RATE for balancing lipo?

[newbie_version1]

my charger is asking for a amp rate for balancing.... The manual tells me HOW to balance, but does not give me a amp rate for balancing. Should I do it at a low rate like 0.5 amps?
I'm charging a 3s 6400 mah lipo.
Should I even be doing this before I run it :fear: ... it is a NEW battery.
Thank you for any input on these two questions.

[ducati777]

you can use a high rate usually. If its a new pack, its probably pretty close to balanced anyway.

[newbie_version1]

Thank you, I was thinking that, but wanted to double check it on here.

[Ken448]

I balance at the same rate as I charge with normally. BUT I usually just discharge balance my packs since its easier and faster. Just plug it in and press discharge! I use an ICE charger and a Checkpoint Balancer:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXTSA5&P=ML

[ducati777]

My acucell 8 has a normal charge, a fast charge, and a balance charge.

Far as I can tell, its balancing in all 3, and I'll charge the 5ah at 7 amps.

My previous charger was not a balancing, and I had about 3-4 runs on it. The cells were out about .1 volt I think, I don't remember exactly. I did a balance discharge to 9, and since then they all read the same.

[madkawi650]

When ballancing a Lipo that is 2P instead of 1P...
For example: a 20C 11.1V 5400mAh 3S2P LiPo, would this actually have 6 cells to ballance?

I know when you hook this to the Charger you would choose 3S, but how would you ballance charge it ?

Wouldn't it have to be pluged into the 6S ballance port of the Charger ?

thanks in advance

[dragaddict]

I believe that would be 3cells, 2 in parallel. If you had 6 cells or a 6s pack it would be 22.2 volts. The 2 in parallel just creates more capacity, it will only look at it as 1 cell. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[RcPocketRocket]

my charger is asking for a amp rate for balancing.... The manual tells me HOW to balance, but does not give me a amp rate for balancing. Should I do it at a low rate like 0.5 amps?
I'm charging a 3s 6400 mah lipo.
Should I even be doing this before I run it :fear: ... it is a NEW battery.
Thank you for any input on these two questions.
IDK except that those wires are thin and not made for high amperage. I have ruined them before by a quick touch as I have tried different balance connectors custom ones and accidently just quick touched the balance wires and they lost continuity.

[newbie_version1]

Yeah, the wires are a little thin right there.. I might stick to something more conservative like 4 amps when I'm blalancing it.
Thanks again to everyone for the help. I'm about to run lipo for the first time... I hope to come back inside with a huge smile on my face.

[brushlessbandit]

what charger are you using? if it is accucell 6 or 8, balancer is a balance charge, in other words, the balancer balances your pack while it is charging at the amp rate you chose.

[ducati777]

would this actually have 6 cells to ballance?


Yep it would. 6 individual cells, that could all be balanced.


HOWEVER, I'm not sure how the pack is wired, would the charger go nuts if you said charge 3 but balance 6?

[filmmaker]

a lot of chargers will balance and charge at the same time..

[newbie_version1]

what charger are you using? if it is accucell 6 or 8, balancer is a balance charge, in other words, the balancer balances your pack while it is charging at the amp rate you chose.



I have the venom pro charger, and a venom 3S2P 6400 mah pack. You're right, I think you can just charge, or charge AND balance it at the same time. I'm gonna do the balance charge each time I charge it back up. :fear:

[filmmaker]

When ballancing a Lipo that is 2P instead of 1P...
For example: a 20C 11.1V 5400mAh 3S2P LiPo, would this actually have 6 cells to ballance?

I know when you hook this to the Charger you would choose 3S, but how would you ballance charge it ?

Wouldn't it have to be pluged into the 6S ballance port of the Charger ?

thanks in advance

it depends on the balance tab from the battery..

[ksb51rl]

When ballancing a Lipo that is 2P instead of 1P...
For example: a 20C 11.1V 5400mAh 3S2P LiPo, would this actually have 6 cells to ballance?

I know when you hook this to the Charger you would choose 3S, but how would you ballance charge it ?

Wouldn't it have to be pluged into the 6S ballance port of the Charger ?

thanks in advanceCells wired in PARALLEL are by definition already balanced to each other. Only cells wired in SERIES must be balanced. So, as in your example, a 3S2P LiPo pack would be balanced using the 3S balance port.

Hint for everyone: count the number of black or non-red wires in the tap. That's the # for the balance port you should use. A 3S1P, 3S2P, or 3S99P will have 3non-red wires for the balance tap.

Edit: Color correction

[ducati777]

Cells wired in PARALLEL are by definition already balanced to each other.

DOH! thats absolutely right.

[madkawi650]

Cool, thanks for the info.

Is there any advantage to have 2P over 1P if the mAh value is the same for the 2 batteries ?

Is it just something companies do to lower the cost of a battery, by using 2 smaller cells together instead of 1 larger one ?

Also, would there be any negatives to the Parallel wired cells ?

Again, Thanks...

[ksb51rl]

Some say there is less voltage drop with 2 cells in parallel. I'm not sure. I believe there are some countries that have regulations on the maximum size of batteries. The only (slight) negative I see with 2P packs is the necessarily more complex construction. Basically, if it fits your truck and your wallet it won't really matter if your pack is 1P or 2P, because you wont see a difference.

[madkawi650]

Perfect. this open up a couple new choices for me.

Just an aside: I see your from Northern Jersey. I lived there for 2 years. I was in Vernon. I stayed one year at Mountain Creek resort Condos and then moved right across the Vally in Legends (I think) Hotel/Apartments. It was built by Hue Heffner I was told. I worked for Geod Corp in Newfondland NJ, Traveled Route 23 every day.

Thanks again for the reply

[ksb51rl]

Yeah, Geod offered me a management position years ago but I declined. Wasn't right at the time. The resort was originally, or at least formerly, a Club closely related to Mr. Hefner. Now it's golf and the waterpark and sometimes when the enviro-weenies aren't screaming so loudly a downhill bicycle course, as well as the housing component etc. Can't forget the skiing and snowboarding in the winter too. I learned to drive on Rt. 23. Back then it still had traffic circles, which some people know as "rotaries."

You are very welcome for the replies.

[BrianG]

Do not confuse balance charging with charging or discharging. The main charge/discharge current goes through the main harness. The balance wires are there so the balancer can bleed off any high cells by applying a small load to them. For instance, if you are charging a pack at 5A, and the balancer can bleed 0.5A, then the high cells will only get a net charge current of 4.5A (5A charge - 0.5A bleed). This results in the other cells charging faster and allows them to "catch up". Stand-alone balancers usually have a balance rate of around between 0.2A to 0.5A.

A single balance charger unit is a little better because not only does the balancer part of it bleed off high cells, but if any cell gets too high, the charger automatically lowers the pack charge rate to give the other cells even more time to catch up.

The thin balancing wires just carry small currents when balancing, typically 1A or less. You don't want to have larger currents in these wires because they (and the connectors) have a higher resistance. At high currents (over 1A), they can start to exhibit voltage drop, which means the balancer is seeing less voltage than there really is.

I personally prefer 1p packs, meaning there are no cells in parallel. Internally paralleled cells have more connections to worry about. I have had a pack where the tab on one of the pairs was not perfectly attached and the load was hitting one of the cells and puffed it. If there was a problem like this in a 1p pack, it would simply stop working or some other obvious symptom.