charging devices for LiFePO4 batteries

[Gerhard Michel]

Hi all,

LiFePO4 (LiFe) batteries become more an more interesting for our tanks. They are light weighting, strong and reliable long life batteries and even cheaper than lead acid types over there whole period of life. Another benefit is that they may be charged with much higher currents than lead acid batteries.

Therefore it may be interesting to have a look at the charging device types available. This depends on using a battery management system (BMS) for the battery pack or not. If a BMS is available a simple and inexpensive lead acid charger may be used, but most of BMS types limit also the charging current. If there is no BMS used than a dedicated charger with balancing possibility is absolutely necessary, but a high-current charging may be applied (fully charging within one hour or less). Such a device is more expensive, so the spared BMS is over-equalized when only one battery pack is to be charged. For more models the BMS-free solution is more favorable, if the circumstances allow that (battery monitoring at discharge!).

A high-levelled universal charger for nearly all types of batteries including all types of Lithium cells with balancing is the Junsi iCharger 4010 Duo. I am using it for some years and I have only positive experiences with it. First of all its only handicap: about 700 € are necessary to pay for the charger and its mains device; even 940 € when choosing the all-in-one set. That's a lot of money, indeed, but there are also a lot of benefits you get. Unfortunately I found no description in English; therefore here is only a link to this device in German.


https://zj-hobbyshop.de/shops/16/8/0/la ... r-4010-duo

https://zj-hobbyshop.de/modules/wbsShop ... tion_id=69

The main advantages for LiFe batteries are the ultra high charging current (up to 70 amps combining the two charging channels!) and the high balancing current of 2 amps per cell.

[Gian Marco Menozzi]

Hi,
There are many good quality chargers at relatively low prices, one is this:
https://it.banggood.com/ISDT-P30-1000WX ... o-Battery- p-1678962.html? utm_source = googleshopping & utm_medium = cpc_organic & gmcCountry = EN & utm_content = minha & utm_campaign = minha-itg-en-pc & currency = EUR & cur_warehouse = CZ & createTmp = 1 & utm_source = googleshopping & utm_medium = cpc_bgcs & utm_content = Xibei & utm_campaign = Xibei-ssc-itg-toys-0303 & ad_id = 422892905752 & gclid = EAIaIQobChMI66HLnPzr7gIVM- 7mCh1dQwKnEAYYBiABEgLZIvD_BwE
I have read many reviews on various forums and everyone talks about it well, they are on the same store power supplies at attractive prices.
Marco

[Christoffer Ahlfors]

Marco,
your link is broken.

Gerhard,
thanks for recommending this charger! I have used it for a few years now and it is just awesome! I got the suitcase variant, which is very practical and *extremely* well made. When charging 24V batteries, the current capacity is limited to 55A or so - because of the built in power supplies, but quite awesome to watch the progress at this rate nonetheless.
The charger has two channels that operate independently of one another. This is designed with flyers in mind, so they can start charging the next battery before the previous one is completely done. The two channels can also be bridged to produce combined power, which is what I am doing.
It has settings for lots of battery chemistries, with emerging ones through software updates, which might come in handy - should LFP batteries go out of style... Or if you just have other types of models that also need charging.
It lets you check the internal resistance of the cells, which gives a good health indication. I imagine that the resistance will go up when the cells have seen the best of their lives. It also lets you discharge your batteries to a suitable storage voltage after the season. This is useful for extending the life of LFP batteries (as low voltage as possible, but NOT below minimum rating).
Although the suitcase variant is extremely well fitted for using in the field, I might just leave it at home anyway. To this day, I have never had to use it in the field - not even for two day events.... My 60Ah LFP batteries are just inexhaustible!

[Gian Marco Menozzi]

I'm sorry, I try again,
https://it.banggood.com/search/isdt-p30.html?from=nav
https://it.banggood.com/search/isdt.html?from=nav
with all the ISDT production, they have many models if you stay on a 6S instead of an 8S, they cost very little,
I use an old lipotech 2 x 400Watt 8S (unfortunately out of production), I load the life batteries for safety at 1 / 2C I have been using them for 4 or 5 years now
Marco

[Gerhard Michel]

Hi Marco,

sorry, but IMHO these chargers are only usable for lithium polymere (LiPo) cells, which are NOT recommended for our tank models! LiPo cells are much more dangerous in handling, charging and storage and should not remain in a model when not used. LiPo batteries should only be used in airplane modelling where all other types of batteries are not as powerful as necessary.

LiFePO4 Cells are much safer against deep discharge and overcharging than LiPos. Yes, they also become damaged under such conditions, but they do not burn or explode like LiPos.

[Gian Marco Menozzi]

hi Gerhard,
if you look in the specifications you see that it can charge all kinds of lithium batteries,
including Lifepo4, only they only write life,
and up to 8 8S cells.
I am thinking of taking 1 so as not to have to constantly change the programming, I use Life po4, lipo 2s, 3s, 4s, 6s batteries and on some models the NiMh, I have an industrial / medical power supply from 1.5Kw to 25 Volt, I charge the batteries in a gentle way at maximum 1 C, and that's enough for me
Regards
Marco