[NSRCA-dist8] Battery checkers

Sat Aug 1 16:01:25 AKDT 2015

+1 for power poles. Genderless.

On Sat, Aug 1, 2015 at 2:12 PM, Patrick Harris via NSRCA-dist8 <
nsrca-dist8 at lists.nsrca.org> wrote:

> This is what I use to put them in series:
>
> http://www.f3aunlimited.com/power-unlimited-deans-series-connector
>
> On Sat, Aug 1, 2015 at 12:38 PM, Lyle Laughery <pattern.laughery at gmail.com
> > wrote:
>
>> 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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>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>
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