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Usman · 02-02-2014, 12:51 PM

Would it be alright to leave my Lipo batteries uncharged after using them on my RC Helicopter for a few days? I think this would be better than leaving them laying around fully charged. I know the best is to have them laying around after being storage charged, but sometimes I find myself in the situation where after using my batteries for a full cycle I leave them laying around uncharged for a few days. Is this harmful to the batteries? Or should I get in the habit of always leave them laying around with 3.8vs per cell ( storage charged )

chris-fry · 02-02-2014, 01:14 PM

Atleast put them on storage charge. Or at minumim, charge them for about 5 minutes at 1C.

Slyster · 02-02-2014, 01:51 PM

I time all my flights so my lipos come down around 3.7-3.8v/cell.. that way when I am done flying they are at storage level and good for days/weeks/months if necessary.

Usman · 02-02-2014, 04:14 PM

Hey thanks for the responses. You know the funny thing is that I checked my batteries when I got done using them and they are reading 3.7 some volts per cell.
I also time my flights. I fly the Blade4503D with the DX6i. It seems like after 6 minutes or when my batteries reach about 3.76 volts per cell.....the heli begins to power down. I wonder why this is. This would happen before I would time my flights also. At that point it seems like there is no juice left to power the bird. But I figure that would happen closer to 3.2 volts.

RedOctobyr · 02-02-2014, 05:33 PM

Under a load, things change. 3.7V at rest will drop significantly when flying. Especially if they are weak packs (old, cheap, low C- rating, etc).

Storage is preferred, but my understanding is you are ok at 3.75V or similar.

Fully charged is bad. And you don't want to let them self- discharge low. But that process is so slow (months, at least) that I wouldn't worry about it much.

Sent using Tapatalk.

Usman · 02-02-2014, 05:40 PM

Thanks for the input !

desertstalker · 02-02-2014, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedOctobyr

Fully charged is bad. And you don't want to let them self- discharge low. But that process is so slow (months, at least) that I wouldn't worry about it much.

Yup, i left a pack that started at 3.74V/cell for a year. Checked it and it was down to 3.71V/cell. LiPos have no significant self discharge AFAIK.

Usman · 02-04-2014, 12:12 PM

Thanks for all the input. At this time just to be safe i'll leave the batteries at their 3.7 some volts per cell after using them, then when I'm ready to use them i'll charge them up to full.
Some other things in regards to my 3S Lipo batteries is that i'm unsure about is when I go to charge them ( and I always balance charge them ) they charge up and when they approach 12.58 volts-almost fully charged, my charger begins to charge them at a very slow rate, like 0.1amps....and then my charger (Hitec X4 AC) won't display "charge full" after like 30 minutes like this. This even takes place with some fairly new batteries of mine. What does that mean and why might this be going on? I guess its ok but it gets annoying when I have to wait about 30min to have the piece of mind that they are fully charged.
The last thing is that I found myself with a few batteries that I had to cut the connectors off a few times and the wires are now shorter than I'd like. Would it be perfectly fine to get new wire of the same gauge and to solder on the new wires with the ones existing on the battery so I have the wire length to my desirable liking?
Thanks in advance !

Usman · 02-04-2014, 12:16 PM

I forgot one more thing, and that is that I have a Thunder Power 3S lipo battery that I've had for years and barely used because I was too busy working and didn't have time for the hobby. It say on my shelf for a while. I'm finding that I can't balance charge it to full 12.60 volts. My charger stops charging it and reads "full" at 11.46volts. And that is when I try to charge it at .1amps. When I try to balance charge it the way I do with all my other 3S lipo batteries at 1.8amps the charger reads "cell voltage low". Is this battery dead and no good? Thanks !

desertstalker · 02-04-2014, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usman

Is this battery dead and no good? Thanks !

Sounds like it to me. Seems one of the cells may be dead, what are the individual cell voltages?

Usman · 02-04-2014, 08:11 PM

All three cell voltages are 3.84

Usman · 02-04-2014, 08:12 PM

That is what the voltage rounds off to.....of course the thousand decimal place voltage is different for all 3 cells....but all 3 cells read 3.84 volts

ddj74 · 02-08-2014, 09:16 PM

At 11.46 the packs are not in a low voltage state. Might have defective charger. What charger are you using?

