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Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 4:43 pm
by Sam Hough
Hi,
My Dad managed to kill two new sets of nice LiPos in his UC. My guess is they got left attached and deep discharged.
Is it safe to assume no battery saver in the standard electronics?
Anybody tried any other battery types that survive less care?
Cheers
Sam
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 5:14 pm
by Brian Ostlind
Lipos can’t drop below a certain voltage or it becomes tricky to recharge them. Best thing to do is get a new lipo battery and maintain it carefully, i.e. put it on a storage charge after use. They are pretty inexpensive to replace.
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 5:23 pm
by Derek Attree
Hi Sam
I also use a lipo alarm its a small pc card that plugs into the white balance socket and buzzes
when the voltage drops to about 3v per cell .
I get them from component shop about £3.50 each
well worth it.
Regards Derek
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 6:36 pm
by DaveMacri
sent you a PM
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 11:08 am
by Sam Hough
Thanks Derek,
That sounds a good idea. Do you keep them attached permanently?
This the one you use
https://www.componentshop.co.uk/led-bat ... .html.html ? Does seem clever as monitors each cell and don't need to tell it how many cells.
Cheers
Sam
Derek Attree wrote: ↑Tue Mar 07, 2023 5:23 pm
Hi Sam
I also use a lipo alarm its a small pc card that plugs into the white balance socket and buzzes
when the voltage drops to about 3v per cell .
I get them from component shop about £3.50 each
well worth it.
Regards Derek
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 11:10 am
by Sam Hough
Thanks Brian,
I think the 1970s Northern English part of me finds them expensive
I'll try my dad with new lipos with alarms. The capacity of the LiPos is hard to argue with.
Cheers
Sam
Brian Ostlind wrote: ↑Tue Mar 07, 2023 5:14 pm
Lipos can’t drop below a certain voltage or it becomes tricky to recharge them. Best thing to do is get a new lipo battery and maintain it carefully, i.e. put it on a storage charge after use. They are pretty inexpensive to replace.
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 1:56 pm
by Derek Attree
Hi Sam
The one I use has a numeric out put that tells you the actual voltage in each cell and buzzes when the
voltage drops to low when running.
Its also useful to check the pack when in storage or before you go out to play
Regards
Derek
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 2:53 pm
by Adrian Harris
> My guess is they got left attached and deep discharged.
If you're using the motion pack wiring from Armortek, there's a toggle switch in the lead from the battery which will isolate it.
The alarms are handy for making sure you don't take the battery down to far when running but I'm thinking one isn't going to help with this as it shouldn't be left attached when the model is not being used, and the switch will remove any drain from the motion pack anyway.
Adrian.
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 3:20 pm
by Dennis Jones
I always unplug lipo batteries in models that are using lipos when not in use. I use 12 volt gel batteries in my UC as I use 2 motors to drive it also no need to remove it to re-charge.
Dennis.
Re: Need battery saver with LiPos or alternative chemistry?
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:34 pm
by Sam Hough
I try to remember to disconnect the battery but still manage to forget sometimes. Quite an expensive mistake with the LiPos...
Cheers
Sam
Adrian Harris wrote: ↑Wed Mar 08, 2023 2:53 pm
> My guess is they got left attached and deep discharged.
If you're using the motion pack wiring from Armortek, there's a toggle switch in the lead from the battery which will isolate it.
The alarms are handy for making sure you don't take the battery down to far when running but I'm thinking one isn't going to help with this as it shouldn't be left attached when the model is not being used, and the switch will remove any drain from the motion pack anyway.
Adrian.