Battery Storage?

[RedAlert]

I know the xstars use intelligent batteries that self discharge after a certain amount of days. Is it safe to keep them stored in the case with the aircraft or should they be stored seperately so the heat they generate does not hurt anything?

 

[GA-XSP-Pilot]

They don't generate that much heat when discharging (they discharge rather slowly). I keep mine in the case, but I don't store one in the aircraft - it's not necessary yet as I have enough battery slots in the case.

 

[Tommy Molnar]

I just recently set up my 'self discharge' rate at four days. I'm assuming (I know, I know . . . .) that after four days my batteries should start to discharge and bring them down to what ever they 'think' is the safe storage voltage. Well, I'm still showing two dots and one blinking (which is what they started at after a couple fairly short flights), and it's been over three weeks. Is this the correct storage voltage, or what? I'm not sure exactly how this is supposed to work. I've read some of the most extensive (and convoluted - in my opinion) descriptions of how this should be done.

I finally upgraded to the latest firmware a while back (maybe two months?), and updated each of my three batteries per instructions. And, as I mentioned, I set the auto - smart - discharge rate to four days.

Is this it? Am I doing it right? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[qwerty]

It's always a good idea to store batteries separate in a fireproof (e.g., ammocase) enclosure.

 

[Tommy Molnar]

Ok, I get that, but how come I'm not seeing anything happen when my "four day" discharge setting goes by, by over a week or two? That's what I want to know . . .

 

[Jagerbomb52]

If you look in the Starlink app it should have moved a tad, and I say a tad as that is all it does. You are better off making up a discharge cable with a car light bulb and low voltage alarm. Google it there are many choices for RC batteries.

 

[Tommy Molnar]

So basically the self discharging 'smart' batteries ain't so smart after all . . .

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I call that a slow way to destroy your battery.
Any lipo battery fully charged or any where close to it after 3 days you are pushing it. Gasses gather inside when fully charged and you are just asking for trouble down the road. Get a lipo discharger, they make them for dji batteries that you can use on Autel batteries or a after market charger with the right leads to discharge the battery.
Taking a few extra steps will give you a battery that will last for a very long time.

 

[KentA]

...Get a lipo discharger, they make them for dji batteries that you can use on Autel batteries or a after market charger with the right leads to discharge the battery.
Taking a few extra steps will give you a battery that will last for a very long time.

I'm very satisfied using the ISDT FD-100 Discharger that ORANGE CRUSH suggested in an earlier thread. It quickly & safely brings the voltage down to recommended storage levels.

 

[ORANGE CRUSH]

I am also very satisfied using the ISDT FD-100 Discharger, it works very fast at a 6 amp discharge rate & brings it down to 2 lights on & 1 blinking. That puts it down to 52% and 15.2-15.3 volts as Agustine recommended. I check them every Friday if i haven't used them & after a few weeks when they get to 1 light on & 1 light blinking i will charge them for 5-7 minutes to bring them back up to 50%. I was not satisfied with the slow discharge rate offered by the smart Discharge rate drop. Also i purchased 2 lipo safe boxes which i use 1 to store my 8 batteries & 1 to charge my batteries in to prevent a possible fire. KentA, i'm glad that worked out for us, probably one of the best purchases i have made.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Those sound very good. The one thing that does concern me though is the discharge rate of 6 amps. That is higher then the recommended charge rate of 4.9 amps. Have you felt the battery after discharge to see if it is getting warm?

 

[ORANGE CRUSH]

Thanks for the heads up Agustine, you can set it for 2,3,4,5 or 6 amp discharge with a push of a button, i did not notice the battery being hot with a 6 amp discharge rate. I will discharge at 5 amps in the future, thank you. I was curious of Autels discharge specs.

 

[KentA]

Those sound very good. The one thing that does concern me though is the discharge rate of 6 amps. That is higher then the recommended charge rate of 4.9 amps. Have you felt the battery after discharge to see if it is getting warm?

I have not noticed the battery heating using 6 amps, but the discharger gets warm & it's fan goes on.
I usually select a slower discharge option. Your choices are 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 amps.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I have not noticed the battery heating using 6 amps, but the discharger gets warm & it's fan goes on.
I usually select a slower discharge option. Your choices are 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 amps.

I would use 4 just to be on the safe side. Not saying anything might go wrong but when charging Lipos you should follow this example.

" Most LiPo batteries need to be charged rather slowly, compared to NiMH or NiCd batteries. While we would routinely charge a 3000mAh NiMH battery at four or five amps, a LiPo battery of the same capacity should be charged at no more than three amps. Just as the C Rating of a battery determines what the safe continuous discharge of the battery is, there is a C Rating for charging as well. For the vast majority of LiPos, the Charge Rate is 1C. The equation works the same way as the previous discharge rating, where 1000mAh = 1A. So, for a 3000mAh battery, we would want to charge at 3A, for a 5000mAh LiPo, we should set the charger at 5A, and for a 4500mAh pack, 4.5A is the correct charge rate."

 

[KentA]

I wonder how many amps our X-Stars draw with all the motors & other electronics running?

 

[ORANGE CRUSH]

Thanks Agustine for the information you provided for the charging rate, would this same information apply to discharging also? Would you know how many amps are being used while flying? When i manually discharge, i was trying to replicate the discharge rate. Discharging at a lower amperage level would equal a lower heat level also which would save on battery life.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Not knowing what the C rating on our batteries makes it hard to figure out. Most Quad batteries are 10C but I don't see anything on our batteries to indicate a C rating.
My aftermarket charger will not allow me to go any higher than 1.5 amps for discharge. Takes a while to discharge the battery at that setting but I am in no rush.

Here is a pretty good page that explains discharge ratings.

A Guide to Understanding LiPo Batteries

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I sent a email off to Autel asking what the C rating is on our batteries, let see if they know
The have nothing to sell so I just gave them something to do LOL

 

[ORANGE CRUSH]

Now that was FUNNY!!!!!

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Well here ya go. He had to stop playing Solitaire to answer LOL
According to my calculations, the C rating should be approximately 5C.
So your discharge of 6 amps should be just fine but as mentioned the faster it discharges the harder it is on the battery.