Battery charging

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Bob

It might be a silly answer but have you looked in the manual **LINK**

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Paul

Your link is identical to my instructions

Still can't make much sense of it!

While I'm on, Charles…..What does the Auto do, that Manual can't do?

Bob

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

It does not blow up your batteries through chronic over-charging because you have not calculated how long to charge them for !!

Ashley

[shipwrightParticipant @shipwright]

Hello Bob,

This might help :

**LINK**

Ian

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Ian

Very informative, but I still don't know what to set the charge rate at or get into Auto mode

But I noticed the video showed some screens, I haven't seen before

Time for another play

Ashley…..In manual, it still can't over charge…..It just cuts out

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Had a search and on Hobby King forum

Some say the Auto mode is not available………Others say, by pressing + and – at the same time, it works for them

It doesn`t work for me……As is the norm!

Now then Charles what`s the answer?

Bob

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Bob Abell on 19/07/2015 22:41:31:

DG ……You are too clever for your own boots!

7 amps?

I've never charged a battery other than at 1.2 amps!

How did you come up with 7 amps?

Think you've got your wires crossed?

Bob

As I understand it, you were saying that you had been charging the 4600 MAh pack fully in 40 mins. To do that requires a minimum of 7A. So I was guessing that you might have been putting 7A into the battery in some way.

Of course, you could have been charging a battery that was only slightly discharged, or you could have not been charging it fully. All of these are possibilities which need to be eliminated. Which was why I was saying that you 'might' have been charging at a slightly higher rate than recommended – not that you 'were'….

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello DG

I understand where you've got your 7 amps from now

The batteries must have been partly charged when bought?

And only half discharged after a spin round the lake

Lately, It takes 2 hours to charge up…….Which came as a surprise…..Hence my initial question about time to charge

When I thought I was out of the woods, Charlie Oats throws a spanner in the works, with his "Auto" question

We may get there shortly

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Slowly slowly catchee Monkey…….So the saying goes?

Found the AUTO setting at last……….Why is it not shown in the manual?

Press….."START"

Press……."+" and "-" at the same time

"MAN" and " AUTO" flash………Take your fingers off, to select

Now what?

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Battery charging can be a hazardous process, if not done with care!

This may be useful information to new members………And a few old hands too!

Charge your batteries in a safe area………The garage is ideal

Clear the working area of all inflammable materials……..Papers and rags etc……..And imflammable liquids

Use sheet metal (Biscuit tin etc) to isolate the charger and battery from the table surface

I always apply an I.D. label on all battery`s and keep a record log of times to charge up etc

Be safe out there!

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

A commendable piece of advice, however one of the important points that you missed out is that charging should be done in a well ventilated area.

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Paul

I knew I would forget something!

Bob

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

Hi bob, glad you found the auto setting. Have you set the charger up as per the instructions? Note the maximum time setting, if yours is 2 hours, as per the example shown, that might be why yours is switching off.
Next!
I fully agree with all the safety advice.

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

Bob,

my way to the Auto setting is

Select NiMH using the left hand button, and the screen probably shows an amp setting and MAN above. Reduce the A reading down to 0.1 and the next click down (or when it's on 0.1A) the MAN changes to AUT.

Plug in battery, hold down start for 3 secs and after the check is done away it goes on automatic. In this mode it switches off when down OR WHEN IT REACHES THE TIME LIMIT SET – DEFAULT IS 600 MINS

Hope I've added to the confusion?

Kimmo

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Can't imagine how you concocted up that routine, Kimmo!

Default 600 mins?…….That's 10 hours!

Me thinks IoM mins must a bit shorter than ours?

See you at Haydock?

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Kimmo

Yes you added to the confusion….added to that Bob now thinks that the IOM is on Eastern Standard Time.

Paul

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

Hi Bob and Paul, quite right you are, the IOM has it's own time as you know – there's "time enough" for any job.

Now then, here's the new charger and screen shot to show the simple yet complex information displayed as it charges up the LiPo set. A 11.1V pack at 2200mAh can be charged at 4A rate in a little over 25 minutes. The unit automatically detects the end of charge point, when the cells are at 4.20V/cell.

Here's a view nearly finished charging.

This unit makes charging better viewing than TV!

aye, Kim

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Many thanks, Kimmo

Very impressive display too……….Looks very technical

Luckily, I haven't got any LiPo's….But I know a man who has just acquired some…….My pal Duckie and he's calling round shortly for some expert advice!

Sorry to disappoint him though……But, we'll sort it out

Thanks Kim

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Kim

Traa-dy-Liooar ……happy memories

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

Well Bob, here's the NiMH on charge, and this unit can charge 6 identical batteries NiMH at the same time at 4A each on fast charge. A 3700 pack in about 40 minutes.

Kim

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Dear Kevin
Just to explain the pictures of the X200 a little:
The boxes on the RHS indicate (from the top) the voltage of the battery being charged/discharged, the charge/discharge rate, the battery capacity added/removed from the start, and the battery pack temperature. The LHS boxes are pretty much self-explanatory. On Kim's first picture you can see that the charger monitors and displays the voltage of each cell in the LiPo pack (along the bottom of the display). The graphs display the change in the four main readings over time. The whole thing is touch-screen selected and if you tell it something daft then it will check and report your error e.g. if you punch in a 3S pack when the one you've connected is only 2S. The whole process is automated once you hit the Start button and it beeps at you when the job is done. All in all it's a very clever piece of kit suitable for even un-clever people. I can recommend it unreservedly – and that's not something I do very often.
DM

[Author]

Posts