Parallel charging

[Wayno52]

Hi all. Just ordered a parallel board for charging packs.
I’ve always only charged one at a time but it takes so long.
I always balance charge, well nearly always lol.
Do you guys use para boards and are they safe? Some say they are some say not. And can I really balance say 4 packs at a time?
Bit sceptical atm can anyone help with info please? Anything I need to look out for? Apart from the obvious. It is for 4s packs but not all same brand or size.
2 x 95c fmr 1300
1 x chl 100c 1300
1 x generic 75c 1600
With imax b6
Cheers for any help guys.
Wayne

 

[theGreenOrange]

Yes it is safe, but you need to start with packs all at the same voltage. Set the charging current to 4X what one pack would get.

 

[theGreenOrange]

I would only charge equal size packs though.

 

[Wayno52]

Thanks Green, so don’t mix and match is what you’re saying? Keep say 1350 mah together and say 1500 mah together?

 

[theGreenOrange]

I have never experimented with different pack sizes together. The risk is that the large pack would take all the current after the small pack is full, but before the charger leaves current control mode for voltage control mode.

 

[Wayno52]

Ok thanks for the advice Green. I’m always cautious about charging packs and so use to one at a time.
Anything to get in the air a bit faster.

 

[Futuramille]

i parallel charge unless i get a pack needing singular attention. just burn your packs down to the same every time. eg i go to 14.5v on 4s and quit. then use a meter to unsure all batteries are within .2v of each other. mine usually come back to 15.25-15.35v. im a bit **** and plug the batteries into the balance charger lowest voltage to highest. you just need to avoid a huge surge into the lowest batteries (its a longevity thing) and the batteries start balancing to each other straight away.
charge at 1a per 1000mah.
eg four 1300mah packs charge at 5.2a (i round down to the nearest full volt - 650mah charges at .6a)
...don't mix different mah packs
...don't mix different c rated packs

once I plug in the batteries being charged, i wait at least 5 min to let all the batteries balance to each other. this way, charging starts at the same point for all and reduces charging time at least.

i keep a chart on the wall over the charger with the battery mah i have and the voltage per to charge. if your simply careful its awesome to get charged packs six at a time... more flying is a good thing

 

[Wayno52]

Thanks Futura. Already made a boo boo and had smoke almost instantly. Doh 1 pack fried and the other only charging to 16.57v and took over 100 minutes so guessing that ones stuffed too.

 

[Futuramille]

****, sorry to hear it got exciting. those little pins on the parallel balance plug got me once early on, i wasn't paying attention and plugged a 3s into a 4s (or tried) snap/poof/****!!!
once you get a routine down it gets less exciting. it should never be a completely relaxing event. your reloading multiple little fire bombs at once. lol
getting and following the same routine/ process everytime and realizing i had a decent routine helped me relax a little.
it popped once at Nate and he won't touch it lol.
i still get plenty of light and slow way down when plugging in batteries

 

[Wayno52]

Yeah to be perfectly honest Futura, I’m **** scared of these packs after that. Just going to stick with one at a time atm. They scare the **** out of me to be honest.

 

[theGreenOrange]

Do you have any idea what went wrong?

 

[Davey]

Watch Stu from uav features video on balance charging. I just got a second charger. I had a pack smoke up once because it got damaged in a crash

 

[Wayno52]

Yeah Green, in too much of a rush and I am 99 percent sure I plugged one of the balance leads in the wrong way. Not the type of thing anybody should rush.

 

[Futuramille]

build routine and pay attention. its not that scary once you know what to pay attention too. my old chargers send me messages on my phone. atv least one does, the other is a knock off..