[NSRCA-discussion] Dodged a Bullet Today!!!!

[Grow Pattern]

Jim,
        Thanks for the great reply. I can upgrade my practices based upon 
what you wrote. Clearly I own some user error, but I would still like to see 
these devices more idiot and genius proof before we lose a person!

Regards,

Eric.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J.Oddino" <joddino at socal.rr.com>
To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 8:55 PM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Dodged a Bullet Today!!!!


> When I first got my 109 I was afraid to use it.  I didn't understand Phase
> 1. The manual says, "During Phase 1 the charger will continue charging 
> your
> battery for three minutes regardless of the battery voltage.  It acts like 
> a
> dumb charger during this first phase".  This sounded like a recipe for
> disaster.  I also didn't like the idea of hitting the pack with 5 amp 
> pulses
> as it nears full charge.
> After listening to Bob Boucher I now feel totally confident using it. 
> Phase
> 1 works exactly as the manual describes and therefore you need to be at a
> very low current in Phase 1 if you want to top off a pack.  Any current 
> that
> lets the voltage equal 12.6 volts is too much (for a 3 cell pack).  Once 
> you
> understand that you are almost home free.  The remaining problem is the
> cells must be balanced so one isn't over 4.2 while the others are at 4.1
> volt.  Bottom line - don't use a 109 for topping off except at very low
> current after balancing and watch the voltage.  When it gets to 4.2 volts
> per cell stop charging.
> I recently did something similar with my TP1010/210 charger/balancer.  I 
> had
> run some tests on the system in the plane and had taken out about 750 mAh
> from the 5300 mAh pack.  I started charging at 5 Amps, the 1C rate, and
> fairly quickly the charger shut down indicating that the balancer had
> detected one cell going over 4.2 volts.  I was surprised that the charger
> hadn't automatically reduced the current but then surmised that perhaps 
> the
> pack had not reached 42 volts even though one cell had reached 4.2.  I cut
> the current down and topped it off with no further problems.
> Clearly the charger with feedback from the balancer saved the day so the
> question is, is it worth the cost?  With the 10s4p pack at about $620 the
> answer is yes.
> Jim O
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Grow Pattern" <pattern4u at comcast.net>
> To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 3:04 PM
> Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Dodged a Bullet Today!!!!
>
>
>>
> http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4056141/anchors_4064428/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#4064428See
> picture on RCU.I had a bit of a set back today with my winter fun 40 sized
> glow to electricconversion. I had wanted to try the Thunderpower 4200
> instead of the Tanic3600. I set off to the field with a borrowed
> Thunderpower 4200 mAh pack. Iset the Astroflight 109 to 2 Amps. It ent to
> stage 1 and was calibrating toa 3 cell pack and was well on its way to
> charging the pack, or at least so Ithought . I have done this 
> topping-it-up
> many times before. I set it on a 2Amp charge rate.I never made it to the
> field. I heard a light "Phuttt!" about ten minutesinto the journey. I
> stopped the van and ran back to the back doors. Thebattery was bloated and
> looking bad. I grabbed the Deans connectors andunplugged it. Dangling it 
> by
> the lead and as far away from my face aspossible I lowered it to the
> curbside.I then personally backed up and was about to move my van forward 
> a
> bit . (Ihad just put 3!
>>  5 gallons in it!). Seemed like a good idea to get clear. Neverhad the
> chance. The pack blew up in a ball of flame about a cubic yard insize and
> proceeded to burn fiercely. I had grabbed the fire extinguisher butdecided
> not to use it.The local police joined me for a while and seemed more
> interested in theplanes in the back of the van than the charred remains. I
> scraped all of thebits up to keep the country side pretty. Estimated that
> the grass would growback soon, and went home.Fortunately I was able to get
> it out of the van before it blew up intoflames etc.Long and the short of 
> it
> is. "Do not charge a fully charged battery with anautomatic charger"Dodged 
> a
> BIG bullet today.....Regards,Eric.P.S. If 3 fully charged cells = 12 V 
> plus,
> and 4 discharged cells = 12 Vplus, then how does the charger know which is
> which?
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