Duralite Charging - Opps not good!!!

[DavidH]

Really don't have to worry about scenario like that with the Duralite Li-Ion packs. Even if using an aftermarket charger and not the Duralite charger. The Safe Charge circuit in the Duralite Li-Ion packs will protect the battery from abuse.
The Safe Charge circuit will prevent accidental reverse polarity, too high voltage, too high charge current. And if plugging into the power lead to charge, there is protection on that lead that will only allow current to flow one direction.

Duralite recommends taking the batteries out of the aircraft and radio to charge them. In my 3 years of using Duralites they have always remained in the heli to be recharged. I do take the transmitter pack out of my 9Z to recharge it. Just because it is convienent to remove and replace it.

David

[SteveL]

If Duralite has a shortcoming it is their charger. If you are not using Dualite packs with the charger safe circuit do not use this charger. Ask me how I know. I changed my 2 evos over to Famoco (spelling?) batteries and was using a Duaralite charger. Everything was fine for the first couple of weeks. I really though I found the heat. I took one of my evos off for a flight and landed when something did not feel right (boy I got lucky) I had readjusted my GEM light to quit flashing @ 7v and it was on steady. My initial thought was it had drifted out of calibration, but just for safety I checked the battery. After 1 five-minute flight.the pack was below 6v without a load. Great I thought I lost a cell. I checked my other evo and the voltage was 8.73 before a load. Anybody that knows anything about lipos knows you should NEVER see voltages above 8.4 on a 2s pack. I have since switched back to NmHi. If I had the money, I would go with a complete Duralite package but I crash way to much for that. I am one of those guys that if it can go wrong it will, and usually not till after I lift off.

[DavidH]

Sorry for your problem. I know plenty of people that are using the Duralite charger to charge non Duralite packs. Seen a number of them using the Duralite charger to charge some 3S Li-Po packs they use to fly micros with. Even thou it states in the specifications the charger is for Li-ion cells. I don't use Li-Po's for receiver packs. The Li-Po's are still a little to unstable for me to trust them as receiver batteries. I know there is pilots that use them, but that is just my choice. Really never hear of any problems with the Li-Ion cells.

David

[SteveL]

I was using LiIon not LiPoly...They werre actually Powerflight cells. I think one of the cells may have had a problem but no matter how you look at is you should never see voltage >4.2c/cell. The reulators in the duralite charge are of poor quality but the get around it with "charge safe circuitry in thier battery.

[WillJames]

I would not recommend using any charger with Li-Po's that will not cutoff at 4.25V per cell.

[overspeed]

I have a question about charging.... The documentation with the charger says I need to unplug the charger as soon as teh green light goes off. It takes my Duralite 4300 pack quite a bit of time to charge and its hard to find 5 or 6 hours in the day to babysit it. So when the lite goes off is it still charging, causing the potential of overcharging? How do you guys deal with the charge time safely?

[overspeed]

I thought I should add that I'm around when its charging, I just want to be sure if i miss the green light going off that I'm not going to damage it...
thanks!
Dave

[DavidH]

It won't hurt anything if it stays on the charger several hours after the light goes out. I have left mine on the charger a couple of days before.

David

[overspeed]

LOL! that's great to hear. Reading the instructions it seemed like the whole thing would blow up if it was left on 5 minutes over :lol:

[WillJames]

I would not recommend this. Are you sure the light will go off if you are charging a pack without the circuit.

[DavidH]

The pack has the safe charge circuit.
http://www.duralitebatteries.com/images/sm-batt.jpg

David