Battery/Smart Charger Help (Warning: moron within)

[Burny]

Afternoon guys and gals,

 

Okay, so bear with me here, it's been at least 10 years since I looked at a physics/electronics book; I feel like a chimp trying to do some rocket science...

 

So my brand new setup is below. B6AC smart charger and Turnigy 2000 mAh 15-25c, 7.4v LIPO batteries. Much to my dismay the charger didn't come with a mini-timiya charger (I know I should change to deans, but baby steps) so I ordered (and patiently waited 😫 for) an adapter (right of the picture). However, now that's turned up when I hook them up as below, you will see the black and red wires, negative and positive?? (putting that A* in Physics to good use) do not match... I'm trying to work out if a) this is incorrect and b) how to get around this problem, is it as easy as me swapping the black/red around in the charger outlets? Also, some basic outlines of settings I should be looking to use to charge these batteries would be an excellent help, diligently reading every badly translated pamphlet that came with both the charger and batteries has taught me very little.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks!

[Iceni]

Use the little white connectors. They fit into the right hand side of the charger. There is a long white slot full of pins, It'll only fit in one position.

The small connector is also known as the balance charge lead. You don't need the tamiya plugged in at all to charge.

As for the wires been the wrong way round, That is a feature of tamiya connectors in airsoft. Our tamiya connectors are wired backwards. Deans are the regular way round just to confuse you.

If you want to use the tamiya cable simply switch the red and black at the charger. So red on the battery is the red port on the charger. Simples.


As for the batteries read up on them. There is a lot of information about lipo's and you must follow the rules.


Do not discharge them too low. Once the gun starts to slow down swap the battery.

Only charge them with a good charger like what you have, If the charger says no then don't try any tricks or hacks... The charger knows best.

Do not pierce or damage the outsides of the battery. If you drop them put them aside in a safe non-flammable place for a few minutes and check to see if they get hot. If they do get hot, It's advisable to warn a marshal if on site, but do not leave them unattended.

If the outside rips and you can see the metal inside, Dispose of the battery.


Provided you treat them with respect then you won't have any issues. Use a plastic case to transport them, Take them out of your guns when not used, Store them discharged,

you have a discharge/storage feature on the charger. If you run the storage mode it'll set the battery to the correct voltage to be stored. At this voltage, you can store the battery for a very long time without the battery decaying. 

Don't leave them in the car on a hot day.


Basic stuff really, It's the same battery that you have in your phone, so treat them with the same respect you show your phone.

 

[Burny]

Thank you so much for the detailed answer. I've go to laugh that I didn't work out I could charge them by the white leads and just sat here for days waiting for an adapter I didn't need rather than having a play... 🤣

 

The pamphlets walked me through all those safety steps so hopefully my house will remain in tact for now, but thanks for reminding me.

 

I read that 1amp is a safe charge rate, so unless anyone tells me something to the contrary, we're off to the races... hopefully.

 

Cheers bud.

[Iceni]

Safe charge ampage is as simple as looking at the capacity.

1800mAh = 1.8 amps charge.
2200mAh = 2.2 amps charge.

 

The charger will actually detect and set the correct charge rate in most instances.

Your cells are 2000mAh @2.0amps it'll take 1 hour each to charge them.


Since you are using the balance charging port:

The charger will not see a single 7.4v battery.

Instead, it will see 2x 3.4v batteries. (it will show on the screen as a 7.4v battery).

It will charge each of those batteries independently to the correct levels. Meaning the charge was balanced.

Using the tamiya to charge doesn't do this.

A fully charged battery has more than 7.4v. It's normally about 8.4v.



The discharge curve of a lipo is very useful.

You have a peak charge voltage of 8.4v (2x4.2v) that drops very quickly to a running voltage that is pretty stable 7.0-7.4v. There is then a sudden drop in voltage. Your gun will slow down very fast. This is when you pull and change the battery.



 

[Burny]

24 minutes ago, Iceni said:

Safe charge ampage is as simple as looking at the capacity.

1800mAh = 1.8 amps charge.
2200mAh = 2.2 amps charge.

 

The charger will actually detect and set the correct charge rate in most instances.

Your cells are 2000mAh @2.0amps it'll take 1 hour each to charge them.

Since you are using the balance charging port:

The charger will not see a single 7.4v battery.

Instead, it will see 2x 3.4v batteries. (it will show on the screen as a 7.4v battery).

It will charge each of those batteries independently to the correct levels. Meaning the charge was balanced.

Using the tamiya to charge doesn't do this.

A fully charged battery has more than 7.4v. It's normally about 8.4v.
 

