A question re batteries in both the tank and the transmitter.
Is it better to keep the batteries charged and topped up if I don't use my tanks from one week to the next,OR is charging say once a month ok.
How often would you charge your batteries in tank and transmitter if not using them.
I have tried both and the batteries don't seem to be very good at holding their charge- maybe need new ones.How do I tell if the are shot at and need replacing.I have a volt meter to test their charge.
Look forward to your replies.Thanks
Duncan
Battery Charging
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duncanallender
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Christoffer Ahlfors
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The one thing rechargeable batteries of all technologies seem allergic to is deep discharging. As long as you can avoid that, I think you will be okay. And if you can keep them "fully charged", they will have both a longer "shelf life" and better resistance to freezing. In other words - don't use them... 
Cheers,
/Chris
Cheers,
/Chris
A little too much is about right...
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phil fitzpatrick
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Battery testers
Hi Duncan
Your volt metre will just measure the electrical potential of your
battery(voltage).
Where as a proper Battery tester will let you know whether the
battery is capable of delivering its rated capacity.
What better place to look to explain it was in the instruction manual of a good tester like the Yuasa YSP117 I thought,and sure
enough if you go to
www.rswww.com
type in the serch box the part number 4948007 then scroll down to the PDF doc instruction manual.
It explains it all perfectly for us.
Its well worth a quick read.
Cheers
Phil
Your volt metre will just measure the electrical potential of your
battery(voltage).
Where as a proper Battery tester will let you know whether the
battery is capable of delivering its rated capacity.
What better place to look to explain it was in the instruction manual of a good tester like the Yuasa YSP117 I thought,and sure
enough if you go to
www.rswww.com
type in the serch box the part number 4948007 then scroll down to the PDF doc instruction manual.
It explains it all perfectly for us.
Its well worth a quick read.
Cheers
Phil
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duncanallender
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- Location: Wirral,Merseyside
- Been liked: 8 times
Feedback
Thanks Phil and Chris,
I'll certainly go on that link you mentioned and gen up on my electrics.You are right about the volt meter just testing the charge, as I've done this and thought great-11.35v, fully charged, but then the battery soon runs down.
Cheers Dunc
I'll certainly go on that link you mentioned and gen up on my electrics.You are right about the volt meter just testing the charge, as I've done this and thought great-11.35v, fully charged, but then the battery soon runs down.
Cheers Dunc
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John Davie
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phil fitzpatrick
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- Location: Sambourne uk
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Inteligent chargers
You are right John about the chargers.
I discovered this weekend that my big Honda mower with electric start
had been starting great for 5 years,so I thought that the engine was
charging the battery.
It was very slugish for the first time this spring and went flat,so out
came the manual which I should have read properly sooner and sure
enough it was supposed to be kept charged with the supplied intelegent
charger
So after searching for that in the garage I left it on over night and as
good as new now,one tough little battery
So I will be using that regular now
cheers
Phil
I discovered this weekend that my big Honda mower with electric start
had been starting great for 5 years,so I thought that the engine was
charging the battery.
It was very slugish for the first time this spring and went flat,so out
came the manual which I should have read properly sooner and sure
enough it was supposed to be kept charged with the supplied intelegent
charger
So after searching for that in the garage I left it on over night and as
good as new now,one tough little battery
So I will be using that regular now
cheers
Phil
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Jan_Donadoni
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- Location: Italy
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Different batteries have different behaviour.
That is Ni-Cd and Ni-Mh batteries (most in TX and RX) are going to naturally discharge with time. Ni-Mh particularly suffer that (up to 10-15% in the first 24h), and also suffer below 4° Celsius. That is storing the batteries in a warm place (not hot) is good Since they are pretty small you can keep everywhere inside the house.
Pb batteries (those inside the tank) are large and heavy, so they are generally left inside the tank. The also tend to discharge naturally and also suffer from freezing temperatures. In summer they could be stored for over 6 months without charge, but maybe you are going to run the tank often... At standard room temperature a fully charged battery should have a "shelf life" up to 3 years. In winter freezing temperatures it's good to fully charge them (at slow charge) at least once a month.
This is why i am considering shifting to LiFe batteries (not LiPos). There are now batteries looking the same as standard or gel Pb batteries, but they are 50-60% smaller at same amperage and could give more effective amperage. They are also lighter (7kg against 12Kg). Finally since they are smaller I could store them inside home and have a shelf life of at least 3 years. You could also charge them at 1C (= 1 capacity) that is in 1 hour if you have a very strong charger ( I plan to have 22ah batteries with a 10 ah charger, so i will be able to get back on the field in an average of 1.5 hours since I will never use the full 22ah for battery safety)
That is Ni-Cd and Ni-Mh batteries (most in TX and RX) are going to naturally discharge with time. Ni-Mh particularly suffer that (up to 10-15% in the first 24h), and also suffer below 4° Celsius. That is storing the batteries in a warm place (not hot) is good Since they are pretty small you can keep everywhere inside the house.
