How do I charge Lipo Freestyle Batteries?
There is no quick way to cover all the must know-how for all the battery and charger combinations in the market. Below we have gathered for you a list of terminologies and guides you should understand. For an in-depth video on the matter click here. If you bought any of the chargers that we sell on Rotor Riot and want a quick overview of how to use them scroll below.
Must-Know Battery Related Terminology
Balance Charging: The safest and best way to charge your batteries.
C-Rating: Refers to how fast the battery can be discharged without being damaged. The higher the C-Rating the more efficient it is at supplying spikes in power. Do not confuse with the charging rate.
S: means series if it has a number beside it means it has that amount of cells
S-Count: 1S, 2S, 3S, 4S (the most common), 5S, the numbers keep going up. This number represents the cell count of your battery. They also represent the voltage. Each cell accounts for 3.7 volts (nominal voltage). For example:
- 3.7 volt battery = 1 cell x 3.7 volts (1S) 4.2V
- 7.4 volt battery = 2 cells x 3.7 volts (2S) 8.4V
- 11.1 volt battery = 3 cells x 3.7 volts (3S) 12.6V
- 14.8 volt battery = 4 cells x 3.7 volts (4S) 16.8V
- 18.5 volt battery = 5 cells x 3.7 volts (5S) 21.0V
- 22.2 volt battery = 6 cells x 3.7 volts (6S) 25.2V
Keep in mind that fully charged, each cell is 4.2v in a standard LiPo and should never be discharged below 3.0v per cell.
Cells: same as S-Count
v: voltage and also can determine S-Count
Nominal Voltage: Term used when talking about LiPo's 3.7 voltage per cell.
mAh: Capacity is expressed on the battery in the form of milliamp-hours (mAh) when you see 1500mAh written on the battery, this is your capacity.
Wh: Watt-hour is a more accurate unit of energy to show the power capacity than mAh. A 200 Wh battery has more capacity than 100Wh battery. It also means you can supply that many watts for 1 hour before the battery runs out.
XT-60: Type of connector commonly used on freestyle drones. Usually, it is the main battery lead.
Balance Port: type of connector used to balance charge the batteries.
Charge Controller Module: This is what controls how the energy flows to and from your batteries.
Power Supply: This usually converts the AC wall current to DC current acceptable for the charge controller module. Some Charge Controllers come with this internally, others such as the M8 Charger do not come with one and must be acquired separately.
Risks
- Fire is the most common risk involved with charging batteries.
- Electrocution not as common as fire hazard but possible.
Safety
- Overcharge, over-discharge, over-temperature, short circuit, crush, and nail penetration may all result in a catastrophic failure, including the pouch rupturing, the electrolyte leaking, and fire.
- Whenever possible charge outside of your house in a covered area safe from the elements.
- Stay away from water and direct sunlight.
- Keep away from children and or pets.
- Handle with the utmost care and responsibility. If you are not sure of what you should do, contact our customer support.