Going to buy the MCPX-BL

[bigpops]

Selecting "Storage charge" will charge or discharge as required.

You can parallel charge/store/discharge as you like, so long as your batteries are all the same cell count (1S in your case) and within around 1/10th of a volt of each other when you plug them all together.
If they're further out, you can get a rush of current from say a full battery into an empty one.

[5hane]

Selecting "Storage charge" will charge or discharge as required.

You can parallel charge/store/discharge as you like, so long as your batteries are all the same cell count (1S in your case) and within around 1/10th of a volt of each other when you plug them all together.
If they're further out, you can get a rush of current from say a full battery into an empty one.

Hi bigpops, thanks for replying.

Your comment regarding voltage threw me so I did a bit of reading back in this discussion and in the process possibly found a few answers to some of my questions in my previous post.
A few posters wrote that voltage variations are not an issue with 1s packs as the voltage equalises when connected in parallel. Voltage variations are only an issue with 2s batteries and above.
So whatever the differences in state are between 1s batteries they can all be connected in parallel to be charged / discharged / stored.

Hopefully I now only have 2 questions:

1. Do I manually enter the preferred STORAGE and DISCHARGE voltage and amperage, or do I enter the maximum amperage and voltage of the batteries (as you do in the charge settings) and the charger will then magically DISCHARGE or STORE to the recommended DISCHARGE / STORE levels? (god I hope that makes sense)
BTW I can't seem to set the voltage to less than 3.7v for STORAGE or DISCHARGE anyway.

2. To parallel charge 5 x 160mah and 1 x 175mah 1s batteries, do I enter the amperage as 1.0A or 0.9A? Is it safe to go over a little?

3. Ok, one more please. My little brain is fried trying to figure this out: I understand that for storage the voltage is reduced. Are the amps supposed to be reduced as well? Oh and when you discharge batteries are you discharging the voltage or the amps. I know that probably sounds a stupid question. I just can't get my head round it.

It is my understanding that amps is the capacity, so when you charge a battery the amps increase. Voltage is how quickly the amps can leave the battery and power the motor. If im wrong then I have no idea why what I've been told up until now isn't sinking in!
I have a horrible feeling I am wrong because if amps are the capacity, what is amp rate all about?


Ok, I have to switch off my aching brain and hit the sack.

Thanks and goodnight.

[philipjdall]

It seems you have some key info missing so let's go back to the basics...

Start by imagining a battery as a water tank.
The water level in the tank is how full your tank is. This is the VOLTAGE.
How quickly you decide to fill it up (or rate of flow), is the CURRENT (measured in Amps).

If we a think of a lipo cell, 4.2v is the full level, 3.7v the 'safe' empty level. As above, as you charge the pack the voltage rises until it is full at 4.2v. The more amps we put in the faster this happens.

Now for your questions:

1. 'STORAGE CHARGE' on your charger should either charge or discharge your batteries to around 3.86v per cell. If we think of our water tank example, this is half full. You shouldn't need to set the end voltage in the charger, but you will need to set the amps (how fast you want to charge/discharge the batteries).
2. In this scenario 1.0A is fine - increasing this number just means you will charge the packs faster (think rate of flow!)
3. Hopefully my water tank example has answered this!

PS: When parallel charging batteries it is ALWAYS best to make sure there voltage is similar, regardless of the cell count. Even on a 1s pack there will be huge flow in current from an empty pack to a charged pack if connected together. If you don't know their charge state then storage charge each pack individually or check on a cell meter.

Hope this helps.

p

[5hane]

It seems you have some key info missing so let's go back to the basics...

Start by imagining a battery as a water tank.
The water level in the tank is how full your tank is. This is the VOLTAGE.
How quickly you decide to fill it up (or rate of flow), is the CURRENT (measured in Amps).

If we a think of a lipo cell, 4.2v is the full level, 3.7v the 'safe' empty level. As above, as you charge the pack the voltage rises until it is full at 4.2v. The more amps we put in the faster this happens.

Now for your questions:

1. 'STORAGE CHARGE' on your charger should either charge or discharge your batteries to around 3.86v per cell. If we think of our water tank example, this is half full. You shouldn't need to set the end voltage in the charger, but you will need to set the amps (how fast you want to charge/discharge the batteries).
2. In this scenario 1.0A is fine - increasing this number just means you will charge the packs faster (think rate of flow!)
3. Hopefully my water tank example has answered this!

PS: When parallel charging batteries it is ALWAYS best to make sure there voltage is similar, regardless of the cell count. Even on a 1s pack there will be huge flow in current from an empty pack to a charged pack if connected together. If you don't know their charge state then storage charge each pack individually or check on a cell meter.

Hope this helps.

p

Hi P. I really did have things back to front then!!

"The water level in the tank is how full your tank is. This is the VOLTAGE".
I honestly didn't realise that voltage was the capacity. I though that was Amps or Mah.
So what is Mah if voltage is "the water level in the tank"?

I don't have a cell meter, nor can I find one that even fits on a 1s battery. So it sounds like im never going to be able to parallel charge my 1s batteries, because #1 I will never know the voltage, and #2 I still don't understand batteries.
You'd think this Turnigy charger might be able to tell me the current voltage. I wish I hadn't been told several times that "voltage variations dont matter with these little batteries.

