Idiot With Lipo batteries...

[K_B]

So... long story short, I had a massive brain-fart and charged a lipo pack with the charger in "NiMH" mode. I did some reading on a couple of lipo manufacturers' sites but all they say is "Make Damn Sure You Use A LIPO Charger!" None of them say what would happen if you charged 'em as a Nickel pack. What does it do? It charged for 37 minutes (it was discharged to about 3.7V/cell before the brain-fart). From what I've read on here, you shouldn't charge it like a nickel pack unless you're trying to revive an over-discharged pack and even then, you only do it for a few seconds. :?

So is this thing screwed or what?

I don't know if it's fubar or not yet. I haven't tried to run it for fear of doing further damage. I'd like some input before I just give it a whirl and see what happens...

[Cubman]

If you have trouble finding your answer here, I would go to these guys:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=129

You can also try these sites:
http://forums.radiocontrolzone.com/f...play.php?f=335
http://www.ultimaterc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=212

[JetskiMark]

If the pack did not swell at all, it should be fine. Consider yourself lucky that it did not catch on fire. What is the voltage now? There is an informative thread about LiPos here:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209187

Regards,
Mark

[JohnRobHolmes]

If the pack didnt swell, I would say it is good too. The best way to check it out would be charging it in a fireproof place for the remainder of the charge. Put it on lipo this time.

[slobin3d]

try smelling the pack, If it smells sweet like candy chances are the pack it toast or you have a bad cell.

[JohnRobHolmes]

Originally Posted by slobin3d

try smelling the pack, If it smells sweet like candy chances are the pack it toast or you have a bad cell.

yep yep

[K_B]

Thanks for the help. Been pretty sick today so I've been doing a bunch of reading up on this stuff. My main concern was when it false peaked at 37 minutes into the charge, if only one cell was charged and I might risk draining the un-charged cell too much. The thing is now reading 7.6V.

Anyway, I had to get outta the house today so I just said "fawk it" and ran it. Seemed to do fine. Ended up stripping my rear ring and pinion in my TLT in the process. That fawking Revolver is costing me it's purchase price in broken drivetrain parts

[JohnRobHolmes]

Originally Posted by K_B

That fawking Revolver is costing me it's purchase price in broken drivetrain parts

I warned you

you running a slipper clutch?

[floogldood]

If the batt was at 7.4 volts at start and just 7.6 at end then you did not add too much caopacity at all. It must've needed a lot more than 37 minutes worth of chargeing at the rate you were using.

To be sure you will have to figure the capacity of battery and charge rate that you used.

[K_B]

Originally Posted by johnrobholmes

I warned you

you running a slipper clutch?

Actually, yes. Well, sorta. I bought a Stealth tranny second-hand and it had no slipper, so I cracked open the diff and replaced the diff balls with slipper pegs for a half-assed slipper. It's worked well in the past, but this last time... poof!

As for the lipo, the charge rate was set at 2A. I re-charged it (in lipo mode this time ;)) and it charged for another 45 minutes or so. It seems ok, but I will definitely be watching it like a hawk.

I don't have a fireproof container, so I may start charging it outside to be a little safer... I'm also gonna make a huge sticker for the charger that says something like "hey dumbass, what kinda battery is that?"