This is why I'm a big fan of the West Mountain CBA. I've attached a screen grab of the discharge curve graph I did this spring of the battery in my Evolution. My Evolution sat in my garage from September 2008 until the spring of 2010 with no maintenance whatsoever done to the battery. I charged the battery and then ran a discharge curve on the CBA, overlaying the results on the graph I made when the battery was new. The red and black lines are the curves from when the battery was new, the green curve was after the battery had sat for an entire year.<br>
<br> The point I'm trying to make is that if you make a graph when a battery is new, then you can continue to overlay discharge curves as the battery ages or undergoes some significant event where you think it may have been damaged. By comparing the curves on the same graph you can tell immediately if the battery is losing capacity or the ability to hold voltage under load. <br>
<br> Curiously, the A123 batteries I have don't seem to show any degradation no matter how many amps I draw from them or after sitting for a year. In fact, if you look at the attached graph, the green line shows an improvement over when the battery was new. . . go figure? <br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 12:29 PM, Paul LaChance <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:plachance@cox.net">plachance@cox.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">Jon,</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">Good to hear from you again. We met at the
2008 NATS. </font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">I plan to switch to the Li Ion packs, but cannot
afford to do so at this time. ANY flying I do right now is still on a VERY
tight budget. Life and the economy caught up with me right after the
NATS. I am just now getting to the point I can start to fly
again.</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">I thought that was the case about fast charging, so
flying tonight is probably not going to happen. Although my pack that died
last night has now cycled to 1600 mah(rated at 1400) I am trying to go to
a contest in 4 weeks and trust me...I need all the practice I can get.
Have not flown the plane in 2 years since the 2008 NATS.</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">BTW, I have always done the charge again just to be
sure they have fully charged. Taught to me MANY years ago by the man who
taught me to fly.</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div>
<div><font size="2" face="Arial">Paul</font></div>
<blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px;"><div class="im">
<div style="font: 10pt arial;">----- Original Message ----- </div>
<div style="font: 10pt arial; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(228, 228, 228);"><b>From:</b>
<a title="jonlowe@aol.com" href="mailto:jonlowe@aol.com" target="_blank">Jon Lowe</a> </div>
<div style="font: 10pt arial;"><b>To:</b> <a title="nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org" href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org" target="_blank">nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a>
</div>
<div style="font: 10pt arial;"><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, August 22, 2010 12:56
PM</div>
<div style="font: 10pt arial;"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Scary
night of flying</div>
<div><br></div></div><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: small;">Ron,</span>
<div><span style="font-size: small;">I the question was
"</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> if NiCad can be quick charged on a first charging
or do they have to be slow charged like NiMh?</span><span style="font-size: small;">". The key word is FIRST.
Answer is no, they shouldn't be. Two or three cycles at c/10 are
recommended to form the cells. Radical RC has some good info on their
website about forming charging, and will not warranty cells that are ruined by
fast charging on the first cycle, whether they be nicads or NiMh. Some
cells should never be fast charged, ie ultra high capacity NiMh's.
</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.radicalrc.com/category/Tx-Packs-NiMH-&-NiCd-20" target="_blank">http://www.radicalrc.com/category/Tx-Packs-NiMH-&-NiCd-20</a></span></div>
<div><br></div>
<div><span style="font-size: small;">Nicads and NiMh's
can also "false peak" early in the charge cycle when they are pretty well
drained, making you think they are fully charged, when they don't have much
charge at all. If I am peak charging well formed packs, I always turn
off the charger and turn it oon again when it indicates they have peaked to
make sure.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: small;"><br></span></div>
<div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.radicalrc.com/category/Tx-Packs-NiMH-&-NiCd-20" target="_blank"></a>This
whole business is why I use Li Ion (not lipo) cells with a regulator for my
receiver and servos. Lighter, no memory, very high capacity, durable.
Fromeco or Central sell good 2600 mah packs.<br></span><br>
<div style="clear: both;"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2" color="black" face="arial">Jon
Lowe</font></font></div><br><br>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica; color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><div class="im">-----Original
Message-----<br>From: Ron Van Putte <<a href="mailto:vanputte@cox.net" target="_blank">vanputte@cox.net</a>><br>To: General
pattern discussion <<a href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org" target="_blank">nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a>><br></div><div><div></div><div class="h5">Sent: Sun, Aug
22, 2010 11:41 am<br>Subject: Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Scary night of
flying<br><br>
<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px; font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Sans-Serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12px;">Nicads can be fast
charged. The best charger for nicads that I've used is the FMA Super Nova. It
has an algorithm which looks at the rate of change of voltage in the
"automatic" mode. If the rate of change of battery voltage is positive, the
charger ramps up the charge rate; if the rate of change of voltage is
negative, it reduces the charge current. It was kind of scary at first to
watch it do its thing, because the charge current can get pretty high.
