Submerge me in your pool of knowledge :)

[adreher]

Alright, I have some questions about batteries. I have a sv27 stock with a 45mm cf prop.

1. On a good pack (6 or 7 cell) like IB, if I ran them hard twice a week or so, what kind of life span am I looking at?

2. Which is better, IB 3600 or 4200?

3. My charger can charge at many different levels, what is the best? 2amp, 4amp, 1amp

4. One of my older batteries melted some of the covering tonight, what are some reasons it could have done that, does that mean the battery is shot?

Sorry for all the questions but I figured with such a vast pool of knowledge you all have this would be a good place to ask. Thanks!

[saleens7]

#2: IB 3600's...they dont have the cpacity loss problems that the 4200's do

#3: 4 amp for quick charges, but every once in a while (every 2-3 weeks) i would charge the pack at the lowest amp rating the charger has, ive heard this can help balance the cells (i dont know this for sure, but ive heard it does)

[NorthernBoater]

What kind of charger are you using?

[Fluid]

1. On a good pack (6 or 7 cell) like IB, if I ran them hard twice a week or so, what kind of life span am I looking at?

With IB4200s that depends on how hard you run them and how you store them. If you run them until they dump, getting them above 160F, they will be damaged the first week. They will still run the boat, but they will never be the same. If you store them discharged below 1 volt per cell, they will also be damaged and never recover. Care for them properly and they will last several years before they really slow down.

2. Which is better, IB 3600 or 4200?

Currently the IB3600s seem to be more reliable and robust. Last year's IB4200s were super-power cells, but they are not the same today.

3. My charger can charge at many different levels, what is the best? 2amp, 4amp, 1amp

Normal charging is at 1C, or 3.6 amps for the IB3600s (3 amps is okay). You should balance the pack once a month or so by charging at 1/10C until the pack is warm....a long time for an empty pack.

4. One of my older batteries melted some of the covering tonight, what are some reasons it could have done that, does that mean the battery is shot?

You are being far too hard on your cells. Your apm draw is too high or you are running too long. Try to never run IB cells until the boat slows markedly, this can permanently damage the cells. If they got hot enough to melt the shrink they have vented. This is permanent damage, but the cells will still run, just not as fast as before. The more often you overheat your cells the worse they will perform.


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[adreher]

thanks for all the info! I have a Vision Peak 2 AC/DC Peak Charger. Just so I am for sure, should I be stopping as soon as I see a speed / power decrease? Or should I judge by time, and bring it in after so many minutes and check them? Thanks again.

[Fluid]

Use a timer to find out how long you can run before the cells get too hot or the boat slows. With a freshly charged pack run the boat for two minutes and bring it in to check the temps. If the cells are under 140F run for another 30 seconds and check. Keep doing this until the cells are at 140F, that is as hot as you safely want them. Note the time. If the boat slows noticeably first, note that time. Use the shortest time and don't run longer than that. This takes awhile to do but you only have to do it once. Or you can forget about it and just run until the boat stops - which will destroy your equipment eventually.

The above assumes that your ESC and motor don't get too hot. No component should exceed 140F if you want them to give good performance for a long time.


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