Charging Lipo with Lilo setting?

[Epowerreg]

The charger overcharges on Lipo setting, so hence the need to use the Lilo setting.

[Larry3215]

Buy a better charger

Seriously. Dont risk a fire. Even a small one will cost you a LOT more than the cost of a decent charger.

If the charger you have is screwing up on the LIPO setting, what makes you think it will work on the LILO setting?

Really. Buy a new charger.

I highly recomend the FMA chargers. the price is actually very reasonable.
The quality is first rate.
They actually DO have a warranty and DO honor it if you are one of the rare ones who need it.
They work very well.
They are dead easy to use and pretty much impossible - even for a complete idiot - to screw up badly enough to damage your pack or cause a fire.

http://www.store.revolectrix.com/Pro...llpro-Chargers

Seriously. Why take the risk just to save a few bucks?

[stuart]

what larry said!!!!!way to go.

[Epowerreg]

The charger is not dangerous. It just overcharges a small amount then cuts off. I just need to know if lilo will work for a lipo charge.

[Larry3215]

Originally Posted by Epowerreg

The charger is not dangerous. It just overcharges a small amount then cuts off. I just need to know if lilo will work for a lipo charge.

You are charging batteries that have the potential to burn your house down with a charger that you know does not work correctly and you can still say that?

No offense intended but I cant disagree more.

BUT - lets look at using the LILO setting.

In theory - if the charger is actually working correctly on the LILO setting, you will end up with cells charged to 4.1 volts instead of 4.2 volts.

That will give you a loss of about 10% capacity. It will also make the packs feel weaker as they will start off with less power than before. That means you will have a tendancy to use more throttle resulting in even less flight time.

You may loose as much as 15-20% of your flight time.

Keep in mind that LILO settings are a hold over from long ago. if you have a cheap charger there is no telling what the actual software inside is going to do when you try it. If its a cheep ballancing charger, it MIGHT NOT balance while in LILO mode. Potentially very dangerous.

I would highly recommend that if you do try it - keep a separate, reasonably accurate volt meter on the packs and monitor it very closely.

Good luck.

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by Epowerreg

The charger overcharges on Lipo setting, so hence the need to use the Lilo setting.

A second vote for buying a newer, better charger. To many horror stories about Lipo fires to take a chance on a possible problem.

I've got the Cellpro Prolab 8, a very high powered charger. The thing is almost idiot proof, (but not danged fool proof!)

[FlyWheel]

It is impossible to make anything fool proof as God/nature will just make a better fool.

Posted via Mobile Device

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by FlyWheel

It is impossible to make anything fool proof as God/nature will just make a better fool.

Posted via Mobile Device

LOL
I've got to remember that one!

[Big Johnny]

I need a new Charger I was looking at the New Thunder Power TP820CD or the Hyperion Super Duo 3. I figured might as wall spend the coin an a good high power charger.

Thunder Power
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...ger-w-Balancer


Hyperion Super Duo3
http://www.maxamps.com/EOS0720i-DUO3.htm

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by Big Johnny

I need a new Charger I was looking at the New Thunder Power TP820CD or the Hyperion Super Duo 3. I figured might as wall spend the coin an a good high power charger.

Thunder Power
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...ger-w-Balancer


Hyperion Super Duo3
http://www.maxamps.com/EOS0720i-DUO3.htm

Or check out the Cellpro Powerlab 8 for about the same price. I've got one, it works very well. You can put your own name and phone no in its LCD display. Also you can put in dedicated charge routines for your various batteries. I've set up mine with a fixed 20 Amp charge rate for 6S4P A123, fixed 10 Amp Charge rate for 6S2P A123, and a fixed 5 Amp charge rate for 4S1P. You can download the operating manual from the web page below:

It balances while charging, and all cells are the same exact voltage while charging up.

I run mine with a pair of 12 Volt 120 Ampere Hour deep cycle batteries in parallel. You can also put them in series, but then a 24 Volt Lead Acid charger is required.
http://www.fmadirect.com/new_applica...powerlab8.html
http://www.fmadirect.com/support_docs/item_1331.pdf

If any new type batteries should become available in the future, this charger allows you to specify everything needed to charge it. The operating system is also available from Cellpro in case software updates become available in the future.

[Larry3215]

You cant go wrong with any of those 3 - Im including the FMA charger in the group.

The TP is the lowest total max power for charging, the Hyperion is next and the Powerlab is the highest by a good bit, so if you plan to use large hi capacity packs and want to fast charge them, then the Powerlab is the best choice. The Powerlab down side is you can only do one pack at a time or you have to parallel them.

Between the other two, the TP is probably easier to master the programing, but the Hyperion is more powerful and might be more flexible but its a close call either way.

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by Larry3215

The TP is the lowest total max power for charging, the Hyperion is next and the Powerlab is the highest by a good bit, so if you plan to use large hi capacity packs and want to fast charge them, then the Powerlab is the best choice. The Powerlab down side is you can only do one pack at a time or you have to parallel them.

I've set my Cellpro 8 up with a 12S2P A123 pack as a 6S4P pack. Then, I use the balance leads on the "right pack" on the first charge, and the balance leads on the "left" pack on the second charge.

I made up the high current cable from the Cellpro 8 with some #12 wire, with a "Y" at the end with Anderson Power Pole connectors for parallel charging.

My model has a screwed down canopy, so its been outfitted with eight power pole connectors going through the side of the fuselage. This allows charging, balancing, and running the motor without removing the canopy. The top 4 powerpole connectors are for charging, the bottom 4 connectors are for running.

If wattflyer readers are interested, I can provide photographs and drawings on how this is set up.

[Big Johnny]

The Cell Pro looks like the winner to me. I want to use some 123's on a 1/4 scale project I'm drawing up. It is a little known homebuilt. "The Wickham B"

Oh by the way I love Twins

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by Big Johnny

The Cell Pro looks like the winner to me. I want to use some 123's on a 1/4 scale project I'm drawing up. It is a little known homebuilt. "The Wickham B"

Oh by the way I love Twins

That will be a very nice model!
If you're planning on soldering up A123 cells without straps, take a look: You absolutely need the flux listed in this thread.
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57316

I'm using a 100 watt temperature regulated Weller soldering iron per below:
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59884

I've got a WHOLE collection of soldering equipment from a little 15 watt IC iron to three soldering guns, one of which is 250 watts, to an 80 watt iron, and several propane soldering irons. That 100 watt temperature regulated iron is by far the best for soldering things like tabs directly to the A123 cells. It's temperature stays at the correct value.

Other irons like that "Hammer Head" attachment work, but the soldering iron temperature varies all over the map while soldering, from near red hot to not hot enough to solder, when just soldering one cell.

[Epowerreg]

The Lilo setting overcharges a small amount and put the packs up to spec. Its the Supermate dc6. Its also balances in Lilo. Its has 2 other safety cut off features.