However, that's the sign of a healthy battery. When the charge rate doesn't go
up much, or not at all, it's time to put the battery in the trash. Too bad
Fred Marks' sons, who took over the business from Fred, are such bozos, or I'd
still be doing business with them and selling the Super Nova
charger. <br> <br>Ron <br> <br>On Aug 22, 2010, at 10:37
AM, Paul LaChance wrote: <br> <br>> Hi
all, <br>> <br>> Thanks for all the advice. I have to admit I
did not cycle the > batteries before flying this time. They were cycled
when purchased > and were new for the 2008 NATS. I already bought a new
battery but > wanted to know if NiCad can be quick charged on a first
charging or > do they have to be slow charged like NiMh? Thanks in
advance. <br>> <br>>
Paul <br>> <br>> <br>> ----- Original Message -----
From: "Lightfoot" <<a href="mailto:lightfoot@sc.rr.com" target="_blank">lightfoot@sc.rr.com</a>> <br>>
To: "'General pattern discussion'" <<a href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org" target="_blank">nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a>> <br>>
Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2010 11:13 AM <br>> Subject: Re:
[NSRCA-discussion] Scary night of
flying <br>> <br>> <br>>> Might well have been a
case of NiCad "memory". I wouldn't have >> thrown them <br>>>
away unless after cycling them twice they showed to be weak.
Periodic <br>>> cycling is a
must! <br>>> <br>>> Jay Marshall <br>>>
-----Original Message----- <br>>> From: <a href="mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org" target="_blank">nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org</a> <br>>>
[<a href="mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org?" target="_blank">mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org</a>]
On Behalf Of >> Paul LaChance <br>>> Sent: Saturday, August
21, 2010 10:57 PM <br>>> To: General pattern
discussion <br>>> Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Scary night of
flying <br>>> <br>>> Hi
all, <br>>> <br>>> I finally flew my Prestige tonight
after not flying it since the >> NATS 2008. <br>>> I have not
flown it or ANY planes for 2 full years. I charged >> everything
up <br>>> <br>>> and all seemed well. Flew my first
flight and landed without >> incident. I <br>>> checked the
plane over and checked all my batteries and all looked >>
well. <br>>> <br>>> Flew flight 2, all was going well.
Flew the Advanced pattern >> twice and <br>>> landed. Checked
my batteries again and they still read over 6 volts. <br>>> Engine
was running great and all was well. <br>>> <br>>> Flew
flight 3 and that is where things got scary. I flew the >> sequence
once <br>>> and everything was going well. When I started my second
sequence >> the plane <br>>> got sluggish and was not feeling
right. I landed ASAP and as soon >> as the <br>>> wheels
tounched down, I went to add rudder to stear towards the >> pits and
had <br>>> <br>>> no rudder, no elevator, and only one
aileron was working but it >> barely
moved <br>>> <br>>> and was very sluggish. I shut the
plane off and checked the >> batteries and <br>>> they were
barely reading 4.5 volts. This was a 5 cell nicad >> pack. I
guess <br>>> I had a cell short and kill the pack. I was just
amazed and am >> very lucky <br>>> to have been able to get
the plane back on the ground before the >> battery <br>>>
completely failed. <br>>> <br>>> Has anyone had this
happen before? What would cause this? I am >> going to <br>>>
get a new pack in the morning and try to fly again tomorrow
evening. <br>>> <br>>> Thanks in advance for the
help, <br>>> <br>>>
Paul <br>>> <br>>>
_______________________________________________ <br>>>
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_______________________________________________ <br>> NSRCA-discussion
mailing list <br>> <a href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org" target="_blank">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a> <br>>
<a href="http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion" target="_blank">http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</a> <br> <br>_______________________________________________ <br>NSRCA-discussion
mailing list <br><a href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org" target="_blank">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a> <br><a href="http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion" target="_blank">http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</a> <br>
</div></div></div></div></div></font><div><div></div><div class="h5">
<p>
</p><hr>
<p></p>_______________________________________________<br>NSRCA-discussion
mailing
list<br><a href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org" target="_blank">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a><br><a href="http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion" target="_blank">http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</a></div>
</div></blockquote></div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
NSRCA-discussion mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion" target="_blank">http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</a><br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><br>Keith Hoard<br>Collierville, TN<br>
<a href="mailto:khoard@gmail.com">khoard@gmail.com</a><br><br><br>