Pb batteries (those inside the tank) are large and heavy, so they are generally left inside the tank. The also tend to discharge naturally and also suffer from freezing temperatures. In summer they could be stored for over 6 months without charge, but maybe you are going to run the tank often... At standard room temperature a fully charged battery should have a "shelf life" up to 3 years. In winter freezing temperatures it's good to fully charge them (at slow charge) at least once a month.
This is why i am considering shifting to LiFe batteries (not LiPos). There are now batteries looking the same as standard or gel Pb batteries, but they are 50-60% smaller at same amperage and could give more effective amperage. They are also lighter (7kg against 12Kg). Finally since they are smaller I could store them inside home and have a shelf life of at least 3 years. You could also charge them at 1C (= 1 capacity) that is in 1 hour if you have a very strong charger ( I plan to have 22ah batteries with a 10 ah charger, so i will be able to get back on the field in an average of 1.5 hours since I will never use the full 22ah for battery safety)
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phil fitzpatrick
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Battery Life(and Death)
Hi Guys
Another great Link below to BATTERY LIFE(and DEATH)
www.mpoweruk.com/life.htm
Almost every thing you might want to know about how to give life
to a battery and kill it.
Plus on the same long page at least 21 further links to other pages
in the same site with further details on each battery life subject.
includes graphs on depth of charge and cycle life etc
Cheers
Phil
Another great Link below to BATTERY LIFE(and DEATH)
www.mpoweruk.com/life.htm
Almost every thing you might want to know about how to give life
to a battery and kill it.
Plus on the same long page at least 21 further links to other pages
in the same site with further details on each battery life subject.
includes graphs on depth of charge and cycle life etc
Cheers
Phil
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Christoffer Ahlfors
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Thanks for the links - very interesting reading!
Regarding the conductance meter, I figured that since conductance is simply the inverse of resistance, maybe using a simple ohmmeter could give a corresponding indication of battery health. But it doesn't work. I get no reading. Besides, 100 Siemens of conductance would be 1/100 Ohms, much smaller than the simple contact resistance of putting the probes together. I wonder how a conductance meter does it?
Cheers,
/Chris
Regarding the conductance meter, I figured that since conductance is simply the inverse of resistance, maybe using a simple ohmmeter could give a corresponding indication of battery health. But it doesn't work. I get no reading. Besides, 100 Siemens of conductance would be 1/100 Ohms, much smaller than the simple contact resistance of putting the probes together. I wonder how a conductance meter does it?
Cheers,
/Chris
A little too much is about right...
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phil fitzpatrick
- Posts: 2020
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:38 pm
- Location: Sambourne uk
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Batteries
Hi Christopher
I think that last link I put on was the best and to answer you
properly I would have to study it myself completely.
I think to put it simply the conductance measurements tell us
what damage we have done to the plates inside the battery and
can not be measured with a simple volt metre.
The proper instruments which the ones that do the job are expensive tell us how much of the rated capacity of the battery
can still be given,which is different to the voltage reading.
Unfortunately its not as simple checking your Tank batteries as it
is a car battery,its hard to put it under load and measure at the
same time,like switching everything on and seeing how quick
the lights dim,when you operate the starter motor.
Which in its self is not a good measurement any way.
Not much help to you I know but,I suppose buying from a local
expert and taking the batteries to them for checking is the only
alternative to the expensive test equipment and knowledge.
Cheers
Phil
I think that last link I put on was the best and to answer you
properly I would have to study it myself completely.
I think to put it simply the conductance measurements tell us
what damage we have done to the plates inside the battery and
can not be measured with a simple volt metre.
The proper instruments which the ones that do the job are expensive tell us how much of the rated capacity of the battery
can still be given,which is different to the voltage reading.
Unfortunately its not as simple checking your Tank batteries as it
is a car battery,its hard to put it under load and measure at the
same time,like switching everything on and seeing how quick
the lights dim,when you operate the starter motor.
Which in its self is not a good measurement any way.
Not much help to you I know but,I suppose buying from a local
expert and taking the batteries to them for checking is the only
alternative to the expensive test equipment and knowledge.
Cheers
Phil