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Post by gasgunner- Command on Mar 14, 2010 10:20:02 GMT -5
is there anybody out there that can give me a crash course in LIPO batteries??? i heard that they are the best kind to use... but i dont know what kind? what size? what manufacture? how long do they last? anything special i have to do with these? what do you have to change to use lipo if anything? etc... thanks in advance for any info... i currently use only 9.6 "intellect" batteries in my guns and i dont have any problems with these, but the cold...
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Post by Koyote on Mar 14, 2010 10:34:17 GMT -5
Personaly, I would never use lipos the number one reason is because they wear a gun down alot faster you have the rof but with a cost. I have also seen a Lipo catch on fire inside a gun before...
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Post by Sliverpix on Mar 16, 2010 16:22:11 GMT -5
I dont have any LiPO's but i do plan on getting some. I have worked with some LIPO battery tech as a auto tech in the past (this is not brand-new techology.. just new for airsoft/RC)
The big thing with LiPO is the charge rate (ie: the amperage). Use a smart charger with variable amp charge rate and you wont have any problems.
Things to remember.. YES A LIPO WILL EXPLODE IF IT GETS TOO HOT... key word is IF (not hot as some would think).. all batteries will get warm or hot during a charge... TOO HOT is simply too hot to touch ... THATS THE IF part. (No battery should be charged this way any how, as a regular "rechargable" battery can also explode (just not as often).
From what I have read from various manufactures is the LiPo's come with a special bag you should use to charge the battery in. USE THE BAG... just a safety precaution. This way if something does go wrong, the acid in the battery stays contained... Stay Smart and STAY SAFE!
A word on charge rate (goes for all batteries not just LiPo's) DONT set you charger for the highest charge rate... this is what causes the battery to get hot. Use a lower setting (typically 0.9 amps). This is ALWAYS a bad thing it WILL wear the life of the battery down AND is the leading cause to shorted cells and cold weather issues.
So why is there a 1.8 amp option on most smart chargers? This is mainly for charge balancing across the cells OR a "quick" charge. I wont go into detail as it really has nothing to do with this topic. However, sometimes it is healthy for a battery to get a "jolt". it helps break up the build-up that collects on the cell walls (typically at the cell plates) and keeps a battery "clean". Mostly I use it AFTER a normal charge (I wait several hours before doing this) and then do a SHORT jolt-charge. This is also useful for a battery that is not completely drained (more than 75% power in battery roughly) to get a full charge. DONT MAKE THIS HABBIT for lithium-ion or mercury-oxide as it can cause a false charge and you would have to do extended "re-balancing" of the cells.
Chargers to avoid? WALL CHARGERS. (ie: a basic charger that has no "smart charging" technology OR no way of regulating the charging amps) Wall chargers, typically, are the plug-in style that comes with most battery purchases.
Again, the best way to charge your LiPo is with a SMART CHARGER. These will read the volt/amp per cell and allow for varying amp rate as well as volt balancing per cell in the battery cluster.
One final note... it is not unusual for a battery to become warm during charging. If the battery is warm, it should be warm on all cells... if you have "pockets" or "isolated" areas of increased temperature then you got a battery problem (this may also indicate a high resistance connection at a battery pole too)
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Post by Sliverpix on Mar 16, 2010 16:23:53 GMT -5
oh and as far as "wearing out"... any "upgrade" to an AEG from the base manufacture is going to increase wear on your AEG... no big deal in my opinion. We can compensate by using higher quality parts (motors, gears, pistons etc...)
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Post by gasgunner- Command on Mar 16, 2010 18:32:59 GMT -5
i think im going to just stay with using "intellect" 9.6v batteries...... ill be safe... and i use a smart charger... got some brand new wall chargers if anyone needs one...
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Post by predatorryu on Mar 16, 2010 23:24:33 GMT -5
I like the idea of lipo but the rate at which it would wear down your internals is significantly increased. The smartest thing when running lipo is to completely upgrade your gearbox and motor so it can handle it(so I've heard....)
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