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HTRC C240 Duo

Undead Jeeper

Pebble Pounder
Joined
Dec 6, 2020
Messages
177
Location
USA
HTRC C240 Duo - Charging Issue

I guess I'm a novice battery person and find myself illiterate in the face of this charger. I have tried to charge two small Li-Ion batteries with it but all I get are errors. :oops:

Batteries: 2 cell '18650' 1500 mAh 7.4V 15C

My error codes are "Battery Check - Lower Cell Volt"
and "Battery Check - Lower Voltage"

The error description for both is basically "Total {or cell} voltage of the battery is lower than the termination voltage control {TVC}, check the battery and the TVC setting, then restart".

I've never heard of Terminal Voltage Control, so does anyone have any idea what value or setting I'm supposed to change to enable these batteries to charge?
 
Last edited:
Sounds to me like both batteries have at least one cell below 3.0V...essentially a "dead"battery...which all chargers I'm aware of will 'refuse' to charge. Thankfully, there's is a simple, easy, and relatively safe (as long as you keep an eye on things) way to "resurrect" the packs. Of you check YouTube, you should find at least a few videos showing you how to do it. One of the (possibly THE) best was done by RC Review. Thanks to some input from a few others, I figured out how to do it even before that video was published. For all but the final step, you can do one pack at a time, or both packs simultaneously (on "dual", or higher, chargers). Here's the 'short version':

1) First, plug ONLY the pack's charging lead (ie. the connector that also plugs into the ESC) into the charger, but do NOT plug in the balance connector.
2) Set the charger to 'NiMH'...do NOT set it to charge 'LiPo' (this will be explained, below)...and set the pack capacity to be charged.
3) Set the charging Amperage to the charger's lowest possible setting, and start charging the pack.
4) This is where you REALLY need to keep an eye on the charging, and check individual cell voltage approximately every 3-5 minutes. The goal is NOT to fully charge the battery...you only want to get ALL cells above 3.0V...but, not too much higher. Since the balance plug isn't being used, that's another reason to keep an eye on the battery.
5) Every few minutes (I suggest 3-5), stop the charging, and check the pack's individual cell voltage. This can be done by plugging the balance connector into the charger (just remember to unplug it again before continuing to charge as 'NiMH'), or by using a separate "battery checker" (the method preferred by most). Once ALL cells are above 3.0V (and, hopefully, not any higher than...say...3.4V), you can skip ahead to step 7.
6) If any individual cells are still below 3.0V, repeat stairs 1-5, and keep repeating them until ALL cells are above 3.0V.
7) Once ALL cells are above 3.0V, reconnect the pack to the charger, including plugging in the balance connector, and continue charging in the normal way (ie. as 'LiPo').

The reason for setting the charger to 'NiMH' (step 2), as well as not plugging in the balance connector (step 1) is because NiMH packs don't have balance connectors, and you're tricking the charger into "believing" its charging NiMH packs. Thing is, NiMH packs don't really have a "minimum voltage", this the reason chargers can be 'tricked' into charging a LiPo as if it were a NiMH. At the same time, since the battery chemistry is different, there are two reasons why you NEED to keep an eye on it - one (obviously) is so that you don't charge the voltage to both, the other is to keep an eye on the battery's temperature (you don't want it to overheat...talk about a potential fire hazard).

As long as you never let LiPos get below 3.0V/cell, you shouldn't ever run into this problem again. That's why it's important to always utilize an ESC's LVC and/or add a "low voltage sensor" to your vehicle/vessel. Two final things to remember:

A) After using any LiPos, is you know of will be at least a few days before you'll use want particular pack again, charge/discharge it/them to 'storage' level. Almost all chargers (except Traxxas) have this ability.
B) In regards to packs previously put into 'storage', if any packs are not used within 2-3 months, check their voltage (total, as well as individual cells...best accomplished with the aforementioned "battery checker"). In your 'periodic' checking, if any packs have cells below 3.4V, recharge that/those pack(s) back up to 'storage' level. Most chargers use 3.8V/cell as the "standard" for 'storage mode'. If your charger has a user-programmable setting, program it for no lower than 3.75V, and no higher than 3.85V (I have mine set for 3.79V/cell).

~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place
 
Thank you so much for this detailed reply. I was kind of stumped with my current level of information and considered it a charger issue [or my ignorance] and not a battery issue.
I was hoping against hope that it wasn't faulty batteries.

Just to reiterate, these are Lithium Ion battery packs that are two cylindrical cells in larger-than-AA-size casings. I'm not well versed in the differences between Li-Po and Li-Ion enough to know
if there IS indeed a viable difference, but assumed Li-Pos were always in a flat pack pouch configuration.

Lots of good information you provided here, thanks again.
 
Re: HTRC C240 Duo - Charging Issue

Got could day that Lithium Ion (and Lithium Iron) are "cousins" of LiPo, as all are Lithium based. One of the 'advantages' of Lithium Ion & Lithium Iron is that neither have the "temperature" problems of LiPos...but, all still have the same "low voltage" problems, thus, you can still follow the directions I originally gave. I use a Lithium Iron battery in my motorcycle, and I 'resurrected' of in a similar way. Just remember, once the individual cells are about 3.0V, when plugging the balance plug in, make sure you sweet the correct "chemistry" type on the charger.

~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place
 
To check the voltage of the individual cells, should I just open the shrink wrap or cut it off or just stick the sharp probes
of the multimeter through the shrink wrap?

Could easily tape it all back together if I destroy the shrink wrap but I was wondering about the best way or 'the norm'

Check your post #4 for proper spelling, just to be clear. I'm wondering what else is wrong. :mrgreen:
 
To check the voltage of the individual cells, should I just open the shrink wrap or cut it off or just stick the sharp probes

of the multimeter through the shrink wrap?



Could easily tape it all back together if I destroy the shrink wrap but I was wondering about the best way or 'the norm'



Check your post #4 for proper spelling, just to be clear. I'm wondering what else is wrong. :mrgreen:
No...you use a battery checker (but from your LHA, or an online retailer). You plug the balance plug into the battery checker, and from the battery checker's screen, you can view total pack voltage, as well as each individual cell's voltage

~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place
 




Can you recommend a few battery checker/testers so I know what to look for?
Honestly, any one is good enough for checking total & individual cell voltage.

~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place
 
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