Hi all, We are using LiFE chargers from Battery Space (http://www.batteryspace.com/smartchargerforlifepo4batterypacks.aspx). The chargers (and any charger that specifically says it charges LiFEPo4 cells) are smart, plug and play type of chargers. They automatically monitor the cell's (pack's) voltage level and adjusts the charge current automatically. When the cell (pack) reaches a certain voltage, the charger shuts off. Specifically, I use these single cell chargers to charge in the evening/overnight; http://www.batteryspace.com/Smart-Charger-6.0A-for-3.2V-1cells-LiFePO4-Battery-Pack-100-240VAC-CE.aspx. A few guys are using a 3 amp version on smaller cells; http://www.batteryspace.com/smartcharger30afor32vli-fepo4batterypack1cellstandardfemaletamiyaplug38vcut-off.aspx. The key to these chargers is to plug the battery in first, then plug in the charger to ensure the charger does not prematurely stop charging. So far in the hobby, no one has blown up or overcharged a LiFe cell. The chargers are pretty much foolproof and the cells take abuse well. Mike
From: Derek Engelhaupt <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 12:35 PM Subject: Re: [TANKS] Re: Battery find What kind of charger do you use to avoid over charging the batteries? Derek On Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 11:14 AM, Mike Mangus <[email protected]> wrote: I haven't worried overmuch about the low voltage cutoff in my ships nor T81. The ships ESCs have an automatic low voltage cutoff. Not sure off hand if T81's ESC had a low voltage cutoff. Either way, if the ship/tank was obviously running slow then it was time to stop even if the issue was not a low battery voltage but something else. > > The only time I have knowingly run down a LiFE pack was in a small >pre-drednaught on it's third sortie. The ship's pump is agressively motored >and by the third sortie the pump stream was wilting fast and the ship slow ... >obvious signs that the LiFE cells had reached near the end of their capacity >(LiFE, NiCads, NiMH, etc hold voltage levels until nearly exhausted). The >cells recharged without showing any damage. > > For the battery I linked earlier, I would pop the top off and install the >single cell balancers on each cell before popping the top back on. That will >ensure the pack stays balanced and lets the pack be charged with one charger >versus the multiple single cell chargers I use to charge each cell >individually to keep voltage balance. Even so, there is no problems with >field charging the entire pack during the day and then topping off the >individual cells in the evening with the single cell chargers. Kinda a manual >way of cell balancing that has worked well the past couple years. > > Hope this helped more than it confused. :) > >Mike > > > >From: Derek Engelhaupt <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Friday, September 20, 2013 3:20 PM > >Subject: Re: [TANKS] Re: Battery find > > > >From what I'm reading, the LIFEPO4 bats can't go below 2.4V or you risk damage >to the individual cells. Since the BMS controls the balancing of the cells >while charging and has the low voltage cutoff function, wouldn't you be better >off just using a BMS since the PCB doesn't have a low voltage cutoff or >overcharge protection? Just trying to get better educated on the cells before >dropping the cash... > > >Derek > > > >On Fri, Sep 20, 2013 at 2:45 PM, TyngTech <[email protected]> wrote: > >Yes, they break open the packs and extract the individual cells. >> >> >>S >> >> >>On Friday, September 20, 2013 2:38:02 PM UTC-4, [email protected] wrote: >>Mike, >>> >>> >>>I have some questions for you about those packs. I know I would have to buy >>>two and wire them in series to produce 24V like I do with my SLAs. I >>>understand that part, but the PCB won't fit those terminals. Do you or can >>>you open up the battery and install the PCB on the individual cells in the >>>pack? Does the PCB act like a BMS circuit? >>> >>> >>>Derek >>> >>> >>-- >>-- >>You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. >>To post a message, send email to [email protected] >>To unsubscribe, send email to >>mailto:rctankcombat%[email protected] >> >>Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat >> >>--- >>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>"R/C Tank Combat" group. >>To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>email to mailto:rctankcombat%[email protected]. >> >>For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> > >-- >-- >You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. >To post a message, send email to [email protected] >To unsubscribe, send email to >mailto:rctankcombat%[email protected] >Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat > >--- >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "R/C >Tank Combat" group. >To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >email to mailto:rctankcombat%[email protected]. >For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > >-- >-- >You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. >To post a message, send email to [email protected] >To unsubscribe, send email to >mailto:rctankcombat%[email protected] >Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat > >--- >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "R/C >Tank Combat" group. >To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >email to mailto:rctankcombat%[email protected]. >For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > -- -- You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. To post a message, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "R/C Tank Combat" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- -- You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. To post a message, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "R/C Tank Combat" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
