21
votes
Accepted
Is it safe to fly LiPo batteries after they get "puffy"?
You should dispose of them.
A LiPo battery has three parts: the anode (negative plate), the cathode (positive plate), and electrolyte (sandwiched in between the two plates). Electricity is formed by ...
- 404
14
votes
Do low temperatures damage LiPo batteries?
tl;dr: Your batteries will be perfectly fine well below freezing, and, provided you follow some simple rules, will probably actually live longer if you store them in the cold. But don't ever try ...
- 2,967
12
votes
In what situations do puffy batteries pose a risk of ignition?
The risk of a puffy battery exploding during storage is still comparatively low, you shouldn't underestimate it however.
During charging the risk of explosion is at its peak. This is also the reason ...
- 577
11
votes
Accepted
At what current should I charge a LiPo battery?
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 ...
- 5,948
10
votes
How long can a LiPo pack be kept fully discharged before storage charging?
The most appropriate answer I could find comes from this study which states that a charged LiPo should be returned to storage charge if you do t plan to use it within the next 12 hours, and leaving it ...
- 4,412
9
votes
Accepted
How do I safely dispose of my LiPo batteries?
First is to discharge the battery to zero volts which can be done by using a LiPo charger or a light bulb. It can then be thrown into a recycle bin, but check with your municipality before doing so as ...
- 578
9
votes
Accepted
How can I safely parallel charge my LiPo batteries?
Only parallel-charge batteries with the same number of cells.
Safe parallel charging requires that the voltages on individual cells be close to each other. A difference of 0.1V per cell is considered ...
- 504
9
votes
Accepted
How low can I safely discharge a LIPO battery during flight?
The short answer is that you don't want to run batteries below 3.0V ever, and ideally want to avoid large current draw below 3.5V. For a 3S battery, once you start seeing voltages in single digits (3....
- 846
9
votes
Accepted
What does the C rating on a LiPo battery mean?
The C rating is a multiplier that dictates discharge. You can figure out the maximum theoretical discharge by multiplying the C rating by the capacity. For example an 80C, 1300mAh LiPo can output 80*1....
- 4,412
9
votes
In what situations do puffy batteries pose a risk of ignition?
"Puffed" batteries are both more and less dangerous. I am drawing from over 10,000 FPV flights where I beat the mortal sh*t out of lipos and also from over 3000 battery charges I have ...
- 1,058
8
votes
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Alternatives to LiPo batteries
Many people choose to use Lithium Ion batteries on long range builds.
They have a very large capacity and I have seen them give in excess of 20 minutes of flight on a quadcopter.
The reason that ...
- 4,412
8
votes
At what per-cell voltage should I land?
I start my landing approach when the average cell voltage reaches below 3.5V on a stable flight (not counting voltage dips on short, aggressive maneuvers).
At that point, you should still have enough ...
- 111
7
votes
At what per-cell voltage should I land?
I have found that landing based on voltage is inaccurate. For example, if you look at the voltage in the OSD while you have the stick at full throttle, the Voltage will be lower than if you had it at ...
- 1,226
7
votes
Accepted
Can I use LiHV batteries as normal batteries?
Yes, you can. The primary difference between LiHV and LiPo batteries is the ability to change them to ~4.35 V/cell instead of 4.20 V/cell with a nominal cell voltage of 3.8 V instead of 3.7 V.
Just ...
- 5,948
7
votes
Accepted
Can I use two 2s lipo batteries to power my FPV DJI goggles?
Connecting the batteries in series or parallel brings two new issues with it that you need to consider before you start using them and they are both related to batteries that are not on the same ...
- 486
6
votes
Accepted
Restore over-discharged LiPo batteries ~2.0V/cell
Firstly, I'll add the usual statement that mistreated LiPos can be dangerous and you are almost always better getting new ones.
In some cases, a 'smart' battery charger will refuse to charge cells ...
- 5,996
6
votes
How long can a LiPo pack be kept fully discharged before storage charging?
Like the other answer, I couldn't find a specific, good study to go off of for any sort of real statement. The ones I have seen tend to be pretty low sample sizes and somewhat limited scope. What I ...
- 450
6
votes
Accepted
Series or parallel connection for drone batteries?
Batteries in series = add the voltages, ie two 3S 1300 30C packs becomes 6s 1300 30C.
Batteries in parallel = add the capacities, as above you get 3S 2600 60C.
There's no particular pros or cons for ...
- 356
6
votes
Accepted
Is there an advantage to having more LiPo cells in a low-power drone?
The advantage of running at higher voltage is that you can use thinner wires and lower current (i.e. cheaper) ESCs, as power lost to resistance is proportional to current (squared) and not voltage.
...
- 7,003
6
votes
Accepted
Can a lipo battery be charged with more than 0.5 amps?
You definitely can charge your 1205 mAh 6S LiPo at a current higher than 0.5A. For most of the LiPos we use on drones, the recommended charge rate is 1C, which for your battery, would be about 1.2Amps....
- 5,642
5
votes
How to restore LiPo-powered aircraft that have not been flown for years?
You may need new batteries.
When a LiPo battery fully discharges, thin whiskers of lithium metal form between the plates of the battery. Attempting to recharge the battery will cause these whiskers ...
- 686
5
votes
What is a safe amount of time a LiPo pack can be kept fully charged before it is discharged to storage capacity?
You should store the battery fully charged as little as possible; a few days is probably fine, but when it gets closer to a week or more you might start to see it's health degrading. That said, there ...
- 2,644
5
votes
Alternatives to LiPo batteries
Li-Ion batteries are problematic because they do not deliver the currents needed for FPV flying. Take a look at this diagram: https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/discharge_characteristics_li
...
- 151
5
votes
Alternatives to LiPo batteries
Also take a look at LiFePO/LiFe chemistry batteries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery
Some advantages are:
More capacity per gram, meaning lighter weight
1,500 - 2,000 ...
- 151
5
votes
Accepted
How long does a LiPo battery last and how do I know if it needs replacing?
This question is difficult to answer without a few specifics.
By ‘how long does a LiPo last’, if you mean when it’s on a quad, then usually around five minutes on a five inch quad.
If you mean how ...
- 4,412
5
votes
At what current should I charge a LiPo battery?
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 ...
- 5,642
5
votes
At what current should I charge a LiPo battery?
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 ...
- 356
5
votes
Accepted
At what voltage per cell should I store a LiPo?
This question seems to be quite the debate in many places. However, the general consensus falls between 3.7 and 3.85v per cell. You can find a similar inquiry here: Storing at 3.7 or 3.85v and here: ...
- 5,642
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