LiPo (20 minutes) Fast Charger available in market

[nic]

Read in an advertisement in FlyRC:



10 Amp cell balancing charger for use with new FMA Balance Pro 2s (7.4V) LiPo aircraft packs
Size: 135.9mmLx92.7mmWx47mmT
Weight: 352 grams
Power Source: 11 to 15VDC 10A Power Source
Applications: Charges 2s Balance Pro lithium polymer battery pack
Features: Charge balancing design assures optimum charging for each cell in the Balance Pro 2s pack; fast charge capability brings packs to 90% of capacity in as little as 20 minutes.

https://www.fmadirect.com/site/fma.htm?body=detail&item=2005&section=37

Retail: USD$119.95

[Unorthodox_Sniper]

interesting to be able to fast charge lipoly within 20 mins for 90% capacity.
but I thought it's the lipoly chemistry that does not allow fast charge?

[HZM]

I don know abt this charger but my triton reach abt 90% of charge around 100min another 20min of "reducing" input before it come to a complete stop. We are looking at 1C charging.

Mike

[nic]

I don know abt this charger but my triton reach abt 90% of charge around 100min another 20min of "reducing" input before it come to a complete stop. We are looking at 1C charging.

Mike

Apache so fast charges the fastest... my old apache charge at 1C.. and it usually finish less than 1hr.

Triton is indeed slow... but it still depend on the current source.. I find my non-regulated source (15V/5A) charges better than my regulated 12V/7A. It works when plug direct to the 7Ah dry cell/or from my car battery socket.

So far, my ICE Charger performs better than my Triton... it does charge my LiPo faster.... though not as fast as the Apache.

interesting to be able to fast charge lipoly within 20 mins for 90% capacity.
but I thought it's the lipoly chemistry that does not allow fast charge?

If they can advertise it... it only means they found way to make it works.... the company is in USA... and it is easily to get into a legal tangle there if they make false claims.

[X34]

The 20min 90% capacity should be use with Kokam 4th generation cells. About 2.5c charging.

I think it is not advisable to use this charger with other brands or earlier gen Kokam batt.

[Unorthodox_Sniper]

yeah FMA website says the charger is for their new Balance Pro 2S packs that can do fast charge of more than 2C. I guess it's a matter of time before the rest of the Lipoly manufacturers follow suit.

My prolux charger will charge faster than my schlze but my packs never reach 4.2v per cell when charging on prolux.

The 20min 90% capacity should be use with Kokam 4th generation cells. About 2.5c charging.

I think it is not advisable to use this charger with other brands or earlier gen Kokam batt.

[X34]

Some findings;

Some charger seems to charge faster than others. Prolux and Apache charges faster than Triton, and the slowest is Schulze and Orbit.

I find on discharge, the "faster charger" charged batt has the lowest mah output. Some as much as 10% lower.

Second finding, the voltage of the cells charged by the faster charger tend to have lower cell voltage after storing it for a week.

Using lead acid as a power source to charge lipo seems to maintain higher voltage than using regulated power supply.

[nic]

Some findings;

Using lead acid as a power source to charge lipo seems to maintain higher voltage than using regulated power supply.

Will it help if we tune our regulated supply to a higher voltage than 12V?
Maybe that's the reason.... since my unregulated supply is at 15V and it seem to charge better than my regulated 12V.....

[X34]

I will try 15v, currently, mine is set to 13.8v. I suspect the regulated PS current flow is not as smooth as the PB cells.

[goofy]

hehe

Happy with T15 Tamazo charger i have

charge almost anything .......

[MicroHeli-Nut]

If the switching frequency is higher will the flow be smoother? typical regulated supply is 50-60 KHz(or Hz) issit?

[X34]

If the switching frequency is higher will the flow be smoother? typical regulated supply is 50-60 KHz(or Hz) issit?

Our typical 220v AC is at 50 hz, when converted to DC, the converting process is suppose to take care of the ac wave and provide a "flat" wave. How "flat" and how "smooth" the current/voltage flow will affect the charging of the batt. In this instance, we are talking about the extremes.