Wow, this is so helpful, thanks again for your detailed help. I feel like it's all set up correctly now but get [Connection Error check main port] when I try to initiate the charge. The Charger can see the batteries as I went through the voltage functionality and it gives me readouts from each battery yet it can't see them to charge through the balance socket.

 

Edit: It also says 'No battery' if I try to do the resistance meter.

[Iceni]

Have you got the charger in the correct battery mode?

 

You want Li-po. Chances are you have selected Li-on.

You should also have 2 Li-po settings, Regular and balance. You want the balance setting.

[Burny]

3 minutes ago, Iceni said:

Have you got the charger in the correct battery mode?

 

You want Li-po. Chances are you have selected Li-on.

Man I would feel very silly if that were the case:

 

[Iceni]

Your in lipo charge mode. (this is the mode for the tamiya connection only)

You want lipo balance mode page 19 of the manual.

 

[Burny]

2 minutes ago, Iceni said:

Your in lipo charge mode. (this is the mode for the tamiya connection only)

You want lipo balance mode page 19 of the manual.

 

Sorry I should have mentioned I tried [Balance Charge] too 

[Iceni]

It might be because you have a slightly different variant of charger to mine.

Just plug the tamiya cable in as well (remember to swap the terminals on the charger).

Keep it in balance mode.

[Burny]

2 minutes ago, Iceni said:

It might be because you have a slightly different variant of charger to mine.

Just plug the tamiya cable in as well (remember to swap the terminals on the charger).

Keep it in balance mode.

Bingo bango, it's doing...something!!

 

Thanks again for your help, wish I could give you some sort of AFUK Gold.

[Iceni]

Awesome

It'll be cooked in about 35-40 minutes. (the battery should be @ storage voltage).

Just keep an eye on it.

[Musica]

I am in a very similar situation to you. I have that charger and mini tamiya connectors same brand. The common given advice is charge at 1C of your battery but this model should show on the battery it can handle 5c so 1000mah at 5c would be 5amps but I would stick to 1c personally.  

 

if your not going to use the batteries for a while use the lipo storage mode it will set them to about 50% charge better for their health. If your going to charge them up to use them use lipo balance mode. In both instances you need to plug both the balance lead and mini tamiya in for this charger. I got this connector which is  wired the backwards way for airsoft https://www.componentshop.co.uk/male-mini-tamiya-to-deans-female-charger-adapter.html but just change over your banana plugs and your connector will work. 

 

If you don't have one get a lipo charging / storage bag  for safety. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiber-Battery-Safety-Fireproof-Silver/dp/B00EZJKL2E/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_lp_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=NZ3X0XHMB7K35BQM2BB3 

[Iceni]

18 hours ago, Musica said:

I am in a very similar situation to you. I have that charger and mini tamiya connectors same brand. The common given advice is charge at 1C of your battery but this model should show on the battery it can handle 5c so 1000mah at 5c would be 5amps but I would stick to 1c personally.  

Covering my ass response!

There are 2 values that can have a C rating.

Battery discharge potential. Normally written as 2 values. 15/30, 20/40, 25/50

The second value is always double the first.

This version of C represents the discharge ampage potential. And has nothing at all to do with charge potential.

The values work to show the maximum ampage a battery is capable of.

The first is the continuous ampage potential,
The second is the burst ampage potential.

There is some math behind it as well.

25/50 C 2200mAh.

25x2.2 = 55 amps contintiuous.
50x2.2 = 110 amps burst.


The second use of C is for Charge potential but you have to be 100% sure you have this value listed or you will have some very serious issues.

This version of C is a charge multiplier and there is some math for it.

25/50 C 2200mAh 3c

In this instance, you have a standard 1c charge of 2.2 amps.

You can also use the multiplier and it multiplies the base ampage.

so 3c is 3x2.2 = 6.6 amps

In addition, the multiplier is also a number you can use to divide the time to charge.

So a 1c charge is 1 hour. 2c is 30 minutes, 3c is 20 minutes.

You have to be certain you have the correct batteries. Charging at 6.6 amps on a battery only designed to take a 2.2 amp charge is very dangerous.

 

 

DO NOT CONFUSE 1C/2C/3C WITH 1S/2S/3S!!!!!

The S value is the number of 3.7v cells that make the battery.

1S = 3.7v
2S = 7.4v
3S = 11.1v


5c as a charge multiplier is a feature on those tunigy batteries. Personally, I wouldn't go that high unless I'd forgotten to charge my batteries on the morning of a shoot and desperately needed a full battery.  There's a good chance the faster charge rate will shorten the life of the batteries, and you have to be 100% confident that what you are doing is safe. If in doubt let the charger run at the 1c rate for 1 hour and be safe.
 

[Musica]

Excellent detailed post. I will stick to 1C charging myself but always good to know.