How to Charge Lipo Battery Packs
Lithium polymer (lipo) battery packs store much more energy than their counterparts. These battery packs are also lighter and retain a charge longer. Lipo battery packs do not develop "memory," and therefore do not need to be fully discharged before the next charge. A combination of lipo cells forms a battery pack. Adding cells in a series increases the voltage of the pack, whereas adding cells in parallel increases its capacity. Observe specific instructions when using lipo packs in order to avoid dangerous situations.
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Instructions
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1
Make sure that the room is well-ventilated and that the room temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees. Clean the area where you plan to charge the pack. Remove all flammable materials; find a non-conductive surface (like a wood table) to place the battery pack on.
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2
Check the exact cell count or voltage for the lipo battery pack. This is important in order to determine whether the lithium charger can handle the specific cell count. Read the manual that came with your battery pack to get the exact cell count. Each cell of the battery pack should not be charged to more than 4.2 volts.
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3
Add up the nominal voltage of each cell in a series (3.7 volts) to determine the nominal voltage rating of the pack. A three-cell pack has a nominal voltage rating of 11.1 volts.
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4
Place the battery pack inside the charger. Plug the charger in and turn it on.
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5
Set the charger manually to the exact cell number and charge current (if it is not programmed to do this automatically). A three cell pack should be set to 11.1 volts. Always set the charge current to 0.7 C (1C at the maximum). Check to see if all the cells are being charged.
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6
Leave the battery pack to charge for four to six hours if it was fully discharged. When the charge current drops to 10 percent of the initial charge current, the battery pack is fully charged. Do not overcharge the battery pack, as this may damage the pack.
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7
Turn off the charger and unplug it. Take the battery pack out of the charger.
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Tips & Warnings
If you plan to store the battery pack for some time, charge the pack to 40 percent of the full charge. This will prolong the battery pack's life.
After every eight to ten charges, check the voltage of each cell using a battery voltage tester.
Never allow the positive and the negative battery leads to touch: this will result in a short circuit and damage the battery.
Lithium batteries are very sensitive to high and low temperatures.
Do not leave a charging battery pack unattended.
