I have several different LiPo batteries which I use with my drones, many of them are different voltages and different capacities. How do I know at what current I should charge my drone LiPo batteries?
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1$\begingroup$ I have always found this website to be a great resource for learning all the ins and outs of LiPo batteries: rogershobbycenter.com/lipoguide $\endgroup$– 5zero7rcMay 5, 2020 at 2:38
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1$\begingroup$ There are a couple of technical mistakes on that site, but I agree with @5zero7rc about that webpage as a learning resource. $\endgroup$– ifconfig ♦May 5, 2020 at 4:02
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$\begingroup$ I have 1500 batt but my charger does not have 1.5A only 1.0 or 2.0. Can I use 2.0a? $\endgroup$– Marcio PanzaMay 6, 2022 at 17:10
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1$\begingroup$ @MarcioPanza by 1500 I'm assuming you mean mAh, in which case either 1.0 or 2.0 A will work. If you want a fast charge, go with 2.0 A. However, if battery longevity is more important, choose 1.0 A $\endgroup$– Jacob B ♦May 6, 2022 at 18:27
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4 Answers
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Charging Lithium batteries is a far more delicate process than discharging them because of the complex chemical processes involved. Batteries that are rated for tens of "c"s of discharge rate are usually only rated for 1-2 "c"s of charging rate. Standard charging rates are 1c for regular speed and 2c for fast charging, with 2c damaging the battery more.
C-ratings are an artificial marketing term that doesn't really help very much without being converted using this formula: Charging Current (amps) = C-rating * Battery Capacity (amp-hours) where one amp-hour (Ah) is equal to 1000 milli-amp-hours (mAh).
So, for example:
- 1500 mAh battery charging @ 1c = 1.5 A charging current
- 2000 mAh battery charging @ 1c = 2.0 A charging current
- 2000 mAh battery charging @ 2c = 4.0 A charging current
- 2000 mAh battery charging @ 0.5c = 1.0 A charging current
Charging at higher currents (higher c-ratings) is more damaging to the battery's cells and is more likely to cause complications like fires and explosions while charging. The opposite is true for charging at lower currents. It is hardly ever recommended to charge at more than 2c, and staying as close as possible to 1c is always recommended for safety and battery longevity.
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Generally, when charging LiPo batteries, you should charge them at a 1c charge rate for best longevity. This means that you charge them at 1 amp per amp-hour of capacity. so, for example, you charge a 1500mAh LiPo at 1.5 amps. (1000mAh → 1 Ah)
The cell count of the LiPo (voltage) doesn't really impact the charging current, but it is important to charge a LiPo at the correct voltage. Most LiPo chargers will let you set the voltage, current, and sometimes other things.
For small batteries that have an unusual capacity, charge them at the closest possible current. For example, you could charge a 450mah LiPo at either 0.4 or 0.5 amps.
Also, there's nothing stopping you from charging a LiPo at more or less than 1c. So, if you need a battery to charge quickly and you don't care if the battery gets damaged or explodes, you could charge it at a higher current. And there's not really any reason to do this, but you can always charge a LiPo at a lower current although it will take a really long time to charge.
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Despite what others have said, I've safely charged Lipos at 2C for 10 years, without any noticeable negative effects on battery life. Far more damaging is completely draining a battery - if you only discharge to 20% you'll save your packs.
Plus, realistically, with a racing or freestyle drone, your battery life is much more likely to be affected by crashes than anything else. :)
Lithium Ion batteries are a different story - they have very specific max charge rates and you WILL damage them if you exceed those.
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$\begingroup$ thanks for the comment, I do the same, with same effect. More of it, seems like betafpv 1s charging block does it for 2s and you can't change it. $\endgroup$ May 26, 2022 at 2:16
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A LiPo battery should be charged at a maximum rate of 1C, where 'C' is the capacity of the battery in amp hours divided by hours - so a 2200mAh battery can be safely charged at 2200mA (i.e. 2.2A.) For some high performance batteries the manufacturer may also state a charge C rating above 1C (such as some Turnigy Graphene batteries), but if this is not given it is safest to assume 1C. It is important to note that headline C rating of a battery pack shows the safe continuous discharge rate of the battery - the safe charge rate is significantly lower.
The reason for this limit is that when a battery is charging heat is created inside the battery. The faster you put charge in, the quicker the heat is generated - and if the battery is unable to dissipate the heat, it may catch fire. It is worth noting that while charging in a LiPo bag will contain a fire, it also further insulates the battery thermally which paradoxically increases the overheating risk.
It is safe to charge a battery at less than the recommended charge rate; this can be a good idea if you have a suspect (potentially damaged or over-discharged) battery that you wish to recharge for testing.
