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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>At the end of every flying session, I leave the field with the batteries in whatever state of charge that they have.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>I don’t do a storage charge at the field.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>I do the storage charge at home.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>If I am going to fly the next day or in a few days….less than a week, I do not discharge the already charged batteries….but I DO top them off at the field the next time out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>Today’s chargers usually go into the balance mode immediately when charging a previously charged battery so I don’t believe there is a problem topping off a previously charged battery.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>Before I leave for the field, I charge all batteries that are discharged or in storage charge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>If I have several flying sessions in a week or so I will NOT put any discharged batteries in storage charge….<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>Then I charge them just before I leave home on the next day I go flying.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>If I know I am not going to fly for several days then I DO put discharged batteries in storage charge….AND discharge charged batteries low enough to put into storage charge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>If I need to discharge any batteries I do it with a 17 ohm 100w Dale resistor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>I made a 12” heavy zip cord lead with alligator clips on one end and a matching connector for the battery on the other end.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>I use a Fluke DVM across the resistor to monitor the voltage and I discharge down to about 35 volts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>Then I immediately do a storage charge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>I might not have to take them down to 35 volts but the battery must be below the storage charge voltage to get the charger into the storage mode.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>If you do the math….the discharge on a fully charged battery is about 2.4A and the resistor is running within its wattage range.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>Dave Harmon<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>NSRCA 586<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>K6XYZ[at]sbcglobal[dot]net<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'>Sperry, Ok.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Scott McHarg<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, May 08, 2013 1:06 PM<br><b>To:</b> General pattern discussion<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Battery discharge/storage question<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>I got scolded not too long ago for even suggesting it by a ThunderPower rep. I wanted to top off because after a week, one of my packs had dropped down to like 94% (yes it was an older pack and had a little over 180 cycles on it). I was told that topping off "could" cause damage to the packs immediately regardless of age. It was a fairly stern warning. Honestly, I didn't ask more because I was already hanging my head from the scolding. I just said "Yes sir, sir". :)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, May 8, 2013 at 1:00 PM, Atwood, Mark <<a href="mailto:atwoodm@paragon-inc.com" target="_blank">atwoodm@paragon-inc.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Okay, I'll bite. Why don't you want to top off the charge? I know a lot of people who insist on doing this even if they just flew the day before.<br><br>Sent from my average intelligence phone<br><br><br>On May 8, 2013, at 1:44 PM, "Scott McHarg" <<a href="mailto:scmcharg@gmail.com">scmcharg@gmail.com</a><mailto:<a href="mailto:scmcharg@gmail.com">scmcharg@gmail.com</a>>> wrote:<br><br>I haven't seen any issues with a battery left a full charge for a week but I wouldn't recommend longer at full charge. Just make sure that you DO NOT top off the charge prior to flying. I have started doing what Keith does as well which eliminates all concerns. The worst part is having to wait at the field while you bring that battery back up to 50%. Last one out has to lock the gates.<br><br><br>On Wed, May 8, 2013 at 11:23 AM, Keith Hoard <<a href="mailto:klhoard@hotmail.com">klhoard@hotmail.com</a><mailto:<a href="mailto:klhoard@hotmail.com">klhoard@hotmail.com</a>>> wrote:<br>I take my batts to the field at 50% and leave the field at 50% charge. If I can't do that, then I discharge when I get home. My batts seem to last a long time.<br><br>The (dis)charger is supposed to get hot, that is where the energy from the battery is going - into the heat sink. That's Ok, my PL 8 gets hot too.<br><br>The PL8 can only discharge 100 watts by itself, but can do much higher if it is using "regenerative" discharge - dumping your LiPo's charge back into a lead acid battery. I don't know if the 10X has that capability or not. Otherwise I'd just keep using the low discharge rate, or plan your flying day to end with a storage charge.<br><br>Wow, that was a lot of typing to do on a phone!!<br><br>Sent from my iPhone<br><br>On May 8, 2013, at 11:15, "Bob Kane" <<a href="mailto:getterflash@yahoo.com">getterflash@yahoo.com</a><mailto:<a href="mailto:getterflash@yahoo.com">getterflash@yahoo.com</a>>> wrote:<br><br>I have had to abort a couple of planned flying sessions so far this spring due to weather. I have read that lipos should not be left at full charge for any significant length of time. So what is a significant length of time?<br><br>Hours? Days? Weeks?<br><br>My Turnigy 10XS charger has a discharge/storage mode, but the maximum discharge current is 1 amp. It takes a couple of hours to bring a 10S pack down to storage level, and the charger gets pretty warm(!) during the discharge. Up to now I have only worried about discharging the pack for long term storage.<br><br>If leaving the cells fully charged for more than a day or so is bad, I am considering building a dedicated discharger, there are some pretty simple yet effective designs on RCU.<br><br>Bob Kane<br><a href="mailto:getterflash@yahoo.com">getterflash@yahoo.com</a><mailto:<a href="mailto:getterflash@yahoo.com">getterflash@yahoo.com</a>><br>_______________________________________________<br>NSRCA-discussion mailing list<br><a href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a><mailto:<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><br>_______________________________________________<br>NSRCA-discussion mailing list<br><a href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a><mailto:<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><br><br><br>--<br>Scott A. McHarg<br>Sr. Systems Engineer - Infrastructure<br>_______________________________________________<br>NSRCA-discussion mailing list<br><a href="mailto:NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org</a><mailto:<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>_______________________________________________<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><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>-- <br><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#3333FF'>Scott A. McHarg</span></b><br>Sr. Systems Engineer - Infrastructure<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></body></html>