[NSRCA-dist8] Battery checkers

Sat Aug 1 11:40:42 AKDT 2015

Thanks everyone for the advice, I have purchased E-Flite EC5 connectors,
also Deans Ultra ( hard to unplug )guess my next buy will be the HK XT
least they have a gripper.I upgraded to a 40 watt Weller soldering station
wish I had went to a 70+ iron it takes to long to heat up that 440 volt 100
am 10 ga. Wire.not like soldering 2/56 brass connectors to piano wire.But I
am persistent and am learning.Jim ,I love the smell of 30%Helix fuel
exhaust.
On Aug 1, 2015 11:44 AM, "Arthur F. Kelly" <afkelly25 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Lyle,
>
> So you are coming over to the dark side, didn't think it would happen.
> I'll throw in my two cents to the discussion; it's a departure from all the
> other approaches.  I've been using Anderson Power Pole plugs for the last
> three years without a failure. There have been several pieces in K-Factor
> about these plugs and I've connected with several east coast flyers who
> have had a lot of experience with them and highly endorse them.
>
> A big part of the draw to me was that they involve no soldering, since my
> soldering skills are lower than dirt. I know there are some who are
> concerned about their ability to handle pattern currents, but I've had no
> issues. As with you, I've been using the Castle HV 80 and a standard 10S
> battery pack. I route the pack through an arming plug mounted on the side
> of the fuse and the plug is the last thing to go in before a flight. I've
> been very pleased with this arrangement and the ease in connecting the
> plugs. One downside to the arming plug (and the Castle ESC) is the spark
> created when the plug is inserted. The spark can erode the contacts, over
> time. Some of the newer ESC's have a built in resistor that absorbs the
> surge and eliminates the spark.
>
> Just a few more ideas to muddy your thinking.
>
> Art
>
> On Aug 1, 2015, at 6:38 AM, Lyle Laughery via NSRCA-dist8 wrote:
>
> Now that all of you have beat the wadding out of battery checking can you
> help this soon to be electric flier,choose the best battery connectors
> between the speed controller and battery .Castle 80 and 5000 battery?
> On Jul 31, 2015 8:55 PM, "Patrick Harris via NSRCA-dist8" <
> nsrca-dist8 at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
>
>> Real men fly eight times....102....wuss!
>>
>> On Fri, Jul 31, 2015 at 8:43 PM, Karl Watts <karlwatt at sarmc.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Eight times!  You need counseling.  I flew 3 times, 102 degrees and
>>> became more gusty.  Went home for a beer and we were out.
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>
>>> On Jul 31, 2015, at 8:50 PM, Patrick Harris via NSRCA-dist8 <
>>> nsrca-dist8 at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> I flew eight times today and my twisty thing in the front went round and
>>> round and yes boys and girls, I am proud to say "I am an admitted Parallel
>>> Charger." Can I get an AMEN!
>>>
>>> On Fri, Jul 31, 2015 at 5:58 PM, Gordon Anderson <gaa at owt.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Don't get me started on parallel charging!
>>>>
>>>> G
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>> On Jul 31, 2015, at 5:15 PM, Patrick Harris via NSRCA-dist8 <
>>>> nsrca-dist8 at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> OMG...Jim...don't say "parallel charging' around Gordon....he'll have a
>>>> fit! 😀
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Jul 31, 2015 at 3:59 PM, James Hiller <jnhiller at earthlink.net>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Tried to fly today 17 MPH 101 degrees, this is getting old.
>>>>>
>>>>> I use a free volt meter from HARBOR freight to check before flying to
>>>>> insure I'm not installing a used pack.
>>>>>
>>>>> Before charging I check the voltage of each twin 5S pack to select
>>>>> packs with nearly the same voltage - usually within 2/10 V before parallel
>>>>> charging. I always charge at 1C. Takes about two beers to recharge a
>>>>> day's usage.
>>>>>
>>>>> I monitor charge Mah, which is a total when parallel charging, that I
>>>>> average to a single battery to get a feel for per flight consumption.
>>>>>
>>>>> Occasionally I'll charge individual batteries to try to negate the
>>>>> affects of parallel charging.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've also noticed it takes longer to balance when the batteries are
>>>>> getting tired and I'll check the IR for weak cells ( IR Spread ).
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm also not working the batteries very hard only gaining maybe 20
>>>>> degrees over ambient.
>>>>>
>>>>> Jim
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> *From:* NSRCA-dist8 [mailto:nsrca-dist8-bounces at lists.nsrca.org] *On
>>>>> Behalf Of *Patrick Harris via NSRCA-dist8
>>>>> *Sent:* Friday, July 31, 2015 3:32 PM
>>>>> *To:* Gordon Anderson
>>>>> *Cc:* AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY
>>>>> *Subject:* Re: [NSRCA-dist8] Battery checkers
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> All very true. I pick up on average about 5 percent after my packs set
>>>>> awhile. I find the checker I use to be pretty close, but always about 5 to
>>>>> 10 percent off what the true level based on what I actually put back into
>>>>> them.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Jul 31, 2015 at 3:25 PM, Gordon Anderson <gaa at owt.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Karl,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Here is my 2 cents worth....
>>>>>
>>>>> Predicting battery capacity from the open terminal voltage is not very
>>>>> accurate, I believe that is where this capacity prediction is coming from.
>>>>> I will bet if you let the batteries "rest" a few minutes after your flight
>>>>> and then check them again the capacity values will change. Battery
>>>>> chemistry is very non linear. I think the best predictor of battery health
>>>>> is the internal resistance, a lot of chargers will calculate and display
>>>>> this value. Keep an eye on trends, as the batteries age the internal
>>>>> resistance will increase and they will also get hotter during the flight
>>>>> and eventually start to puff up. The nice thing about monitoring IR is you
>>>>> can see if a cell is getting significantly different than the rest of the
>>>>> cells in the pack.
>>>>>
>>>>> The best way to know the capacity you have taken from the pack is to
>>>>> use a data logger that is measuring voltage and current and then
>>>>> calculating the maHr usage. Even in this case you will have to put more
>>>>> back in than you took out, this is because of the IR that burns some up in
>>>>> heat and the fact that the process is not linear.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --Gordon
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Jul 31, 2015, at 12:11 PM, Karl Watts <karlwatt at sarmc.org> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Do any of you guys or gals use battery checkers?  Are they reliable?
>>>>> I have one that I use to check my batteries before and after I fly.  For my
>>>>> flight packs – 2 5000 mAh packs it consistently reads 97-99% and after
>>>>> flying 14-33%.  My confusion is when I take a pack that say reads 14% after
>>>>> flying and charge it I am only putting in about 3000 mAh.  Seems to me the
>>>>> battery checker should show 40% not 14%, I used 3000 mAh which is 60% of
>>>>> the pack.  Should I discard the battery checker?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Karl
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
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