3S Lipo charging question

[SinCity]

I have a 3S 4000MaH Venom Power (li-power VEN # 1580) and a Passport Lipo 6S AC/DC

Battery Specs are- I'm sure you can find them online but for a quicker response:




and whole setup:




So the question is this:

I just spend 128 bucks on this stuff for my Slash, I would like to charge the battery a little quicker, what are my options for up'ing the charge amps? I don't want a explosion and shooting flames in my room and don't want to ruin the battery. I have searched google high and low and cannot find anything for Slash/batteries this size. Only 750mah 2s heli batteries.


Thanks guys.



EDIT: I just noticed 4A on the battery... I have been charging it on 1A. I take that means I charge it at 4A on the Passport charger?

[Charlie-III]

While it appears you can charge @ 4A, the lower the charge rate you use, the longer the battery will tend to last (in terms of how many charges will you get before you use it up.)
Split the difference and use 2A.

[fred0000]

I would charge that pack at 1C, so 4amps. do what you wish, 1C is the recomended charge rate for almost all lipo's it'll still take about an hour to charge.

[SinCity]

Originally Posted by Charlie-III

While it appears you can charge @ 4A, the lower the charge rate you use, the longer the battery will tend to last (in terms of how many charges will you get before you use it up.)
Split the difference and use 2A.

So 3A would be a mix of both worlds?

Now another question, more amps I charge at, the shorter charge time I get. I understand the faster charge=less run time.

Thanks again

[SinCity]

Originally Posted by fred0000

I would charge that pack at 1C, so 4amps. do what you wish, 1C is the recomended charge rate for almost all lipo's it'll still take about an hour to charge.

I don't really see a option to change it out of 1C. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.


It's a $75 Passport, I hope it can figure out what to do. lol

[fred0000]

Originally Posted by SinCity

So 3A would be a mix of both worlds?

Now another question, more amps I charge at, the shorter charge time I get. I understand the faster charge=less run time.

Thanks again

wow, sounds like you need to read the manual. best place to start also check out the electronics section and do a search on charging, this is all basic stuff that should be known just days into the RC hobby.

[zjguy721]

Actually, charging at a higher rate will cause the battery to wear out or fail faster. It's just harder on the cells. I charge every LiPo I have at 1C and then don't have to worry about getting a case of the poofs.

[fred0000]

C=Capacity 1C is 1 x (battery's capacity) capacity is 4000mah = 4amps.

again, thumb through the manual, read some threads, I knew all this before I owned a lipo

Originally Posted by zjguy721

Actually, charging at a higher rate will cause the battery to wear out or fail faster. It's just harder on the cells. I charge every LiPo I have at 1C and then don't have to worry about getting a case of the poofs.

[SinCity]

Originally Posted by fred0000

C=Capacity 1C is 1 x (battery's capacity) capacity is 4000mah = 4amps.

again, thumb through the manual, read some threads, I knew all this before I owned a lipo

just got into lipo, read the manual several times and all it says is how to start the charging cycle and change modes. The battery itself came in a box and everything about the battery is in the picture I posted. came here for help, I got it. that's all I need to know.

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by SinCity

Now another question, more amps I charge at, the shorter charge time I get. I understand the faster charge=less run time.

Thanks again

Ummm....not quite. If you charge at 4A until the charger shuts off (full charge) you get the same run time as charging at 1A until the charger shuts off.

1-Charging at 4A means it will take 1/4 the time to fully charge the pack compared to charging at 1A.
2-Charging at 4A is harder on the battery. The pack may only accept 50 charges done at 4A while it may accept 100 charges at 1A.

Make more sense now?

[fred0000]

Originally Posted by SinCity

just got into lipo, read the manual several times and all it says is how to start the charging cycle and change modes. The battery itself came in a box and everything about the battery is in the picture I posted. came here for help, I got it. that's all I need to know.

as you can see by the first pic in your first post, the lipo's generaly come with charging instructions printed on them ("1C (4amps)")

if lipo's dont come with charging instructions, the 1C rule is perfectly fine to follow, good luck.

[SinCity]

Originally Posted by Charlie-III

Ummm....not quite. If you charge at 4A until the charger shuts off (full charge) you get the same run time as charging at 1A until the charger shuts off.

1-Charging at 4A means it will take 1/4 the time to fully charge the pack compared to charging at 1A.
2-Charging at 4A is harder on the battery. The pack may only accept 50 charges done at 4A while it may accept 100 charges at 1A.

Make more sense now?

yep, got it. Thanks dude!

Originally Posted by fred0000

as you can see by the first pic in your first post, the lipo's generaly come with charging instructions printed on them ("1C (4amps)")

if lipo's dont come with charging instructions, the 1C rule is perfectly fine to follow, good luck.

Sweet. Now I just need to figure out how to enter lipo mode on my VXL-3s (yes, I am unprepared for brushless-lipo stuff).

I have tried many times, but it wont enter lipo mode.