Forgive my frustrations. I honestly thought I was ready for this!
I think its easier flying RC heli's than understanding batteries!

[philipjdall]

Voltage is the level, and indicates how full or empty the pack is, not the capacity!

Capacity is measured in MAH (milli-amp-hours). I.e. a 2200mah pack can discharge 2200 amps in one hour... So you were correct on that bit.

If you don't have a cell meter, then charge them one at a time first. Then use them - they will roughly have the same voltage and you'll be good to go.

Honestly don't overthink it, charge and go fly.

[5hane]

Voltage is the level, and indicates how full or empty the pack is, not the capacity!

Capacity is measured in MAH (milli-amp-hours). I.e. a 2200mah pack can discharge 2200 amps in one hour... So you were correct on that bit.

If you don't have a cell meter, then charge them one at a time first. Then use them - they will roughly have the same voltage and you'll be good to go.

Honestly don't overthink it, charge and go fly.

Thanks for explaining. I'm writing all this down and drumming it into my brain.

I've just figured out that I can test the voltages using my thumb sized lipo tester if I use the 1s parallel cable (1s batteries don't fit directly onto the tester).
The results were as follows:

160mah = 3.74
160mah = 4.15
160mah = 3.76
160mah = 3.80
160mah = 3.74
175mah = 3.83

They all look pretty similar to each other, so perhaps I'm finally ready!

Where you wrote "a 2200mah pack can discharge 2200 amps in one hour". Just so im clear, should that be 2200 milliamps in one hour? Perhaps not, but just so I am completely understanding.

I definitely want to try parallel charging as that is why I thought I would upgrade from the stock charger, plus it will hopefully take me forwards.

Thanks

[kenny d]

Hi Shane , no wonder your brain feels fried , there's to much information on here for a newbie , I would charge each battery individually first , fly them through your heli (aprox 4 minutes) they will be at 3.8v aprox , when your ready to use them again parallel charge them & fly , at this point putting them into storage charge would be better but not the end of the world. the main thing is not to leave a battery fully charged for any length of time as this WILL damage them , if your not going to use a fully charged battery, discharge it , Kd

a fully charged battery is 4.15v aprox A safe discharged battery is 3.7v aprox
of the battery's you are showing one is fully charged , put it back to storage charge (3.8v aprox) then when your ready to use them parallel charge them , Kd

[5hane]

Hi Shane , no wonder your brain feels fried , there's to much information on here for a newbie , I would charge each battery individually first , fly them through your heli (aprox 4 minutes) they will be at 3.8v aprox , when your ready to use them again parallel charge them & fly , at this point putting them into storage charge would be better but not the end of the world. the main thing is not to leave a battery fully charged for any length of time as this WILL damage them , if your not going to use a fully charged battery, discharge it , Kd

a fully charged battery is 4.15v aprox A safe discharged battery is 3.7v aprox
of the battery's you are showing one is fully charged , put it back to storage charge (3.8v aprox) then when your ready to use them parallel charge them , Kd

Hi Kenny. Thank you

Ok im going to do that, but first ill storage charge the one fully charged battery I have as I've now run out of time for the day, and im gagging to see this charger in action just once!
Before I do I now have another stupid question: What are the amp settings for 1 single battery? I make it 0.16 but I don't see how I enter that low amount. The lowest I can go on the charger is 0.1.
I haven't even looked in to what C ratings are about yet, but I've seen them mentioned in this discussion. I can't see the C settings on the charger but ill probably save that for another day.

[kenny d]

charge at 1c. Discharge at 1c that will get you started

1c =. The capacity of your battery. Ie if your battery is 300mah then it's 300mah or 0.03amp

discharge at 25c means it can discharge at 25 times the c rating

If it takes 4 mins to flatten a battery and say 40 mins to charge then it's discharged at 10c

[5hane]

charge at 1c. Discharge at 1c that will get you started

1c =. The capacity of your battery. Ie if your battery is 300mah then it's 300mah or 0.03amp

discharge at 25c means it can discharge at 25 times the c rating

If it takes 4 mins to flatten a battery and say 40 mins to charge then it's discharged at 10c

Ok, well ill study up on that, ty.
Well it's finally doing something lol. Putting that 4.12v battery into storage using these settings: 0.1A / 3.7v.
The screen shows the volts slowly dropping

[Peteski]

1c =. The capacity of your battery. Ie if your battery is 300mah then it's 300mah or 0.03amp

should be 0.3 amp in the above example.

[5hane]

should be 0.3 amp in the above example.

Funny, I was just wondering that and you then posted it.
Small steps and ill get there.

[5hane]

Getting nervous now. In storage mode, it's now down to 03.70v. Hope it stops soon.
I thought it was meant to stop at 3.8

[5hane]

Ok well it seems to be sitting at 3.7, so I guess that will be the storage voltage.

[kenny d]

should be 0.3 amp in the above example.

Sorry i missed that mistake , the main thing is not getting the decimal in the wrong place when charging IE 3amp instead of 0.3 amp