow2::FThat

You might as well be trying to charge with static electricity by rubbing your lipos accross the carpet....!!

Guess you don't fly much at that rate.....now lets see..."if/when I get money i'm getting a new servo...no wait...I need a new charger...no I need"..

Break down and just treat yourself.......buy a new charger AND the servo.....get a few new packs while your at it......it's only money !! :banana:banana you must have saved that much in cigarettes by now.....

[mysticmead]

if it were only as simple as just buy both... and no.. I don't have to rub the lipos on the carpet.. I have kids for that. Soon I'll have the treadmill generator working at 100% and they can use that to charge my packs. and no... right now I don't get to fly that much. mostly due to work. but I do spend a day charging my packs so I can fly the next day. I had the money set aside to get a new charger...and a couple new zippy packs.. was just waiting for the packs to come back in stock.. then my brother passed away, any money I had set aside was given to my sister in law.. seems my brother decided to leave 46k in debt as well as a lot of trouble with the good old IRS for not filing his taxes for the last 14 years (all stuff no one knew about until he passed away)... so we did what any decent family would do... we took care of our own....it'll take time to rebuild what I gave away.. but it'll happen. and saving $200+ a month for not smoking will get me there faster. once I get a couple months salary back in the bank, then I can start blowing it again :D

[mjdee14]

Mystic...

Sorry to hear about your sister-in-law's problems....

You are a good man for helping...and yes family comes first....it's the "right thing to do"...

Now....don't start smoking again...because of stress...i stopped for over a year and started after a death in the family.....finally stopped again and haven't smoked for over 34 years...

I thought I was bad only charging at 2A....but I can charge 4 at a time and it still takes me all night to charge 7 sets....(went a little nuts on lipos)...(non-smoking money)

A good charger for the field is important...that way you can charge up fast while shooting the bull and watching the other guys....

keep saving....it'll all come together....

[mysticmead]

yeah.. not planning on smoking again.. I already feel a LOT better.. as far as my brother goes and helping my sister in law like we have..my brother made some mistakes.. he has to be the one to answer for them in the end.. we can only do what we can here to help ease the pain.. like I said.. we'll get past it all.. and I'll get my savings back.. it'll just take a while.. til then. no parts will be ordered for my 450.. my 550 will get any spare funds I may have.

[Cralis]

OK, 3rd flight... 5min30sec, and all cells balances A-OK after the flight... I took 1,600 out of the packs, and all seemed OK... Not sure why it went so wrong yesterday... I was flying very gentle today.. Smaller confined area with many-a tree. But I thought faster forward flight would be easier on the packs...

Anyway, will go to the same place later and fly the same style and see if they stay balanced...

Kong Power getting back into my good books. :)

Eyeing the ZXippy 3300 packs though! $45 is... too good to be true?

[Crashed Monkey]

Help me out here guys,my packs are 11.1v 2200mah like most.Do you charge at 2.2a and 11.1v or less? I have charged all my lipo's if its 7.4 1000mah,then I charge at 1.0a or 1.8mah charge at 1.8a.They never get warm ,and run well.So please tell me if i'm doing this wrong.....?:shock:

[kahn10]

your on to it bro.most lipo's unless specifically stated otherwise best charge at 1c of their mah capacity......you've sussed it :thumbup:

[Mikej]

OK, 3rd flight... 5min30sec, and all cells balances A-OK after the flight... I took 1,600 out of the packs, and all seemed OK... Not sure why it went so wrong yesterday... I was flying very gentle today.. Smaller confined area with many-a tree. But I thought faster forward flight would be easier on the packs...

Anyway, will go to the same place later and fly the same style and see if they stay balanced...

Kong Power getting back into my good books. :)

Eyeing the ZXippy 3300 packs though! $45 is... too good to be true?

Good news - it's weird how they stay in balance fine up until a certain point and then start going off balance. Keep an eye on how much you are putting back in - you may find that after a while you can actually up your flight time again.

Cheers,
Mike.

[Cralis]

Just got a mail from ReadyHeli (I submitted a support ticket) and they say they take 10 to 15 flights to become normal, and to contact them after these flights... So... I'll do that then.