02-02-2014, 12:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Usman Registered Users Join Date: Feb 2013	Would it be alright to Would it be alright to leave my Lipo batteries uncharged after using them on my RC Helicopter for a few days? I think this would be better than leaving them laying around fully charged. I know the best is to have them laying around after being storage charged, but sometimes I find myself in the situation where after using my batteries for a full cycle I leave them laying around uncharged for a few days. Is this harmful to the batteries? Or should I get in the habit of always leave them laying around with 3.8vs per cell ( storage charged )

02-02-2014, 01:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
chris-fry Registered Users Join Date: Sep 2013	Atleast put them on storage charge. Or at minumim, charge them for about 5 minutes at 1C. __________________ Where do the Du-Bro 1/4 scale hinges go on a helicopter???

02-02-2014, 01:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
Slyster Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: May 2008	I time all my flights so my lipos come down around 3.7-3.8v/cell.. that way when I am done flying they are at storage level and good for days/weeks/months if necessary. __________________ "It's not just a hobby... it's a lifestyle" - Pete ϟ MINNESOTA! Goblin 500 + 700 / SK540 / Jives / DX8 / Quantum / RJX servos / 306b / Deep cycles

02-02-2014, 05:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
RedOctobyr Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Jan 2011	Re: Would it be alright to Under a load, things change. 3.7V at rest will drop significantly when flying. Especially if they are weak packs (old, cheap, low C- rating, etc). Storage is preferred, but my understanding is you are ok at 3.75V or similar. Fully charged is bad. And you don't want to let them self- discharge low. But that process is so slow (months, at least) that I wouldn't worry about it much. Sent using Tapatalk. __________________ Gaui X5, iKon, Edge 100, CC BEC Pro. Tarot 450 Pro FBL, Mini VBar, Ice Lite 50. BL mCP X, Nano QX, FrSky Taranis, iCharger 308Duo.

02-08-2014, 09:16 PM	#13 (permalink)
ddj74 Registered Users Join Date: Dec 2011	At 11.46 the packs are not in a low voltage state. Might have defective charger. What charger are you using? __________________ ☆☆☆AMA #1039539

02-02-2014, 04:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
Usman Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2013	Hey thanks for the responses. You know the funny thing is that I checked my batteries when I got done using them and they are reading 3.7 some volts per cell. I also time my flights. I fly the Blade4503D with the DX6i. It seems like after 6 minutes or when my batteries reach about 3.76 volts per cell.....the heli begins to power down. I wonder why this is. This would happen before I would time my flights also. At that point it seems like there is no juice left to power the bird. But I figure that would happen closer to 3.2 volts.

02-02-2014, 05:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Usman Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2013	Thanks for the input !

02-04-2014, 12:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
Usman Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2013	Thanks for all the input. At this time just to be safe i'll leave the batteries at their 3.7 some volts per cell after using them, then when I'm ready to use them i'll charge them up to full. Some other things in regards to my 3S Lipo batteries is that i'm unsure about is when I go to charge them ( and I always balance charge them ) they charge up and when they approach 12.58 volts-almost fully charged, my charger begins to charge them at a very slow rate, like 0.1amps....and then my charger (Hitec X4 AC) won't display "charge full" after like 30 minutes like this. This even takes place with some fairly new batteries of mine. What does that mean and why might this be going on? I guess its ok but it gets annoying when I have to wait about 30min to have the piece of mind that they are fully charged. The last thing is that I found myself with a few batteries that I had to cut the connectors off a few times and the wires are now shorter than I'd like. Would it be perfectly fine to get new wire of the same gauge and to solder on the new wires with the ones existing on the battery so I have the wire length to my desirable liking? Thanks in advance !

02-04-2014, 12:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
Usman Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2013	I forgot one more thing, and that is that I have a Thunder Power 3S lipo battery that I've had for years and barely used because I was too busy working and didn't have time for the hobby. It say on my shelf for a while. I'm finding that I can't balance charge it to full 12.60 volts. My charger stops charging it and reads "full" at 11.46volts. And that is when I try to charge it at .1amps. When I try to balance charge it the way I do with all my other 3S lipo batteries at 1.8amps the charger reads "cell voltage low". Is this battery dead and no good? Thanks !

02-04-2014, 08:11 PM	#11 (permalink)
Usman Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2013	All three cell voltages are 3.84

02-04-2014, 08:12 PM	#12 (permalink)
Usman Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Feb 2013	That is what the voltage rounds off to.....of course the thousand decimal place voltage is different for all 3 cells....but all 3 cells read 3.84 volts

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