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

[Del K. Rykert]

and the biggest reason I will never switch..  I can't afford having any of 
these problems happening to me.

                     Del
          nsrca - 473

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Grow Pattern" <pattern4u at comcast.net>
To: "NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 12:27 AM
Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Dodged a Bullet Today!!!!


> 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?
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
>>> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>>> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>>>
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>> Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.2.3/281 - Release Date: 3/14/2006
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
>> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
>> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> NSRCA-discussion mailing list
> NSRCA-discussion at lists.nsrca.org
> http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion
>